Christianity-Beliefs and Teachings Flashcards
What do Christians believe about God?
There is only one God
God is holy
God is the creator and sustainer of all that exists and people can have a relationship with him through prayer
Important quotes about the oneness of God
“We believe in one God” The Nicene Creed
“You shall have no other gods” Exodus 20:3 NIV
What characterises do Christians believe God possesses
Omnipotent Omnibenevolent Just Eternal Omniscient Transcendent Immanent
What are the problems of evil and suffering?
If God is omnibenevolent, why does God allow people to suffer and to hurt other?
If God is omnipotent, why does God not prevent evil and suffering, such as the suffering caused by natural disasters?
If God is just, why does God allow injustice to take place?
How does God show his benevolence, according to Christians?
By sending his son, Jesus to live among humans
Creating humans and caring for them
What are some of the things Christians say in response to the problems of evil and suffering?
Suffering was brought into God’s perfect world by Adam and Eve’s disobedience
It is the result of free will and is also a test of faith
God can always see the bigger picture so something may look bad in the moment but it could result it a much better thing later
Without suffering, people can’t show positive qualities such as compassion
What is the role of God the Father?
The creator of the world and the ruler of heaven and hell
Important quotes about the Trinity
“For there are three; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one” John 5:7
How does the belief in creation by God influence Christians today?
They value every human being as a creation of God
They believe people should look after the natural world
What is the creation story according to Genesis?
God creates the world in 6 days. Day 1: Light and darkness Day 2: Sky Day 3: Oceans, land and plants Day 4: Sun, moon and stars Day 5: Creatures of water and sky Day 6: Land animals and humans Day 7: God rested
Important quotes about the creation story
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the Earth” Genesis 1:1
“God said let there be light’ and there was light” Genesis 1:3
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was with God” John 1:1
What is the incarnation?
Mary was made pregnant by the Holy Spirit through a miracle
The virgin conception is evidence for the Christian belief that Jesus was the Son of God, part of the Trinity
Quotes about the incarnation
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (shows that Jesus was God)
“This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit” (Jesus was born to a virgin)
Important quotes about Jesus’ crucifixion
“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” (This shows Jesus was fully human as well as being fully God and therefore felt pain and can understand humans)
Why is Jesus’ crucifixion important to Christians?
Jesus’ sacrifice gives hope that their sins will be forgiven if they sincerely repent
God understands human suffering because he himself experience it through Jesus
Christians accept that suffering is part of life
Without the crucifixion he wouldn’t have risen from the dead (the resurrection)
What was the resurrection of Jesus?
Some of Jesus’ followers went to go anoint Jesus’ body but when they went, his body was not there
Either a man or two men, who may have been angels, told the women that Jesus had risen from the dead
Over the next few days, Jesus appeared in front of several people
What are some quotes about the resurrection of Jesus?
“And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead…For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive”
This quote says that if the resurrection had not happened, Christianity would have never existed because it showed the divine nature of Jesus. Had it not happened Jesus wouldve been passed off as an ordinary man
What was the ascension of Jesus?
After meeting with his disciples and asking them to carry on his work, Jesus left them for the last time, returning to the father in heaven.
Important quote about the ascension
“While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven”
What was the significance of Jesus’ resurrection for Christians today?
Shows the power of good over evil and life over death
Means Christians’ sins will be forgiven if they follow God’s law
Means Christians will be resurrected if they accept Jesus, so there is no need to fear death
What was the significance of the ascension for Christians today?
Shows that Jesus is with God in heaven
Paved the way for God to send the Holy Spirit to provide comfort and guidance
What impact does the belief in resurrection have on Christians?
Means life after death is real
Gives hope of a future with Jesus
Gives confidence in the face of death
Shows Christians how much God loves them
Inspires Christians to live life in the way God wants them to so they can remain in his presence in this life and the next
What do Christians believe about the afterlife?
Resurrected and receive eternal life but is dependant on faith in God
Judged by God which will happen very soon after death or on the Day of Judgement
What do Christians believe about judgement?
God will judge them based on their actions during their lifetime
The parable of the Sheep and the Goats described how God will judge people.
It teaches that in serving others, they are serving Jesus and this is the way they should live their lives
Jesus told his disciples that having faith in him and following his teachings was essential for being able to enter heaven
Why do some people not believe in hell?
A loving God would not condemn people to hell
God is forgiving so would offer everyone a second chance to repent
What is original sin?
Original sin is the concept that humans are born with an in-built tendency to sin.
Came from Adam and Eve’s disobedience of God-result of their sin was separation from God and intro of death into world
What is salvation?
Salvation means to be saved from sin and its consequences and to be granted eternal life with God. It repairs the damage caused by sin
How does salvation come about?
Through doing good works (made clear in Old Testament)
Through grace-salvation is given freely by God through faith in Jesus
Quotes about salvation
“In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead”
“For it is by grace you have been saved”
What was Jesus’ role in salvation?
Made up for the original sin and Jesus’ (an innocent man) death was needed to restore the relationship between God and believers and bring them salvation
It shows that goodness of Jesus defeated the evil of sin and It was proof that God has accepted Jesus’ sacrifice on behalf of humankind
Quote about Jesus’ role in salvation
‘Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved’ The apostles creed
Shows that no one other than Jesus can save humankind
What is atonement?
Removes the effects of sin and allows people to restore their relationship with God
Jesus and atonement
Through sacrificing his life, Jesus took the sins of all humanity on himself and paid the debt for them all. He atoned for the sins of humanity
What is the role of God the Son?
God the Son (Jesus) came into the world to spread God’s message and offered forgiveness for human sins
What is the role of God the Holy Spirit?
God’s invisible presence on earth who comforts, guides and protects humans and is responsible for God’s miracles on Earth
‘The trinity is a helpful way of describing God’
FOR
It helps humanity understand the complex nature of God
It is useful to Christians as it helps them understand the nature of God and the roles he plays
The Trinity helps Christians to understand the way in which they might encounter God.
The trinity is a helpful idea because it describes God as a loving relationship of persons
The love of God the Son is shown in Jesus’ mission and sacrifice
‘The trinity is a helpful way of describing God’
AGAINST
The Trinity seems contradictory
If God is One, then how can God have three persons?
Jesus was a Jew and believed in the oneness of God
The trinity is not helpful to people of other faiths as they may think that Christians believe in three different Gods
Explain two ways in which belief in creation by God influences Christians today
They value every human being as created by God
They believe people should look after the natural world (stewardship)
‘The afterlife is a good way to get people to behave themselves and help others’
FOR
The promise of heaven would encourage good behaviour
The threat of hell would prevent bad behaviour
Belief in heaven takes away the fear of death
People want to be with Jesus when they die so they follow his teachings
It gives hope that people will experience eternal happiness even if their life on Earth has been hard
‘The afterlife is a good way to get people to behave themselves and help others’
AGAINST
Atheists don’t believe in heaven or hell but still have moral principles
No one can be sure there is an afterlife, so it is not a good way to get people to behave
Most people do not consider belief in the afterlife when deciding how to behave
An atheist would question how a loving God could punish people forever in Hell
Morality is formed in childhood by parental teaching
‘Salvation is God’s greatest gift to humans’
FOR
Everyone needs forgiveness from God
Without salvation, humankind would have to pay the price of human sin
God shows his great love for people by sending his Son to save us
Humans should be grateful every day of their lives for Jesus’ sacrifice on their behalf
‘Salvation is God’s greatest gift to humans’
Against
People may doubt the truth of Jesus’ resurrection so that they don’t see the need for a belief in salvation
Some people may question whether God is loving if God demands the death of his Son in payment for human sin
Even some religious people may think there are greater gifts to humans, such as nature or life itself or maybe even Jesus
Explain two Christian beliefs about salvation
Refer to sacred writings or another source of Christian belief and teaching in your answer
One Christian belief about salvation is that salvation can be gained through good works
These good works may be following teachings such as the Ten Commandments, the Golden Rule and ‘love your neighbour’ worshipping and praying regularly also help Christians to earn salvation
‘In the same way, faith by itself’
A second Christian belief about salvation is that it is gained through grace
God gives salvation to people who have faith in Jesus. It is a gift for the faithful.
‘For it is grace that you have been saved’
Paul wrote in his letter that is it through grace, which is a gift from God, that people are saved, not simply through their good works
