Christianity Beliefs & Teachings - Salvation and Eschatological Beliefs Flashcards
Define atonement.
Something which is done to pay for a wrong act.
E.g. before Jesus arrived, God gave the Jews a way to atone for the sin.
- Once annually they had the Day of Atonement where they would have to make a sacrifice.
What happens on the Day of Atonement?
- The priest would enter the innermost part of the temple called the Holy of Holies.
- An animal sacrifice would be made and the blood of the animal would bring atonement between humans and God.
- People would stand pure before God.
- The next year they would sin and the process would be repeated.
What is the Christian view on the Day of Atonement?
- They believe the priests were temporary waiting for Jesus to come as the High Priest to remove all sin.
- Jesus on the cross was like the sacrifice of animals.
- Jesus entering heaven is like the high priest entering the Holy of Holies.
- Jesus had an eternal effect unlike animal sacrifices.
- Repentance is paid for by Jesus’s sin
- Christians can receive salvation through Jesus on the cross.
Define salvation.
Being saved from eternity in hell through repentance and Jesus dying on the cross.
What is the situation regarding Christians following the law?
- People were sinful and imperfect as they could not follow all the laws or commandments, thus failing to meet God’s standards
- Jesus’s sacrifice was enough to make Christians be forgiven, even if they are imperfect
- Under the new covenant people could receive complete forgiveness and the Holy Spirit enter them.
Define grace and its importance.
Unconditional love that God shows to those undeserving,
- Christians are not saved by their own work or obedience, but by the grace of God.
- God’s grace, if they have faith in Christ, allows humans to have his blessing even if they are sinful.
How do Christians redeem themselves for the sin they have committed?
- Redemption describes what God has done for them
- Salvation is offered by God to pay for the debt of sin.
What is the Christian attitude regarding repentance and forgiveness?
- In order to be saved, they need to apologise to God for their sin and ask for forgiveness.
What did Paul say about sin?
- Original sin (Romans 6:23) started sin within humans.
- Humans continue to disobey God
- God has gifted Christians with salvation as a ticket to eternal life in heaven, through Jesus’s crucifixion.
- Crucifixion is key to redemption
- Salvation is not earned through human deed, nothing humans do is enough for eternal life in heaven.
- Salvation is a gift to everyone as all are equal.
- No one can boast about their behaviour being enough to enter heaven.
What are different Christian views regarding salvation?
- All believe in salvation as the route to redemption
- Some believe they are saved by baptism, the Eucharist and being a member of church, brings them God’s grace
- Some say salvation is as a result of a religious experience such as a conversion.
What are apocalyptic ideas in the early Church?
Eschaton: First Christians thought Jesus ascended to heaven and would return to replace sin and evil in the world, believing it was the end of time.
- Parousia: Belief in the second coming of Jesus, they expected it because they believed the end of time was coming.
- Beliefs about how the world would end were usually apocalyptic.
- Some Christians still expect parousia, others try to calculate when the world will end due to signs in the Bible.
- Most say these beliefs of parousia is God saying there is an incomplete plan.
What are Christian beliefs about resurrection and life after death?
- Humans have an immortal soul that cannot be seen.
- Having a soul makes humans unique from other creatures
- Humans imperfect and mortal bodies will die but their spiritual body will resurrect meaning there is a life after physical life shows by Jesus’s ascension
What are Christian beliefs about hell?
- If Christians do not repent and receive salvation on Earth, they will go to hell for punishment (Gehenna=hell)
- Hell could be eternal, some say hell will be (annihilation) completely destroyed, body and soil will cease to exist at the point of death.
- Some believe hell is there for experiencing eternal existence without God’s grace, hell is symbolic.
What are Christian beliefs about heaven?
- Being in eternal presence of God
- Those with salvation will stay in heaven for eternity
- Suffering and evil does not exist
- Heaven encourages Christians to to be obedient and believe in God.
What are Christian beliefs regarding purgatory?
- RCC belief that if you die in good spiritual stae you will go to heaven, some are not pure enough so they will go to purgatory to be purified before entering heaven.
