Topic 6,7 & 8 Purpose of life

Question 1

What is the meaning and purpose of life for Christians?

Answer 1

1. Catholics : Gen 1 ‘go forth and multiply’ important to have family to continue faith
2. Monks + nuns : worship god through having faith in him via contemplative lifestyle
3. Aquinas : 5 primary precepts, worship god, reproduce, preserve life, live in an ordered society + educate kids
4. St Francis of Assisi : stewards of the earth
5. Evangelists spread message of Christianity as in matt 28

Question 2

What is the ultimate purpose of life for all christians?

Answer 2

Reaching salvation through forgiveness of sins so can go to heaven

Question 3

What is salvation?

Answer 3

• sin = falling short of god’s standards leading to broken relationship w god
• salvation = saving of humans from sin and its consequences which include death and separation from god

Question 4

How does salvation occur through grace?

Answer 4

1. God’s action that saves ppl (undeserved, unearned gift from God)
2. Faith in god + his loving generosity + omnipotence which makes ppl righteous (not good actions) - Gal 2, not justified by works of law but through faith in Jesus
3. Augustine: og sin, no humans could ever be gd enough to attain salvation w out god’s grace

Question 5

How does salvation occur through faith?

Answer 5

1. Recognise jesus died for their sins + ask god for forgiveness
2. Illustrated in john 3 ‘whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life’

Question 6

How does salvation occur though compassion

Answer 6

1. Just like jesus demonstrates eg to haemorrhaging woman etc
2. Mark 10 jesus tells wealthy man that to attain eternal life must give everything he owns to poor - loving to others = key if you wish to go to heaven (sheep + goats - liberals - actions)

Question 7

How does salvation occur through worship?

Answer 7

1. Roman Catholics : sacraments as these give ppl grace
2. Eg baptism - Roman Catholics + other christians believe process of salvation starts at baptism (symbol of evil washed away)
3. Liberals : salvation thru prayer (deeper understanding of who god is + need for sins to be forgiven)

Question 8

Why do christians believe in salvation?

Answer 8

• john 14 only way to Father thru belief in Jesus
• creed -> salvation why god became man (salvation from sin was purpose of jesus, to open gates of heaven so christians can spend eternal life there)

Question 9

Explain Jesus Christ as Saviour

Answer 9

• jesus = god incarnate -> only son of god bring salvation from sin (which prevented ppl from having relationship w god) sacrifice = reconciliation w God and chance to enter heaven (saved ppl from sin)
• Jesus’ resurrection = sin can be conquered + gives all Christians hope there is life after death
• jesus = redeemers (penalty of sin = death + jesus paid price for humanity by dying on cross)

Humanity only needs to accept god’s gift of forgiveness via faith to get to heaven

Question 10

Salvation via faith

Answer 10

1. Ephesians 2: for it is through grace that you have been saved.. not by works
2. Evangelicals: saved thru belief, nothing we can do to earn god’s grace
3. Augustine : grace of god saves us, need faith for possibility of salvation

Question 11

Salvation via works

Answer 11

1. James 2: you see then that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone
2. Jesus promotes good works via miracles and acts of kindness
3. Proverbs 21: to do what is right and just is more acceptable to the lord than sacrifice

Question 12

What are problems with the idea of salvation?

Answer 12

1. Sacraments as method of salvation not acceptable: shld just be personal between individual + god
2. Atheists: how can mass murderer to potentially be forgiven + go to heaven
3. Makes god out to be harsh + judgmental who cannot just forgive - is he still omnibenevolent

Question 13

Christian beliefs on eternal life

Answer 13

1. Fundamentalists -> thru jesus -> no one deserves eternal life cos ppl r sinners -> thru god’s grace we achieve it
2. Liberals + conservatives -> parable sheep + goats (good works)

Question 14

What are four things christians might do to achieve eternal life?

Answer 14

Faith : evangelicals converting others

Live more faithful life by going to church

Works:
Help others

Obey words of jesus + live more moral holy life

Question 15

What is the Kingdom of God?

Answer 15

‘Rule of God’

Some see it as equivalent of heaven

• place w god
• maybe paradise before fall
• spiritual place

Question 16

What do christians believe about the kingdom of god?

Answer 16

1. Fundamentalists: literal place in resurrection bodies which will be imperishable and immortal, as suggested in book of revelation
2. Conservatives: blissful state of being for souls of good ppl
3. Liberals:
   Grading system where all ppl go to be w god

Question 17

Explain Jesus as Lord

Answer 17

• has complete authority over everything
• jesus = part of god (shares in God’s lordship)
• head of church (glorifies jesus in all that it says + does)
• jesus = lord over living and dead (death cannot separate ppl from Jesus’ lordship so that after death Christians have a confidence that they continue in an afterlife

Question 18

How does the idea of the Kingdom of God and Jesus as Lord affect Christian lives?

Answer 18

1. Give up personal ambitions to follow god’s call eg to be a missionary / monk/ nun (live poor, chaste life)
2. Focus on getting to heaven + confidence that dead relatives will go to heaven too
3. Modify behaviour as jesus = lord over their life eg be fair, honest etc
4. Bad situations hope = Jesus has authority over situation (sort things out + there will be peace)

Question 19

What are the problems with the lordship of jesus?

Answer 19

1. Why do things go wrong if jesus has ultimate authority
2. Sacrifice can be damaging - asks too much
3. No confirmation for heaven
4. Ppl might rush to get to heaven