Salvation
The idea of salvationThe healing of a broken relationship between people and God. is a very important part of Christianity and is closely connected with the idea of atoneA person atones when they show they are sorry for doing something wrong.. Christians believe that Jesus sacrificed himself on the cross to make salvation possible for humans.
Nature of salvation
Salvation is the act of delivering (or keeping away) from evil or saving from sinAct of rebellion or disobedience against the known will of God in Judaism, Christianity or Islam.. Sin is an act that is against God’s will and therefore moralConcerned with the principles of right and wrong behaviour. wrong. In Christianity there are two types of sin:
- Original sin – this is inherited from Adam and Eve, the first humans created by God. They broke the perfect relationship between God and humans by disobeying God’s command.
- Personal sin – these are an individual’s sins. They are the consequences of a person’s actions. For example, shoplifting would be considered a sin because it goes against a direct commandmentA law or instruction believed to have been given by God. from God not to steal.
Many Christians believe that people who die with unforgiven sins will not go to Heaven, and may go to Hell. Catholics believe these people may be sent to PurgatoryA place where Catholics believe people's souls are purified of their sins before they go to Heaven.. For Christians, salvation is a crucial part of having a relationship with God while on Earth, and also in Heaven.
Role of Jesus in salvation
Christians believe that Jesus came to Earth so that humans could receive salvation in a permanent way. Before Jesus, salvation had come from following the laws given to MosesThe man chosen by God to save the Jews from slavery and take them to the promised land. In the Qur'an he is a messenger chosen by God to give the revelation of the Torah to the Israelites. in the TorahLaw; teaching. The word Torah can be used in a narrow sense to mean the first five books of the Hebrew Bible (The Five Books of Moses) and also in a wider sense to include the whole of the Hebrew Bible and the Talmud.. When Jesus died on the cross, his death acted as a payment for the human sins that were a result of people disregarding God’s laws.
By having faith in Jesus, Christians believe they receive God’s graceThe gift of God's love and support regardless of whether or not a person has done God's will. . This means they believe God has blessed them, which in turn gives them the strength to live a good Christian life.
The following quote from ActsThe fifth book of the New Testament, its full title is 'Acts of the Apostles'. suggests that only Jesus can save humans: Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12).
It also suggests that Christians must follow the teachings of Jesus if they are going to achieve salvation. For Catholics, this might mean receiving the sacramentsReligious ceremonies or acts, such as baptism., such as being baptisedWhen a person is initiated into Christian life during a ceremony which involves the immersion in, or sprinkling or pouring of water. or getting married. For ProtestantChristians who broke away from the Roman Catholic Church during the Reformation. They believe in the teachings of the Bible but reject the authority of the Pope., this might mean a personal acceptance of Jesus as the Lord and Saviour.
Role of atonement
The ideas of salvation and atonement are very closely linked in Christianity. Atonement is the idea of the relationship between humans and God being healed, with God and humanity becoming united. Christians believe that Jesus’ death and therefore his salvation allowed humans to begin the process of atonement.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
This quote from the Gospel of John shows the belief that God allowed the process of human atonement to begin by sending Jesus into the world.