Christianity: Beliefs and Teachings

Natures of God in Christianity

• There is one God

• God is Almighty

• Jesus and the Holy Spirit are worshipped alongside God

• God created everything

• God is a fatherly figure

• God is Judge

God’s omnipotence

“Even the wind and the waves obey him” - Waves are portrayed as intimidating so if God can control them, it shows his immense power.

God’s benevolence

God answers people prayers showing his love and desire for the best for humankind.

God is just

The Ten Commandments in the Bible shows that God will never support oppression or ill-treatment

How does a belief in God’s omnipotence influence Christians?

• They will have faith in God’s abilities and decisions

• It will give them hope that God can help them in difficult situations

How does a belief in God’s benevolence influence Christians?

• Christians will try and love each other in their daily lives

• Christians are more likely to help those in need

How does a belief that God is just influence Christians?

• Christians will do all they can to prevent the wrongs of ill-treatment

• Christians will make sure they are fair in all of their actions

God the Father

• Loving creator and sustainer of the universe

God the Son

• Saviour who became incarnate

• Both fully human and fully divine

• Jesus

God the Holy Spirit

• Source of strength and trust to Christians

• Influenced, guides and sustains the Earth and all life on it

How does a belief in the Holy Trinity influence Christians?

• When being baptised, they pray in the name of the Holy Trinity.

• They will believe Christianity is a monotheistic religion

1st day of genesis creation account

God created the light and separated the light from darkness.

2nd day of genesis creation account

God separated the sky and the water

3rd day of genesis creation account

God separated the land and the water, creating plants on the land.

4th day of genesis creation account

God created the Sun, Moon and all other stars.

5th day of genesis creation account

God created fish in the sea and birds in the air

6th day of genesis creation account

God created all the animals on the land, and created humans in his own image

7th day of genesis creation account

God rested

Fundamentalist view

• The Bible is the exact truth

• Exactly what happened

• Word of God

• Everything in it is true/infallible

Non-literal view

• Bible is not word for word what happened

• Adapted to the writers’ styles

• Not the direct word of God

• Not the exact truth

View that creation account is a myth

• Scripture contains religious or moral truth

• Not scientific or historial truth

Key belief about the Incarnation

• Jesus is fully human and fully divine at the same time

• God experienced human suffering and therefore understands our pain

“The stories of the Incarnation prove that Jesus was the Son of God” (FOR)

• Jesus was born through a virgin birth, Mary hadn’t had sex, her pregnancy was a miracle

• Jesus willingly became fully human, religious writers say that at the incarnation Jesus willingly became fully human, he temporarily gave up his divine knowledge.

“The stories of the Incarnation prove that Jesus is the Son of God” (AGAINST)

• Jesus was not fully human and fully divine at the same time

• In the Bible, he did not want to be called, “Christ, the Son of God”, it is illogical to assume he is the Son of God if he does not want to be called this.

Political reasons of why Jesus had to die

• The Sanhedrin wanted Jesus to die because he had a new interpretation of the Torah.

• Pilate sentenced Jesus to death as he was a threat to the rule of the emperor as he claimed to be the king of the Jews

Theological reasons of why Jesus had to die

• Humans commit original sin and sin because they have free will

• Original sin and sin is an unimaginable weight that we cannot take nor a “debt” we can repay. Jesus’ crucifixion atoned for all our sins.

How does a belief in the crucifixion influence Christians?

• Christians will believe their sin has been forgiven

• Christians will accept that suffering is a part of life as Jesus suffered on the cross.

What is sin

• First came into the world due to Adam and Eve’s disobedience

• God’s benevolent gift of free will allows humans to do whatever they want.

• Original sin means mankind is born with a built-sin urge to commit sin

Salvation through good works

• A person achieve salvation though good works by having faith in God and obeying God’s law, like the Ten Commandments or the 11th commandment.

Salvation through grace

• Salvation through grace is a gift by God for the faithful

• A human does not need to do anything but be faithful to activate salvation through grace.

• 1st example of grace is the crucifixion where Jesus atoned for our sins

What is the resurrection and what happened during the resurrection?

Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Day and spent 3 days in hell, repaying everyone’s sins and then the rest teaching his disciples about the way of living and to spread his message

What is the ascension?

The event, 40 days after the resurrection, when Jesus returned to God the Father in heaven.

Teachings of the resurrection and the ascension

• Life after death is eternal and there is no suffering in heaven.

• Proved God’s omnipotence

• Some Christians believe in bodily resurrection where people will once again receive their old body but suffering won’t exist

How does a belief in the resurrection influence Christians?

• Christians will believe that their sins have been forgiven

• Christians will believe in life after death if they are judged to be good.

How does a belief in the ascension influence Christians?

• They will believe God is omnipotent

• Christians will believe in life after death and Jesus rose 40 days after the resurrection back to God the Father

“Jesus rose from the dead” (FOR)

• nature of god, god is omnipotent so bodily resurrection is possible

• The gospel accounts share exactly the same details. for example, Mary Magdalene is a witness to Jesus’ resurrection, reliable.

“Jesus rose from the dead” (AGAINST)

• human emotions, disciples were deluded out of grief that Jesus died so imagined him rise from the dead.

Teachings on judgement in Christianity

• The righteous will go to heaven

• The damned will go to hell

• Some christians believe that people are judged immediately after death

• others believe that people are judged on Judgement Day

How can a belief in judgement influence Christians?

• Live their life according to Jesus’ teachings to go to heaven

• Believe that God is just and fair

How can a belief in heaven or hell influence Christians?

• Live their life according to Jesus’ teachings to go to heaven

• Believe that God is just and fair

Christian views on heaven

• Together with God

• Faith and actions are needed to reach heaven

Christian views on hell

• Existence without God

• Those who have no faith in God and treat others badly will go to hell