Chapter 1

Question 1

What do Christians believe about God?

Answer 1

• Only one God “We believe in one God”- Nicene Creed
• Omnipotent (all-powerful) as he’s the creator and sustainer of all that exists
• Benevolent (loving) God uses his power to do good, shows his love by creating and caring for humans and when he sent Jesus to earth
• Just: He’s a just judge of humankind, he will never support injustice, ill-treatment, prejudice or oppression

Question 2

How does belief that God is omnipotent influence Christians today?

Answer 2

• influences them to pray to him and ask for a miracle

- influence them to worship and Thank God for the creation that he created with his power

Question 3

How does belief that God is benevolent influence Christians today?

Answer 3

• encourage them to love each other and treat god’s creation w/ care and respect
• could feel comforted through hard times as they know god loves them and will reward them in heaven

Question 4

How does belief that God is just influence Christians today?

Answer 4

• encourage them to treat others fairly too

- motivate Christians to do good deeds as they know god will judge them and they want to go heaven

Question 5

What are the 3 parts of the holy spirit?

Answer 5

-Father, Son and Holy Spirit

Question 6

Who is God the Father?

Answer 6

• Creator of all life
• acts as a good father towards his children
• powerful, loving, all knowing (omniscient) and present everywhere (omnipresent)

Question 7

Who is God the holy spirit?

Answer 7

• Unseen power of God at work in the world

- Influences and Guides and sustains life on earth

Question 8

Who is God the son?

Answer 8

• Became incarnate (flesh/human) through Jesus

- Known as the son to highlight his special relationship w/ God the Father

Question 9

How does belief in Trinity influence Christians today?

Answer 9

• It influences Christians today as it may help them relate to god in diff ways, as a good parent (father) a friend who is more like us (son) or as a presence with them (holy spirit)
• It reminds Christians that god is holy and beyond our understanding and so worthy of our worship

Question 10

What is the creation?

Answer 10

• God created the universe
• God the Father chose to design and create the earth and all life on it
• The holy spirit was active in the creation (Genesis 1)
• The “Word was with god” (Word=Jesus) during creation (John 1)
• Trinity therefore existed from the start and was involved in the creation

Question 11

How does belief in the creation influence Christians today?

Answer 11

• Christians may treat earth with care - look after environment and be stewards, as they believe the earth is god’s creation and they should care for it
• may also believe all human life is precious as we are made in “gods image”. This means they may disagree with abortion or Euthanasia as they go against the sanctity of life.

Question 12

What is the incarnation?

Answer 12

-Christians believe Jesus was god in human form
-Incarnation > becoming flesh, taking human form.
“The word became flesh and made his dwelling among us”

Question 13

Why is it important?

Answer 13

• It helps Christians understand god’s love for humanity

- It shows Christians how they should live - love each other as god loves them

Question 14

How does incarnation influence Christians today?

Answer 14

• This influences Christians to follow Jesus teaching as he is god so has authority
• Also influences Christians to worship him and pray to him because he is god

Question 15

What is the crucifixion?

Answer 15

• Jesus sentenced to death by crucifixion (fixed to a cross)
• Jesus forgave those who crucified him and promised one of the men crucified with him that he would join God in paradise

Question 16

Jesus’s Crucifixion - Importance?

Answer 16

• Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross gives hope to Christians that their sins will be forgiven if they sincerely repent
• Christians believe god understands human suffering as Jesus, who is god, experienced it.
• They also accept suffering is part of life, just as it was part of Jesus’.

Question 17

How does crucifixion Influence Christians today?

Answer 17

• Christians can live in confidence that their sins have been forgiven
• They feel comforted as they know Jesus suffered to
  e. g. Christians being persecuted.

Question 18

What is the resurrection and ascension of Jesus?

Answer 18

• Resurrection - Jesus rose from the dead 3 days after his death
• Ascension - After 40 days Jesus returned to heaven, leaving the earth physically
• There would be no christian faith w/o resurrection

Question 19

What’s the significance of the Resurrection for Christians today?

Answer 19

-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
“And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.”

Question 20

What’s the significance of the Ascension for Christians today?

Answer 20

-Shows Jesus is with God in heaven
-Paves the way for God to send the Holy spirit to provide comfort and guidance
“he left them and was taken up into heaven.”

Question 21

Explain the different views about resurrection

Answer 21

• Some Christians believe a person’s soul is resurrected soon after death
• Other Christians believe the dead will be resurrected at some time in the future, when Jesus will return to judge everyone who has ever lived
• Catholic And Orthodox believe in bodily resurrection. This means that resurrection is both spiritual and physical: The physical body lost at death is restored and transformed into a new,spiritual body
• Some other Christians believe resurrection will just be spiritual, not physical as well.

Question 22

How does belief in resurrection Influence a christian today?

Answer 22

• Gives confidence in the face of death
• Shows Christians how much God loves them
• Means life after death is real
• Gives hope of a future life with Jesus

Question 23

Afterlife - What Happens?

Answer 23

Resurrection- coming back to life after death
-Some Christians believe it will be just your spirit/soul that is resurrected
-Other C’s believe both body and soul will come back to life in heaven
Judgement Day- When God will decide if you go to heaven or hell
-Some Christians believe Jesus will return to world to judge our souls
-Others believe its a mystery how god will judge us - don’t know when or how
Heaven- “paradise”
-Some Christians believe its just a spiritual existence of being united with god
-Other C’s believe its a physical place of perfection and bliss
Hell- “lake of fire”
-Some C’s Believe its a spiritual separation from God forever
-Other C’s believe its a physical place of pain and torment
Purgatory- Some believe this is where you can go to work off your sins and enter heaven
-Others believe this doesn’t exist

Question 24

How does life after death influence Christians today?

Answer 24

• Christians will try to follow God’s commands and help others to make sure that when they are judged by God they will enter Heaven
• It gives Christians reassurance that death is not the end and that they could see their loved ones again

Question 25

What is Sin?

Answer 25

- Sin is any thought or action that separates humans from God. - Original Sin is the in-built tendency to do wrong and disobey God, which Catholics believe all people are born with. - Humans have free will and have chosen to sin. Some Christians believe in original sin where Adam and eve disobeyed God in garden of Eden and since then all humans have an inbuilt tendency to do wrong - The consequences of sin means separation from god forever (Hell)

Question 26

What is salvation?

Answer 26

- Salvation means to be saved from sin and its consequences, and to be granted eternal life with God - Salvation repairs the damage caused by sin, which has separated people from God

Question 27

How do you achieve salvation?

Answer 27

- Through doing good works - "in the same way, faith by itself, if not accompanied by action, is dead." - Through grace - "for it is by grace you have been saved" Good works- Old testament makes it clear that salvation comes through faith in God and obeying God's law Grace- Salvation is given freely by God through faith in Jesus. Its not deserved or earned but a free gift of God's love

Question 28

What role did Jesus play in salvation?

Answer 28

- Jesus brought salvation when he died on cross to take the punishment for humans so they can get back to God - Jesus' resurrection shows the goodness of Jesus defeated the evil of sin. It was proof that God had accepted Jesus' sacrifice on behalf of humankind. - Jesus' resurrection means humans can now receive forgiveness for their sins. - Jesus' death and resurrection made it possible for all who follow his teachings to gain eternal life. - "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Question 29

How does belief in sin and salvation influence a Christian today?

Answer 29

- Show love to others who are in need like God showed love for humans when he sent Jesus to save them - Follow Jesus example to show they believe in him and can receive eternal life

Question 30

What's atonement?

Answer 30

Atonement removes the effect of sin and allows people to restore their relationship with God. -Many C's believe that through the sacrifice of his death, Jesus took the sins of all humanity on himself and paid the debt for all of them. He atoned for the sins of humanity. -The sacrifice makes it possible for all who follow Jesus' teachings to receive eternal life w/ God "He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins."