Lesson video

Hi, my name is Miss Minton, and welcome to this Christianity Beliefs and Teachings lesson on Sin and Salvation.

Now, by the end of this lesson, you'll be able to explain Christian beliefs about sin and salvation, including the importance and influence of these beliefs.

Now, lots of our learning today might be new to you, but please don't worry because I'm here to guide you through each step of our lesson, and I'm confident that by the end, you will achieve this outcome.

So let's get started by taking a look at our key words for today.

We have grace, Holy Spirit, salvation, and sin.

Now, grace refers to the unconditional and generous love that God shows to people even when they don't deserve it.

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity.

And it's believed by Christians to have been present with believers since Pentecost and active on earth.

Salvation refers to a deliverance from sin and punishment through Jesus being crucified on the cross.

And a sin is a behaviour that goes against God's laws or wishes and against the Christian principles of morality.

Now our lesson today will have three parts.

We'll start by looking at Christian beliefs about sin and we'll then move on to look at Christian beliefs about salvation.

And finally we'll look at the importance and influence of these beliefs.

So let's get started and take a look at Christian beliefs about sin.

So I'd like to start by considering how people know right from wrong and where do people get this knowledge from? So pause the video and either have a think to yourself, or talk to a partner, off you go.

So as part of your thinking time or your discussion, You may have considered that people know what's right and wrong from the law.

So the law tells people what they can do and then what they can't do and what they'll be punished for.

You may have also considered that people get their beliefs about right and wrong from the people in their lives.

Like their parents and carers or their teachers, or maybe you considered that for religious believers.

Beliefs about right and wrong come from holy texts.

Now this is the case for many Christians and many Christians get their ideas about right and wrong from the Bible.

However, there are actually different ways of reading and interpreting the Bible.

Now, these different ways can be categorised into two main approaches, literal and liberal.

Now, a liberal approach is the belief that the Bible is the literal and exact word of God, and this belief argues that the Bible is a historical and accurate account.

A liberal approach is the belief that the Bible is the inspired word of God that's been written by humans.

And this approach argues that the Bible should be read in the context it was written.

Now, regardless of whether a Christian takes a literal or liberal approach to reading the Bible, the Bible is still considered to be a source of authority that contains God's laws and guidance.

I'd now like us to think of whether we know any examples of laws that can be found in the Bible.

So pause the video and either have a talk to the person next to you or have a think to yourself.

Off you go.

So as part of your thinking time or your discussion, you may have considered examples like the 10 Commandments.

So do not kill and do not steal for example.

Or maybe you considered the Sermon on the Mount, which is when Jesus developed Old Testament laws, or perhaps you considered teachings from Jesus, like love your neighbour as yourself.

Now following these laws and guidance that are found in the Bible means that a person is following God's wishes, but breaking these laws or not following this guidance is considered to be a sin.

Now as well as the Bible, there are also other ways that Christians can know God's laws and God's wishes.

And these might include the revelation through Jesus Christ.

So God becoming human in the person of Jesus and showing people how to live.

It might include the inspiration and guidance from the Holy Spirit here on Earth.

or for some Christian denominations it includes advice from religious leaders.

So for example, guidance from the Pope within the Catholic Church.

So let's check your understanding.

Which key word refers to breaking the laws of God such as the 10 Commandments.

A, salvation, B, sin, C, sacrifice, or D sermon? Fantastic, the correct answer is B.

A sin is breaking the laws of God such as the 10 Commandments, well done.

Now, Christians believe that all humans have the ability to choose whether or not they follow God's laws.

And this is because during creation, God gave humans free will.

And we see this in Genesis 2, when God created the first humans, Adam and Eve.

Genesis 2:16-17 says this, "And the Lord God commanded the man, 'You are free to eat from any tree in the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

For when you eat from it, you will certainly die.

'" Now, I'd like you to pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me, or have a think to yourself.

How can this passage be interpreted to show that humans were given free will? Off you go.

So this passage suggests that Adam and Eve were given an instruction or a command from God, and this implies that Adam and Eve actually had free choice as to whether they followed this command, and this means that Adam and Eve had free will.

So let's check your understanding, fill in the blanks.

Genesis 2 can be interpreted to show that God gave humans blank, blank.

Fantastic, the missing words are free and will.

So Genesis two can be interpreted to show that God gave humans free will, well done.

Now Genesis 3 actually says that Adam and Eve used their free will to disobey God.

So they used their free will to go against God's command.

And many Christians believe that when Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they upset the balance and harmony that God had created and that this introduced evil and suffering into the world.

Now, many Christians believe that because Adam and Eve were sinful, that means that humans are sinful by nature.

So as humans, we are naturally sinful.

And traditionally within Christianity, it's believed that all humans since Adam and Eve have inherited this tendency or this urge to sin.

I'd like you to pause the video now and either discuss with a partner or have a think to yourself.

What does it mean to inherit something? Off you go? So to inherit something means that you gain something from somebody else or that something is passed on to you.

So for example, we could say that I've inherited my blue eyes from my parents.

So that has been passed down to me through genetics.

Now in a similar way, traditionally it's believed that humans have gained this urge to sin from Adam and Eve, and this concept is known as original sin.

Now, in addition to this, when Adam and Eve sinned, they were punished.

And one of these punishments was being separated from God.

Now, many Christians believe that it's the same for humans today.

So when humans sin, they cause a separation between them and God, so they create distance between themselves and God.

And that distance can lead to eternal punishment of hell or separation from God at the time of judgement.

So in other words, sin can actually prevent salvation from being possible.

And this is because humans have willingly used their free will to disobey God's command.

So humans have freely decided that they're going to create this distance between themselves and God.

So let's check your understanding.

Many Christians believe that sin can lead to a separation from God.

True or false? Fantastic, that statement is true, but why is that statement true? Well, it's because when someone sins, it means that they've used their free will to go against God, so they've willingly gone against God.

And those actions can lead to a separation between humans and God.

So well done for identifying that that statement was true, and for identifying the reason why.

It's now time for you to have a go at a task.

I would like you to use the image as a prompt to write a paragraph describing Christian beliefs about sin.

And in your response, I'd like you to use the words free will, disobey, and original sin and a source of wisdom and authority.

So pause the video and have a go.

Well done for your work during that task.

So you were asked to use the image as a prompt to describe Christian beliefs about sin, and you were asked to include the words free will, disobey, and original sin and a source of wisdom and authority.

Now, your response might be similar to this.

Sin refers to an action that goes against God's laws or wishes.

Many Christians believe that humans are sinful by nature, and this belief is supported by Genesis 2, which says that Adam and Eve used their free will to disobey God.

Traditionally within Christianity, it's believed that all humans have inherited a sinful nature from Adam and Eve.

And this belief is known as original sin.

So well done for your work on that task, particularly for including those words and a source of wisdom and authority.

We're now moving on to the second part of our lesson, which is to look at Christian beliefs about salvation.

Now, the word salvation originates from the Latin word salva, meaning safe or saved.

And the final part of the word salvation is a suffix meaning action.

Now in Christianity, salvation refers to the action of being saved from sin and its consequences.

And this happens through God's grace.

This can then lead to eternal life in heaven with God.

Now, within Christianity, it's believed that salvation is necessary because sin has prevented salvation.

Sin has created a distance between humans and God, and that distance needs to be closed so that humans can have the possibility of life in heaven with God.

Now, like you, Sophia is learning what it means to be saved by God's grace.

Because she's unsure, she asks James, who is a Roman Catholic, what this means, Sophia says, "I understand that salvation means to be saved through the grace of God, but what is the grace of God?" James replies and he says, "Imagine that you are playing football and you accidentally kick the ball into a window of a house and smashed it.

Now imagine that the owner comes outside, sees the damage, but instead of telling you off, they tell you not to worry and that everyone makes mistakes.

You've done nothing to deserve this stranger's kindness and forgiveness, but they've given it to you anyway.

This is like God's grace." Now, beliefs that God saves humans through his grace come from the Bible.

And an example of where this can be seen is Ephesians chapter 2:8, which says this, For it is by grace, you have been saved through faith and it is not from yourselves.

It is the gift of God." Now, I'd like you to pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me, or have a think to yourself, what does this passage say about God's grace? And how might Christians interpret this? Off you go.

So this passage says that God's grace is a gift and that this gift is what saves humans.

And this can be interpreted to support the belief that God's grace is unconditional love and that through God's grace, humans have the possibility of achieving salvation.

So the possibility of receiving life in heaven.

So let's check your understanding.

Which keyword refers to the belief that humans are saved from sin by God's grace, A, forgiveness B, resurrection, C, salvation, or D, sacrament.

Fantastic, the correct answer is C.

Salvation is the word that describes the belief that humans are saved through God's grace, well done.

Now, some Christians believe that God's grace refers to the gift of faith in Jesus and his death and resurrection offering forgiveness for sins.

Now, Christians who take this approach might believe that having belief and faith in Jesus is the only thing that's needed for salvation.

So the only thing that's needed in order to go to heaven.

But on the other hand, some Christians believe that God's grace can actually be received in other ways as well as through faith in Jesus and that there are other ways to receive salvation.

Now I'd like you to consider what these other ways might be.

So for some Christians, what might the other opportunities for salvation be and how might God offer his grace? So pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me or have a think to yourself.

Off you go.

So as part of your thinking time or your discussion, you may have considered the other ways of achieving salvation might be through following the laws of the Bible, so following God's word.

Or through following the guidance that comes from the Holy Spirit, or maybe you considered special services or ceremonies such as the sacraments.

So let's check your understanding.

Which of the following is not a means of salvation, A, sin, B, the Bible, C, Jesus Christ, or D, the Holy Spirit.

Fantastic, the correct answer is A.

Sin is not a means of salvation because sin refers to disobedience towards God's laws.

Well done.

We're now going to take a look at ways of achieving salvation in a bit more detail.

Now, sometimes these are referred to as the means of salvation.

So let's take a look at what it means to say that the Bible is a means of salvation.

Many Christians believe that following the law of the Bible can help humans on their journey towards salvation, so on their journey towards heaven.

And this is because God's law is clear guidance on how humans should live.

Also, the law of the Bible can actually help lead people towards a faith in Jesus.

And also the law of the Bible encourages behaviour that's acceptable to God.

And sometimes we refer to this behaviour as good work.

So let's now take a look at what it means to say that the Holy Spirit is a means of salvation.

So for many Christians, they believe that the Holy Spirit is God's active presence on earth.

And then it's been present since the beginning of time, but appeared at Pentecost to the Apostles and is still active on Earth today.

Now the Holy Spirit can be a means of salvation because the Holy Spirit guides people in their actions and it can guide people towards God.

The Holy Spirit also gives people strength in their faith and also empowers people to share their faith towards others.

Now, as well as this, some Christians believe that God's grace can come through the Holy Spirit during special ceremonies like the sacraments.

So for example, through baptism and the Eucharist.

We're now going to take a look at an example of the work of the Holy Spirit.

Now the book of Acts in the New Testament describes the Holy Spirit descending upon the apostles during in Pentecost And Acts chapter 2:2-4 says this, "Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.

They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the spirit enabled them.

Now, I'd like you to pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me, or have a think to yourself.

How might Christians interpret this passage? Off you go.

So this passage can be interpreted as showing that God sent the Holy Spirit as a gift from heaven, and it can also be interpreted as showing that the Holy Spirit brings God's grace into the lives of people.

And in this passage, this is seen through the Holy Spirit enabling the apostles to speak in tongues, which means they were able to speak in other languages.

So let's check your understanding.

True or false, God's grace can only be seen through faith in Jesus's sacrifice.

Fantastic, that statement is false, but why is that statement false? How do we know that it's false? Well, it's because for many Christians, God's grace can also be seen through the law of the Bible and through the Holy Spirit.

However, having said this, there are some Christians who believed God's grace only comes through faith in Jesus.

So well done for identifying that that statement was false and for identifying the reason why.

It's now time for you to have a go at a task.

Lucas is describing beliefs about salvation within Christianity.

Lucas has said "One Christian belief about salvation is that salvation comes through God's grace.

This is the undeserved gift of forgiveness and salvation.

Some Christians believe that this undeserved gift is the gift of faith in Jesus Christ and his sacrifice and believe that this faith leads to eternal life in heaven." Now, I would like you to add to Lucas's answer and write a paragraph describing how the law of the Bible and the Holy Spirit can also lead to salvation.

In your response, you should include a source of wisdom and authority and apply this to your point.

So pause the video and have a go.

Well done for your work during that task.

So you were asked to add to Lucas's answer and write a paragraph explaining how the law of the Bible and the Holy Spirit can also lead to salvation, and your answer might be similar to this.

Another Christian belief about salvation is that God's grace and the gift of salvation also comes through law and the Holy Spirit as well as faith in Jesus.

The law of the Bible can encourage faith in Jesus and good works lead into salvation.

The Holy Spirit can also guide people God in their actions.

In a similar way to how the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles at Pentecost and gave them the ability to spread the word of God in other languages, which is found in Acts 2.

So well done for your work on that task, adding to Lucas's answer.

We're now moving on to the third and final part of our lesson, which is to look at the importance and influence of these beliefs.

Like you, Sam has been learning about sin and salvation.

And she shares why she thinks beliefs about sin and salvation are important for Christians today.

Sam says, "I think that beliefs about sin and salvation are important to Christians today because these beliefs provide them with clarity on what's necessary for salvation and entering heaven in the afterlife." Now, I'd like you to also consider why these beliefs are important.

So pause the video and either talk to a partner or have a think to yourself about why else beliefs in sin and salvation might be important for Christians today.

Off you go.

So as part of your thinking time or your discussion, you may have considered that these beliefs are important because they reinforce the belief in Jesus's sacrifice and his resurrection.

They're also important because they show God's nature as being omni benevolent.

And this is because he offers to save humans through sin, which is a demonstration of his love for humanity.

You may have also considered that they're important because they confirm the belief in the Trinity through the Holy Spirit.

Or that they're important because they actually help Christians make moral decisions.

So let's check your understanding.

Which of the following is not a reason that beliefs about sin and salvation are important for Christians? A, they show God is malevolent.

B, they show God is omni benevolent.

C, they confirm the belief in the Trinity.

Or D, they reinforce the belief in Jesus's sacrifice.

Fantastic, the correct answer is A.

Beliefs about sin and salvation do not show that God is malevolent.

Therefore, this is not a reason why these beliefs would be important, well done.

Now Aisha has also been learning about Christian beliefs in sin and salvation and she has a question.

Aisha says, "I've learned that when beliefs are important to people, they can influence the way that they think and behave.

Do Christian beliefs about the means of salvation have this impact too?" For many Christians, the answer to Aisha's question is yes.

Beliefs about sin and salvation do influence how Christians think and behave.

Asher now explains how his beliefs about sin influence him.

He says, "I believe that humans have been born with a tendency to sin and this makes me more aware of my day-to-day decisions, especially when deciding between right and wrong.

I use the Bible to inform my decisions because I believe the Bible is God's word and it can help me avoid misusing my free will and committing sins." Now Asher explains how his beliefs about salvation influence him.

Asher says, "Like many Christians, I believe that salvation comes through the grace of God and that Jesus sacrifice is a significant part of this.

However, I also believe that the Holy Spirit helps guide me towards salvation, and this belief influences my life in many ways.

For example, I worship frequently because I believe that the Holy Spirit was present during worship and can guide me towards salvation." So Asher has explained that the Holy Spirit plays a significant role in his worship and that this is linked to his beliefs about salvation.

Now, this is very common within evangelical Christianity.

Evangelicalism is a Protestant movement that emphasises the authority of the Bible, personal conversion and spreading the word of God.

And many evangelical Christians also believe that the Holy Spirit is present during worship and that believers can actually be moved by the Holy Spirit during worship.

Some evangelical Christians even express their faith through speaking in tongues, which is seen as a gift from the Holy Spirit, like how the apostles received the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

We're now going to hear from Danielle.

She's going to explain how her beliefs about sin influence her in a different way from Asher.

Danielle says, "Although I know that disobeying God is wrong, I also acknowledge that I'm not perfect and there are times in my life where I may sin.

For this reason, I believe that it's important to confess my sins and seek forgiveness so that I can become closer to God again.

I do this through the sacrament of reconciliation where I confess my sins to my priest and I ask for forgiveness from God.

This is a common practise within the Catholic Church." Danielle now explains how her beliefs about salvation influence her.

She says, "My beliefs about the means of salvation influence me in a number of ways.

Firstly, I have faith in Jesus's sacrifice as an act of God's grace, and I demonstrate this through worship and prayer.

Secondly, I follow the laws of the Bible to ensure that I'm living in a way that God wants me to and avoiding sin.

And thirdly, I believe that I can receive God's grace through the sacraments and I celebrate the Eucharist." Now what we can see from Danielle's explanations is that her beliefs influence her on an individual level, but they also influence the practises of her church community.

Let's now check your understanding.

True or false.

Beliefs about sin and salvation influence Christians in the same way.

Fantastic, that statement is false, but why is that statement false? Well, it's because Christians can be influenced by their beliefs in different ways, particularly because there are differing beliefs about how salvation is achieved within Christianity.

For many Christians, beliefs about sin and salvation can influence their practises, but these practises can actually be different.

So well done for identifying that that statement was false and for identifying the reason why.

It's now time for you to have a go at a task.

I would like you to complete the table to explain why beliefs about sin and salvation are important for Christians.

The table has already been completed with points.

These points are, beliefs about sin are important to Christians because they help guide moral decisions.

And beliefs about salvation are important for Christians because they can influence worship.

So complete the table by developing these points and explaining why beliefs about sin and salvation are important for Christians.

Off you go, Well done for your work during that task.

So you are asked to complete the table to explain how beliefs about sin and salvation are important for Christians.

And your responses might be similar to this.

For the point that beliefs about sin are important because they help guide moral decisions.

You may have said that many Christians try to live life according to God's law and guidance that's found within the Bible.

And that this is a way of avoiding sin and avoiding being separated from God.

When making moral decisions many Christians are influenced by what they know from God's law to be sinful.

And for the point that beliefs about salvation are important because they can influence Christian worship.

You may have said that many Christians consume bread and wine during the Eucharist to show thanks for Jesus' sacrifice as a means of salvation, and that some Christians like evangelical Christians also place emphasis on the Holy Spirit being present during worship and believe that the Holy Spirit can guide them towards salvation.

So well done again for your work on that task, developing each point to explain how beliefs about sin and salvation are important for Christians.

We've now reached the end of our lesson on sin and salvation.

But before we finish, let's take a look at some of the key things that we've learnt today.

So we've learned that sin is going against God's laws or wishes and that all humans have the ability to choose whether or not to follow God's laws because they have free will.

And that many Christians believe that God gave Adam and Eve free will when he created them, which is found in Genesis.

We've also seen that salvation means to be saved from the consequences of sin through God's grace.

And that most Christians agree that Jesus' death and resurrection provide salvation.

We've also seen that many Christians believe that God's grace and the gift of salvation can also come through the law of the Bible and the Holy Spirit.

And how beliefs about sin and salvation are important for Christians because they show God's nature, reinforce beliefs, guide behaviour, and can also influence practises.

So well done for all of your work this lesson.

It's been wonderful learning with you today.