Lesson video

Hi, my name is Miss Minton, and welcome to this Christianity: beliefs lesson on the Means of salvation.

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

Now, we'll be drawing upon knowledge of sin within this lesson, but there'll also be lots of new learning.

But don't worry, because I'll be 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 make a start and take a look at our keywords for today.

We have grace, Holy Spirit, and salvation.

Now, the word 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 be present with believers since Pentecost and be active on earth.

And finally, salvation means to be saved.

And within Christianity, it's the belief that through God's grace, Jesus' death, and resurrection, humans can achieve salvation.

Our lesson today will have two parts.

We'll start by looking at Christian beliefs about the means of salvation, and then we'll move on to look at the importance and influence of these beliefs.

So let's get started and have a look at Christian beliefs about the means of salvation.

Now, the start of the word salvation originates from the Latin word salva, which means safe or saved.

And the second part of the word salvation contains the suffix meaning action.

So together, the word salvation as a whole means to be saved, the action of being saved.

Now, in Christianity, salvation refers to being saved from sin and the consequences of sin, and this happens through God's grace, which leads to the possibility of eternal life in heaven.

Now, many Christians believe that salvation is necessary because sin has distanced humans from God.

So each time a person sins, it creates a separation between humans and God that humans then need to be saved from.

Now, like you, Sofia is learning what it means to be saved by God's grace, and because she's unsure, she asks James, who is a Roman Catholic, what it means.

Sofia says, "I understand that salvation means to be saved through the grace of God, but what is the grace of God?" James responds and outlines what the grace of God is with an example.

He says this.

"Imagine that you were playing football and you accidentally kicked the ball into the window of a house and smashed it.

Now imagine that the owner comes outside, and they see 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 the kindness and forgiveness from this stranger, but they give it to you anyway.

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

And an example of where this is seen is in Ephesians 2:8, which says this: "For it is by the grace of God that you have been saved, through faith, and this 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 about what this passage says 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 God's grace is what saves humans.

Now, many Christians interpret this to support the belief that God's grace is unconditional love, and that through God's grace, humans can achieve salvation.

So through God's grace, humans have the possibility of going to heaven.

So let's check your understanding.

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

Fantastic, the correct answer is C.

Salvation is the keyword that means humans are saved from sin by God's grace.

Well done.

Now, some Christians believe that God's grace refers specifically to the faith in Jesus and the faith that Jesus' death and resurrection offer forgiveness for sins and that this can lead to life in heaven.

Now, for many of the Christians who take this approach, this means that they believe having faith in Jesus is the only thing that's needed for salvation.

So in other words, faith and belief in Jesus is the only thing needed to make heaven possible.

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

So there are other ways to be saved from sin and its consequences.

So I'd like you to pause the video now and either talk to a partner or have a think to yourself about what might these other opportunities be.

So how else might God offer his grace? Off you go.

So as part of your thinking time or your discussion, you may have considered that another way to achieve salvation could be through the law of the Bible.

Or through the Holy Spirit, so God's active presence on earth.

Or that salvation can be achieved through special religious ceremonies or services, like the sacraments, for example.

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.

So because sin is a disobedience towards God, it's not a way of achieving salvation, well done.

So we've seen that the law of the Bible is a means of salvation.

So in other words, it's a way of achieving salvation.

And this is because many Christians believe that following the laws of the Bible can help humans on their journey towards salvation.

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

So if humans follow the law of the Bible, they can't really go wrong.

Also, the law of the Bible can lead people to a belief in and a faith in Jesus through hearing the stories of Jesus that are found in the Bible.

The Bible also encourages good behaviour that's acceptable to God, and this is known as good works.

We've also seen that the Holy Spirit is a means of salvation.

Now, for many Christians, they believe that the Holy Spirit is God's active presence on earth and that the Holy Spirit has been present since the beginning of time and also appeared at Pentecost.

Now, for many Christians, the Holy Spirit is a means of salvation because the Holy Spirit guides people towards God through their actions.

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

So the Holy Spirit can give people the courage and the strength to go out into the world and spread the word of the Bible and the word of their faith to other people.

Now, some Christians also believe that God's grace can come through the Holy Spirit during special ceremonies that are known as the sacraments, so for example, through baptism and the Eucharist.

So let's now take a look at an example of how the Holy Spirit can lead to salvation.

So in the Book of Acts 2:1-6, which is found in the New Testament, the Holy Spirit is described as descending on the apostles during Pentecost.

The book of Acts 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 or have a think to yourself about how Christians might interpret this passage from the Book of Acts.

Off you go.

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

Now, in this particular passage, God's grace is given to the apostles when it enables them to speak in other languages, which is referred to in this passage as tongues.

So let's check your understanding.

True or false? God's grace is only seen through faith in Jesus' sacrifice.

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

However, there are some Christians who do believe that Jesus is the only means of salvation, but this belief doesn't apply to all Christians.

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

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

So Lucas is explaining beliefs about the means of salvation within Christianity.

He says this: "One Christian belief about the means of salvation is that salvation comes through God's grace, which is the undeserved gift of forgiveness and salvation.

Some Christian's 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' answer and write a paragraph explaining how the law of the Bible and the Holy Spirit can also be seen as a means of salvation.

In your response, you should include a source of authority and apply this source 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' answer and write a paragraph explaining how the law of the Bible and the Holy Spirit can also be a means of salvation.

You were also asked to include a source of authority in your response and apply that source of authority to your point.

Now, your response might be similar to this.

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

The law of the Bible can encourage faith in Jesus and good works, leading to salvation, and the Holy Spirit can also guide people towards 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.

Now, what you can see here is I've included my source of authority at the end of my paragraph.

You may have embedded your source of authority within your paragraph, and that's absolutely fine as long as you've managed to use a source of authority and apply it to your point.

So, well done for your work on that task.

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

Now, Sam shares why she thinks beliefs about the means of salvation are important for Christians today.

Sam says, "I think that beliefs about the means of 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 pause the video and either talk to a partner or have a think to yourself about other reasons why the means of salvation are important for Christians today.

Off you go.

So as part of your thinking time or your discussion, you may have considered that beliefs about the means of salvation are important for Christians because it reinforces the belief in Jesus' sacrifice and his resurrection.

You may have also considered that these beliefs show that God is omnibenevolent.

So God is all-loving because he's willing to provide salvation for humans.

He's willing to save humans from sin.

You may have also considered that these beliefs confirm the belief in the Trinity, and that's because the Holy Spirit is seen by many Christians as a means of salvation.

Or maybe you considered that these beliefs help guide Christians in making moral decisions.

So they help guide Christians when they have to make those big decisions about what's right and what's wrong.

So let's check your understanding.

Which of the following is not a reason that beliefs about the means of salvation are important for Christians? A, they show God is malevolent; B, they show God is omnibenevolent; C, they confirm the belief in the Trinity; or D, they reinforce the belief in Jesus' sacrifice.

Well done, the correct answer is A.

So beliefs about the means of salvation do not show that God is malevolent, because this would mean that God wishes evil upon people.

Now, like you, Aisha has been learning about Christian beliefs about the means of salvation, and she asks a question.

She says, "I have learnt 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?" Now, for many Christians, the answer to Aisha's question is yes.

Beliefs about the means of salvation do influence how Christians think and how they behave.

We're now going to hear from some Christians, and they're going to explain to you what their belief about the means of salvation is and how this belief influences them.

First up we have Rachel, who is a Plymouth Brethren.

She believes that salvation comes through faith in Jesus and his sacrifice.

She says, "My belief that salvation comes through faith in Jesus and Jesus' sacrifice influences me to take part in the Lord's Supper where I consume bread and wine or grape juice.

I do this in remembrance of Jesus' sacrifice and the salvation that it brings.

This is also a way that I express my faith in Jesus' sacrifice." So what we can see here is that Rachel believes that Jesus and faith in Jesus is a means of salvation, and this influences how she practises her religion.

Next up we have Drew, who is one of Jehovah's Witnesses.

Now, Drew believes that salvation comes through Jesus' sacrifice, but individuals must actively demonstrate their faith in Jesus as well as have belief.

Drew says, "I believe that God has made salvation possible through Jesus' sacrifice, but that I must actively show my faith in Jesus and demonstrate obedience to God's commands.

For me personally, this influences me to follow the law found in the Bible, and to spread the word of the Bible so that others have the possibility of salvation too.

However, even if I do this, I'm not guaranteed salvation, because salvation is the gift of God's grace." So what we can see from Drew is that he believes that Jesus is a means of salvation, and he also emphasises following God's law and commands.

Now, we can see that this influences Drew's actions, so it influences him to follow the laws of the Bible and to spread the word of God to others.

Now we have Asher, who is a Pentecostal Christian.

He believes that the Holy Spirit is a means of salvation, and he explains how this belief influences 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 people towards salvation.

This belief influences my life in many ways.

For example, I worship frequently because I believe that the Holy Spirit is present during worship to guide me towards salvation." So what we can see from Asher is that his belief that the Holy Spirit is a means of salvation influences his practises and how frequently he worships.

Finally, we have Danielle, who is a Roman Catholic.

She believes that salvation is possible through God's grace, faith in Jesus, and following the laws of the Bible.

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

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

I follow the laws of the Bible to ensure that I'm living in a way that God wants me to, and I believe that I can receive God's grace through sacraments and I celebrate the Eucharist." So what we can see from Danielle's response is that her beliefs about salvation influence other beliefs that she has, and they influence her actions as well.

So for example, it influences her belief and faith in Jesus' sacrifice, but it also influences practises like worship and prayer, and this includes the sacraments, one of which is celebrating the Eucharist.

So now let's check your understanding.

True or false? The way beliefs about the means of salvation influence Christians is the same for all Christians.

Fantastic, that statement is false, but why is that statement false? Well, it's because Christians can be influenced by these beliefs in different ways, and that's because there are differing beliefs about the means of salvation.

Most Christians agree that salvation is possible through God's grace and Jesus' sacrifice, but some Christians also place emphasis on the Holy Spirit and the laws of God as well.

So that would change the influence that these beliefs have on them.

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 how beliefs about the means of salvation influence Christians today.

So the table already contains points, and these are: beliefs about the means of salvation can influence Christian worship, and beliefs about the means of salvation can influence Christians to spread the word of God.

So I'd like you to pause the video and explain how these beliefs influence Christians by developing each point.

Off you go.

Well done for your work during that task.

So you were asked to complete the table to explain how beliefs about the means of salvation influence Christians today.

And your response might be similar to this.

For the point that beliefs about the means of salvation can influence Christian worship, you may have said that many Christians consume bread and wine during the Eucharist or the Lord's Supper, and they do this to show thanks for Jesus' sacrifice as a means of salvation.

Some Christians also place emphasis on the Holy Spirit being present during worship and belief that the Holy Spirit can guide them towards salvation.

For the second point, that beliefs about the means of salvation can influence Christians to spread the word of God, you may have said that Christians may spread the word of God to others so that other people have the possibility of receiving salvation through faith in Jesus' sacrifice.

So, well done for your work during that task developing each point to explain how beliefs about the means of salvation influence Christians today.

We've now reached the end of our lesson on the means of salvation, but before we finish up, let's take a look at some of the key things that we've learnt.

So we've learnt 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, and some Christians believe that this is the only means of 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 we've looked at how beliefs about the means of salvation are important for Christians because they show God's nature, reinforce beliefs, and guide behaviour.

And finally, we saw that Christians can be influenced by these beliefs in many ways, and that may include influencing worship, celebrating the Eucharist or the Lord's Supper, and spreading the word of God.

So a huge well done for all of your work this lesson.

It's been wonderful learning with you today.