Christianity & Salvation (WJEC Eduqas GCSE Religious Studies): Revision Note

Salvation and sin

What is the relationship between salvation and sin?

• Sin in Christianity is any thought or action that goes against God’s will or breaks his law

• Christians believe that there was an original sin when sin entered the world through Adam and Eve’s disobedience (Genesis 3, the Fall)

  • They believe that this event affected the whole of humanity and led to individuals committing personal sins

  • The Bible states that there are consequences of sin and that “Sin separates humans from God” (Isaiah 59:2)

• Salvation in Christianity means:

  • Being saved from sin and its consequences

  • Restoring a relationship with God

• Salvation is gained:

  • Through the grace of God

  • By following God’s commandments and living morally (as stated in Matthew 25 — Parable of the Sheep and Goats)

  • Through repentance

  • Through Jesus’s death and resurrection, which atoned for human sin (John 3:16, Romans 5:8)

• Christians believe that sin causes separation from God and that salvation restores the relationship

  • Jesus’s crucifixion is understood as the solution to the problem of sin (atonement)

  • Without sin, there would be no need for salvation

  • Salvation is God’s answer to human sinfulness 

• For Christians, recognising the seriousness of sin makes salvation more meaningful

What is the role of atonement?

• Atonement within Christianity refers to the return to a state of harmony between God and human beings through the death of Jesus Christ

• Atonement is important because the atoning death of God’s son was the only way to bring salvation to humanity

• Jesus’s actions made forgiveness for the sins of the world and reconciliation possible

• For Christians, showing commitment to Christianity means atonement for sin, and it can be done in several ways

  • Through repentance (showing regret for sins)

  • Through the grace of God (God showing favour to mankind)

  • By God forgiving mankind and the humans that make up mankind forgiving each other

• Christians believe that it is through atonement that redemption can occur for the sacrifice that Jesus made for mankind

• Christians believe that Jesus’s death and resurrection restored the relationship between God and humankind, which had been broken by original sin

• They remember this when they repeat the words of the Nicene Creed

• For Christians, the fact that God sacrificed his only son is clear proof of his omnibenevolent nature

• The Apostles’ Creed states that Christians believe in a God who forgives sins and makes eternal life possible

• The belief in atonement is central to the Christian belief about the relationship between God and mankind

Grace & the Spirit

What is the relationship between grace and the Spirit?

• For Christians, grace is the unconditional love and mercy of God, which is freely given

  • Christians believe that salvation cannot be earned by good works alone, it is also a gift of grace

• This means that Christians depend on God’s generosity, not just their own effort, to be saved

• The Holy Spirit works in the lives of Christians to help them accept and live out salvation

  • The role of the Spirit is to bring people to faith in Jesus 

  • It strengthens believers’ resolve to resist sin and live according to God’s will

  • It also inspires Christians in prayer, worship and moral decision-making

  • Christians believe that it helps to build the Church (the Christian community), where salvation is celebrated and shared

  • The Bible says that:

• Grace is the cause of salvation and is viewed by Christians as God’s gift

  • Jesus’s death and resurrection made salvation possible

  • The Holy Spirit guides, empowers and transforms believers to help them gain salvation

  • Salvation is therefore both a gift from God (grace) and an ongoing process (through the Spirit’s work in a believer’s life)

• Grace is important to Christians because they feel they must rely on God, not just their own strength

  • Grace gives assurance that anyone can be saved, no matter their past

  • The Spirit helps believers live out their faith daily, showing that salvation is not just about the afterlife but life today

  • It helps to shape Christian practices: prayer, baptism, confirmation, Eucharist and moral living

The role of the Holy Spirit in Evangelical worship

What is the role of the Holy Spirit in evangelical worship?

• Evangelical Christians believe that the Holy Spirit is actively present in worship

• There are many accounts in the Bible that demonstrate to evangelicals that this is possible

  • Acts 2 (Pentecost): Disciples, filled with the Spirit, spoke in tongues

  • John 14:26: Jesus promised the Spirit as a helper and teacher

  • 1 Corinthians 12: This lists the gifts of the Spirit (wisdom, healing, tongues, prophecy)

• Worship is often informal and spontaneous, led by the Spirit rather than fixed liturgy

• The Spirit inspires charismatic practices, such as:

  • Speaking in tongues (glossolalia) (Acts 2:4)

  • Prophecy or receiving messages from God

  • Spiritual healing and miracles

    • These are seen as gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:7–11)

• The Spirit guides the congregation and individual believers in prayer, preaching and singing

  • Evangelicals believe the Spirit helps them feel close to God and strengthens their faith

• The Spirit creates a deep personal and emotional experience of God

• Worship may include lively music, clapping, dancing and testimony, all believed to be Spirit-led

• The Spirit equips believers to spread the Gospel through missionary work

  • Evangelical worship often emphasises being “filled with the Spirit” to share faith boldly

• The role of the Holy Spirit is important to evangelicals because they believe that it:

  • Shows that God is living and active today, not just in the past

  • Strengthens faith through direct personal experience of God

  • Encourages a sense of community, joy and empowerment

  • Reinforces the belief in the Bible as Spirit-inspired and alive