Salvation and grace
salvationThe healing of a broken relationship between people and God. is the idea that humans can be saved from sin through faith in Jesus. The graceThe gift of God's love and support regardless of whether or not a person has done God's will. of God refers to all the blessings in life that are given by God.
How does salvation link to the life of Jesus?
- The life, death, resurrectionThe Christian belief that Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after the crucifixion. The rising from the dead of believers on the Last Day in a new, or risen, life. and ascensionFor Christians, when Jesus went up to Heaven 40 days after he rose from the dead. of Jesus are seen as demonstrating God鈥檚 grace, which in turn creates the opportunity for salvation.
- The Resurrection of Jesus is itself a gift, given from God to humanity. It fulfils God鈥檚 promise of salvation by showing that death can be defeated.
- The term 鈥楪od鈥檚 grace鈥 is often used to remind Catholics that it is God who has allowed them to be saved. It fulfils God鈥檚 promise of salvation by showing that death can be defeated. Although some humans have strayed from God and do not necessarily deserve this, it is an expression of God鈥檚 love for humanity.
- God has given humans salvation through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
Sources of authority
In the Gospel of John, Christians are reminded that God sent his son as a gift to humanity:
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believed in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
In Acts, Peter tells the SanhedrinThe Jewish supreme court and legislative body during the Roman period. Also the name given to a section of the Talmud., Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under the heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12) This demonstrates that the life, death and resurrection of Jesus are essential to the process of human salvation.
Significance of grace and salvation for Catholics today
- Grace and salvation remind Catholics that God is all powerful and all loving and that he is prepared to sacrifice his only son for the good of humanity.
- These concepts create hope for Catholics as they believe they will be united with God in Heaven and have an eternal afterlife.
- Grace and salvation are linked to ideas of reconciliationA return to friendly relations.. Jesus鈥 presence on Earth and consequent death allowed God and humanity to be reconciled. Therefore, Christians believe humans have a duty to also try to reconcile with each other.