Resurrection of Jesus & Salvation | Religion, Philosophy & Ethics for GCSE/IGCSE - Year 11 PDF Download

The Incarnation of Jesus

• Christians believe that the Virgin Mary miraculously gave birth to a child.

According to the Bible, an angel announced to Mary that she would bear a son, and “the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35).

• The Nicene Creed states, “He (Jesus) was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and was made man.”
• The Bible describes, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. 

We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

• Christians call Jesus the Christ, meaning the anointed one, which translates to Messiah.
• Central to Christian belief in salvation is that Jesus Christ, the second person of the Holy Trinity, is both the Son of God and God incarnate.
• The incarnation refers to God taking human form as Jesus Christ.
• Christians hold that Jesus was fully divine and fully human.

Scripture notes that God “appeared in the flesh” (1 Timothy 3:16).

• The birth, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus are foundational to Christian beliefs about salvation.
• Christians believe that by becoming human, God demonstrated His love for the world and all its people.
• The life and teachings of Jesus serve as a guide for how Christians should live.

The Crucifixion of Jesus

• Before His death, Jesus shared a Passover meal with His disciples in Jerusalem, known as the Last Supper.
• During this meal, Jesus offered bread, symbolizing His body, and wine, symbolizing His blood, to His disciples.

Jesus instructed them to “do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19).

• Jesus was condemned to crucifixion at Golgotha for blasphemy.

A crowd was present at the crucifixion, with “a large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him” (Luke 23:27).

While dying on the cross, Jesus expressed forgiveness for those who crucified Him, saying, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

In His suffering, Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34).

What the Crucifixion Means to Christians

• Christians believe the crucifixion shows that God understands human suffering.
• Jesus’ act of forgiving those who crucified Him teaches Christians to forgive others, regardless of the wrongs done to them.
• It is believed that Jesus’ death was necessary to fulfill God’s purpose for Him.
• Without Jesus’ death, humans could not be reconciled with God or enter Heaven.
• Humanity had drifted from God’s path, creating a separation. Jesus’ sacrificial death atoned for this separation.
• Many Christians commemorate this event through the Eucharist service.

The Resurrection of Jesus & Ascension

The Resurrection of Jesus

• After His crucifixion, Jesus was placed in a tomb, which Christians believe was found empty because He was resurrected.

Two women encountered Jesus, who told them, “Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, there they will see me” (Matthew 28:10).

• According to Mark 16:1-8, three women—Mary Magdalene, the other Mary, and Salome—visited the tomb and found the stone already rolled away.
• John 20:1-14 recounts that Mary Magdalene returned to the tomb, saw two angels inside, and then saw Jesus standing nearby.
• Over the next 40 days, many of Jesus’ disciples claimed to have seen Him alive in Jerusalem.

The disciples gathered and declared, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon” (Luke 24:34).

What the Resurrection Means to Christians

• The resurrection holds varied meanings for different Christians.
  • Literalist Christians believe the Bible’s account that Jesus physically rose from the dead.
  • Liberal Christians view the resurrection as a spiritual, not physical, event, meaning Jesus did not return in bodily form.
• The resurrection signifies the reality of life after death.
• Christians believe that by accepting Jesus, they too can experience some form of resurrection, removing the fear of death.
• Jesus’ resurrection assures Christians that God will forgive their sins if they adhere to Christian teachings, bringing them closer to God.
• The resurrection demonstrates God’s power and strengthens Christian faith.
• It provides further evidence that Jesus is the Son of God, reinforcing Christian belief.
• Christians believe the resurrection illustrates the triumph of good over evil.

The Ascension of Jesus

• Jesus told His disciples He would “prepare a place” for them in Heaven (John 14:2).
• Christians believe that after 40 days, Jesus ascended to Heaven.

Scripture describes, “While he was blessing them, he left them and ascended into heaven” (Luke 24:51).

It is said that “then Jesus was taken up, and a cloud hid him from their sight” (Acts 1:9).

The Bible states that Jesus is now “at the right hand of the almighty God” (Luke 22:69).

• The Apostles’ Creed, Nicene Creed, and Athanasian Creed affirm that Christ ascended into Heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father.
• These Creeds remain significant to Christians, confirming Jesus’ humanity and divinity and the authority of God as the Holy Trinity.

What the Ascension Means to Christians

• Christians believe the ascension highlights the power of Jesus as the Son of God within the Holy Trinity.
• The ascension proves that Jesus not only overcame death but is alive and with God the Father in Heaven.
• The crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension demonstrate that Jesus is both fully human and divine.