Christians believe in life after death. They believe that they have only one life on earth. After that life the body dies but the soul (the spiritual part of a person) lives forever. Jesus’ resurrection (when he died on the cross but was later seen alive) is seen as proof of this.
Christians believe that, after death, God will judge each soul.
It is uncertain whether this judgment will happen when a person dies or on Jesus’ Second Coming. (The Second Coming is a Christian belief that Jesus will return to Earth, to set up God’s Kingdom, at which time all Christian believers will come back to life.)
Christian believe that God’s decision, on the day of judgment, will depend on whether that person lived his life in the way in which Jesus taught (i.e. loving God and others) and whether that person accepted Jesus as the Son of God. Even if that person did not Christians believe that a soul can still go to heaven if that person truly repented his sins (was sorry for all he had done wrong).s belie
Jesus taught that on the day of judgement those people who had behaved in a loving way would go to heaven (God’s Kingdom) and those who had not would go to hell.
The picture below on the left shows the Second Coming. Although this shows bodies rising from the dead the Second Coming is usually understood to mean a resurrection free from the limitations of the body, rather than of the body itself. (1 Corinthians Chapter 15 Verses 35-53).
Although the traditional image of hell (like the picture on the right below) is a place of torture and punishment, many Christians today see hell simply as a place where God’s love is forever absent.
The Death of Jesus
Christians believe that Jesus died to save mankind. Christians’ believe that before Jesus mankind had committed so many sins (done so many bad things) that the people had become cut off from God.
They believe that Jesus’ death on the cross shows God’s love for mankind. It was the ultimate sacrifice for mankind. God gave his only son, knowing that he would have to die, as part of God’s plan In effect Jesus (although innocent) took the punishment for mankind’s sins.
By doing this he cleansed mankind of sin and evil so that God could forgive it. Jesus therefore enabled mankind to again develop a relationship with God.
This re-connection is called “the Atonement.” (Atonement means, “making one”). It made it possible for Christians to achieve heaven because of Jesus’ sacrifice.
The Resurrection
The most important Christian belief is that Jesus died to save mankind and then came back from the dead. This return to life is called the Resurrection.
Christians see Jesus’ resurrection as proof that there is life after death. Christians believe that they have only one life on earth. After that life the body dies but the soul (the spiritual part of a person) lives forever. Christians believe that, after death, God will judge each soul.
Christians believe that God will make a judgment based on whether that person lived his life in the loving way that Jesus taught and whether that person accepted Jesus as the Son of God. Even if a person has not done so Christians believe that a soul can still go to heaven if that person truly repents his sins (is sorry for all he had done wrong).
Jesus taught that on the day of judgement those people who had lived as Jesus had taught and behaved in a loving way would go to heaven (God’s kingdom), to start of a new life with God. Those who had not would go to hell (a place of punishment for the wicked.)
One issue, on which all Christians have yet to agree, is whether a soul goes to hell forever or whether it will one day be saved because of the Atonement. The latter belief is called Universalism.
Whatever they believe however modern Christians place much less emphasis on hell and damnation than did Christians in earlier times.
The Second Coming
Christians believe that Jesus will one day return to Earth, to judge everyone, and to set up God’s Kingdom and that, at this time, all Christian believers will come back to life to share in that kingdom.
The usual interpretation of the Second Coming is that it will be a resurrection free from the limitations of the body, rather than a coming back to life of the body itself. (This is discussed in the Bible at 1 Corinthians Chapter 15 Verses 35-53.)