Salvation

The teaching that God became a human being in the person of Jesus Christ and offered himself to die on the cross in order to save men and women from…

The teaching that God became a human being in the person of JesusJesus (Greek form of Hebrew 'Joshua' meaning 'Yahweh [God] is salvation') Also given the title Christ, meaning 'anointed one' or Messiah. His life is recorded mainly in the Four Gospels although he is also mentioned by the Jewish historian Josephus (c. 37-c.100) and the Roman historian Tacitus (c.110). Christ and offered himself to die on the crossCross Instrument of torture and execution used in the Roman Empire. The means by which Christ was put to death and therefore the primary symbol of the Christian faith, representing the means by which he is believed to have won forgiveness for humankind. The Cross may be represented as Tau-shaped (like a capital T); with a shorter cross-bar or with a circle enclosing the upper intersection (Celtic). In medieval art a cross made of living branches signifies the Tree of Life. St Helena, mother of the Emperor Constantine, is said to have discovered the True Cross (i.e. the Cross in Jerusalem on which Christ died) in 326. in order to save men and women from their sins. There were a variety of interpretations of the doctrineDoctrine Belief (or system of beliefs) accepted as authoritative. of the Atonement (that is, the reconciliation of mankind to God through the death of Christ). Origen (c.185-254) viewed Christ’s death as a ransom paid to SatanSatan Hebrew satan 'adversary'. See Fall of the Angels, who had acquired rights over man through the Fall of HumankindFall of Humankind Adam and Eve's act of disobedience in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2&3) which led to estrangement from God for them and their descendant; but this interpretation was later largely superseded by that of St Anselm (c.1033-1109), who taught that Christ died to take the punishment due to human sin, thus paying the debt owed to God and appeasing his righteous anger