The Incarnation, Crucifixion, Ressurection And Ascension

Question 1

what is the INCARNATION & why is it important?

Answer 1

• God coming to earth as Jesus; his incarnation means that he is not affected by the original sin, which all humans are born with because of the Fall
• Jesus’ life on Earth provides the perfect example of how God wants every person to live; he also performed miracles, demonstrating that he was God
• one of the main purposes of Jesus’ incarnation was to die to take the punishment for human sin - restoring the relationship between God & humanity

Question 2

what is the CRUCIFIXION & why is it important?

Answer 2

• Jesus was publicly executed by being nailed to a wooden cross & left to hang there by death
• Jesus suffered the full pain of human death & Christians believe that Jesus can understand human suffering because of his crucifixion
• they also believe that his crucifixion was an atonement sacrifice; his death had a purpose that benefits all humans
• the Old Testament included prophecies about a Messiah & Jesus’s suffering on the cross fulfilled many of those

Question 3

what is the RESURRECTION & why is it important?

Answer 3

• 3 days after his death, Jesus came back to life; Paul recorded in his first letter to Corinth that Jesus was seen alive by 5000 people after his death
• the 4 gospels included prophecies about accounts of how his tomb was empty when women went to embalm his body the Sunday after, but he appeared & spoke to them
• demonstrates Jesus’ power over death; he was free from the original sin that leads to death & eternal separation from God, so Christians believe that he was able to rise back to life
• Christians find hope in the resurrection as they believe that they too will be raised to life after death, sharing eternity with God in heaven
• this is confirmed by ‘I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me will live even if he dies’ (John 11:25)

Question 4

what is the ASCENSION & why is it important?

Answer 4

• 40 days after Jesus’ ascension, ‘…he was taken up to heaven as they watched him, and a cloud hid him from their sight’ (Acts 1:9)
• many Christian’s understand the ascension account to be Jesus literally returning back up to heaven
• can also be interpreted symbolically, with Jesus rising up representing his success of good over evil
• his work in heaven continues after this: he said he was going to prepare a place for believers (John 14:2) - which Christians believe to be their future home in heaven after their death

Question 5

The Apostles’ Creed was created as a way of…

Answer 5

…summing up Christian doctrine and challenging any heresies

Question 6

Some conservative Christians take the view that the events…

Answer 6

…actually took place as described, while others may see the ascension as metaphorical