Christians believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, given as a sacrifice so that humans would have the possibility of eternal life in Heaven. Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection and ascension are key events that shape Christian beliefs.
Messiah is a Hebrew word meaning ‘anointed one’. Christians believe that Jesus is the Messiah because through his crucifixion and resurrection he brought salvation to humankind.
Jesus did not describe himself as the Messiah, but his apostles did many times. For example, in the Gospel of Matthew (16:13–17), one of Jesus’ disciples, Simon Peter, says to him, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
Most Christians believe that Jesus, as well as being fully human, is also fully God. Most Christians believe that Jesus is the second person of the Holy Trinity and is the Son of God.
‘Lord’ is a term of respect used when referring to a male ruler with power and authority over others. The Gospel of Matthew states that Jesus is ‘Lord’ and has all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18)
Christians acknowledge that all people, at some point in their lives, will sin, which makes them deserving of God’s anger and punishment. However, Christians believe that because God is omnibenevolent he sent Jesus to save humankind in two ways:
Christians believe that Jesus’ resurrection from the dead proved that he was indeed the Son of God. They also believe that his death was sufficient to pay the penalty for the sins of humanity.
What does ‘Messiah’ mean?
‘Anointed one’. Christians use this term to refer to Jesus.