Britannica
Sources used in this answer
What does the Christian teaching of salvation mean?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Christianity
Christ as Ruler, with the Apostles and Evangelists (represented by the beasts). The female figures are believed to be either Santa Pudenziana and Santa Práxedes or symbols of the Jewish and Gentile churches. Mosaic in the apse of Santa Pudenziana basilica, Rome, 401–417 ce.
In Christianity, salvation is the deliverance of humankind from negative conditions such as sin, evil, death, and separation from God. It is fundamentally rooted in the belief that the incarnation, sacrificial death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ constitute a divine plan to reconcile humanity with God.12
Key aspects of this teaching include:
- Atonement: Because human sin—both original and actual—creates an obstacle to reconciliation, Christ’s death on the cross is viewed as a necessary sacrifice. This is often interpreted as a vicarious act of propitiation to satisfy divine righteousness or as a ransom to redeem humanity from the power of evil.32
- Grace: Salvation is understood as a spontaneous, unmerited gift of divine favor, known as grace. While God initiates this relationship, individuals are called to respond through faith.4
- Eschatology: Christian salvation encompasses the restoration of both body and soul. It is tied to the expectation of the resurrection of the dead and the Last Judgment, where the saved will experience eternal life in communion with God.56