salvation and atonement

• • Christians believe Jesus' death was a sacrifice for the sins of all people
  • his death and resurrection were an act of atonement that restored the relationship between God and humanity that had been broken by Original Sin
  • this removed the fear of death, and allowed humans to be resurrected to live with God after death
  • this is known as salvation, and proves God to be omnibenevolent
• • animals, like goats or lambs, were sacrificed for the sins of humanity
  • "lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites"
  • this is why Jesus is referred to as the Lamb of God
  • like a lamb would have been sacrificed, Jesus was sacrificed for the sins of humanity
• • through Jesus' death, he is seen to be the Messiah that Jews were waiting for
  • this is shown in the Bible, "the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed"
• • atonement - the belief that Jesus death healed the rift between humans and God