Religious Motivations: The Promise of Salvation

The associated promise of salvation deeply informs the motivations, beliefs, and actions of religious adherents and distinguishes religions offering salvation from those that do not. Zoroastrianism was among the earliest religions to adopt the concept of salvation and stood in contrast to earlier Bronze Age and Iron Age religions, whose promises of the afterlife were frequently vague or nonexistent (Boyce 35). This aspect of heavenly reward or eternal life hugely influences how adherents look at their earthly lives in light of the afterlife, giving a unique purpose to their lives.

Salvation religions such as Christianity and Islam influence how the believer is going to relate to their religion. The belief in salvation makes one fulfill the moral and ethical rules established by their religion. In Christianity, because eternal life is dependent on faith in Jesus Christ, people confess their sins to seek forgiveness, perform acts of mercy, and practice self-denial (Cairns 210). Similarly, Christianity’s counterpart, Islam, offers salvation through prayers, charity, and fasting, forming five pillars, creating a consciousness amongst its followers regarding the obligations they owe to Allah and the people they coexist with (Esposito 58). Most such religions painfully stress that salvation is not a prize one is awarded but a form of judgment from God on how life should be led in pursuit of paradise.

In contrast, religions that do not strongly emphasize salvation, such as certain interpretations of Judaism, tend to focus more on ethical living in the present world without the same emphasis on an eternal reward. While Judaism does include concepts of an afterlife, the focus is more on living a life under divine law than on seeking salvation (Neusner 12). The actions of followers are driven by a commitment to fulfilling God’s commandments and maintaining a covenant rather than pursuing an eternal reward.

This promise of salvation, therefore, gives followers a sense of direction and, quite often, encourages them to put up with hardship or do good with the hope of ultimate reward. It can be a powerful motivator shaping the ethical and spiritual lives of individuals and whole communities. Salvation, as viewed in Christianity, Islam, and Zoroastrianism, provides not only hope to the followers but also a moral and ethical guideline for leading daily life.

Works Cited

Boyce, Mary. Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices. Routledge, 2001.

Cairns, Earle E. Christianity through the Centuries: A History of the Christian Church.

Zondervan, 1996.

Esposito, John L. Islam: The Straight Path. Oxford UP, 2005.

Neusner, Jacob. The Way of Torah: An Introduction to Judaism. Wadsworth Publishing, 2003.

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Religious Motivations

The Iron Age Persian religion of Zoroastrianism was among the first to promise a form of salvation or heavenly reward to its followers. This idea was largely absent from the Bronze Age religions, or the Monotheism of the Iron Age Hebrews.

Religious Motivations: The Promise of Salvation

In your opinion, is a religion that promises salvation different than a religion that does not? How do you think the promise of salvation affected the motivations, beliefs, and actions of religious followers? To answer this question, you might draw on the example of major world religions like Christianity and Islam, in addition to Zoroastrianism.