1. J4: Living the Christian Life
Revision Notes for Edexcel Religious Studies

2. Notes
• When answering “Explain” questions,
always remember to include your BCG:
• B - What does the Bible say?
• C - The Catechism or the Creeds
• G - The example of God the Son (Jesus)

3. 4.1 Respect for God in the Ten
Commandments
• You shall have no other gods before me
• You shall not take the name of the Lord
your God in vain
• Observe the Sabbath and keep it holy
because God rested on the Sabbath

4. 4.2 Respect for others in the Ten
Commandments
• Honour your father and mother
• You shall not kill
• You shall not commit adultery
• You shall not steal
• You shall not bear false witness against your
neighbour
• You shall not covet your neighbour’s wife
• You shall not covet your neighbour’s belongings

5. 4.3 The Sermon on the Mount: The
Law of Moses
1. Do not murder ... do not be angry
2. No adultery ... do not look lustfully
3. Only divorce with a certificate ... do not divorce
4. Do not break oaths ... do not take oaths
5. An eye for an eye ... turn the other cheek
6. Love your neighbour and hate your enemy ... love
your enemy and pray for those who persecute you
• SPIRIT OF THE LAW / thoughts as well as actions

6. 4.4 The Sermon on the Mount:
Displaying Religion
1. Give money secretly
2. Pray at home
3. Short prayers
4. Do not let people know you are fasting
5. Displaying religion is only for other people, not for God. Your
relationship with God should be important, not showing it off to
other people

7. 4.5 The Sermon on the Mount:
Christians and Money
1. Store up spiritual treasures (love of God; works of charity) not
material ones
2. Spiritual treasures last for ever; material ones die with you
3. Serve God, not money. Impossible to serve two masters.
4. Do not worry about the future - God looks after birds and
flowers, he will look after those who love him even more

8. 4.6 The Sermon on the Mount:
Christians and Judgement
• Christians should not judge others
• We will be judged the way we judge others
• Christians should judge themselves before they look
at other people
• “Do not take the speck out of someone else’s eye
before you take the plank out of your own eye.”

9. 4.7 The Sermon on the Mount: the
Golden Rule
• Matthew 7:12
• Do to others what you would have them do to you.
• Sums up the Law and the Prophets (ie the Old Testament, esp 10
Commandments)
• Treat others well, no one wants to hurt themselves
• This is how to love your neighbour
• You will be rewarded in heaven

10. 4.8 Christian values: service to others
• Outline how ... • Explain why ...
1. Get involved with own 1. Golden Rule
church
2. Example of Jesus (eg
2. Educate children washing feet)
3. Help those who are 3. Teaching of Jesus (eg
suffering or ill Parable of Sheep and
Goats and Parable of
4. Voluntary work eg Good Samaritan)
CAFOD
4. Eternal life

11. 4.9 Christian values: compassion for those
who suffer
• Outline how ... • Explain why ...
1. Help those who are 1. Example of Jesus (eg
suffering eg CAFOD, feeding 5000)
SVP
2. Show faith to others
2. Careers in health care
3. Eternal life
3. Counselling, advice
4. Parable of the Sheep
4. Refuges for homeless and the Goats, Parable
of the Good Samaritan
5. Prayer

12. 4.10 Christian values: concern for
the causes of suffering
• Outline how ... • Explain why ...
1. Get involved in politics to 1. Love your neighbour
remove causes of
suffering 2. Example of Jesus
2. Take part in protests eg 3. Eternal life
Make Poverty History
campaign 4. Golden Rule
3. Educate others
4. Work to remove causes
eg CAFOD, SVP

13. 4.11 Christian values: helping those in
need
• Outline how ... • Explain why ...
1. Pray for those in spiritual 1. Example of Jesus (eg feeding
need 5000)
2. Help those who do not have 2. Teaching of Jesus (eg Parable
enough to survive by giving of Sheep and Goats and
essentials eg after natural Parable of Good Samaritan)
disasters
3. Advice to Rich Young Man:
3. Provide medical care “sell all you have and give to
the poor”
4. Fundraising
4. Catechism: help those in need
5. Supporting Christian charities

14. 4.12 Christian values: justice for the
oppressed
• Outline how ... • Explain why ...
1. CAFOD works with 1. Bible teaches that God is
Trade Justice Campaign a God of justice
to change trade rules
2. Catechism teaches that no
2. Make Poverty History one should be oppressed
campaign and Christians should
seek justice for the
3. Pray for United Nations oppressed
4. Peaceful protests against 3. Shows love for God and
oppressive governments your neighbour
(eg James Mawdsley)

15. 4.13 Mother Teresa
• Showed Christian values: • Inspired by:
1. Helping those in need - founded 1. Teachings of Jesus about caring for
Missionaries of Charity the homeless and unloved
2. Seeking justice for the oppressed - 2. Example of Jesus in helping the
met world leaders suffering and unloved
3. Service for others - hospitals for 3. Teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on
sick and dying the Mount
4. Compassion - MoC showed 4. Parable of the Sheep and the Goats
compassion to those dying alone on
the streets
5. Concern for the causes of suffering
- schools to educate the poor; homes
for homeless children

16. Key Words
Learn all these words (2 marks each)

17. J1: Key Words
• Ten Commandments • Golden Rule
• The Sermon on the • Service to others
Mount
• Compassion
• Displaying religion
• Concern
• Judgement
• Oppressed

18. Exam Questions
(b) 6 marks - make 3 points

19. • Outline what the Ten Commandments say about showing respect for God.
• Outline what the Ten Commandments say about showing respect for others.
• Outline what the Sermon on the Mount teaches about displaying religion.
• Outline what the Sermon on the Mount teaches about the Law of Moses.
• Outline how one twentieth century Christian has shown service to others.
• Outline the teachings on the Sermon on the Mount about money.
• Outline the teachings on the Sermon on the Mount about judgement.
• Describe how Christians seek justice for the oppressed.

20. Exam Questions
(c) 8 marks - make 4 points (PEE)

21. • Explain why Christians should serve others.
• Explain why Christians should work for justice for the oppressed.
• Explain why compassion for those who suffer is important for Christians.
• Explain why Christians should show concern for the causes of suffering.
• Explain why Christians should help those in need.
• Explain how one Christian of the twentieth century expressed Christian values in their life.
• Explain how keeping the Ten Commandments shows respect for other people.
• Explain how keeping the Ten Commandments shows respect for God.
• Explain why the Golden Rule is important for Christians.
• Explain why Christians should avoid making a display of their religion.

22. Exam Questions
(d) 4 marks - 2 reasons for, 2 reasons against

23. • “Jesus is the only example Christians should follow.”
• “The Ten Commandments are out of date.”
• “Serving others is too difficult.”
• “Catholics should never judge other people.”
• “Christians should not judge others.”
• “There should be no rich Christians.”
• “Christians should turn the other cheek when attacked.”
• “It is impossible to keep the ideals of the Sermon on the Mount.”
• “The needy are not our concern.”
• “The Ten Commandments will never be out of date.”
• “The Sermon on the Mount is the only proper guide for Christian living.”