CONCEPT OF LIFE AND DEATH Christians believe in the concept of Trinity (The Father, The Son and Holy Spirit). The New Testament teaches that the Son is "of the same substance" as the Father, meaning he is eternal, and therefore any differences that exist between them occur within the divine unity. The belief of the crucifixion of Jesus on the cross bearing the sins of mankind, and his subsequent resurrection has a considerable impact on the Christian understanding of death and the afterlife. Given the centrality of the resurrection, it is to be expected that Christian funeral rites are dominated by the theme of Jesus’s victory over death and the promise it holds for those who die with faith in him.