GCE Christian Religious Studies 1989 past questions and answers

The river from Eden divided into four: Pishon, Gihon, Tigris and Euphrates (Genesis 2:10-14).

God said circumcision "shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you" (Genesis 17:10-11).

Shedding blood means taking a life, which belongs to God (Genesis 9:5-6); Reuben did not want them to kill Joseph (Genesis 37:21-22).

Moses led Jethro's flock to Horeb, the mountain of God, where he saw the burning bush (Exodus 3:1).

Caleb represented Judah and Joshua (Hoshea son of Nun) represented Ephraim among the spies (Numbers 13:6, 8).

When Barak would not go without her, Deborah told him the glory would not be his, for the Lord would sell Sisera into the hand of a woman (Judges 4:8-9).

Israel was camped by the sea at Pi-hahiroth when Pharaoh's army came near, and Moses told them to stand firm and see the Lord's salvation (Exodus 14:2, 9, 13).

Asa removed the cult prostitutes, idols and his mother's Asherah image, "but the high places were not taken away" (1 Kings 15:12-14).

Saul disobeyed God and then offered sacrifices; Samuel taught that God values obedience, and offerings mean nothing without it (1 Samuel 15:22).

Elijah's contest on Mount Carmel showed that the Lord, who answered by fire, is God, not Baal (1 Kings 18:24, 36-39).

The heads of the families of Judah and Benjamin rose up to go and rebuild the house of the Lord (Ezra 1:5).

Amos' key cry is "let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream" (Amos 5:24).

God says through Ezekiel that He has no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that he should turn from his way and live (Ezekiel 18:23; 33:11).

John said, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?", seeing himself as lower than Jesus (Matthew 3:14).

The devil asked Jesus to turn stones into bread, tempting Him to be a Messiah who meets material needs (Matthew 4:3-4).

Jesus fed the five thousand with five loaves and two fish (Mark 6:38-44).

In the wheat and tares, the harvest is the close of the age when the weeds are gathered and burnt (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43).

Jesus said a man may not divorce his wife "except on the ground of unchastity" (Matthew 5:32).

Seventy was the traditional number of the Gentile nations (Genesis 10), so Luke's mission of the seventy points to taking the gospel beyond Israel to the Gentiles (Luke 10:1).

Riding a donkey fulfilled Zechariah's picture of a king who comes "humble and mounted on an ass", not a war horse (Matthew 21:5).

In Gethsemane the "cup" was the suffering and death Jesus was about to face (Matthew 26:39).

The crowd asked Pilate to release Barabbas and crucify Jesus (Matthew 27:20-21).

John the Baptist meant that Jesus would die as a sacrifice so that people's sins would be removed (John 1:29).

The disciples in Jerusalem were afraid of Paul, but Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles (Acts 9:26-27).

Through the vision Peter learnt that he should not call any person common or unclean, for God shows no partiality (Acts 10:28, 34-35).

Paul teaches that a person is justified by faith in Jesus Christ, not by works of the law (Galatians 2:16; Romans 3:22-25).

Paul tells believers to put off the old nature and put on the new (Colossians 3:1-14), so putting on the old nature is not part of the new life.

"In Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith"; God sent His Son so we might receive adoption as sons (Galatians 3:26; 4:4-5).

Peter quotes this to urge all believers to clothe themselves with humility (1 Peter 5:5-6).

Paul asks Philemon to forgive and welcome back his runaway slave Onesimus as a brother (Philemon 15-18).

Paul pictures the church as one body whose many parts work together and need each other (1 Corinthians 12:12-26).

Those who resist the authorities resist what God has appointed and incur judgement, both from the rulers and from God (Romans 13:2-4; 1 Peter 2:13-14).

Paul calls himself the least of the apostles "because I persecuted the church of God" (1 Corinthians 15:9).

James says that if you fulfil the royal law "love your neighbour as yourself" you do well, but showing partiality is sin (James 2:8-9).

James says the testing of your faith produces steadfastness (James 1:2-3).

James says one must ask in faith without doubting, and the prayer of faith and of a righteous person is powerful (James 1:6; 5:15-16).

Trials test and strengthen faith so that believers become steadfast and mature (James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 1:6-7).

Peter says live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a pretext for evil; honour all, love the brotherhood, fear God, honour the emperor (1 Peter 2:16-17).

Joseph, son of Jacob and Rachel, was loved more than his brothers and given a long robe with sleeves (Genesis 37:3).
He brought a bad report of his brothers and told dreams of their sheaves and the sun, moon and stars bowing to him; they hated him (Genesis 37:2, 5-11).
Sent by Jacob to check on his brothers at Shechem/Dothan, they plotted to kill him; Reuben persuaded them to throw him into a pit (Genesis 37:12-24).
On Judah's suggestion they sold him to Ishmaelites for twenty shekels, dipped his robe in goat's blood and deceived Jacob (Genesis 37:25-35).
In Egypt he served Potiphar faithfully, refused Potiphar's wife and was jailed on her false charge (Genesis 39).
In prison he interpreted the dreams of the butler and baker (Genesis 40).
He interpreted Pharaoh's dreams of seven fat and seven lean cows/ears as seven years of plenty and seven of famine and advised storing grain (Genesis 41:1-36).
Pharaoh made him ruler over all Egypt, second only to himself, gave him his ring and a wife (Genesis 41:37-45).
Qualities (any two): wisdom and foresight; faithfulness and hard work; integrity/self-control; fear of God; forgiving spirit; good administration.

Cover Canaan, Egypt and the rise to power, then two qualities.

Sources: Solomon loved the Lord and offered a thousand burnt offerings at Gibeon (1 Kings 3:3-4).
God appeared to him in a dream and told him to ask what he wanted (1 Kings 3:5).
He humbly asked for an understanding mind to govern and to discern good and evil (1 Kings 3:7-9).
God was pleased and gave him wisdom, plus riches and honour he had not asked for (1 Kings 3:10-14).
His wisdom was shown in judging the two harlots and in his proverbs and knowledge (1 Kings 3:16-28; 4:29-34).
Misuse: he married many foreign wives (700 wives, 300 concubines) against God's command (1 Kings 11:1-3).
In old age his wives turned his heart to other gods; he built high places for Chemosh and Molech (1 Kings 11:4-8).
He used forced labour and heavy taxes for his building projects (1 Kings 5:13; 12:4).
God was angry and said the kingdom would be torn from his son (1 Kings 11:9-13).
Lessons (any four): wisdom is a gift to be used for God; success can lead to pride and apostasy; marriage should be with fellow believers; disobedience brings punishment; leaders should not oppress the people; we must remain faithful to the end.

Separate the sources, the misuse and four lessons.

King Darius appointed 120 satraps under three presidents, of whom Daniel was one; he planned to set Daniel over the whole kingdom (Daniel 6:1-3).
Jealous officials sought fault in him but found none, except in his religion (Daniel 6:4-5).
They persuaded the king to sign a decree that anyone who prayed to any god or man but the king for thirty days would be thrown to the lions (Daniel 6:6-9).
Daniel still prayed three times a day toward Jerusalem with his windows open (Daniel 6:10).
They reported him; the king was distressed but could not change the law of the Medes and Persians (Daniel 6:11-15).
Daniel was cast into the den and it was sealed (Daniel 6:16-17).
God sent His angel to shut the lions' mouths; Daniel was found unhurt because he trusted God (Daniel 6:19-23).
His accusers were thrown to the lions, and Darius decreed that all should fear Daniel's God (Daniel 6:24-27).
Lessons (any two): remain faithful to God whatever the cost; God protects those who trust Him; prayer should be constant; jealousy and plotting lead to destruction; integrity at work.

Give the plot, the decree, Daniel's response and the outcome, then two lessons.

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb (Matthew 28:1).
There was a great earthquake; an angel rolled back the stone and sat on it; the guards trembled and became like dead men (Matthew 28:2-4).
The angel told the women not to fear: Jesus who was crucified had risen as He said; they should see the place and tell the disciples He was going before them to Galilee (Matthew 28:5-7).
They ran with fear and great joy to tell the disciples (Matthew 28:8).
Jesus met them and greeted them; they held His feet and worshipped Him (Matthew 28:9).
He told them not to fear but to tell His brethren to go to Galilee, where they would see Him (Matthew 28:10).
Significance: proves Jesus is the Son of God and His claims true; victory over death and sin; assures believers of their own resurrection and eternal life; foundation of Christian faith and hope (1 Corinthians 15:14-20); gives believers new life and power; confirms God accepted His sacrifice.

Follow Matthew 28:1-10 in order, then give several points of significance.

Jesus came again to Cana in Galilee (John 4:46).
An official (nobleman) whose son lay ill at Capernaum heard Jesus had come from Judea, went to Him and begged Him to come and heal his son, who was at the point of death (John 4:46-47).
Jesus said, "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe" (John 4:48).
The official pleaded, "Sir, come down before my child dies" (John 4:49).
Jesus said, "Go; your son will live." The man believed the word and went (John 4:50).
His servants met him to say the boy was alive; the fever left at the seventh hour, the very hour Jesus spoke (John 4:51-53).
He and all his household believed; this was Jesus' second sign in Galilee (John 4:53-54).
Role of faith: the official's faith made him seek Jesus; he believed Jesus' word without seeing a sign; his faith was rewarded with healing from a distance; his faith grew into full belief that spread to his household.

Narrate John 4:46-54 then show faith at each stage.

After the Ascension, about 120 believers gathered in Jerusalem (Acts 1:15).
Peter said the scripture about Judas, who guided those who arrested Jesus, had to be fulfilled (Acts 1:16-20).
Another must take his office: a man who had been with them from John's baptism to the Ascension, to be a witness of the resurrection (Acts 1:21-22).
Two were put forward: Joseph called Barsabbas (Justus) and Matthias (Acts 1:23).
They prayed that the Lord, who knows all hearts, would show which one He had chosen (Acts 1:24-25).
They cast lots; the lot fell on Matthias, and he was added to the eleven apostles (Acts 1:26).
Lessons (any two): leaders should be chosen with prayer; leaders should have proven experience and good character; vacancies in God's work should be filled; God's will should guide decisions; scripture guides the church.

Give the qualifications, the candidates, the prayer and the lot, then two lessons.

There are varieties of gifts but the same Spirit, varieties of service but the same Lord (1 Corinthians 12:4-6).
Each is given a gift of the Spirit for the common good (1 Corinthians 12:7).
Gifts include wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment, tongues and interpretation, given as the Spirit wills (1 Corinthians 12:8-11).
Like parts of one body, every member is needed; none should despise another or feel useless (1 Corinthians 12:12-26).
We have gifts that differ according to grace and should use them: prophecy in proportion to faith, service, teaching, exhortation, giving with liberality, leading with zeal, mercy with cheerfulness (Romans 12:4-8).
All gifts should be used in love (1 Corinthians 13:1-3) and for building up the church (1 Corinthians 14:12, 26).
Application (any two): use talents in church service (choir, teaching, ushering); use skills to help the needy and community; avoid pride or envy over gifts; cooperate with others in team work; develop and not neglect one's talents.

Explain the teaching with references, then two applications.

Wives should be subject to their husbands as to the Lord (Ephesians 5:22-24; Colossians 3:18).
Husbands should love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it, and as their own bodies (Ephesians 5:25-29).
Husbands should not be harsh with their wives (Colossians 3:19).
The two become one flesh; husband and wife should respect one another (Ephesians 5:31-33).
Children should obey their parents in the Lord and honour father and mother, the first commandment with a promise (Ephesians 6:1-3).
Fathers should not provoke their children to anger but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 3:21).
Deviations (any three): husbands who batter or neglect wives; wives who do not respect husbands; divorce and separation; children disobedient to parents; parents neglecting the training of children or being too harsh; infidelity; neglect of family prayer.

Cover duties of wives, husbands, children and parents, then three deviations.

Be holy in all conduct, as He who called you is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16).
Love one another earnestly from the heart (1 Peter 1:22).
Put away malice, guile, insincerity, envy and slander (1 Peter 2:1).
Maintain good conduct among the Gentiles so they glorify God (1 Peter 2:12).
Be subject to every human institution, to the emperor and governors (1 Peter 2:13-14).
Live as free people but not use freedom as a cover for evil; honour all, love the brotherhood, fear God, honour the emperor (1 Peter 2:16-17).
Servants be submissive to masters; endure unjust suffering patiently as Christ did (1 Peter 2:18-23).
Wives submissive, husbands considerate (1 Peter 3:1-7).
Have unity of spirit, sympathy, love, a tender heart and humble mind; do not return evil for evil (1 Peter 3:8-9).
Practise hospitality without grumbling; use gifts to serve one another (1 Peter 4:9-10).
Clothe yourselves with humility (1 Peter 5:5).

List distinct characteristics with references from 1 Peter.