WAEC Christian Religious Studies 1992 past questions and answers

God only had to speak and things came into being ("God said… and it was so"), showing His supreme power over the universe (Genesis 1:3-24).

Being Lappidoth's wife (Judges 4:4) says nothing about her leadership; her judging, faith and inspiring Barak do (Judges 4:4-14).

God said, "I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts" (Jeremiah 31:33).

Eli's sons treated the Lord's offering with contempt (1 Samuel 2:17), so treating it with respect is the exception.

David wept aloud at Abner's grave, fasted and lamented him, and all the people saw he had no part in the killing (2 Samuel 3:31-37).

God gave Solomon an understanding mind to govern and discern good and evil, and also riches and honour (1 Kings 3:9-13); faithfulness was something he himself later failed in (1 Kings 11:4).

Ahab coveted Naboth's family land, which the law said must not be sold, and sulked when refused (1 Kings 21:1-4; Leviticus 25:23).

Josiah removed the idols, altars, cult prostitutes and high places set up by earlier kings and restored the Passover (2 Kings 23:4-24).

When Nehemiah heard the report he sat down and wept, and mourned, fasted and prayed for days (Nehemiah 1:4).

Hosea's unfaithful wife Gomer, whom he still loved and bought back, pictures unfaithful Israel and loving God (Hosea 3:1).

Amos said they "turn aside the way of the afflicted" (Amos 2:7), so upholding it is not one of their sins.

Isaiah called them "rulers of Sodom… people of Gomorrah" because their wickedness was as bad as those cities' (Isaiah 1:10-17).

The scroll had writing on both sides: "words of lamentation and mourning and woe" (Ezekiel 2:10).

Luke's order is bread, worship the devil, then the pinnacle of the temple (Luke 4:3-12).

Simon said this when Jesus told him to let down his nets; after the great catch Jesus called him (Luke 5:4-11).

Jesus warned the eager scribe that following Him meant hardship, not comfort (Matthew 8:19-20).

After the demons entered the herd of swine and it drowned, the people begged Jesus to leave (Matthew 8:30-34; Mark 5:13-17).

The elder son boasted that he had served for years and never disobeyed, and refused to welcome his brother (Luke 15:28-30).

Before Caiaphas, false witnesses accused Jesus of saying He would destroy the temple and build it in three days (Matthew 26:59-61).

The risen Jesus said this to Cleopas and his companion on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-25).

Jesus said this to His mother at the wedding at Cana when the wine ran out (John 2:3-4).

"This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee" (John 2:11).

Jesus told Martha He is the resurrection and the life and then raised Lazarus, proving it (John 11:25-44).

Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents" (John 9:3).

Jesus promised they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came and be His witnesses (Acts 1:8; 2:4).

Keeping back part of the price was the sin of Ananias and Sapphira, who were punished (Acts 5:1-11); the church shared everything (Acts 2:42-47).

Saul learnt he was persecuting Jesus and had been chosen to serve Him (Acts 9:4-6, 15; 26:14-18); he learnt to submit, not to follow his own will.

In the new life "there cannot be Greek and Jew… but Christ is all, and in all" (Colossians 3:11).

Paul tells husbands to love their wives and not be harsh with them (Colossians 3:19), not to treat them as slaves.

Paul said he was unfit to be called an apostle "because I persecuted the church of God" (1 Corinthians 15:9).

God sent His Son to redeem those under the law so that they might receive adoption as sons (Galatians 4:3-5).

Paul praised Philemon's love and faith and called him a partner, confident of his obedience (Philemon 4-7, 17, 21).

Paul told each not to think too highly of himself but to think with sober judgement according to the measure of faith God gave (Romans 12:3-6).

Paul teaches that all governing authorities are instituted by God (Romans 13:1-4); he does not say some lose legitimacy.

Paul compares the church to one body with many parts, each needed for the whole (1 Corinthians 12:12-27).

God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep, and the dead in Christ will rise (1 Thessalonians 4:13-16).

"Since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so… God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep" (1 Thessalonians 4:14).

James describes the rich man given a good seat while the poor man is told to stand (James 2:1-4); he does not say the poor are thought better Christians.

Peter urged them to abstain from fleshly passions that wage war against the soul, i.e. immoral, sinful desires (1 Peter 2:11).

Peter says, "Live as free men, yet without using your freedom as a pretext for evil" (1 Peter 2:13-17).

Israel left Elim and came to the wilderness of Sin, a month after leaving Egypt (Exodus 16:1).
The whole congregation murmured against Moses and Aaron, wishing they had died in Egypt by the fleshpots, for they were hungry (Exodus 16:2-3).
God said He would rain bread from heaven; they should gather a day's portion each day, to test their obedience, and twice as much on the sixth day (Exodus 16:4-5).
Moses and Aaron told them their murmuring was against the Lord, who had heard it (Exodus 16:6-8).
The glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud (Exodus 16:10).
In the evening quails covered the camp; in the morning a fine flake-like substance (manna) lay on the ground (Exodus 16:13-15).
Each gathered an omer per person; what was kept till morning bred worms, except on the sabbath (Exodus 16:16-26).
Nature of God: He provides for His people's needs; He is patient and merciful despite their complaints; He tests obedience; He keeps the sabbath holy; He reveals His glory; He is faithful to His promises.

Give the complaint, God's provision and the rules, then attributes of God.

The Ziphites told Saul David was hiding on the hill of Hachilah (1 Samuel 26:1).
Saul went with 3,000 chosen men to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph (1 Samuel 26:2).
David sent spies and learnt where Saul lay encamped (1 Samuel 26:3-5).
At night David and Abishai went into the camp and found Saul asleep with his spear stuck in the ground at his head, Abner and the army asleep around him (1 Samuel 26:6-7).
Abishai asked to pin Saul to the earth with one stroke (1 Samuel 26:8).
David refused: no one can put forth his hand against the Lord's anointed and be guiltless; the Lord Himself would deal with Saul (1 Samuel 26:9-11).
They took the spear and jar of water and left, for a deep sleep from the Lord was on them (1 Samuel 26:12).
From a hilltop David called to Abner, rebuked him for not guarding the king, and showed the spear and jar (1 Samuel 26:13-16).
Saul confessed he had sinned and blessed David (1 Samuel 26:21-25). (A similar story at the cave of En-gedi: 1 Samuel 24.)
Lessons (any three): respect for constituted authority; do not take revenge, leave it to God; return good for evil; self-control; trust in God's timing; mercy can bring an enemy to repentance.

Narrate 1 Samuel 26 (or 24) in order and give three lessons.

Jeremiah: the days are coming when God will make a new covenant with Israel and Judah (Jeremiah 31:31).
It will not be like the covenant at the Exodus, which they broke (Jeremiah 31:32).
God will put His law within them and write it on their hearts; He will be their God and they His people (Jeremiah 31:33).
All shall know the Lord, from least to greatest, without needing to be taught (Jeremiah 31:34).
God will forgive their iniquity and remember their sin no more (Jeremiah 31:34).
Individual responsibility: no more "fathers have eaten sour grapes" — each dies for his own sin (Jeremiah 31:29-30; Ezekiel 18:2-4, 20).
Ezekiel: God will gather them, sprinkle clean water and cleanse them (Ezekiel 36:24-25).
He will give a new heart and new spirit, removing the heart of stone and giving a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26).
He will put His Spirit within them so they walk in His statutes (Ezekiel 36:27).
Deviations: people blame others for their wrongs; outward religion without inner change; corruption, injustice and immorality; idolatry and occult practices; lack of personal knowledge of God; unforgiveness.

Give both prophets' teaching with references, then deviations in society.

A man sowed good seed in his field, but while men slept his enemy sowed weeds among the wheat (Matthew 13:24-25).
When the plants came up, the weeds appeared too (Matthew 13:26).
The servants asked the householder where the weeds came from; he said an enemy had done it (Matthew 13:27-28).
They offered to gather the weeds, but he said no, lest they uproot the wheat with them (Matthew 13:28-29).
Let both grow together until the harvest; then reapers will gather the weeds to burn and the wheat into the barn (Matthew 13:30).
Interpretation: the sower is the Son of man; the field is the world; good seed are sons of the kingdom; weeds are sons of the evil one; the enemy is the devil; the harvest is the close of the age; the reapers are angels (Matthew 13:37-39).
At the end evildoers will be thrown into the furnace of fire, and the righteous will shine like the sun (Matthew 13:40-43).
Application: good and bad people are found in the church; judgement belongs to God; church members should be patient and not judge harshly; Christians must examine themselves and live right; there will be final reward and punishment.

Tell the parable, give Jesus' own interpretation, then application.

At a feast Jesus went to Jerusalem; by the Sheep Gate was a pool called Bethzatha with five porticoes, where many sick people lay (John 5:1-3).
One man had been ill for thirty-eight years (John 5:5).
Jesus asked him, "Do you want to be healed?" (John 5:6).
The man said he had no one to put him in the pool when the water was troubled; others got in first (John 5:7).
Jesus said, "Rise, take up your pallet, and walk"; at once he was healed and walked (John 5:8-9).
It was the sabbath; the Jews told him it was unlawful to carry his pallet (John 5:9-10).
Jesus later found him in the temple and told him to sin no more (John 5:14).
Reasons for criticism: Jesus healed on the sabbath; He told the man to carry his pallet on the sabbath, which they saw as work; Jesus called God His own Father, making Himself equal with God (John 5:16-18).

Narrate John 5:1-15 then give the reasons in John 5:10-18.

The circumcision party in Jerusalem criticised Peter for going to uncircumcised men and eating with them (Acts 11:1-3).
Peter explained in order: at Joppa while praying he saw a vision of a sheet with all kinds of animals and heard "Rise, Peter; kill and eat" (Acts 11:5-7).
He refused, saying nothing unclean had entered his mouth; the voice said, "What God has cleansed you must not call common"; this happened three times (Acts 11:8-10).
Three men from Cornelius arrived, and the Spirit told him to go with them without hesitation; six brethren went with him (Acts 11:11-12).
Cornelius told how an angel had told him to send for Peter (Acts 11:13-14).
As Peter began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them as on the apostles at the beginning (Acts 11:15).
He remembered Jesus' word about baptism with the Holy Spirit; "who was I that I could withstand God?" (Acts 11:16-17).
The critics were silenced and glorified God for granting the Gentiles repentance unto life (Acts 11:18).
At the Council: Peter reminded them that God chose him to bring the gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 15:7).
God gave them the Holy Spirit just as He did to the Jews and made no distinction, cleansing their hearts by faith (Acts 15:8-9).
He asked why they should put on Gentiles a yoke the Jews themselves could not bear; all are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus (Acts 15:10-11).

Tell Peter's defence from Acts 11, then his speech in Acts 15:7-11.

The nine gifts (1 Corinthians 12:8-10): utterance of wisdom; utterance of knowledge; faith; gifts of healing; working of miracles; prophecy; ability to distinguish between spirits; various kinds of tongues; interpretation of tongues (any six).
In action (any three): healing — prayer for the sick and healing services; prophecy — preachers who speak God's message for encouragement and warning; tongues and interpretation — speaking in tongues in worship, with interpretation for the congregation; wisdom — counsellors and leaders who give wise advice in church disputes; knowledge — teachers who explain scripture; faith — believers who trust God in great difficulty and inspire others; discernment — detecting false prophets and teaching; miracles — testimonies of deliverance.
All are given by the same Spirit for the common good (1 Corinthians 12:7, 11).

Name six gifts from 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, then show three at work in the church.

Believers in the Lord Jesus should show no partiality (James 2:1).
He gave the example of a rich man in fine clothing given a good seat while a poor man in shabby clothes is told to stand or sit at one's feet (James 2:2-3).
Such people have made distinctions and become judges with evil thoughts (James 2:4).
God chose the poor to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom (James 2:5).
Yet they dishonoured the poor, while the rich oppress them, drag them to court and blaspheme Christ's name (James 2:6-7).
Fulfil the royal law, "love your neighbour as yourself" (James 2:8).
Showing partiality is sin; whoever breaks one point of the law is guilty of all (James 2:9-10).
Judgement is without mercy to one who shows no mercy (James 2:12-13).
Shortfalls (any two): front seats and titles reserved for the rich; leadership positions given to the wealthy; discrimination by tribe or class; neglect of poor members; special attention to big donors.

Summarise James 2:1-13, then two shortfalls today.

Servants should be submissive to their masters with all respect, not only to the kind and gentle but also to the overbearing (1 Peter 2:18).
It is credit to endure pain while suffering unjustly, mindful of God (1 Peter 2:19).
No credit in enduring a beating for doing wrong; but enduring suffering for doing right is approved by God (1 Peter 2:20).
They should follow Christ's example, who suffered for them (1 Peter 2:21).
Like Christ, they should not sin or use deceit (1 Peter 2:22).
When reviled, do not revile in return; when suffering, do not threaten, but trust God who judges justly (1 Peter 2:23).
Maintain good conduct among the Gentiles so that those who speak against them may see their good deeds and glorify God (1 Peter 2:12).
By doing right, silence the ignorance of foolish men (1 Peter 2:15).
Live as free people but as servants of God; honour all (1 Peter 2:16-17).

List the conduct Peter asks of servants with references, especially Christ's example.