WAEC Christian Religious Studies 1995 past questions and answers

When Moses found that his killing of the Egyptian was known and Pharaoh sought to kill him, he fled to Midian (Exodus 2:14-15).

Moses said he was slow of speech, so God appointed Aaron to speak for him (Exodus 4:10-16).

Sisera was the commander of Jabin's army, which Barak routed (Judges 4:2, 15).

Deborah sat under her palm tree between Ramah and Bethel, and Israel came to her for judgement (Judges 4:5).

Saul spared Agag and the best animals instead of destroying everything as commanded, so God rejected him (1 Samuel 15:9, 22-23).

When told Uriah had died in battle, David sent word to Joab, "the sword devours now one and now another" (2 Samuel 11:24-25).

God had forbidden marriage with foreign nations because they would turn hearts to their gods, which is what happened to Solomon (1 Kings 11:1-4).

After Naboth's murder Elijah announced that God would utterly sweep away Ahab's house (1 Kings 21:21-22), which Jehu carried out (2 Kings 10:11, 17).

Jonah prayed from the belly of the fish (Jonah 2:1); calling it "the belly of Sheol" (2:2) describes the fish's belly as a place like death.

The king decreed that anyone who spoke against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego would be torn limb from limb (Daniel 3:29).

Daniel was saved because he trusted God and was blameless before Him, and God sent His angel (Daniel 6:22-23); kindness is not mentioned.

The seraph said, "this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin forgiven" (Isaiah 6:6-7).

Jeremiah said Judah had forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living waters, and gone after gods that are no gods (Jeremiah 2:11-13; 1:16).

The twelve included Galilean fishermen, Matthew the tax collector (publican) and Simon the Zealot, but no Pharisee (Matthew 10:2-4; Luke 6:15).

Jesus said that if His mighty works done in Chorazin and Bethsaida had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented (Luke 10:13).

"Do not rejoice that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven" (Luke 10:20).

Writing for Jews, who reverently avoided saying God's name, Matthew usually says "kingdom of heaven" instead of "kingdom of God".

Moses represents the Law and Elijah the Prophets; their presence shows Jesus fulfils both (Matthew 17:3; 5:17).

Both parables show God's love and joy over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:7, 20-24).

Jesus' answer about being the Christ and Son of God was given before the council, not before Pilate or Herod (Luke 22:66-70; 23:1-15).

Two men in dazzling apparel (angels) said this to the women at the empty tomb (Luke 24:4-5, 23).

"Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha" (John 11:1).

The raising of Lazarus (John 11) is the last of the signs John records before the passion.

Jews from Antioch and Iconium stoned Paul at Lystra (Acts 14:19).

"All of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death" (Romans 6:3).

The law was a custodian only until Christ came; now believers are no longer under it (Galatians 3:24-25).

God sent His Son "so that we might receive adoption as sons" (Galatians 4:5).

Paul appealed to Philemon as a partner in the faith: "if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me" (Philemon 6, 17, 21).

Paul says their gift is a sacrifice pleasing to God and "my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches" (Philippians 4:17-19).

In the new life there is no division, for Christ is all and in all (Colossians 3:11-17); discrimination does not belong to it.

Paul worked night and day so as not to eat anyone's bread without paying (2 Thessalonians 3:7-12).

"No one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says 'Jesus be cursed!'" (1 Corinthians 12:3).

Paul compared the church to a human body with many parts that need each other (1 Corinthians 12:12-27).

Paul lists appearances to Cephas, the twelve, five hundred brethren, James, all the apostles and himself (1 Corinthians 15:5-8), but not Pilate.

James says we must be doers of the word and not hearers only (James 1:22). True religion shows itself in action and in keeping oneself unstained from the world (1:27); the man who looks in a mirror and forgets is his picture of faith without works.

Peter says believers suffer various trials so that the genuineness of their faith may be tested (1 Peter 1:6-7).

Peter says do right, and live as free men without using freedom as a pretext for evil (1 Peter 2:15-16).

Peter presents Christ as suffering though sinless, not reviling back and bearing our sins (1 Peter 2:21-24); he does not say He was crucified because of His divinity.

Israel did evil, and God gave them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, whose commander Sisera had 900 iron chariots and oppressed them twenty years (Judges 4:1-3).
Deborah, a prophetess and judge, sat between Ramah and Bethel (Judges 4:4-5).
She summoned Barak and gave him God's command to take 10,000 men of Naphtali and Zebulun to Mount Tabor; God would draw Sisera to the river Kishon (Judges 4:6-7).
Barak would not go without her; she agreed but said the glory would go to a woman (Judges 4:8-9).
She told Barak, "Up! For this is the day… Does not the Lord go out before you?" (Judges 4:14).
The Lord routed Sisera and his army; all fell by the sword (Judges 4:15-16).
Sisera fled to the tent of Jael, who killed him with a tent peg (Judges 4:17-21).
Jabin was subdued; Deborah and Barak sang a song of victory; the land had rest forty years (Judges 4:23-24; 5:1, 31).
Women today (any three): in politics and government; in education and health care; in business and trade; in the law, police and armed forces; in agriculture; in NGOs and community development; raising children well.

Narrate Judges 4 then give three contributions by women.

After Solomon died, Rehoboam went to Shechem to be made king (1 Kings 12:1).
Jeroboam, back from Egypt, and the assembly asked him to lighten the heavy yoke Solomon put on them (1 Kings 12:2-4).
He asked for three days (1 Kings 12:5).
The old men advised him to serve the people and speak kindly (1 Kings 12:6-7).
He rejected this and followed the young men: "My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions" (1 Kings 12:8-14).
Israel said, "What portion have we in David?… To your tents, O Israel!" (1 Kings 12:16).
They stoned Adoram, the taskmaster; Rehoboam fled to Jerusalem (1 Kings 12:18).
Israel made Jeroboam king; only Judah (and Benjamin) followed Rehoboam (1 Kings 12:19-21).
God forbade Rehoboam to fight Israel (1 Kings 12:22-24); this fulfilled Ahijah's prophecy (1 Kings 11:29-39).
Solomon's unwise policies: heavy taxes and forced labour (1 Kings 4:7; 5:13-14; 12:4); marriage to many foreign wives and worship of their gods (1 Kings 11:1-8); favouring Judah over the northern tribes; lavish spending on buildings; giving away cities to Hiram (1 Kings 9:11).

Narrate 1 Kings 12, then Solomon's policies that caused it.

The Philistines gathered at Socoh; Goliath of Gath, a giant in heavy armour, defied Israel for forty days (1 Samuel 17:1-16).
David, sent by Jesse to his brothers, heard the challenge and asked who this uncircumcised Philistine was to defy the armies of the living God (1 Samuel 17:17-26).
Eliab rebuked him, but David persisted (1 Samuel 17:28-30).
He told Saul that God who delivered him from the lion and the bear would deliver him from the Philistine (1 Samuel 17:32-37).
He refused Saul's armour and took his staff, five smooth stones and a sling (1 Samuel 17:38-40).
Goliath mocked him; David said, "You come with a sword… but I come in the name of the Lord of hosts… the battle is the Lord's" (1 Samuel 17:43-47).
He slung a stone that struck Goliath's forehead; he fell, and David cut off his head with Goliath's own sword (1 Samuel 17:48-51).
The Philistines fled and Israel pursued them (1 Samuel 17:51-53).
Suggestions (any two): trust God and pray; be patient and persevere; do not fear; respond with love, not violence; rely on God's word; seek support of the church.

Tell the Goliath story (or another clear test of David's faith), then two suggestions.

A leper came to Jesus, knelt and begged, "If you will, you can make me clean" (Mark 1:40).
Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying "I will; be clean" (Mark 1:41).
Immediately the leprosy left him (Mark 1:42).
Jesus sternly charged him to say nothing to anyone (Mark 1:43-44).
He told him to show himself to the priest and offer what Moses commanded, as a proof to the people (Mark 1:44; Leviticus 14).
The man went out and spread the news, so Jesus could no longer openly enter a town (Mark 1:45).
Significance of the instructions: silence avoided a wrong idea of the Messiah as just a wonder-worker and prevented crowds hindering His work; showing himself to the priest obeyed the law and certified his cleansing so he could rejoin society; it was a testimony to the priests.
Miracles today (any two): healing through prayer; healing through medical science; deliverance from danger and accidents; provision in need; conversion of hardened sinners.

Narrate Mark 1:40-45, explain the two instructions, then two modern ways.

John the Baptist saw Jesus coming and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29).
He said this was the one he spoke of, who ranks before him because He was before him (John 1:30).
He came baptising so that Jesus might be revealed to Israel (John 1:31).
He saw the Spirit descend like a dove and remain on Him; this is He who baptises with the Holy Spirit, the Son of God (John 1:32-34).
Next day he again said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" and two of his disciples followed Jesus (John 1:35-37).
Jesus died at the time the Passover lambs were slain, and none of His bones were broken (John 19:14, 36).
Significance (any two): Jesus is the sacrifice for sin; believers are forgiven and cleansed by His blood; He is the true Passover lamb who delivers from bondage to sin; His innocence and gentleness are an example; believers should follow Him as John's disciples did.

Use John 1:29-37 and link to sacrifice and forgiveness.

The council were enraged and ground their teeth at him (Acts 7:54).
Full of the Holy Spirit, Stephen gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at God's right hand (Acts 7:55-56).
They cried out, stopped their ears and rushed together upon him (Acts 7:57).
They cast him out of the city and stoned him; the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul (Acts 7:58).
Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit" and "Lord, do not hold this sin against them", and fell asleep (Acts 7:59-60).
Saul consented to his death (Acts 8:1).
Significance: Stephen became the first Christian martyr; a great persecution broke out and believers were scattered, spreading the gospel to Judea and Samaria (Acts 8:1-4); Philip evangelised Samaria; Saul, who witnessed it, was later converted; showed courage and forgiveness for Christians to copy; the gospel moved beyond Jerusalem.

Describe Acts 7:54–8:1, then show its effects on the church.

Spiritual gifts are special abilities given by the Holy Spirit to believers for the common good (1 Corinthians 12:4-7).
There are varieties of gifts, service and working but the same Spirit, Lord and God (1 Corinthians 12:4-6).
They include wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment of spirits, tongues and interpretation (1 Corinthians 12:8-10).
The Spirit gives them to each one as He wills (1 Corinthians 12:11).
The body is one though it has many members; so is Christ; all were baptised by one Spirit into one body (1 Corinthians 12:12-13).
The foot cannot say it is not of the body because it is not a hand (1 Corinthians 12:15-16).
If the whole body were an eye, where would hearing be? God arranged the members as He chose (1 Corinthians 12:17-18).
The eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; weaker parts are indispensable (1 Corinthians 12:21-22).
If one member suffers, all suffer; if one is honoured, all rejoice (1 Corinthians 12:26).
Significance: unity in diversity; every member is important; no room for pride or envy; gifts are for service, not personal glory; members should care for one another; love is the greatest (1 Corinthians 13).

Define the gifts, explain the body analogy, then significance.

Paul and his companions were not idle when they were with them (2 Thessalonians 3:7).
They did not eat anyone's bread without paying, but worked night and day with toil and labour, so as not to burden anyone (2 Thessalonians 3:8; 1 Thessalonians 2:9).
Though they had the right to support, they worked to give an example to imitate (2 Thessalonians 3:9).
"If any one will not work, let him not eat" (2 Thessalonians 3:10).
Busybodies living in idleness should work quietly and earn their own living (2 Thessalonians 3:11-12).
Earlier he urged them to work with their hands so as to command respect of outsiders and be dependent on nobody (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12).
Keep away from idle brothers, but warn them as brothers, not enemies (2 Thessalonians 3:6, 14-15).
Ways (any two): work hard in honest jobs; avoid laziness and begging; respect all kinds of work; train young people in skills; do not live on others; be punctual and diligent.

Use Paul's own example from 2 Thessalonians 3, then two ways.

He reminded them of the gospel he preached: Christ died for our sins, was buried and was raised on the third day according to the scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
He listed witnesses: Cephas, the twelve, over 500 brethren, James, all the apostles and Paul himself (1 Corinthians 15:5-8).
If there is no resurrection, then Christ has not been raised (1 Corinthians 15:12-13).
Then preaching and faith are in vain, the apostles are false witnesses, believers are still in their sins and the dead have perished (1 Corinthians 15:14-18).
If only for this life we hope in Christ, we are most to be pitied (1 Corinthians 15:19).
But Christ has been raised, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep; as in Adam all die, in Christ all shall be made alive (1 Corinthians 15:20-22).
He answered "How are the dead raised?" with the seed that dies and grows into a new body; a physical body is sown, a spiritual body raised (1 Corinthians 15:35-44).
The perishable must put on the imperishable; death is swallowed up in victory (1 Corinthians 15:51-57).
Significance: proves Jesus is the Son of God; guarantees our own resurrection; assurance of forgiveness and victory over death; gives hope and comfort; makes Christian work worthwhile (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Follow Paul's argument in 1 Corinthians 15, then significance.