WAEC SSCE - Christian Religious Studies - 2019 (Essay)

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(a) Stephen's defence before the Sanhedrin (Acts 7:1-53)

When the high priest asked Stephen whether the charges against him were true, Stephen answered by recounting the history of Israel to show God's continuous dealings with His people and their persistent rebellion.

He began with the God of glory appearing to Abraham in Mesopotamia and calling him to the promised land, and the covenant of circumcision. He spoke of the patriarchs, how the sons of Jacob out of jealousy sold Joseph into Egypt, but God was with Joseph and used him to preserve the family during famine.

He then told of Moses: his birth, his upbringing in Pharaoh's house, his flight to Midian, the call at the burning bush, and how God sent him to deliver Israel from Egypt with signs and wonders. He reminded them that this same Moses, whom the people rejected saying, "Who made you a ruler and a judge?", was the one God sent as ruler and deliverer, and who foretold that God would raise up a prophet like him.

Stephen recalled that their fathers refused to obey Moses, turned back to Egypt in their hearts and made the golden calf, worshipping idols. He noted that Solomon built a house for God, yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made with hands, quoting the prophet that heaven is God's throne and earth His footstool.

He climaxed his defence by rebuking them sharply: "You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you." He accused them of persecuting the prophets, of betraying and murdering the Righteous One (Jesus), and of receiving the law by angels yet not keeping it. This so enraged them that they gnashed their teeth, and after he saw a vision of Jesus at the right hand of God, they stoned him to death.

(b) Three lessons from Stephen's defence

• We should be bold and courageous in defending and proclaiming our faith even in the face of danger.
• A good knowledge of the Scriptures strengthens our witness and defence of the faith.
• We should be ready to forgive our persecutors, as Stephen prayed for those who stoned him.

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What led to the pronouncement, "I will give one tribe to your son, for the sake of David my servant" (1 Kings 11:1-13)

This pronouncement was God's judgment upon King Solomon because of his apostasy in his later years. The circumstances that led to it were as follows:

• Solomon's many foreign wives: King Solomon loved many foreign women besides the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian and Hittite women. He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines. These were from nations concerning which the Lord had warned Israel not to intermarry, lest they turn their hearts after other gods.
• His heart turned away from God: When Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God as was the heart of David his father.
• He fell into idolatry: Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and did not wholly follow the Lord.
• He built high places for idols: On the mountain east of Jerusalem, Solomon built high places for Chemosh the abomination of Moab and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, and did likewise for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.
• God's anger and repeated warnings: The Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice and had commanded him not to go after other gods. But Solomon did not keep what the Lord commanded.

Therefore the Lord said to Solomon, "Since this has been your mind and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and give it to your servant. Yet for the sake of David your father I will not do it in your days, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son. However, I will not tear away all the kingdom, but I will give one tribe to your son, for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen." This judgment was later fulfilled when the kingdom was divided in the days of Rehoboam, Solomon's son, leaving the tribe of Judah (with Benjamin) to the house of David.

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(a) The trial of Jesus before the Sanhedrin according to Mark (Mark 14:53-65)

After Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, He was led away to the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders and the scribes were assembled. Peter followed at a distance and sat with the guards, warming himself at the fire in the courtyard.

The chief priests and the whole council sought testimony against Jesus in order to put Him to death, but they found none. Many bore false witness against Him, yet their testimonies did not agree. Some stood up and testified falsely that they heard Him say, "I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands." Even about this their witness did not agree.

The high priest then stood up and asked Jesus, "Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?" But Jesus remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked Him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" Jesus answered, "I am; and you will see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven."

At this the high priest tore his garments and declared that Jesus had spoken blasphemy and that they needed no further witnesses. He asked for their judgement, and they all condemned Him as deserving death. Then some began to spit on Him, to cover His face and strike Him, saying, "Prophesy!" and the guards received Him with blows.

(b) Two reasons people bear false witness against others

• Envy, hatred and the desire to destroy someone they see as a rival or threat.
• Greed and bribery, when people are paid or promised gain to give false testimony.

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(a) What happened to Jesus after this statement in Gethsemane (Mark 14:34-52)

Having said, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here and watch with me," Jesus went a little farther, fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. He prayed, "Abba, Father, all things are possible to you; remove this cup from me; yet not what I will, but what you will."

He returned and found the disciples sleeping and said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." He went away and prayed a second and a third time, saying the same words, and each time He came back and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.

The third time He said, "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come; the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand."

Immediately Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived with a crowd carrying swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests, scribes and elders. Judas had given them a sign, saying, "The one I shall kiss is the man; seize him." He came to Jesus, called Him "Master" and kissed Him, and they laid hands on Him and seized Him. One of the bystanders drew his sword and cut off the ear of the high priest's servant. Jesus protested that they came against Him as though He were a robber, though He taught daily in the temple, and He noted that the Scriptures were being fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled, and a young man who followed Him left his linen cloth and ran away naked.

(b) Two ways to assist a fellow Christian going through challenges

• Praying with and for the person and encouraging them with the word of God.
• Offering practical and material support such as money, food, shelter or one's presence and comfort.

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(a) Nehemiah's immediate reactions to the news about the state of affairs in Jerusalem (Nehemiah 1:1-11)

While Nehemiah was in Susa the capital, serving as cupbearer to King Artaxerxes, his brother Hanani came with certain men from Judah. Nehemiah asked them about the Jews who had survived the exile and about Jerusalem. They told him that the survivors were in great trouble and shame, that the wall of Jerusalem was broken down, and its gates had been destroyed by fire. On hearing this report, Nehemiah reacted at once in the following ways:

• He wept and mourned: When he heard these words, he sat down and wept, and mourned for days over the sad condition of the city and his people.
• He fasted: He continued fasting as a sign of grief and earnest seeking of God.
• He prayed to the God of heaven: He turned to God in prayer day and night on behalf of the people of Israel.
• He confessed the sins of his people: In his prayer he acknowledged and confessed the sins which the Israelites, including himself and his father's house, had committed against God, admitting that they had acted corruptly and not kept God's commandments.
• He appealed to God's covenant and promises: He reminded God of His steadfast love and of His promise that, though He had scattered them for their unfaithfulness, He would gather them again if they returned to Him and kept His commandments.
• He prayed for success and favour before the king: He asked God to grant him mercy and success in the presence of the king, whom he was about to approach for help, showing that he had already resolved to take action.

(b) Three virtues that can be learnt from Nehemiah's reactions

• Genuine love and concern for his people and nation: He was deeply moved by the plight of his fellow Jews and the ruined city, showing patriotism and compassion.
• Prayerfulness and dependence on God: Before doing anything, he committed the matter to God in fasting and prayer, seeking divine guidance and help.
• Humility and readiness to confess sin: He humbly acknowledged the sins of his people and his own, without pride or self-justification.

(Other acceptable virtues: faith in God's promises, courage and determination to act, and a sense of responsibility.)

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(a) Events that led to Amos' statement (Amos 7:10-15)

Amos, a herdsman and dresser of sycamore trees from Tekoa in Judah, was called by God to prophesy against the Northern Kingdom of Israel during the reign of Jeroboam II. He condemned the social injustice, oppression of the poor, corruption, empty religious rituals and idolatry of the land, and he foretold the destruction and exile of Israel.

Amos declared that Jeroboam would die by the sword and that Israel would go into exile away from their land. Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, was offended by these words. He sent a report to King Jeroboam accusing Amos of conspiring against the king in the midst of the house of Israel, claiming that the land could not bear all his words.

Amaziah then turned to Amos directly and ordered him to flee back to the land of Judah, to eat bread there and prophesy there, and never again to prophesy at Bethel because it was the king's sanctuary and a temple of the kingdom.

It was in response to this rebuke and attempt to silence him that Amos made the statement: "I am no prophet, nor a prophet's son, but I am a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore trees." By this he meant that he did not belong to the professional guild of prophets who prophesied for pay; rather it was the LORD who took him from following the flock and commanded him to go and prophesy to His people Israel. He therefore refused to be silenced and pronounced judgement upon Amaziah and his household.

(b) Three reasons people complain about the activities of some men of God today

• Excessive love of money and materialism, whereby some ministers exploit their followers through endless demands for offerings and seed-sowing.
• Immoral and scandalous conduct, such as sexual misconduct, fraud and dishonesty that contradict their preaching.
• False prophecy and manipulation, including fake miracles, deceptive predictions and the use of fear to control members.

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(a) The attitude Peter recommended for Christians living among people of other faiths (1 Peter 2:11-17)

Peter, addressing believers scattered as aliens and exiles among non-believers, urged them to adopt the following attitude:

• They should abstain from the passions of the flesh which war against the soul.
• They should maintain good conduct among the Gentiles (non-believers), so that although they may be spoken of as evildoers, the outsiders may see their good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
• They should be subject to every human institution for the Lord's sake, whether to the emperor as supreme or to governors sent to punish wrongdoers and praise those who do right.
• By doing good they would silence the ignorance of foolish people.
• They should live as free people, yet not use their freedom as a cover-up for evil, but live as servants of God.
• Peter summed it up: "Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the emperor."

In short, Christians were to live peaceably, do good, submit to lawful authority and let their exemplary conduct be a witness that would draw others to glorify God.

(b) Two factors that can make Christians turn away from pleasing God

• Persecution, hardship and fear of suffering for the faith.
• Love of worldly pleasures, wealth and the passions of the flesh.

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(a) How the Israelites crossed the Red Sea (Exodus 14)

After Pharaoh had let the people of Israel go out of Egypt, God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, but by the way of the wilderness towards the Red Sea. God went before them by day in a pillar of cloud and by night in a pillar of fire.

• Pharaoh's pursuit: When Pharaoh and his servants learnt that the people had fled, they changed their minds and said, "What have we done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?" Pharaoh made ready his chariot and took six hundred chosen chariots and all the chariots of Egypt with their officers, and pursued the Israelites, overtaking them as they camped by the sea.
• The fear of the Israelites: When the Israelites saw the Egyptians marching after them, they were terrified and cried out to the Lord, and murmured against Moses, saying it would have been better to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.
• Moses' reassurance: Moses said, "Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today; the Egyptians you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be still."
• The dividing of the sea: The Lord told Moses to lift up his rod and stretch out his hand over the sea to divide it. The angel of God and the pillar of cloud moved from before them to behind them, coming between the host of Egypt and Israel, giving light to Israel but darkness to the Egyptians. Moses stretched out his hand, and the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land; the waters were divided.
• Israel crosses over: The people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.
• The destruction of the Egyptians: The Egyptians pursued them into the sea. The Lord clogged their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily. At daybreak, at God's command, Moses stretched out his hand again, and the sea returned to its normal course, covering the chariots, the horsemen and all the host of Pharaoh. Not one of them remained. Thus the Lord saved Israel that day, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore, and the people feared the Lord and believed in him and in his servant Moses.

(b) Two lessons Christians can learn from this incident

• God is a faithful deliverer who saves his people: Christians learn that God is able to rescue his people from every danger and impossible situation; they should therefore trust him completely rather than give in to fear.
• Faith, obedience and calmness in the face of trouble: As Moses told the people to stand firm and be still while God fought for them, believers learn to be patient, obedient and confident in God during times of trial, knowing that victory comes from him.

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(a) Other teachings of James on effective prayer (James 5:13-18)

Beyond confessing sins to one another and praying for one another so that they may be healed, James gave the following teachings on prayer:

• Prayer should suit every circumstance of life: anyone suffering should pray, and anyone cheerful should sing praise.
• If anyone is sick, he should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.
• The prayer of faith will save the sick person, the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Faith is therefore essential in prayer.
• The prayer of a righteous person has great power in its effects; effective prayer must come from a righteous life.
• He gave Elijah as an example: Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, yet he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it did not rain for three years and six months; then he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain and the earth bore its fruit. This shows that fervent, earnest prayer produces results.

(b) Three ways Christians misuse prayers today

• Using prayer to curse, harm or invoke evil upon enemies rather than to seek God's blessing.
• Praying for selfish, materialistic or vain requests driven by greed and covetousness.
• Turning prayer into a noisy, showy performance or empty repetition without faith, sincerity or a righteous life.