WAEC SSCE - Christian Religious Studies - 1989

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During the trial of Jesus, the Jews preferred that Pilate should release Barabbas. Barabbas was a notorious criminal and a revolutionary who had been imprisoned for his role in a rebellion against Roman rule. When Pilate offered to release either Jesus or Barabbas as a gesture of goodwill towards the Jews during the Passover festival, the Jewish leaders incited the crowd to demand the release of Barabbas instead of Jesus. Pilate eventually gave in to their demands and released Barabbas while condemning Jesus to be crucified.

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Deborah made the statement "the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman" to Barak. This is recorded in Judges 4:9 in the Bible. Deborah was a prophetess and a judge in Israel who instructed Barak to lead an army against the Canaanite army led by Sisera. She prophesied that the Lord would deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman, and this was fulfilled when Jael, the wife of Heber, killed Sisera by driving a tent peg through his head while he slept in her tent.

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God recommended Abraham to circumcise his male descendants as a sign of the covenant between God and Abraham. In the Old Testament of the Bible, God made a covenant with Abraham, promising him many descendants and blessing him and his descendants. Circumcision was a physical sign or seal of this covenant, and a way for Abraham and his descendants to show their faith and commitment to God. Therefore, circumcision is seen as a mark of the covenant and a sign of faith in God.

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The effect of suffering on a Christian is to strengthen his faith. Suffering is a common experience that Christians face, and it can come in different forms such as persecution, illness, or personal loss. However, through suffering, a Christian's faith can be tested and refined, resulting in a stronger and more mature faith. Suffering also allows a Christian to identify with the sufferings of Christ and serves as an opportunity to display the love and grace of God to others. Therefore, suffering can be a beneficial experience for a Christian, as it helps them grow in their faith and reliance on God.

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Moses was keeping flock of his father-in-law on mount Horeb. According to the Bible, Moses fled from Egypt to the land of Midian, where he married Zipporah, the daughter of Jethro. Jethro was a priest of Midian and had given Moses refuge. While in Midian, Moses tended to his father-in-law's flocks on Mount Horeb. It was on this mountain that Moses encountered the burning bush and received his call from God to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt.

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The vision of Peter at Joppa was meant to teach him that in Christianity, there is no racial discrimination. According to the story in the Bible, Peter had a vision of a sheet full of different types of animals which were considered unclean by Jewish law. A voice told him to kill and eat them, but Peter refused, saying that he had never eaten anything impure. The voice responded by saying, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean." This happened three times. Later, Peter received a message from a Gentile (non-Jewish) man named Cornelius, who asked Peter to come and preach to his household. Despite his initial reluctance, Peter accepted the invitation and realized that the vision was a message from God telling him that Gentiles were not unclean, and that Christianity was open to people of all races and nationalities.

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When Samuel said to Saul, 'To obey is better than sacrifice', he meant that God values obedience to His commands more than offering sacrifices. Saul had disobeyed God's instruction to completely destroy the Amalekites and their possessions. Instead, he spared the king and the best of the livestock for sacrifice. Although Saul's intention was to offer a sacrifice to God, his disobedience to God's explicit command rendered his sacrifice unacceptable to God. Therefore, Samuel emphasized the importance of obedience to God's word above offering sacrifices.

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Joshua and Caleb were two important figures in the Bible who are mentioned in the book of Numbers. They were both among the twelve spies who were sent by Moses to scout out the land of Canaan, which God had promised to the Israelites. According to the Bible, Joshua was from the tribe of Ephraim, while Caleb was from the tribe of Judah. So the answer to the question is: "Judah and Ephraim".

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According to Paul, the main condition for justification is faith in Christ's redemptive work. Paul taught that salvation is a gift of God's grace, which cannot be earned or deserved by human merit or ability to keep the law. It is through faith in Jesus Christ that one can receive this gift of salvation and be justified in God's sight. This means that God declares a sinner righteous because of their faith in Jesus Christ, and not because of any works or merit they have done. Therefore, faith in Christ's redemptive work is the main condition for justification according to Paul.

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According to Christian belief, Christians become sons of God through adoption by faith in Jesus Christ. This means that when a person accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, they become a part of God's family and are considered His children. This adoption is not based on any particular ethnicity or works of the law, but rather on faith in Jesus Christ. The Bible teaches that through this adoption, Christians receive the Holy Spirit, who helps them to live a life that is pleasing to God and to grow in their relationship with Him.

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The teaching of Paul that "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble" emphasizes humility. This means that God favors those who are modest and respectful, and who do not have an inflated sense of their own importance. Those who are humble acknowledge their limitations, weaknesses, and mistakes, and are willing to learn from others. In contrast, those who are proud are self-centered and arrogant, and do not recognize their need for help and guidance. According to Paul, humility is a key characteristic that enables individuals to receive God's grace, which is his unmerited favor and blessings.

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The example from 1 Corinthians that illustrates Christian unity is "the different parts of the human body working together." This analogy emphasizes the idea that just as every part of the body has a specific role to play and must work together in order for the body to function properly, every member of the church has a unique gift or talent to contribute to the overall health and well-being of the community. It highlights the importance of unity and cooperation among members of the church to achieve a common goal, just as different parts of the body work together to achieve movement and stability.

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In the Epistle of James, the effectiveness of prayer depends on constancy in faith. James emphasizes the importance of faith in prayer and highlights that those who pray must believe in God's power and ability to answer their requests. He emphasizes that those who doubt are like waves of the sea driven and tossed by the wind and that they should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Therefore, the key to effective prayer, according to James, is to have unwavering faith and trust in God.

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According to Ezekiel, the wicked should change their ways and live. This means that God is willing to forgive and spare the wicked if they turn away from their evil ways and choose to live righteously. The prophet emphasizes the importance of repentance and obedience to God's commands. This is reflected in Ezekiel 18:23, which states "Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?" Therefore, the correct option is "should change his way and live".

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The fruits of the new life, as described in the Bible, are the positive characteristics that should be evident in the life of a Christian who has been born again. These include being raised with Christ, setting one's mind on things that are above, putting to death what is earthly, and putting on love. The phrase "putting on the old nature" is not a fruit of the new life, but rather a reference to the old, sinful nature that has been put to death through faith in Christ. Therefore, the correct answer to the question is "Putting on the old nature".

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In this context, the word "cup" symbolizes the suffering and death that Jesus knew he would have to endure for the salvation of humanity. The cup represents the physical, emotional, and spiritual anguish that he would experience during his crucifixion. Jesus knew that this was his mission on earth and that he had to fulfill it, but he also expressed his human reluctance and asked his Father if there was any other way to achieve salvation. So, the correct answer is 'Death'.

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The main theme of Amos' prophecy in Israel was on justice and righteousness. Amos was a prophet in the Old Testament, and he delivered a message from God to the people of Israel, warning them about their unfaithfulness and corruption. Amos spoke out against the social injustices of his time, such as the mistreatment of the poor, the exploitation of workers, and the abuse of power by the ruling elite. He called on the people to repent and turn back to God, and to live a life of righteousness and justice. Amos believed that true worship of God required not only religious rituals, but also a commitment to social justice and ethical behavior. Therefore, his prophecy emphasized the importance of treating others with fairness and compassion, and living a life that reflected God's values of justice and righteousness.

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The statement 'Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world' refers to Jesus, and it means that through His death, Christians are cleansed of their sins. The phrase "Lamb of God" is symbolic of Jesus being the ultimate sacrifice, as in the Old Testament times when a lamb was sacrificed to atone for sins. Jesus' death on the cross was the ultimate sacrifice, which took away the sins of the world for all those who believe in Him. Therefore, this statement affirms the Christian belief that Jesus' death on the cross was the ultimate sacrifice and a means of salvation for all believers.

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According to 1 Peter, those who resist authorities will merit the judgment of constituted authority and God. In 1 Peter 2:13-14, it is stated that Christians should submit themselves to every human authority for the Lord's sake, whether to the emperor or to governors as those sent by him to punish evildoers and to praise those who do good. Therefore, if someone resists such authorities, they will face judgment not only from the human authority but also from God. The passage emphasizes the importance of respecting authority and submitting to it, rather than rebelling against it.

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According to the Bible, the water that flowed out of the Garden of Eden divided into four rivers: the Pishon, the Gihon, the Tigris, and the Euphrates.

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Jesus' use of an ass during the Triumphant Entry signifies that He was a humble Messiah. In the Bible, the use of an ass or donkey as a mode of transportation was symbolic of humility and peace, as opposed to a horse which was used by kings and conquerors. By entering Jerusalem on a donkey, Jesus was demonstrating his humility and peaceful nature, and his willingness to serve others rather than seeking personal glory or power. This act also fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9, which states that the Messiah would come riding on a donkey.

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In the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus used five loaves and two fish. According to the Gospel accounts, Jesus had compassion on the large crowd of people who had gathered to hear him and had been with him for many hours, and he asked his disciples to find food for them. All they could find were five loaves of bread and two fish, but Jesus blessed the food, broke it and gave it to the disciples to distribute to the people. To their amazement, everyone was fed and there were even twelve baskets of leftovers.

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The contest on Mount Carmel was a demonstration to show that Yahweh was supreme to other gods. The contest was between the prophet Elijah, who served Yahweh, and the prophets of Baal, who served Baal. The challenge was to see which god would answer their prayers by sending fire to burn up their sacrifice. The prophets of Baal prayed all day, but nothing happened. Then Elijah prayed to Yahweh, and immediately fire came down from heaven and burned up his sacrifice. This demonstrated that Yahweh was the true God and that He had power over nature.

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According to Peter, using freedom as a pretence for evil is not a Christian freedom. In his first letter to the Christian believers in Asia Minor, Peter emphasized the importance of living a godly life and doing what is right, even in the face of persecution. He taught that Christians have been set free by Christ but this freedom does not give them a license to do whatever they want, especially if it is sinful. Instead, he urged them to use their freedom to serve God and others, and not to use it as an excuse to do evil or harm others. Therefore, the correct option is "Using freedom as a pretence for evil".

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According to the Epistle of James, it is necessary to consider it a joy when encountering trials because it produces steadfastness (also translated as endurance or perseverance) in one's faith. This means that going through difficult times and maintaining one's faith despite the challenges helps to strengthen and deepen that faith. In essence, trials and difficulties are viewed as an opportunity for growth and strengthening of one's faith rather than a reason for despair or giving up.

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Judah and Benjamin led in the rebuilding of the Temple after the exile.

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It was Barnabas who introduced Paul to the disciples in Jerusalem after his conversion. In Acts 9:27, it says, "But Barnabas took him [Paul] and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus."

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The parable that illustrates the Day of Judgement is "The Wheat and the Tares". In this parable, Jesus tells the story of a man who sows good seed in his field, but an enemy comes and sows weeds among the wheat. The owner of the field instructs his servants to wait until harvest time to separate the wheat from the tares. This represents the judgement that will take place at the end of time, when the righteous and the wicked will be separated. The wheat represents the righteous, who will be gathered into God's kingdom, while the tares represent the wicked, who will be cast into the fires of hell.

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The theme of Paul's letter to Philemon is forgiveness. In this letter, Paul appeals to Philemon to forgive his runaway slave, Onesimus, and accept him back as a brother in Christ. Paul even offers to pay any debts that Onesimus owed Philemon. The letter emphasizes the importance of forgiveness, reconciliation, and love among Christians, and it also shows how Paul used his authority to advocate for Onesimus and promote Christian unity.

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In the sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught that the only ground for divorce is unfaithfulness in marriage. This is based on his words in Matthew 5:32, where he says "But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery." This means that a spouse who commits adultery is the only legitimate reason for divorce in the eyes of God. While other reasons for divorce, such as insult, infertility, disagreement, or desertion, may be common in human relationships, Jesus specifically taught that they are not acceptable reasons for ending a marriage. He emphasized the importance of faithfulness and commitment in marriage, and encouraged spouses to work through their problems and differences rather than seeking divorce. Overall, the Christian teaching on divorce is based on the principle of lifelong commitment and fidelity in marriage, with divorce being allowed only in cases of unfaithfulness.

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