WAEC SSCE - Christian Religious Studies - 2012 (Essay)

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(a) Philip's missionary activities in Judea and Samaria (Acts 8:4-40)

• After the martyrdom of Stephen, a great persecution scattered the believers from Jerusalem. Philip, one of the seven deacons, went down to a city of Samaria and proclaimed Christ to them.
• The crowds gave heed to what he said when they heard him and saw the signs he did. Unclean spirits came out of many, crying with a loud voice, and many paralysed and lame people were healed, so there was much joy in that city.
• Philip's preaching converted many, including Simon the magician, who had previously amazed the people with sorcery. Simon himself believed and was baptised and continued with Philip, marvelling at the signs and miracles.
• When the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word, they sent Peter and John, who prayed and laid hands on the converts so that they received the Holy Spirit.
• An angel of the Lord then directed Philip to go south toward the road from Jerusalem to Gaza. There he met an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the queen (Candace), reading the prophet Isaiah in his chariot.
• Guided by the Spirit, Philip ran to him, and beginning with that Scripture, told him the good news of Jesus. When they came to some water, the eunuch was baptised. The Spirit then caught Philip away, and he was found at Azotus, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

(b) Three problems facing the work of evangelism in my country

1. Religious rivalry and intolerance, sometimes leading to persecution or violence against evangelists.
2. Materialism, false prophets and commercialisation of religion, which discredit the gospel and mislead people.
3. Poor funding, bad roads and insecurity that make it difficult to reach rural and remote communities.

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(a) King Nebuchadnezzar's attack on Judah (2 Kings 24-25; 2 Chronicles 36)

• Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Judah during the reign of Jehoiakim, who became his servant for three years and then rebelled.
• When Jehoiachin (Jehoiakim's son) reigned, Nebuchadnezzar's servants besieged Jerusalem, and the king himself came against the city. Jehoiachin surrendered, and Nebuchadnezzar carried him captive to Babylon along with his mother, officials and mighty men.
• Nebuchadnezzar looted the treasures of the temple of the Lord and of the royal palace, and cut in pieces the gold vessels which Solomon had made. He carried away into exile all Jerusalem, the princes, the mighty men of valour, the craftsmen and the smiths, about ten thousand captives, leaving only the poorest people of the land.
• He made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin's uncle, king in his place and changed his name to Zedekiah. But Zedekiah also rebelled against Babylon.
• In Zedekiah's ninth year Nebuchadnezzar returned with all his army and besieged Jerusalem, building siegeworks around it. The famine grew so severe that there was no food for the people.
• The city wall was broken through; Zedekiah fled but was captured near Jericho. His sons were slain before his eyes, then his eyes were put out, and he was bound and taken to Babylon.
• Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, burned the temple, the king's house and all the houses of Jerusalem, broke down the walls, and carried the rest of the people into exile, leaving only some of the poor to be vinedressers and farmers.

(b) Four effects of war on a nation

1. Loss of many lives and destruction of families through killing and captivity.
2. Destruction of property, homes, cities and places of worship.
3. Famine, poverty and economic collapse as farms, trade and industry are ruined.
4. Displacement of people, exile and refugees, with loss of freedom and national dignity.

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(a) The trial of Jesus before Pilate (Matthew 27:11-26)

• Jesus was brought bound before Pilate the governor. Pilate asked Him, Are you the King of the Jews? and Jesus answered, You have said so.
• When the chief priests and elders accused Him, He gave no answer, so that the governor was greatly amazed that He made no defence to a single charge.
• At the feast the governor was accustomed to release one prisoner chosen by the crowd. He had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas, so Pilate asked, Whom do you want me to release, Barabbas or Jesus who is called Christ? for he knew it was out of envy that they had delivered Him.
• While Pilate sat on the judgment seat, his wife sent word, Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much over him today in a dream.
• But the chief priests and elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to destroy Jesus. When Pilate asked what he should do with Jesus, they all cried, Let him be crucified.
• Pilate asked, Why, what evil has he done? but they shouted all the more. Seeing that he was gaining nothing and that a riot was beginning, Pilate took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves. All the people answered, His blood be on us and on our children.
• Then Pilate released Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered Him to be crucified.

(b) Two reasons why Pilate was wrong to condemn Jesus

1. He knew Jesus was innocent, for he found no fault in Him and even publicly declared himself innocent of His blood, yet he still handed Him over to death.
2. He acted out of cowardice and fear of the crowd rather than justice, sacrificing an innocent man to avoid a riot and to please the mob, thereby betraying his duty as a judge.

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(a) How Christian leaders should relate to their followers (1 Peter 5:1-4)

Peter, as a fellow elder and witness of Christ's sufferings, gives charge to the leaders (elders) of the Church concerning their conduct toward those under their care.

• Shepherd the flock willingly. They are to tend the flock of God that is among them, exercising oversight not by compulsion but willingly, as God would have them.
• Serve without greed. They must not lead for shameful gain or dishonest profit, but eagerly and out of genuine devotion.
• Lead by example, not by force. They are not to lord it over those in their charge (not to domineer), but to be examples to the flock in conduct and character.
• Care for the whole flock. As shepherds they must guide, feed, protect and watch over the people entrusted to them, seeking their welfare.
• Look to the reward from Christ. When the Chief Shepherd (Christ) appears, faithful leaders will receive the unfading crown of glory. Their motive is service to God, not human praise.

(Peter also urges the younger to submit to the elders, and all to clothe themselves with humility toward one another, for God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.)

(b) Three problems that confront Christian leaders today

1. The temptation of greed, love of money and misuse of church funds for personal enrichment.
2. Pride, abuse of authority and lording it over members instead of serving humbly.
3. Division, false teaching and rivalry, along with worldly pressures and immorality that threaten the unity and integrity of the Church.

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(a) The healing of the man at the pool called Bethzatha (John 5:1-18)

• Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews. By the Sheep Gate there was a pool, called in Hebrew Bethzatha (Bethesda), which had five roofed colonnades.
• In these lay a multitude of invalids, blind, lame and paralysed, who waited for the moving of the water, believing that whoever stepped in first after the water was stirred would be healed.
• One man had been ill for thirty-eight years. Jesus saw him lying there, and knowing he had been there a long time, asked him, Do you want to be healed?
• The sick man answered, Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred, and while I am going another steps down before me.
• Jesus said to him, Rise, take up your bed, and walk. At once the man was healed, took up his bed and walked.
• Now that day was the Sabbath, so the Jews objected that it was unlawful for the man to carry his bed. He explained that the one who healed him had told him to do so, but he did not yet know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn into the crowd.
• Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said, See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you. The man told the Jews it was Jesus, and they began to persecute Jesus for healing on the Sabbath.

(b) Two reasons why Jesus performed healing miracles

1. To show compassion and relieve human suffering, meeting the physical needs of the afflicted out of love.
2. To reveal His divine power and authority as the Son of God, confirming His teaching and leading people to faith in Him.

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(a) Three criticisms Isaiah made against Israel's system of worship (Isaiah 1:10-17)

1. Meaningless multiplication of sacrifices. God asked, What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? He was full of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of beasts and took no delight in the blood of bulls and goats, because they were offered without sincerity.
2. Empty attendance at the temple and festivals. Their coming to appear before Him He called the mere trampling of my courts, and their new moons, sabbaths and solemn assemblies had become an iniquity He could not endure. He hated their appointed feasts, which had become a burden to Him.
3. Hypocritical prayers from bloodstained hands. When they spread out their hands in prayer, God hid His eyes; even when they made many prayers He would not listen, because their hands were full of blood, that is, injustice and oppression.

(b) Three suggestions Isaiah gave for Israel's return to God (Isaiah 1:16-17)

1. Repentance and moral cleansing. Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil.
2. Learn to do good and seek justice. They must correct oppression and pursue what is right.
3. Defend the weak. Bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause, caring for the helpless and oppressed.

(c) Three ways my country can return to God

1. By turning away from corruption, bribery and injustice, and practising honesty in public and private life.
2. By defending the poor, the orphan and the widow, ensuring fair treatment and social justice for the weak.
3. By sincere worship and repentance, seeking God in truth rather than in mere religious show and ceremony.

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(a) Paul's advice to the Thessalonians on idleness (2 Thessalonians 3:6-15; 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12)

• Paul commanded the believers, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from any brother who was living in idleness and not according to the tradition they received.
• He reminded them of his own example: he was not idle among them, nor did he eat anyone's bread without paying, but worked night and day with toil and labour so as not to burden anyone.
• Though as an apostle he had the right to support, he gave up that right to set an example for them to imitate.
• He laid down the rule while he was with them, If anyone will not work, let him not eat.
• He had heard that some among them were living in idleness, doing no work but acting as busybodies, meddling in the affairs of others.
• Such persons he commanded and exhorted in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living (to eat their own bread).
• He urged the rest not to grow weary in doing good, and said that if anyone refused to obey, they should note that person and not associate with him so that he would be ashamed, yet not treat him as an enemy but warn him as a brother.
• He also encouraged them to aspire to live quietly, mind their own affairs and work with their hands, so as to be dependent on no one and command the respect of outsiders.

(b) Three consequences of idleness in society

1. It breeds poverty and want, since the idle cannot provide for themselves or their families.
2. It leads to crime and immorality, as idle hands turn to stealing, gossip and other vices.
3. It hinders national development and burdens others, since idlers depend on the labour of the productive members of society.

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(a) David's sin against Uriah (2 Samuel 11)

• In the spring, when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab and the army to besiege the Ammonites at Rabbah, but David himself remained in Jerusalem.
• One evening David walked on the roof of his palace and saw a very beautiful woman bathing. He enquired and learned she was Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite, one of his soldiers.
• David sent for her, lay with her, and she conceived and sent word to him, I am with child.
• To cover the sin, David summoned Uriah from the battlefront and urged him to go home to his wife, but Uriah, loyal to his comrades, refused to enjoy such comfort while the ark and the army were in the field, and slept at the palace gate. David even made him drunk, yet Uriah would not go home.
• David then wrote to Joab, ordering that Uriah be set in the forefront of the hottest battle and then abandoned, so that he would be struck down and die.
• Joab carried out the order, and Uriah the Hittite was killed in battle. When Bathsheba had mourned for her husband, David brought her to his house and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.

(b) Two lessons Christians can learn

1. Sin often begins with a small failure and grows; David's idleness and lustful look led to adultery, deceit and murder, so we must guard our thoughts and shun the first step into sin.
2. No sin is hidden from God, and no rank exempts anyone from His judgment; even a king was called to account, so Christians must live uprightly and repent, knowing that wrongdoing always displeases God and brings consequences.

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(a) How Moses became the son of Pharaoh's daughter (Exodus 2:1-10)

• Pharaoh had commanded that every male Hebrew child be cast into the Nile, because the Israelites had multiplied and he feared them.
• A man of the tribe of Levi married a Levite woman, and she bore a son. Seeing that the child was beautiful (a fine child), she hid him for three months.
• When she could hide him no longer, she took a basket of bulrushes, daubed it with bitumen and pitch, placed the child in it, and laid it among the reeds at the river's edge. His sister stood at a distance to watch.
• The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river. She saw the basket among the reeds, sent her maid to fetch it, and when she opened it the baby was crying. She took pity on him and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children.
• The child's sister then asked whether she should go and call a Hebrew woman to nurse the child. Pharaoh's daughter agreed, and the girl went and called the child's own mother, who was paid to nurse him.
• When the child grew, he was brought to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, Because I drew him out of the water.

(b) Three ways this prepared Moses for his future leadership roles

1. Palace education and training. Growing up in Pharaoh's court, Moses was instructed in the wisdom, learning and administration of Egypt, equipping him to lead and organise a great people.
2. Knowledge of his own Hebrew roots. Nursed by his own mother, he learned of his people and their God, so he never lost his identity and later chose to suffer with the Israelites rather than enjoy Egypt's privileges.
3. Familiarity with authority and the court. Living close to Pharaoh gave Moses understanding of royal power and courage to stand before kings, which he later needed when demanding Israel's release.

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(a) The qualities of the New Life in Christ (Colossians 3:1-17)

Paul teaches that those raised with Christ must seek the things above and put off the old self, clothing themselves with a new character.

• Put to death earthly vices. Believers must put to death sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire and covetousness, which is idolatry.
• Put away sins of speech and temper. They must rid themselves of anger, wrath, malice, slander and foul talk, and not lie to one another.
• Put on compassion and kindness. As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, they should clothe themselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience.
• Forbearance and forgiveness. They must bear with one another and forgive each other, as the Lord has forgiven them.
• Love above all. Above these they must put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
• Peace and thankfulness. The peace of Christ should rule in their hearts, and they should be thankful.
• The word of Christ and worship. The word of Christ should dwell in them richly, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.
• Doing all in Christ's name. Whatever they do in word or deed, they should do in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

(b) Four qualities of a genuine Christian

1. Love and compassion toward others.
2. Honesty and truthfulness.
3. Humility and patience.
4. A forgiving and peaceable spirit.

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(a) Jesus' encounter with the Gerasene demoniac (Mark 5:1-20; Luke 8:26-39)

• Jesus and His disciples crossed the Sea of Galilee to the country of the Gerasenes. As He stepped ashore, a man with an unclean spirit met Him coming out of the tombs.
• The man lived among the tombs, and no one could bind him, not even with chains, for he had often been chained but had wrenched the chains apart and broken the fetters. Night and day he cried out among the tombs and on the mountains, and cut himself with stones.
• Seeing Jesus from afar, he ran and fell before Him and cried with a loud voice, What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.
• Jesus asked, What is your name? and he replied, My name is Legion, for we are many, begging Jesus not to send them out of the country.
• A great herd of pigs was feeding on the hillside. The demons begged to be sent into the pigs, and Jesus gave them leave. The unclean spirits entered the pigs, and the herd, about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and were drowned.
• The herdsmen fled and told it in the city. The people came out and found the man sitting, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. They then begged Jesus to depart from their region.
• The healed man begged to go with Jesus, but Jesus told him, Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you. He went away and proclaimed in the Decapolis what Jesus had done, and all marvelled.

(b) Two ways society can improve the conditions of mental patients

1. By providing well-equipped hospitals, trained specialists and free or affordable treatment so that the mentally ill receive proper medical and psychological care instead of neglect.
2. By showing compassion and removing stigma, welcoming recovered patients back into the community with love, employment and acceptance rather than fear or rejection.

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(a) Paul's teaching that Christians are children of God through Christ (Galatians 3:26-4:7; Romans 8:14-17)

• Paul declares, In Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. Sonship is received not by natural birth or by the works of the Law but by faith in Christ.
• He explains that as many as were baptised into Christ have put on Christ, so that there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for all are one in Christ Jesus. Whoever belongs to Christ is Abraham's offspring and heir according to promise.
• Formerly, mankind was like a child under guardians and trustees, and enslaved under the elemental principles of the world. But when the fullness of time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, to redeem those under the Law so that we might receive adoption as sons.
• Because we are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father. So through God we are no longer slaves but sons, and if sons, then heirs.
• In Romans Paul adds that all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. We did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.

(b) Three implications of the doctrine of sonship

1. Believers enjoy a close, personal relationship with God, able to call Him Father and approach Him in confidence and love, free from the fear of slaves.
2. They are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, sharing in His inheritance, glory and eternal life.
3. As one family in Christ, all distinctions of race, class and gender are removed, so Christians must live in unity, holiness and brotherly love worthy of God's children.