WAEC SSCE - Christian Religious Studies - 2003 (Essay)

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Isaiah's prophecy on the worthlessness of empty rituals (Isaiah 1:10-20)

Isaiah addressed the rulers and people of Judah and Jerusalem, whom he pointedly called the "rulers of Sodom" and "people of Gomorrah" because their conduct had become as corrupt as those wicked cities, even while they maintained an outward show of religion.

• God is weary of their sacrifices: The Lord asks, "To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to me?" He declares that He has had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts, and takes no delight in the blood of bulls, lambs and goats.
• Their worship attendance is meaningless: When they come to appear before God, trampling His courts, God has not asked this of them. Their offerings are described as a vain oblation.
• Their festivals are a burden to God: Incense is an abomination to Him; He cannot endure their New Moons, Sabbaths and appointed feasts, calling them iniquity. His soul hates their appointed feasts; they have become a burden that He is weary of bearing.
• God will not hear their prayers: When they spread out their hands in prayer, God hides His eyes; even when they make many prayers, He will not listen, because their hands are full of blood (violence and injustice).
• The real requirement is righteousness and justice: Rituals are worthless without ethical living. God commands them: "Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression, defend the fatherless, plead for the widow."
• An offer of cleansing and a warning: God invites them to reason together with Him: though their sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. If they are willing and obedient, they shall eat the good of the land; but if they refuse and rebel, they shall be devoured by the sword.

The core message is that sacrifice, feasts and prayers are worthless when divorced from justice, mercy and moral obedience. God desires righteousness of heart and conduct, not mere religious ceremony.

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(a) Why Peter advised Christians to rejoice despite their trials (1 Peter 1:3-9)

• God, in His great mercy, had given them a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, so they had cause for joy even in suffering.
• They were kept for an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading, reserved in heaven for them, which no trial on earth could destroy.
• The trials were only for a little while, temporary and passing, and therefore not to be compared with the eternal reward ahead.
• The trials served a purpose: they tested and refined the genuineness of their faith, just as gold is refined and purified by fire, so that their faith might prove precious.
• The tested faith would result in praise, glory and honour at the revelation (second coming) of Jesus Christ.
• Though they had not seen Christ, they loved and believed in Him, and so were filled with an unspeakable and glorious joy.
• The outcome of their faith was the salvation of their souls, the ultimate reason for rejoicing.

(b) Two virtues Christians should manifest to show their joy

• Holiness / holy living: as God is holy, believers should be holy in all their conduct, reflecting inward joy through pure lives.
• Brotherly love: sincere love for one another from a pure heart demonstrates the joy and new life they possess.

(Other acceptable virtues include hope, self-control, sobriety, obedience and patience.)

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(a) Events on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-42)

• When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, the disciples were all together in one place in Jerusalem, in obedience to Jesus' command to wait for the promise of the Father.
• Suddenly there came from heaven a sound like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
• There appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them.
• They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues (languages) as the Spirit gave them utterance.
• Devout Jews from every nation under heaven were dwelling in Jerusalem. When the sound was heard, the multitude gathered and were bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in his own native language the mighty works of God.
• They were amazed and perplexed, asking, "What does this mean?" But others mocked, saying they were filled with new wine.
• Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted his voice and addressed the crowd. He explained that they were not drunk, since it was only the third hour of the day.
• He declared that this was the fulfilment of the prophecy of the prophet Joel, that God would pour out His Spirit on all flesh.
• Peter preached about Jesus of Nazareth, crucified and killed, whom God raised from the dead, exalted at His right hand, and made both Lord and Christ.
• The listeners were cut to the heart and asked what they should do. Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
• About three thousand souls were added to the Church that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayers.

(b) Two ways the Holy Spirit still influences the life of Christians today

1. Empowerment for witness and service: The Holy Spirit gives believers boldness, gifts and power to preach the gospel, testify about Christ and serve God effectively, just as He emboldened Peter and the apostles.
2. Guidance and transformation of character: The Spirit convicts of sin, guides Christians into truth, comforts them, and produces the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience and so on), thereby transforming their conduct and helping them live godly lives.

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(a) The miracle of "walking on the sea" according to Mark (Mark 6:45-52)

• Immediately after feeding the five thousand, Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the crowd.
• After taking leave of them, Jesus went up on the mountain to pray.
• When evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and Jesus was alone on the land.
• He saw that the disciples were distressed in rowing, for the wind was against them.
• About the fourth watch of the night (between 3 and 6 a.m.), Jesus came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them.
• When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out, for they all saw Him and were terrified.
• Immediately Jesus spoke to them: "Take heart, it is I; have no fear."
• He got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased.
• The disciples were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, because their hearts were hardened.

(b) Two ways this miracle is significant

1. It reveals the divine nature and lordship of Jesus: Walking on the sea and calming the wind shows that Jesus has mastery over the forces of nature, a power that belongs to God alone, confirming His identity as the Son of God.
2. It teaches faith and reassurance in the midst of trouble: Jesus' words, "Take heart, it is I; have no fear," show that He is present with His followers in their difficulties and delivers them from danger; believers should therefore trust Him rather than give in to fear.

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How Paul used the case of Onesimus to emphasize the concept of forgiveness (Philemon 1-25)

Onesimus was a slave belonging to Philemon, a wealthy Christian of Colossae in whose house the church met. Onesimus had run away from his master, and it appears he had also wronged or robbed him. In the course of his flight he met the imprisoned Paul, was converted to Christianity, and became very useful to Paul in prison. Paul then wrote this personal letter to Philemon appealing for the forgiveness and kind reception of the returning slave. He used Onesimus' case to teach forgiveness in the following ways:

• An appeal based on love, not command: Though as an apostle Paul could have ordered Philemon, he chose instead to appeal for love's sake, asking Philemon to act freely and willingly rather than by compulsion.
• Onesimus as a transformed man: Paul reminded Philemon that Onesimus, whose name means "useful," was formerly useless to him but had now become useful to both of them. Conversion had changed the runaway slave into a profitable brother.
• Receive him as a beloved brother: Paul urged Philemon to receive Onesimus back no longer as a slave but more than a slave, as a beloved brother, both in the flesh and in the Lord. Christian fellowship transcends the master-slave relationship.
• Paul's fatherly and personal bond: Paul called Onesimus his own child, whom he had begotten in his imprisonment, even his "very heart," and would have liked to keep him. He appealed to Philemon to welcome Onesimus as he would welcome Paul himself.
• Willingness to bear the cost of the wrong: Paul offered to pay back personally whatever Onesimus owed or had wronged Philemon: "If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account... I will repay it." This shows that true forgiveness may involve bearing the cost of another's offence, reflecting Christ's own atoning work.
• Confidence in Philemon's obedience: Paul expressed confidence that Philemon would do even more than he asked, gently reminding him that he owed Paul his very self.

Through this appeal Paul demonstrated that Christian forgiveness means receiving back the offender without resentment, restoring him in love as a brother, and being willing to bear the cost of the wrong done, just as God in Christ forgives and reconciles sinners to Himself.

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(a) The second creation story (Genesis 2:4-25).

1. In the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, no plant of the field was yet in the earth and no herb had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no man to till the ground; but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground.
2. Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being.
3. The Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there He put the man whom He had formed.
4. Out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, and in the midst of the garden the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided into four rivers: Pishon, Gihon, Tigris and Euphrates.
5. The Lord God put the man in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it.
6. The Lord God commanded the man that he might freely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil he should not eat, for in the day that he ate of it he would surely die.
7. The Lord God said that it was not good that the man should be alone, and He would make him a helper fit for him.
8. The Lord God formed out of the ground every beast of the field and every bird of the air and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. But for the man there was not found a helper fit for him.
9. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. From the rib the Lord God made a woman and brought her to the man.
10. The man said, "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." Therefore a man leaves his father and mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh. The man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed.

(b) Four ways God provided comfort for man.

1. He planted a beautiful garden in Eden with pleasant, fruit-bearing trees and placed man in it to enjoy.
2. He provided food by allowing man to eat freely of every tree of the garden except one.
3. He gave man meaningful work by putting him in the garden to till it and keep it.
4. He provided companionship by creating the woman as a suitable helper, so that man would not be alone.
5. He provided water through the river that flowed out of Eden to water the garden.

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How Paul proved to the Galatians that Christians are children of God (Galatians 3:23 - 4:7)

Paul argued against those who insisted that Gentile believers must keep the Law of Moses to be accepted by God. He proved that all who believe in Christ, whether Jew or Gentile, are already the children of God through faith, not through the Law.

• Sonship comes through faith in Christ, not the Law: Paul declared, "You are all sons of God, through faith in Christ Jesus." Before faith came, people were held captive under the Law, kept under restraint. The Law served as a custodian (schoolmaster/paidagogos) to lead them to Christ, that they might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, they are no longer under the custodian.
• Baptism into Christ makes them one: All who were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. In Him there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for all are one in Christ Jesus. And if they belong to Christ, then they are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to the promise.
• From slaves to sons and heirs: Paul used the illustration of an heir who, while still a child, is no different from a slave, being under guardians and trustees until the date set by the father. Likewise, while they were children, they were enslaved to the elemental spirits of the world.
• God sent His Son to redeem them: 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 they might receive adoption as sons.
• The Spirit of the Son confirms sonship: As proof that they are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into their hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" The very presence of the Holy Spirit prompting them to address God as Father is evidence of their adoption.
• Sons and therefore heirs: Paul concluded, "So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God."

Thus Paul proved through faith, baptism into Christ, God's redemptive act of adoption, and the witness of the indwelling Holy Spirit that Christians are truly the children of God and heirs of His promise.

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(a) Events leading to Elijah's pronouncement of drought in Israel (1 Kings 16:29 - 17:1)

• Ahab, son of Omri, became king over Israel and reigned in Samaria. He did evil in the sight of the Lord more than all who were before him.
• Ahab married Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, a foreign princess devoted to the worship of Baal.
• Under Jezebel's influence, Ahab served Baal and worshipped him. He built a house and an altar for Baal in Samaria and made an Asherah pole.
• Baal was regarded by his worshippers as the god who controlled rain, fertility and harvest, so Israel abandoned the Lord and turned to this fertility cult.
• Ahab thereby provoked the Lord God of Israel to anger more than all the kings of Israel before him, leading the nation into idolatry and covenant unfaithfulness.
• In response, God raised up the prophet Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead.
• Elijah came before Ahab and declared: "As the Lord the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word."
• This pronouncement directly challenged Baal's supposed power over rain and fertility, demonstrating that the Lord alone controls nature.

(b) Two lessons from the action of Elijah

1. Courageous stand for God: Elijah shows that a true servant of God must boldly confront evil and idolatry, even before powerful rulers, without fear of the consequences.
2. God alone is sovereign over nature: The drought proves that the Lord, not Baal or any idol, controls the forces of nature; genuine faith must be placed in God alone, and sin and idolatry bring divine judgement upon a nation.

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(a) David's reaction to the death of the child born by Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:15-23)

After the prophet Nathan confronted David over his sin with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah, the Lord struck the child that Bathsheba had borne to David, and the child became gravely ill.

• While the child was still alive, David pleaded with God on behalf of the child. He fasted, went in and lay all night upon the ground.
• The elders of his household stood beside him and tried to raise him up from the ground, but he refused and would not eat food with them.
• This continued for seven days, during which David humbled himself before God in earnest prayer, hoping God would be gracious and let the child live.
• On the seventh day the child died. The servants were afraid to tell David, reasoning that if he behaved so intensely while the child lived, he might harm himself when told of the death.
• David perceived from their whispering that the child was dead and asked them; they confirmed it.
• To their surprise, David then arose from the ground, washed, anointed himself, changed his clothes and went into the house of the Lord to worship.
• Afterward he returned to his own house, requested food and ate.
• When his servants questioned this strange reversal of behaviour, David explained: while the child was alive he fasted and wept, thinking God might be gracious and spare the child. But now that the child was dead, fasting could not bring him back. He said, "I shall go to him, but he will not return to me."
• David then comforted Bathsheba his wife, and she later bore Solomon, whom the Lord loved.

(b) Two lessons that can be learnt from this reaction

1. Sincere repentance and prayer: David teaches that when we are in trouble, especially trouble resulting from sin, we should humble ourselves before God in fasting and prayer, trusting in His mercy rather than despairing.
2. Acceptance of God's will: When the outcome cannot be changed, we must accept God's decision with faith and dignity instead of endless grief. David shows the wisdom of resigning to the will of God and moving on to fulfil life's remaining responsibilities.

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(a) Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:19-24)

(i) Treasures

• Jesus taught, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal."
• Instead they should lay up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and thieves cannot break in and steal.
• He gave the reason: "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." A person's affections and priorities follow whatever he values most.

(ii) The sound eye

• Jesus said, "The eye is the lamp of the body."
• If the eye is sound (single/healthy), the whole body is full of light.
• But if the eye is bad (evil), the whole body is full of darkness. And if the light in a person is actually darkness, how great is that darkness.
• This teaches that one's inner outlook and intentions determine whether the whole life is filled with light (goodness) or darkness (evil).

(iii) Serving of two masters

• Jesus declared, "No one can serve two masters."
• Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.
• He concluded: "You cannot serve God and mammon (money/wealth)." Ultimate loyalty must be given to God, not to material wealth.

(b) Two reasons why misuse of earthly wealth can lead to serious consequences for a nation

1. It breeds corruption and injustice: When wealth is misused through embezzlement, bribery and greed, national resources are diverted from development, the poor are oppressed, and this leads to social unrest, poverty and the collapse of public trust.
2. It displaces God and true values: Making wealth the master turns a nation to materialism and idolatry of money, eroding moral and spiritual values; such a nation loses justice and the fear of God and invites divine judgement and eventual ruin.

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(a) How Jesus healed the Demoniac (Mark 5:1-20; the Gerasene/Gadarene demoniac)

• Jesus and His disciples crossed to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, to the country of the Gerasenes (Gadarenes).
• As Jesus came out of the boat, a man with an unclean spirit met Him coming out of the tombs.
• The man lived among the tombs and could not be bound, not even with chains. He had often been bound with fetters and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart and broke the fetters in pieces; no one had the strength to subdue him.
• Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones.
• When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshipped Him, crying 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." for Jesus had said, "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!"
• Jesus asked, "What is your name?" He replied, "My name is Legion, for we are many." The demons begged Jesus not to send them out of the country.
• A great herd of swine was feeding nearby on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus, "Send us to the swine, let us enter them."
• Jesus gave them permission. The unclean spirits came out and entered the swine, and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and were drowned.
• The herdsmen fled and told it in the city; people came and found the former demoniac sitting, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. The healed man begged to follow Jesus, but Jesus told him to go home and tell his friends how much the Lord had done for him. He went and proclaimed it in the Decapolis.

(b) Two reasons why the devils were sent into the swine

1. To grant the demons' own request: The demons pleaded not to be driven out of the country but to be allowed to enter the swine; Jesus permitted this, so their destruction into the sea was a result of their own petition.
2. To provide visible proof of the deliverance: The drowning of the herd demonstrated publicly the reality, number and destructive power of the demons that had left the man, confirming beyond doubt that he had been truly and completely healed by the authority of Jesus.

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(a) Paul's views on interpersonal relationships in the Christian family (Colossians 3:18-21; 3:12-14)

In his letter to the Colossians, Paul set out the duties that members of a Christian household owe one another, so that the family reflects the character of Christ. He first urged all believers to put on compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience, to bear with one another, to forgive one another, and above all to put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. He then addressed each member:

• Wives: "Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord." The wife is to respect and be subject to her husband in a manner befitting Christian conduct.
• Husbands: "Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them." The husband must love his wife genuinely and never be bitter, cruel or overbearing toward her.
• Children: "Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord." Children are to give obedience and honour to their parents.
• Fathers (parents): "Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged." Parents must not exasperate or embitter their children but train them with fairness and encouragement.

Paul's central view is that each member has mutual, reciprocal duties, all to be carried out "in the Lord," with love, respect and consideration so that peace reigns in the home.

(b) Four ways of avoiding conflicts in the family

1. Mutual love and respect: Every member should genuinely love and respect the others, treating them with kindness and consideration.
2. Effective communication and understanding: Family members should discuss issues openly, listen to one another and seek to understand different viewpoints rather than quarrel.
3. Forgiveness and tolerance: Members should be ready to forgive offences, bear with one another's weaknesses and not hold grudges.
4. Fulfilling one's responsibilities and submitting to God: Each person should faithfully carry out his or her God-given role and keep the family devoted to prayer and the fear of God, which promotes unity and peace.