JAMB UTME - Christian Religious Studies - 2018

Maelezo ya Majibu

In the book of Numbers in the Bible, there is a story of how God provided water for the Israelites in the wilderness of Zin. When the people complained about their lack of water, God instructed Moses and Aaron to gather the people and speak to a rock in front of them. God promised that the rock would then yield water for the people to drink. However, instead of following God's specific instructions, Moses struck the rock twice with his staff, and water gushed out for the people to drink. As a result of this disobedience, God told Moses and Aaron that they would not be allowed to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. In summary, when the glory of God appeared to Moses and Aaron in the wilderness of Zin, the Lord instructed them to speak to a rock before the people's eyes, and water would flow from it. However, Moses struck the rock instead of speaking to it, resulting in God's punishment for their disobedience.

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Acts 21:23-25 Therefore do what we tell you: We have four men who have taken a vow.24 Take them and be purified with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads, and that all may know that those things of which they were informed concerning you are nothing, but that you yourself also walk orderly and keep the law. 25 But concerning the Gentiles who believe, we have written and decided that they should observe no such thing, except that they should keep themselves from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality

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2 samual 12:18 
He may do himself some harm.

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According to Peter, believers who are reproached for the name of Christ are blessed because the spirit of glory rests upon them. This means that when believers suffer for the sake of Christ, they are blessed because the Holy Spirit of God comes upon them and strengthens them. This helps them endure the hardships and trials that come with following Christ and standing up for their faith. Peter is saying that the glory of God is with those who suffer for the name of Christ, and that this is a blessing that should be cherished rather than feared.

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Amos 4;9
"Many times I struck your gardens and vineyards, destroying them with blight and mildew. Locusts devoured your fig and olive trees, yet you have not returned to me," declares the LORD.

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King Josiah of Judah did not kill the idolatrous priests, but he did depose them from their positions and removed their power and influence. This was part of his larger religious reforms, in which he sought to return the people of Judah to worshiping the one true God and to eliminate the idolatrous practices that had become widespread in the land. King Josiah recognized the negative impact that the idolatrous priests were having on the spiritual well-being of the people, and took steps to remove them from their positions of influence so that the people could be led back to a righteous and faithful way of life.

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The moral of the story is that you should put aside your differences and help those who are in need of help. The Samaritan did not think about the race or the religion of the man; he just saw a man who needed help.

The main point of the parable is to love at your neighbor and kind at them.

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God's pardon of the people of Nineveh teaches a lesson on the benefits of repentance. The story of Nineveh comes from the Bible's book of Jonah, where God sends the prophet Jonah to warn the people of Nineveh about their wicked ways and impending destruction. Despite Jonah's initial reluctance, the people of Nineveh listened to his message and repented, turning away from their evil deeds. As a result of their repentance, God showed them mercy and forgave them, sparing their city from destruction. This story teaches us that when we acknowledge our wrongdoing, turn away from our sins, and seek forgiveness, we can receive mercy and experience a positive change in our lives. Repentance is not only about seeking forgiveness from a higher power, but it also involves acknowledging our mistakes, taking responsibility for our actions, and making a conscious effort to change our behavior. It requires humility, honesty, and a willingness to change. In summary, the story of Nineveh teaches us that repentance can lead to forgiveness, mercy, and a positive change in our lives. It's a powerful lesson that we can all apply to our own lives, regardless of our religious beliefs.

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According to Paul in the Bible, he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. This means that loving others is the ultimate expression of obedience to God's commandments. Paul emphasizes that all the commandments can be summed up in the instruction to love one's neighbor as oneself. Therefore, if we truly love our neighbors, we will naturally fulfill all the requirements of the law. In simpler terms, Paul is saying that loving others is the most important thing we can do as Christians, and it is the key to living a life that is pleasing to God. When we love our neighbors, we demonstrate the love of Christ, and we become more like Him. This love is not just a feeling or an emotion, but it is a conscious decision to act in a way that benefits others and reflects God's character.

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According to Paul, the condition for justification is faith in Christ crucified. In his letters to the Romans and Galatians, Paul teaches that we are justified by faith and not by works of the law. This means that we are declared righteous or forgiven by God not because of anything we have done, but because of our trust in what Jesus Christ has done for us on the cross. In Paul's words, "For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law" (Romans 3:28).

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Romans 5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

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Cheerfulness is not listed as one of the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians. The fruits of the Spirit are described in Galatians 5:22-23 as "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control". Cheerfulness is a positive quality, but it is not specifically listed as one of the fruits of the Spirit in this passage.

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The statement "What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?" reveals that the demoniacs in the country of Gadarenes did not expect Jesus to come to them at that time. They were surprised and perhaps even fearful because they recognized the supreme power of Jesus, who they referred to as the "Son of God". They may have also felt threatened by his power and wondered if he had come to torment them before the appointed time. However, they did not directly question Jesus' authority in this statement.

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"So David sent this word to Joab: "Send me Uriah the Hittite." And Joab sent him to David. 7When Uriah came to him, David asked him ....... But Uriah slept at the entrance to the palace with all his master’s servants and did not go down to his house. David was told, "Uriah did not go home." So he asked Uriah, "Haven’t you just come from a military campaign? Why didn’t you go home?" Uriah said to David, "The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, a and my commander Joab and my lord's men are camped in the open country. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and make love to my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!" " (2 Samuel 11:6-11)

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Luke 5:1-8
6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.
7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!"

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This quote is attributed to King Rehoboam, who was the son of King Solomon and the successor to the throne of the Kingdom of Israel. This statement is made in the context of a confrontation with the Israelite people, who had come to Rehoboam seeking relief from the harsh policies of his father. Rehoboam's response, to threaten even greater punishment, was seen as a sign of his lack of wisdom and leadership, and ultimately led to a division of the kingdom into two separate states, with Rehoboam ruling over the southern kingdom of Judah.

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Mark 9:29
Jesus replied, “This kind can be cast out only by prayer.”

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The statement "I have no silver and gold, but I give you what I have; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk" was said by Peter to a lame man who was at the gate called Beautiful. According to the Bible in the book of Acts, the man was carried every day to the gate called Beautiful, where he would beg for money. When Peter and John came to the gate, the man asked them for money, but Peter said he had no money to give him. Instead, Peter said he would give the man something better - the ability to walk in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Peter then took the man by the hand and helped him stand up, and the man was instantly healed and began to walk, leaping and praising God.

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Acts 8:1         Following Stephen’s death in 35AD, the more radical members of the young church in Jerusalem are persecuted by the staunchly traditional Jewish hierarchy. Most of the Greek-speaking believers are scattered throughout Judaea and Samaria, while the twelve apostles – who are more traditional Hebrew and Aramaic-speaking Jews – are able to remain in Jerusalem.

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Abram was in Haran when this command was given to him. The command is found in Genesis 12:1-4, and it was given to Abram (who would later be known as Abraham) by God. At the time of the command, Abram was living with his father, Terah, in the city of Haran. The command was for Abram to leave his country (which was likely Ur, where he was born), his kindred (which included his extended family), and his father's house, and to go to a land that God would show him. So, to answer the question, Abram was in Haran when he received the command from God to leave and go to the land that God would show him.

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Naaman had leprosy in the Bible. Naaman was a commander in the Syrian army, but he had leprosy, which was a serious skin disease in ancient times. A young Israelite girl who was captured during a raid on Israel suggested to Naaman's wife that he should go to the prophet Elisha in Samaria for healing. Naaman followed her advice and went to Elisha's house, but instead of meeting with him, he received instructions through a messenger to dip himself seven times in the Jordan River. Initially, Naaman was skeptical and angry at Elisha's lack of personal attention, but his servants convinced him to try the treatment. Naaman followed the instructions and was miraculously healed of his leprosy. He then returned to Elisha's house to thank him and acknowledge the God of Israel. The story of Naaman's healing is found in 2 Kings 5:1-19.

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The man of God whose word was ignored by Kings Ahab and Jehoshaphat was Micaiah. Micaiah was a prophet in the Hebrew Bible. When King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah went to war against the Arameans, they asked for advice from their prophets, who all told them that they would be victorious. But Jehoshaphat asked for another opinion, and Micaiah was brought before the two kings. Unlike the other prophets, Micaiah warned them that they would not be successful and that they would be defeated. However, both Ahab and Jehoshaphat ignored Micaiah's warning and went to battle anyway. In the end, Micaiah's prophecy came true and Ahab was killed in the battle.

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In order to see Jesus, Zacchaeus climbed up into a sycamore tree. Zacchaeus was a short man who wanted to see Jesus, but he could not because the crowd was so large, and he could not see over them. So, he ran ahead of the crowd and climbed up into a sycamore tree so that he could get a better view of Jesus as He passed by. Jesus noticed Zacchaeus up in the tree and called him by name, inviting himself to his house. Zacchaeus was overjoyed and welcomed Jesus into his home. This encounter led to Zacchaeus repenting of his sins and giving back what he had stolen from others, as he realized that Jesus had come to seek and save the lost.

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Aaron was the older brother of Moses and his closest ally and companion during their journey of leading the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. In the Bible, Aaron is often referred to as Moses' "spokesperson" or "mouthpiece" because he helped Moses communicate with the Israelites and Pharaoh. Aaron played a key role in many of the miracles that God performed through Moses, such as turning the Nile River into blood and bringing plagues upon Egypt. Aaron was also appointed by God to serve as the first high priest of Israel, responsible for leading the people in worship and performing sacrifices for their sins. Overall, Aaron was not only Moses' brother but also his partner in the mission of liberating and leading the Israelites to the Promised Land.

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In Thessalonians, Paul advises believers awaiting the coming of the Lord to put on the "breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation" (1 Thessalonians 5:8). This metaphorical language of putting on armor is used to emphasize the importance of being spiritually prepared for the coming of the Lord. The "breastplate of faith and love" refers to the need for believers to have a strong and unshakeable faith in God's promises and to live a life of love towards others. The "helmet of the hope of salvation" emphasizes the importance of having a confident expectation that Jesus will return and save believers from sin and death, and the need to keep that hope at the forefront of their minds as they live out their faith. In simpler terms, Paul is saying that as believers, we need to have strong faith and love, and confidently hope for the salvation that Jesus will bring when he returns. These spiritual qualities will protect us and keep us prepared for the coming of the Lord.

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Jesus first said "It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs." This statement was in response to the Syrophenician woman who asked Jesus to cast the demon out of her daughter. Jesus used the term "children's bread" to refer to the blessings and healings he was performing for the Jewish people, and "dogs" as a metaphor for non-Jewish people like the Syrophenician woman. In other words, Jesus was saying that it wasn't appropriate to take away the blessings intended for the Jewish people and give them to someone who was not part of that group. However, the woman's persistence and faith impressed Jesus, and he ultimately healed her daughter.

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1 samuel 15:14 And Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?” 

15 Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amal′ekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice to the Lord your God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.”

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According to James, we must consider trials in our lives as "testing." In the Bible, James encourages his readers to consider it pure joy whenever they face trials of many kinds because these trials test and refine their faith, producing perseverance and maturity in them. In other words, trials are an opportunity for us to grow stronger and more resilient in our faith and character. So, rather than seeing trials as something to be avoided, we should view them as a chance to learn and grow.

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Ananias and Sapphira were punished by God for lying to the Holy Spirit. According to the Bible, they sold a piece of land but kept some of the profits for themselves, while pretending to have given the full amount to the apostles. When confronted by Peter about their deception, they both fell down and died on the spot. This incident serves as a warning to believers about the seriousness of lying and the importance of being honest in all their dealings.

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1peter 4:10
Now in this verse, Peter says we should take a very different view from others in the world about anything we might call "ours." First, he implies that we must see whatever we have as a gift from God. After all, we have nothing which God has not given to us (James 1:17). Second, we should see whatever we have been given as an opportunity to serve other Christians. In other words, we should not view anything which is "ours" as off-limits for use in serving other believers. 

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King Saul promised to give his daughter in marriage to the person who could face and defeat Goliath. This means that whoever defeated Goliath would have the privilege of marrying King Saul's daughter as a reward for their bravery and skill.

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This quote comes from the Bible, specifically from the book of Luke, chapter 9, verse 62. In this passage, Jesus is talking to someone who wants to follow him, but asks for permission to first go and say goodbye to his family. Jesus responds by saying that anyone who puts their hand to the plough (a farming tool used to make furrows for planting seeds) and then looks back is not fit for the kingdom of God. In simpler terms, Jesus is using a metaphor to explain that if you make a commitment to follow him, you should not look back or be distracted by things from your past or present that may keep you from fulfilling that commitment. He is saying that if you want to follow him, you need to be fully dedicated and not let anything hold you back. This passage emphasizes the importance of wholeheartedly committing to Jesus and the message he brings.

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Angel Gabriel told Zachariah that he would become dumb because he did not believe God's words. Zachariah had doubts and questioned the angel's message about his wife Elizabeth having a baby, even though they were both old and had been trying to have a child for a long time. This lack of faith in God's plan made the angel Gabriel declare that Zachariah would not be able to speak until the baby, John, was born as a sign of punishment for his disbelief.

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Saul was rejected as king over Israel because he disobeyed God's command to utterly destroy the Amalekites. In the Bible, the book of 1 Samuel chapter 15, God commanded Saul, the first king of Israel, to attack and completely destroy the Amalekites and all their possessions as a punishment for their past sins against the Israelites. However, Saul and his army spared the Amalekite king and kept some of their valuable possessions. As a result of Saul's disobedience, God rejected him as king over Israel and chose someone else to be the next king. This event shows the importance of obedience to God's commands and the consequences of disobedience.

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Genesis 3:22-24 Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— 23 therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. 24 So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.

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The men who healed the lame man at the beautiful gate were Peter and John. This event is recorded in the book of Acts in the New Testament of the Bible. Peter and John were two of Jesus' disciples and they were on their way to the temple when they encountered a man who had been lame from birth. The man was asking for money, but Peter and John told him they had no money to give him. Instead, they offered to heal him in the name of Jesus Christ. Peter then took the man by the hand and helped him up, and the man's feet and ankles were instantly strengthened. He began to walk and even leap, praising God. This miracle caused a commotion and many people gathered around to see what had happened. Peter took the opportunity to preach to the crowd about Jesus and the power of faith in him.

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Abraham is portrayed in the Bible as "the father of the faithful." This is because he is considered to be the first person in the Bible to have faith in God and to be credited with righteousness because of his faith. He is seen as an example of someone who obeyed God's call and trusted in His promises, even though he did not always understand what God was doing. Abraham is also remembered as the patriarch of the Israelite people, as he is said to be the ancestor of the twelve tribes of Israel. He is revered as an important figure in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and his story is told in the book of Genesis in the Old Testament of the Bible. While Abraham is an important figure in the Bible, he is not described as "the giver of the law," "the mighty prophet of Jehovah," or "the lion of Judah." These titles are given to other figures in the Bible, such as Moses, Elijah, and Jesus, respectively.

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According to the Bible, Joseph was 17 years old when he was taken to Egypt. Joseph was one of Jacob's twelve sons, and he was favored by his father. His brothers were jealous of him and sold him into slavery when he was 17 years old. He was then taken to Egypt and sold to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh. Joseph's story is recorded in the book of Genesis in the Bible, and it tells how he rose to a position of power in Egypt through his ability to interpret dreams. Eventually, he was able to save his family from a famine by bringing them to Egypt.

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According to James, the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. James, a New Testament book in the Bible, emphasizes the importance of faith and good works in a person's life. In James 5:16, it says that the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective, meaning that when a person who is righteous prays, their prayer has the power to bring about change and is heard by God. This statement highlights the idea that a person's righteousness, or right standing with God, can have a positive impact on their prayers and the outcomes they receive.

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The statement "when Christians give freely, God will supply" is based on a biblical principle that can be found in 2 Corinthians 9:6-8. This principle emphasizes that when Christians give generously and cheerfully to help others, God will provide for their needs in return. This does not mean that God will only supply the needs of those who give or that their needs will be based on the measure they give. Rather, it means that God is faithful and will provide for the needs of His people according to His riches in glory. The provision may come in different ways, and it may not always be immediate or in the form that we expect, but God promises to take care of His people. In essence, Christians are called to trust God and be generous with what they have, knowing that their giving will not go unnoticed or unappreciated. They can have the confidence that God will provide for them day by day as they seek to live out their faith and love others in practical ways.