WAEC SSCE - Christian Religious Studies - 1995

The Israelite under Barak defeated the Canaanite troops led by

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The Israelites under Barak defeated the Canaanite troops led by Sisera. Sisera was the commander of the army of Jabin, the king of Canaan. He had nine hundred iron chariots and a great army, and had oppressed the Israelites for twenty years. Barak was called by the prophetess Deborah to gather an army and fight against Sisera. With God's help, the Israelites were victorious and Sisera fled on foot, but was eventually killed by Jael, a woman who gave him shelter.

the concept of faith and work as enunciated by James means

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The concept of faith and work as enunciated by James means that faith without works is dead. James argued that faith and work go hand in hand, and that true faith should be accompanied by good works. James emphasized the importance of not only hearing the word of God but also putting it into action. He believed that genuine faith is evidenced by good works, and that faith without works is dead. Therefore, Christians must not only believe in God but also demonstrate their faith through their actions, by doing good works and helping those in need.

St. Paul advised the Thessalonians to imitate him in all the following ways except

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St. Paul advised the Thessalonians to imitate him in all the following ways except "relying on others for food." In his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul praised the Thessalonians for their faith, love, and hope in Christ. He also reminded them of his conduct while he was with them and encouraged them to imitate him. He pointed out that he had worked with his own hands to support himself while he was with them and that he had not been idle. Therefore, he advised them to also work hard and avoid idleness. However, he did not advise them to rely on others for food, as he believed that they should earn their own living through hard work.

Paul, in his Epistle to the Corinthians , illustrated the unity of church despite memebers' individual differences by

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Then Jonah cried to the Lord from the belly of Sheol....
Sheol her implies the

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In the context of the passage, Sheol refers to the region of darkness and death. It is the place where the dead are believed to reside in Hebrew tradition, often depicted as a deep, dark pit or underworld. In this passage, Jonah is metaphorically referring to the belly of Sheol as the depths of the sea where he was trapped inside the fish.

one who is living a new life in Christ manifests it in the following ways except

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Living a new life in Christ is marked by a transformation of the inner being that reflects in the outward behavior of the person. The person who lives a new life in Christ seeks to imitate Jesus Christ and follow His teachings. Out of the given options, the one that does not manifest living a new life in Christ is "discriminating among various Christian denominations." Discrimination or prejudice based on denomination goes against the teachings of Jesus Christ, who emphasized unity among his followers. On the other hand, providing succor to the needy, enriching oneself daily with spiritual songs, doing everything to the glory of God, and having a forgiving spirit are all signs of living a new life in Christ. Helping the needy is an act of compassion and love, enriching oneself with spiritual songs helps to connect with God, doing everything to the glory of God is an expression of gratitude and obedience, and having a forgiving spirit is a reflection of Christ's forgiveness towards us.

Moses ran away from Egypt because he

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Moses ran away from Egypt because he feared that the news of his act of murder will reach the king. According to the Bible, Moses witnessed an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, and he killed the Egyptian and buried him in the sand. When he found out that the incident was known, and the Pharaoh sought to kill him, he fled to the land of Midian.

The significance of the angel of God touching Isaiah's mouth with burning coal was to

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When Isaiah saw the Lord of hosts on his throne, he felt unworthy and recognized his own sinfulness. The angel of God took a burning coal from the altar and touched Isaiah's mouth with it, saying "your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for." The significance of this act was to symbolize the cleansing and forgiveness of Isaiah's sins, enabling him to be worthy and ready to accept the commission that God had for him. By purifying his lips, the angel was preparing Isaiah to be the Lord's messenger to speak to the people on God's behalf.

The delegation from Antioch to the Council of Jerusalem compromised

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The delegation from Antioch to the Council of Jerusalem was made up of two people, Paul and Barnabas. At the council, there was a discussion about whether or not non-Jewish converts to Christianity needed to follow certain Jewish customs, such as circumcision. Some members of the council argued that these customs were necessary, while others believed that they were not. Eventually, Peter stood up and argued that non-Jewish converts should not be required to follow these customs. James, the leader of the church in Jerusalem, agreed with Peter and proposed a compromise that would allow non-Jewish converts to abstain from these customs, with certain exceptions. This compromise was ultimately accepted by the council. So, while the delegation from Antioch played an important role in the council, the ultimate decision was a compromise proposed by James and supported by Peter.

from his experience on the road to Damascus, Saul learnt all the following except that

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Saul, later known as Paul, learned many things from his experience on the road to Damascus, including that he had been persecuting the Lord through his persecution of the Church, that his confidence in Judaism was misplaced, and that he was chosen to preach to the Gentiles. He also learned that in persecuting the Church, he was "kicking against the pricks," which means he was resisting something that was inevitable and ultimately hurtful to himself. However, the statement "he could successfully promote his own will" is not a lesson that Saul learned from his experience on the road to Damascus.

when Jesus was instructing the seventy disciples before they set out on their mission, he condemned the cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida because they

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When Jesus was instructing the seventy disciples before they set out on their mission, he condemned the cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida because they did not believe in him, despite the many miracles he had performed among them. In Matthew 11:20-24, Jesus rebukes these cities for their unbelief and warns that it will lead to their destruction. Jesus had performed many miracles in these cities, including healing the sick and casting out demons. However, the people of these cities remained skeptical and refused to believe that he was the Messiah. This lack of faith saddened Jesus and he warned the people that their unbelief would lead to their downfall. Jesus' condemnation of these cities serves as a reminder that faith in him is essential for salvation. The people of Chorazin and Bethsaida had witnessed Jesus' miracles and heard his teachings, yet they still refused to believe. Their rejection of Jesus serves as a warning to us today not to take our faith for granted and to always remain steadfast in our belief in Jesus Christ.

Mathew , the evangelist, preferred the phrase Kingdom of heaven to Kingdom of God because

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The reason why Mathew, the evangelist, preferred the phrase "Kingdom of heaven" over "Kingdom of God" is because he was a Jew and wanted to avoid saying the name of God out of respect. Therefore, instead of using the word "God," he used the word "heaven" to refer to the same thing. This was a common practice among Jews at that time. Additionally, Matthew was writing to a predominantly Jewish audience who would have understood this convention.

As children of God, Christians have all the following responsibilities except

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The responsibility that Christians do not have is "accepting permanent custodianship of the law." While Christians are called to uphold the moral teachings of the Bible, they are not responsible for enforcing Old Testament laws and regulations. Instead, Christians are called to love God and others, spread the gospel, and live a life of righteousness and faith in Jesus Christ. The other responsibilities listed in the options, such as suffering with Christ, expecting the glory of God, groaning for redemption through Jesus, and accepting baptism into Christ, are all biblically-based responsibilities of Christians.

Paul was so confident in his Epistle to Philemon that the latter would grant his major request because

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Paul was confident in his Epistle to Philemon because he appealed to him not only on the basis of Onesimus being his slave but as a brother in Christ. He recognized Philemon's faith in Christ and appealed to him to forgive Onesimus and accept him back as a brother in Christ, rather than as a slave. Paul also promised to repay any wrong Onesimus may have done to Philemon, thus demonstrating his willingness to take responsibility for Onesimus' actions. This approach showed Paul's understanding of the Christian faith as being based on forgiveness, reconciliation, and brotherhood in Christ, which he believed Philemon would also uphold.

According to Peter , a Christian should exercise his freedom by

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The apostle Peter encourages Christians to exercise their freedom by doing what is right. In his letter to the early Christians, Peter emphasizes that Christians should not use their freedom as a pretext for evil or as an excuse to indulge in sinful behavior. Instead, he advises them to use their freedom responsibly and to live in a way that pleases God. This means being obedient to God's commandments and treating others with love, respect, and kindness. In essence, Peter is saying that freedom comes with responsibility and that Christians should use their freedom to do good and bring glory to God.

God rejected Saul as the King of Israel because

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God rejected Saul as the King of Israel because he disobeyed God in the war against the Amalekites. In 1 Samuel 15, God commanded Saul to destroy the Amalekites and everything that belonged to them, but Saul spared the life of their king, Agag, and kept some of the spoil for himself and his soldiers. This act of disobedience was a clear violation of God's command, and it showed that Saul was not fully committed to following God's will. As a result, God rejected Saul as the king of Israel and chose David as his successor.

which of the following Decision did Solomon take contrary to the will of God?

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Out of the given options, the decision that Solomon took contrary to the will of God was "marrying many foreign women who came with their gods to Israel." According to the Old Testament, God commanded the Israelites not to intermarry with foreign nations because they would lead the Israelites astray to worship foreign gods. Solomon's decision to marry many foreign women who worshiped other gods was against God's commandments and eventually led him astray from worshiping the one true God. As a result, these women influenced Solomon to worship their gods, which led to his downfall and the division of the kingdom of Israel. The Bible records that Solomon built the temple for God, invited foreign labor, made Jeroboam take charge of labor, and engaged the Israelites in many battles, but marrying foreign women was the decision that went against God's will.

which of the following was not cited by Paul in his Epistle to the Corinthians as proof of Jesus' resurrection? Jesus' appearance to

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Paul did not cite Jesus' appearance to Pilate as proof of his resurrection in his First Epistle to the Corinthians. In 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, Paul lists several appearances of Jesus after his resurrection as evidence of his bodily resurrection. These include appearances to Cephas (Peter), the twelve disciples, James (presumably the brother of Jesus), and to a group of more than 500 people at once. Paul also mentions his own encounter with the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus. However, there is no mention of Jesus appearing to Pilate in this list of appearances.

Peter enjoined Holy living among Christians because Christ has left them an example in all the following ways except that he

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Peter enjoined Holy living among Christians because Christ has left them an example in all the following ways except that he suffered crucifixion because of his divinity. In the New Testament, Peter emphasized the importance of holy living among Christians, encouraging them to follow the example of Jesus Christ. Christ suffered without any guilt on his part, forgave those who reviled him, prayed for his persecutors, and bore the sins of others. However, suffering crucifixion because of his divinity was not an example for Christians to follow, as it was a unique aspect of Jesus' mission on earth.

According to Peter , the sincerity of the Christian belief is usually tested by

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According to Peter, the sincerity of Christian belief is usually tested by trials. This means that when Christians face challenges, difficulties, or sufferings in life, their faith in God is tested. The trials can come in various forms such as persecution, sickness, loss, or any other form of adversity. The way a Christian responds to these trials and continues to trust in God despite them is a true test of their faith. Peter encourages Christians to remain faithful and to see these trials as opportunities to strengthen their faith and grow closer to God.

According to St. Luke, which of the following did not feature in the trial of Jesus before Pilate and Herod?

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The option that did not feature in the trial of Jesus before Pilate and Herod according to St. Luke is that Jesus asserted that he was Christ, the son of God. This statement was not mentioned in St. Luke's account of the trial of Jesus. However, it was mentioned in the accounts of the trial in the other Gospels.

In Paul's letter to the Philippians, the reward of giving is

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In Paul's letter to the Philippians, he speaks about the reward of giving, which is an abundant return from God. In Philippians 4:17-18, Paul thanks the Philippians for their financial support, which he says is "a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God." He goes on to say that God will supply all their needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. This passage emphasizes the importance of giving generously and sacrificially. Paul explains that when we give, we are not only meeting the needs of others, but we are also pleasing God and storing up treasures in heaven. Giving is an act of worship, and God promises to reward us for our faithfulness. The reward of giving is not just material blessings, but also spiritual blessings. When we give generously, we experience joy and a sense of purpose knowing that we are making a difference in the lives of others. Additionally, giving helps to cultivate a spirit of generosity and selflessness, which is pleasing to God. In summary, the reward of giving is an abundant return from God, both in material and spiritual blessings. It is a way to worship God and store up treasures in heaven, while also making a positive impact in the lives of others.

According to John's Gospel, Lazarus was from

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According to John's Gospel, Lazarus was from Bethany. In John 11:1-2, it is mentioned that "Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha." Bethany was a village located near Jerusalem, and it was the hometown of Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha.

The appearance of Moses and Elijah during the Transfiguration indicates that

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The appearance of Moses and Elijah during the Transfiguration indicates that Jesus was the fulfillment of the law and the prophets. Moses was the lawgiver, and Elijah was one of the greatest prophets, so their presence showed that Jesus' ministry was in continuity with theirs. Additionally, God declared Jesus as his beloved son and instructed the disciples to listen to him, indicating that Jesus was superior to both Moses and Elijah. The appearance of Moses and Elijah also demonstrated that Jesus' death was part of God's plan, as they spoke with Jesus about his departure, which he was about to accomplish in Jerusalem.

The twelve disciples were drawn from among all the following groups of people except the

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The twelve disciples were selected from different groups of people by Jesus Christ. These included tax collectors, publicans, revolutionaries, and Galileans. However, the Pharisees were not among those chosen to be disciples by Jesus. The Pharisees were a religious group who believed in strict adherence to the Jewish law and tradition. They were often at odds with Jesus and criticized him for his teachings and actions.

the faith and courage of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego made Nebuchadnezzar issue a decree that

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Paul, in his Epistle to Romans, said that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus are

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In his Epistle to Romans, Paul stated that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus are "baptized into his death". This means that through baptism, we are united with Christ and share in his death and resurrection. As a result, our old selves are crucified with Christ and we are raised to new life in him. This is a symbol of our spiritual rebirth and our new identity as children of God. So, the correct option is "baptized into his death".

why do you seek the living among the dead? This statement was made by the

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After their mission, Jesus enjoined the seventy disciples to rejoice because they had

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After their mission, Jesus enjoined the seventy disciples to rejoice because they had seen Satan fall like lightning from heaven. This is recorded in Luke 10:17-20 where Jesus rejoiced with them because they had successfully exercised authority over demons, and they returned with the good news of many people being healed and saved. Jesus then said, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

During his first missionary journey, Paul was stoned at

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During his first missionary journey, Paul was stoned at Lystra. Explanation: During his first missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas visited several places including Lystra, where they healed a crippled man, leading the people to believe they were gods. When Paul tried to correct them and preach about the one true God, the people turned against him and stoned him, leaving him for dead. However, he later recovered and continued his journey.

Paul, in his letter to the Galatians , says Christians became sons of God by

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According to Paul in his letter to the Galatians, Christians become sons of God through adoption. Adoption is the process by which a person is legally and permanently made a member of a family to which they do not biologically belong. In the spiritual sense, adoption means that through faith in Jesus Christ, believers are made part of God's family and have the same status as His biological children. This adoption is made possible by the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross, which makes forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God possible. Through this adoption, believers receive the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of their inheritance and can call God their Father. Therefore, Christians are not sons of God by their own merit or good deeds, but by God's grace and adoption through faith in Jesus Christ.

'The sword devours now one and now another'. This statement was David's reaction to the death of

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The statement "The sword devours now one and now another" was David's reaction to the death of Uriah. To explain, Uriah was a loyal soldier in David's army, but David had an affair with Uriah's wife and then ordered Uriah to be placed in the front line of a battle where he was killed. When David heard the news of Uriah's death, he was struck by the tragedy of the situation and the senseless loss of life caused by his own actions. His statement reflects his sorrow and recognition of the destructive power of violence and war.

Aaron accompanied Moses to Pharaoh because

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Deborah, wife of Lappidoth,administered justice to the people of Israel at

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Deborah, wife of Lappidoth, administered justice to the people of Israel at Ramah and Bethel. According to the Old Testament book of Judges, Deborah was a prophetess and judge who led the Israelites in a successful battle against the Canaanites. She held court under a palm tree between Ramah and Bethel, where people came to her for judgment and advice. Her leadership and wisdom were highly respected among the Israelites, and her story is often cited as an example of a strong and capable female leader.

According to St. Paul , the true test of someone who does not speak by the Spirit of God is

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According to St. Paul, the true test of someone who does not speak by the Spirit of God is saying "Jesus be cursed." In 1 Corinthians 12:3, Paul states that "no one can say 'Jesus is Lord' except by the Holy Spirit." This means that when someone truly believes in Jesus as Lord and Savior, they are speaking through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. On the other hand, if someone speaks against Jesus or curses His name, it is a sign that they are not guided by the Holy Spirit, and their words are not from God. This test emphasizes the importance of acknowledging and accepting Jesus as Lord, and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide our words and actions.

(a) Explain what Paul called Spiritual Gifts in 1 Corinthians and how he likened them to the human body.

(b) What is the significance of this teaching to the Church?

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(a) Describe how Deborah led her people to victory.

(b) Mention three ways by which women today are contributing towards national development.

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(a) How does John describe Jesus as the Lamb of God?

(b) In what two ways is this description significant to Christians?

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(a) What did Paul, from his personal example, teach the Thessalonians about dignity of labour?

(b) State two ways by which Christians should uphold this teaching.

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(a) Give an account of the division of the kingdom of Israel.

(b) What unwise policies of Solomon led to it? 

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(a) Narrate the story of the healing of the leper and indicate the significance of the instructions given by Jesus.

(b) In what two ways does God still perform miracles today?

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(a) Narrate the story of Daniel in which his faith was put to test.

(b) What two suggestions would you give to a present-day priest who faces opposition in his work of evangelization

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(a) What happened to Stephen after he had referred to the Jewish Council as stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears?

(b) Of what significance was this episode to the Early Church? 
 

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(a) Describe how Paul dealt with the problem of the Corinthian Christians who did not believe in ressurection.

(b) What is the significance of the ressurection of Christ to Christians?

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