WAEC Christian Religious Studies (CRS) 2015 Theory Past Questions

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Joseph was the son of his father's old age and was specially loved by his father (Jacob). Problems encountered: (i) His brothers hated him because he was favoured by his father. (ii) Jacob made for Joseph a linen robe with sleeves depicting Joseph as a would-be heir instead of Reuben, the eldest son; this made Joseph's brothers hate him. (iii) Joseph had the gift of dreams which he narrated to his father and brothers, implying that Joseph would rule over them. (iv) Joseph brought ill reports of his brothers to their father, which made his brothers hate him more. (v) As a consequence, Joseph was sold to Ishmaelite traders who also sold him to an officer in Egypt.

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As a result of famine in Israel, Joseph's brothers had to travel to seek corn in Egypt. On their second visit, Joseph revealed himself to his brothers as the one they sold into slavery. Joseph wept aloud in front of his brothers and inquired about his father. He told them that God sent him before them in order to preserve life - his predicament was a divine scheme or plan. Although what his brothers did was evil, God had turned it to good. Joseph invited his family to settle in Goshen, gave them abundant food and clothes, and wept tears of joy over Benjamin and the rest of his brothers, kissing them and assuring them of his love.

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(i) When we forgive people, we should forgive them genuinely. (ii) There is a need for reconciliation. (iii) We should avoid hatred or paying evil for evil (and avoid favouritism, and care for others when they need help).

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As Moses was old and going to die, he asked God for a new leader. This was to ensure that Israel would not be without a shepherd. God declared Joshua, son of Nun, as Moses' successor. Joshua was a man with the spirit of God associated with Moses. Moses was to charge Joshua with some of his responsibilities and authority, so that the congregation of Israel would obey him. The responsibilities and authority would be given to Joshua gradually while Moses was still alive. Joshua was to depend on Eleazar, the priest, who would inquire of the Lord by the judgement of the Urim and Thummim. Moses brought Joshua before Eleazar and the congregation, and commissioned him by laying hands on him. Joshua took charge of political/civic issues while Eleazar took care of religious issues. Laying of hand on Joshua signified his divine appointment; he was to follow/mediate upon the law given to him by Moses. God encouraged Joshua to be strong and courageous and pledged to always be with him.

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(i) Leaders should fear God and trust in Him. (ii) Leaders should be faithful and obedient to God's rules so as to be successful. (iii) They should accord respect to everyone, have vision, and be selfless.

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After King Ahab allowed his wife Jezebel to introduce the worship of Baal and Asherah in Israel, God's anger was provoked. God sent Elijah the prophet to pronounce drought/famine on Israel. Ahab accused Elijah of being the cause of the drought; Elijah also blamed Ahab for allowing the worship of Baal, which made the people forsake God. Elijah requested a contest on Mount Carmel to determine who was supreme in Israel - Yahweh or Baal. Elijah asked the Baal prophets to sacrifice a bull on an altar and call on Baal to send fire to consume the sacrifice; Elijah would also sacrifice a bull and ask God to send fire to consume it. According to the plan, the God who answered by fire would be the true God of Israel. The Baal prophets took their turn first and called on their god from morning till noon, but no fire came, and Elijah mocked them, saying their god might be on a journey or asleep. Elijah then built an altar with twelve stones, dug trenches around the altar, and had water poured on the sacrifice and wood three times. Elijah offered a simple prayer, and immediately God sent down fire to consume the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and even licked up the water in the trench. The people declared, 'The Lord, He is God, the Lord He is God.' The supremacy of God of Israel was thus established, and Elijah had the prophets of Baal slain at the Brook Kishon. After the contest, God was shown to be greater than Baal, and it rained soon after, ending the drought.

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(i) The church should stand for the truth. (ii) The church should witness about Jesus Christ. (iii) Members of the church should avoid sin and live exemplary lives. (iv) The church should help the needy in the society. (v) The church should speak against injustice/corruption/immoralities.

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Amos was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore trees when God called him to prophesy in Israel. Amos was vibrant and blunt as he spoke against the social and religious wrong practices of the Israelites of his day. Amaziah, who happened to be the priest at Bethel, reported Amos to the king of Israel, Jeroboam, accusing him of conspiracy and treason: 'Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel.' Amaziah added that Amos had prophesied that the king of Israel would die by the sword and Israel would go into exile. Amaziah confronted Amos and told him that he was forbidden to speak against the king and the temple; Amaziah mistook Amos for one of the false prophets of the time and called him a seer. He commanded Amos to return to Judah where he came from and prophesy and earn a living there. Amos told Amaziah that he was not a fake/professional prophet, but that the LORD had called him to prophesy in Israel while he was tending his flock and dressing sycamore trees. He then told Amaziah that his wife would become a harlot in the city, his sons and daughters would fall by the sword, and Amaziah himself would die in an unclean/exiled land, because Bethel was the king's sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom, and Amos had challenged Amaziah that his message was truly from the LORD.

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(i) Fake/superficial worship and sacrifice. (ii) Occultic and ancestral practices. (iii) Ethnicity/corruption/injustice/bribery/partiality. (iv) Disrespect of the Sabbath (Sunday). (v) Commercial preaching in vehicles/churches/market places.

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When Jesus heard of the work of John the Baptist, he came down from Galilee to be baptized in the river Jordan. John was preaching baptism for the forgiveness of sins. When John saw Jesus, he recognized Him as the expected Messiah, someone superior to him. John said, 'It is I who need to be baptized by you, and are you coming to me?' John therefore became hesitant in baptizing Jesus. Jesus persuaded John to baptize Him so as to fulfil all righteousness. Based on this conviction, John agreed to baptize Jesus through immersion. As Jesus came out of the water, the heavens opened and the spirit of the Lord descended and alighted on Him like a dove. Immediately, a voice came from heaven saying, 'This is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased.' The baptism prepared Jesus for His earthly ministry as it marked His call into public office. The descent of the spirit on Jesus was a symbol of Him being anointed as son of God and being confirmed as the Messiah.

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(i) It marks the membership to the Christian community/identification with Christ and all Christians. (ii) It is a response to God's command. (iii) It is a symbol of death and resurrection with Christ. (iv) It is a sign of repentance and forgiveness. (v) It marks the beginning of a new life.

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On the first day of the week (evening of resurrection), Cleopas and one other disciple were going to Emmaus, discussing the current events in Jerusalem, especially the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus drew near and walked with them, joining the conversation. They could not recognize him and were surprised when he asked them what they were discussing. They asked him whether he was the only stranger unaware of the most current happening in Jerusalem. He asked what it was, and they answered it was about Jesus, a great prophet mighty in words and deeds, and how the Jewish council had delivered him to be condemned to death. He was the one they had hoped would redeem Israel; it was then the third day since it happened, and some of their women had amazed them with the story of his resurrection, though some of their men had gone to the tomb and confirmed it empty, but did not see Jesus himself. Jesus called them fools who were slow of heart to believe all that the prophets had spoken, and beginning with Moses and the prophets, he interpreted to them all that the scriptures had spoken about himself. As they drew near the village, they urged Jesus to pass the night with them; Jesus went in with them, and at the table he took the bread, blessed and broke it, and their eyes were opened and they recognized him as Jesus, who then disappeared from their sight. They wondered how their hearts did not burn within them as he had been explaining the scriptures to them. They immediately returned to Jerusalem and related their experience to the other disciples, who in turn confirmed Jesus' resurrection.

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(i) It gives Christians hope that Jesus is alive. (ii) It confirms that Jesus is the son of God. (iii) It confirms Christians' hope for salvation. (iv) It gives Christians courage to evangelize.

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After the persecution of the disciples by Saul in Jerusalem, he collected letters from the high priest to the synagogue at Damascus, intending to arrest Christians and bring them to Jerusalem for persecution. As he approached Damascus, a light from heaven flashed about him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?' Saul asked who was speaking and found out that it was Jesus he was persecuting. He was asked to get up, go to the city, and wait for further instructions. The men with Saul stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground but could see nothing; he was led to Damascus without his sight, and for three days neither ate nor drank. Ananias, a disciple at Damascus, was asked to go to the street called Straight and ask for Saul of Tarsus, who had been waiting to be healed. Ananias was unwilling to go because he had heard of the havoc that Saul had done to the saints at Jerusalem. God told Ananias to go and heal Saul because Saul was His chosen instrument to carry God's name to the Gentiles and kings. Ananias went, laid his hands on Saul and said, 'Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the way has sent me that you may gain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.' Immediately something like scales fell off his eyes; he regained his sight, was baptized, took food and was strengthened. At Damascus, he proclaimed in the synagogue that Jesus is the son of God.

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(i) Daily study of God's word. (ii) Embarking on evangelism/being fearless and bold to spread the word of God. (iii) Regular attendance at church service. (iv) Commitment to the work of God/faithfulness to God. (v) Helping to fight evil in the society.

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James advised the Christians to live according to the word of the Lord which they had heard. It would be no use to hear the word and fail to put it into practice. James also said that if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like someone who sees himself in a mirror and turns away and immediately forgets himself. According to James, God's blessing comes through works and not just faith. James was also of the opinion that if one thinks he is religious but does not bridle one's tongue, one deceives one's heart and one's religion is in vain. James taught that faith must be combined with practical work to produce the desired result. Faith without work is useless and dead. According to James, faith is justified by works; hence, Abraham believed in God and it was counted to him as righteousness, and he was called a friend of God because he acted on his faith. Rahab the prostitute also justified her faith by work when she received the messengers of Joshua and sent them out by another way. A person is therefore justified by work and not by faith alone. In conclusion, faith should manifest itself in love of God and service to humankind, and not mere expression of it by works alone.

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(i) Loving one another/being hospitable. (ii) Performing one's civic responsibilities and religious obligations. (iii) Taking part in church activities. (iv) Ensuring good governance. (v) Avoiding pride/arrogance and violence.

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Peter advised Christians to put away all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander. He also said Christians should long for the pure spiritual milk (the word of God) so that they may grow up unto salvation. Peter referred to Christians as a chosen race, a royal priesthood and a holy nation. He further said that they are people of God who have been called out of darkness into His marvellous light. According to Peter, Christians were formerly not a people, but now they are God's people; they had not received mercy before, but now they have received mercy. Peter urged the Christians that, as sojourners and exiles, they should abstain from the passions that wage war against the soul. Examples include drunkenness and idolatry. Peter urged Christians to do good deeds among the gentiles so that they may see their good deeds and give glory to God. They should also maintain good conduct. In his letter, Peter advised Christians to be loyal to their masters, whether they are gentle or oppressive. They should also be subject to every human institution, and Christians should live as free servants of God and should honour everyone, love one another, fear God and honour the emperor. Peter said that a servant is approved of his calling if he endures pain while suffering unjustly. According to Peter, it is unacceptable if a servant is beaten for his wrong deed and he retaliates - however, when one does evil and suffers for it patiently, one wins God's approval. Peter finally said that Jesus is a good example of the suffering servant who should be emulated.

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(i) Tribalism/nepotism/discrimination. (ii) Gender bias, regional conflicts, etc. (iii) Bad leadership, homosexuality, sexual favours/sexual harassment. (iv) Intolerance for non-Christians/disturbance as regards worship and evangelism. (v) Secular laws in conflict with religious norms.