WAEC Christian Religious Studies (CRS) 2020 Theory — Question 7

Model answer

(a) Herod Agrippa joined the opposition to please the Jews. He had James the brother of John killed. After James was killed, he realised that the Jews were happy. In order to please them the more, he had Peter put in prison. Herod's decision was to have Peter killed after the Passover. As Peter was kept in prison, earnest prayer was made for him by the church. The night prior to the day Herod planned to kill Peter, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers bound with two chains. An angel of the Lord appeared to Peter and asked him to get up quickly and the chain fell off his hands. The angel commanded Peter to dress up and put on his sandals and follow him. Peter followed the angel and thought he was seeing a vision. When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. The gate opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and passed on through one street; and immediately the angel left him. And just as they went out, the angel left Peter and he realised that it was an angel of the Lord that came to rescue him. Peter went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark where the church was gathered praying for him. And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a maid named Rhoda came to answer. Recognising Peter's voice, she went into the house to announce his presence. However, the brethren did not believe her and thought she was mad. They insisted that it was Peter's angel. Peter continued knocking and when they saw him, they were amazed. (b) Three factors that can prevent people from becoming committed Christians: Lack of self-denial; Poverty; Lack of self-control; Unforgivingness/intolerance; Unwillingness to give up sinful habit; Wealth/materialism; Not praying regularly; Not reading the Bible regularly; Failure to abide by the word of God; lack of faith; Peer group pressure/bad company; Idolatry; Demonic/satanic influence.