24 COMMON QUESTIONS ON FAITH AND GOD’S PROMISES (ABRAHAM) & MARKING SCHEMES

​24 COMMON QUESTIONS ON FAITH AND GOD’S PROMISES (ABRAHAM) & MARKING SCHEMES

01. State five characteristics of God’s covenant with Abraham

• It was unconditional
• It had promises to be fulfilled.
• It had an outside sign /circumcision.
• It was sealed through sacrifice/ritual
• It was voluntary / the parties were willing to enter into covenant /mutual
• It was solemn/binding
• It was initiated by God​

02. Describe ways in which Abraham demonstrated his faith in God

• By abandoning  the idol worship (moon god) to serve Yahweh the true God
• By accepting to leave Haran for an unknown land
• By building alters at Bethel/Shechem in honour God
• By accepting circumcision as a sign of the covenant (He got circumcised/his servants were circumcised/so was his son.
• By sacrificing the animals in the covenant-making
• By accepting the change of their names (Abram to Abraham as the father of the great nation, Sarai / Sarah as the mother of the great nations).
• By agreeing to sacrifice his son Isaac.
• By worshiping god he prayed/sacrificed to god/interceded.
• By believing in the fulfillment of God’s promises
• By making a covenant with God.   

03. Give the promises that God made to Abraham

• Abraham would be the father of a great nation/many descendants/many children
• Abraham would receive personal blessings-will die in peace
• Abraham will receive the honor, and he will have many descendants.
• Abraham will receive a personal reputation/his name will be made a great
• Abraham would receive a personal reputation/his name would be made a great
• All those who bless Abraham would be cursed, and God would protect Abraham.
• Abraham would be a source of blessings to his descendants/ God will rescue Abraham’s descendants.
• Through him, all nations of the earth would be blessed.
• God would give Abraham and his descendants the land of Canaan.
• The covenant would be everlasting.
• He promised Abraham a son/an heir through his wife Sarah.

04. State five actions from the life of Abraham that showed that he had faith in God.

1. He left his home/  family / kindred/ kinsmen ( Gn. 12: 4-5)
2. He circumcised his sons/ male members 17: 23- 24
3. He was ready to sacrifice his son Isaac 22: 1- 12
4. He built altars in honor of God 12: 7- 8
5. He made sacrifices to God 12: 7- 8, 15: 9, 10 22: 13-14
6. He accepted the change  of his name to that  of his  wife 17: 5-6, 15 -6
7. He entered a covenant with God Gen 17, 18

05. List five animals used in the making of the covenant between God and Abraham

• ​A ram
• A she-goat
• A heifer
• A pigeon
• A turtle dove

06. State the promises that God made to Abraham

• He would make Abraham’s name great/ famous
• God would bless those who bless Abraham/ curse those who curse him/ protect him
• All the families of the  world would be blessed through Abraham
• God would give land to Abraham’s descendants
• He would give Abraham  many descendants/ he would have a great  nation
• God will bless Abraham
• God would give Abraham long life/ he would die in peace
• He would give Abraham a son/ heir
• Kings will come from Abraham’s descendants

07. Give reasons why circumcision was important to the Jews

• It was an outward sign of the inner faith  in God
• It was a physical  badge/ identity for  all male children
• It showed that one had  made a covenant with God/ that benefits from God’s promises to Abraham
• It was a sign of obedience to God
• It signified purity/ cleanliness
• Through it, one became a member  of the Jewish  community/ Abraham’s family 

08. State the characteristics of the Covenant between God and Abraham

• It was initialized by God
• It was solemn permanent /long-lasting
• It was unconditional
• There were promises to be fulfilled
• It was sealed through the sacrifice of animals
• The parties entered it willingly/it was voluntary
• It had an outward sign/circumcision
• It was between two unequal parties

09. Explain the importance of God’s covenant with Abraham

• God established a personal relationship with Abraham/Abraham became God’s friend.
• It showed that Abraham had faith/trust in God
• It demonstrated Abraham’s obedience to God.
• Abraham was assured of God’s protection.
• God revealed to Abraham that he would have a son as his heir/ many descendants
• God revealed to Abraham that he would have a son as his heir/many descendants
• It confirmed Abraham as God’s choice through whom all nations shall receive salvation.
• God was in control of Abraham’s life / all other events
• The descendants of Abraham were promised the land of Canaan. 

10. What lessons do Christians learn from the incident when Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son Isaac?

• They should obey God
• They should have faith in God
• They should be patient and wait upon God/should not give up
• They should be prepared to face difficult situations
• They should be ready to give up everything for God/be committed to God
• God blesses those who are ready to serve him
• They should rely on God’s guidance
• They should be wise when dealing with issues affecting their lives
• They should involve family members in worship

11. How does the church help to bring back members who have fallen from the faith?

• By visiting them / inviting them to their homes.
• By being patient / forgiving them.
• By evangelizing to them/preaching / teaching.
• By guiding and counseling them / referring them to experts according to their needs.
• Praying for them.
• By inviting them back to church.
• By encouraging them to repent /confess.
• By offering material needs /aids.

12. Explain four characteristics of a covenant demonstrated in the covenant between God and Abraham.

• A covenant is made between two parties who enter into a mutual agreement. God and Abraham were the two parties that entered into a mutual agreement
• In a covenant promises are made.  God made several promises of what He would do for Abraham
• The covenants are solemnized through rituals. Abraham offered animals/ birds as scarifies to  God.
• A covenant has an outward sign. Abraham was to circumcise all his Children/ descendants to show that he made a covenant with God.
• Covenant has conditions/ obligations to be met.  The covenant between God and Abraham was not broken it bound even his descendants generations later.
• During covenant making there were witnesses. God as the sole initiator rasped through the Sacrifice as the witness to the covenant.
• A covenant is sealed.  It was abseiled through the blood of animal

13. Identify five lessons that Christians learn about God from the call of Abraham.

• God demands faith/obedience from people.
• God is the provider/sustainer/giver.
• God blesses / curses./ God is the protector.
• God is the controller of the world
• God is a spirit / Everywhere
• God is to be worshiped./ God guides people.
• God speaks/makes promises / fulfills promises.
• God cares for His people.

14. Identify seven challenges that Christians face while practicing their faith in Kenya today.

• The emergence of splinter groups within the church.
• The emergence of cults that practice ungodly activities.
• The emphasis on materialism by the churches.
• Lack of role models among the leaders.
• Open conflict among/between the leaders and the church members/authoritarianism.
• Misuse of resources by the leaders.
• Rise of state-church conflict e.g. No/Yes situation.
• Confusion among Christians due to different interpretations of the Bible.
• Church leaders do not have time for all members/discrimination.
• Negative effects of mass media/modern technology
• Permissiveness/moral decadence/during abuse

15. Describe the covenant ceremony between God and Abraham in Genesis 15: 1-9

• Abraham was in doubt about the promise of a son
• God assured him that his son would inherit him and not Eliezer of Damascus. 
• God showed Abraham the many stars and confirmed that his descendants would be as the stars.
• God asked Abraham to bring him a heifer, a goat, a ram, each three years old, a turtle dove, and a young pigeon
• Abraham cut the animals into two and arranged the halves in two rows. 
• The birds were not cut.
• He drove away the birds of prey that targeted the carcasses.
• At sunset, Abraham fell into a deep sleep
• God spoke to him giving the promise that his descendants would be slaves for four hundred years but He would set to liberate them.
• Abraham was promised a long peaceful life
• Abraham saw God pass through the carcasses in the form of a smoking fire pot and  a flaming torch/reaffirming to give his descendants the land   

16. Identify four differences between the Jewish and the traditional African practices of circumcision

• In the Jewish community, it is for boys only while in some traditional African communities it is for both boys and girls. (Gender)
• In the Jewish community, it is done on the eighth day while in traditional African communities, it is done during the adolescent stage. (age)
• Its purpose in the Jewish community is to identify with God’s people while in traditional African communities, it is to promote one to adult life. (purpose)
• Among the Jews, the practice was commanded by God while in traditional
• African communities it was done in obedience to the ancestors. (Source, origin)
• The rite is not seasonal among the Jews as is the case in traditional African communities. (timing)
• In traditional African communities, it is a gateway to more responsibilities while among the Jews one is too young for any responsibility. (Responsibility)

17. Give five reasons why church leaders take vows before starting their mission

• To receive God’s blessing/guidance.
• To get acknowledgment from the people being served.
• It reminds the leader to stick to the church regulations/mission.
• To get the authority of God to lead.
• It gives the leader the courage/confidence to do his/her work.
• It shows one’s willingness/commitment to serve/acceptance
• To emulate the Biblical way of commissioning servants of God.

18. State seven promises made to Abraham by God.

• Give him land
• Make his name famous
• Protect him
• Great Nation
• Bless those who bless him/curse those who curse him
• Live for long/die in peace
• Bless the families of the earth through him
• Make descendants Kings/Priests
• Descendants to be enslaved for four hundred years.
• Give son 
• Bless him

19. Describe the incident when Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son Isaac (Gen 22: 1 – 18)

• God told Abraham to take the only son to Mt. Moriah
• Took his son and three servants
• Arrived after three days of journey
• Abraham commanded servants to remain behind as he and Isaac went up for worship
• Took Isaac, firewood, and Knife and went up
• Isaac asked the father where the lamb of the offering was.
• Abraham told Isaac that God would provide
• Arrived at the place and commanded Abraham to build the altar, tied Isaac, and put him on wood.
• Abraham raised the knife to slay /slaughter the son but the angel stopped him
• Abraham saw a ram which he offered instead of the son
• He called the place “The lord will be provided”
• Angel appeared to Abraham and gave promises
• Abraham returned with his men to Beersheba. 

20. Describe the call of Abraham.

• God commanded Abraham to leave his father’s house to the land that he would show him.
• Abram went as the Lord told him at the age of 75 years.
• Abram took with him Sarai his wife, Lot his brother’s son and all their possessions.
• On arrival in Canaan, Abraham passed through the land up to the place called Shechem.
• At Shechem, the Lord appeared to Abram and told him that he would give him and his descendants the land of Canaan.
• At Shechem, Abram built an altar to the Lord who had appeared to him.
• From Shechem, Abraham moved south to the hill country; east of Bethel. He set up a camp between Bethel and Ai and called on the name of the Lord.  

21. Explain acts of faith demonstrated by Abraham

• Abraham obeyed when God told him to move to an unknown land
• He was ready to sacrifice his only son Isaac
• He believed when he was promised a son
• He built two alters at Bethel and Shechem
• He obeyed God’s instructions to circumcise all males
• He had total faith in God’s greatness and loyalty
• He offered sacrifices to God in Canaan.
• Abraham accepted the change of his name and that of his wife.
• He entered into a covenant relationship with God.
• He abandoned the worship of many gods and went for one true God.

22. Give seven reasons why God called Abraham

• To separate him from idol-worshipping
• To be a founder of God’s great Nation
• God wanted to make a new plan of salvation for all mankind
• God wanted to teach people the meaning of faith
• He was a man of faith/obedience
• It was a new beginning in rescuing mankind from sin
• To make a Holy Nation through him
• To make a covenant with him
• To give his descendants the promised land
• He wanted Abraham to worship him
• God wanted to reveal himself to Abraham
• God wanted to bless him with a son

23. Identify five ways in which Christians can show their faith in God

• Through worshipping of one God
• By speaking the truth
• By helping the needy, sick lame
• By doing his work well
• By obeying the commandments of God
• By being honest and upright

24. Describe the background to the call of Abraham

• He lived in Ur near R. Euphrates
• His father was a Semite
• His community was nomadic.
• His community was worshiping the moon.
• The father was Terah
• He married Sarah
• She remained barren till her old age.
• Settled at a place called Haran
• Had two brothers, Nahur and Haron.