Christian Religious Studies · Lesson 11

Humility, forgiveness, giving, civic duty, labour, second coming, faith and works, prayer

JAMBWAECNECO

What the syllabus asks

JAMB: 5 Humility (Phil 2:1-11; 1 Pet 5:5-11; Jas 4:10; Mt 23:12); 6 Forgiveness (Philemon; 2 Cor 2:5-11; Mt 6:14-15); 8 Christian giving (Phil 4:14-20; 2 Cor 8:1-5; 9; Mt 6:2-4); 9 Civic responsibility (Rom 13; 1 Tim 2:1-4; 1 Pet 2:13-17); 10 Dignity of labour (Mt 20:1-16; 2 Thess 3:6-15; Col 3:23-25); 11 Second coming (1 Thess 4:13-18; 5:1-11; 2 Thess 2:1-12; Mt 25:31-46; 2 Pet 3:1-13); 12…

WAEC: 21 James: faith and works (1:2-27; 2:14-26), impartiality (2:1-13), effective prayer (1:2-8; 5:13-18); 22 1 Peter: good citizenship (2:13-17), Christians among non-Christians (2:1-25), interpersonal relationships (5:1-11)

NECO: 21 James: faith and works (1:2-27; 2:14-26), impartiality (2:1-13), effective prayer (1:2-8; 5:13-18); 22 1 Peter: good citizenship (2:13-17), Christians among non-Christians (2:1-25), interpersonal relationships (5:1-11)

What you will learn

Explain Christ’s example of humility and the teaching on humility in Philippians, 1 Peter and James.
Explain forgiveness from Philemon, 2 Corinthians 2 and Matthew 6.
Describe the principles of Christian giving and civic responsibility.
Discuss the dignity of labour and Christian teaching on the second coming.
Explain James’ teaching on faith and works, impartiality and effective prayer.
Apply New Testament teaching to community life, corruption and sexual immorality.

Key points

Humility: Christ emptied himself, became a servant, obedient to death on the cross; God highly exalted him (Phil 2).
“God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble” (1 Pet 5:5); “Humble yourselves… and he shall lift you up” (Jas 4:10).
Philemon: Paul sent Onesimus back “not now as a servant… but… a brother beloved”: “put that on mine account”.
Forgive and comfort the repentant offender (2 Cor 2:7); the Father forgives those who forgive (Mt 6:14-15).
Giving: Macedonians gave beyond their means, first giving themselves; “God loveth a cheerful giver”; give in secret.
Civic duty: be subject to the higher powers; render tribute; pray for kings; “Fear God. Honour the king.”
Labour: the vineyard parable shows God’s generosity and fair dealing; “if any would not work, neither should he eat”; work heartily “as to the Lord”.
Second coming: the dead in Christ rise first; the day comes as a thief; the man of sin first; sheep and goats; one day is as a thousand years.
James: count trials joy; be doers of the word; pure religion visits orphans and widows; faith without works is dead (Abraham, Rahab).
Partiality toward the rich is sin; God is no respecter of persons; do to others as you would have them do to you.
Effective prayer: ask in faith, with right motives; anoint and pray for the sick; confess faults; Elijah’s example.
Community: a royal priesthood with honest conduct; elders serve willingly; family duties; overcome evil with good; corruption and sexual immorality condemned; the body is the temple of the Holy Ghost.

Start here: Humility (Phil 2:1-11; 1 Pet 5:5-11; Jas 4:10; Mt 23:12)

The appeal (Phil 2:1-4)

Paul, writing from prison, urged the Philippians to be likeminded, having the same love, of one accord. “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves”. Each should look also on the things of others.

Christ’s example (Phil 2:5-11)

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Philippians 2:5-8, KJV)

The RSV renders verse 6 as Christ not counting equality with God a thing to be grasped. The KJV “made himself of no reputation” translates the Greek for “emptied himself”, from which comes the term kenosis. Interpreters differ on what he “emptied” himself of: most churches say he did not give up his divine nature but laid aside the outward glory and privileges, taking a servant’s form.

“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11, KJV)

Humility in 1 Peter and James

Peter told the younger to submit to the elder, and all to be “clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble” (quoting Prov 3:34).

“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” (1 Peter 5:6-7, KJV)

He warned, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour”. James says, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up”. Jesus taught, “whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted”.

Lessons

Humility is shown by service, not by words; Christ is the model.
God exalts the humble in his time; the proud are resisted.
Humility promotes unity in church and family.
Humility is not weakness: Christ was humble yet Lord of all.

Application: a prefect or class captain who serves classmates rather than lording it over them follows Philippians 2.

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Practice questions

1. Philippians 2:3 urges believers to esteem

others better than themselves
the rich above the poor
the law above grace
leaders as gods

Show answer

A: others better than themselves
Philippians 2:3.

2. 1 Peter 5:5 says God resisteth the proud, and

rewards the strong
blesses the wise
hears the rich
giveth grace to the humble

Show answer

D: giveth grace to the humble
1 Peter 5:5.

3. Paul asked Philemon to receive Onesimus

as a hired worker
only if he paid his debt first
not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved
as a prisoner

Show answer

C: not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved
Philemon 1:16.

4. Jesus taught that if you do not forgive men their trespasses,

you cannot pray
neither will your Father forgive your trespasses
you must offer a sacrifice
you must fast forty days

Show answer

B: neither will your Father forgive your trespasses
Matthew 6:15.

5. Romans 13:1 teaches that every soul should be subject to

the higher powers
the elders only
the priests
his own conscience alone

Show answer

A: the higher powers
Romans 13:1.

Key words

Humility: A modest view of oneself and willingness to serve; the opposite of pride.
Kenosis: Greek “emptying”; the term for Christ emptying himself (Phil 2:7).
Onesimus: Philemon’s slave whom Paul sent back; the name means “profitable”.
Tithe: A tenth of income given to God (Lev 27:30; Mal 3:10).
Tribute: Tax paid to a ruler (Rom 13:6-7).
Parousia: Greek “presence/coming”; the second coming of Christ.
Rapture: A term (from Latin rapere, to seize) for believers being “caught up” to meet the Lord (1 Thess 4:17).
Man of sin: The figure of lawlessness who appears before the day of the Lord (2 Thess 2:3); RSV “man of lawlessness”.
Partiality / respect of persons: Treating people differently because of wealth, status or appearance (Jas 2:1).
Elders: Church leaders who oversee the flock (1 Pet 5:1).
Filthy lucre: Dishonest or shameful gain (1 Pet 5:2).
Corruption: Dishonest use of power or position for personal gain; in 2 Pet 1:4, moral decay.

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