Be honest. How many Bible verses can you recite? Is it five, 10 or more than 100 verses? If you answered by saying the latter, I want to shake your hand. I cannot tell you that many, but I’m trying my best to memorize Scripture. We all should. After all, we at Engage live to “Share truth and apply Scripture.” What if you have that opportunity with someone and you do not have a Bible or a smart device with a Bible app? This is where memorization can be really helpful.
Memorization Won’t Save You
Before I go any further, I want to stress that memorization of the Bible has no impact on one’s salvation. That would be a work, and our works do not get us to heaven (Ephesians 2:8-9). Still, the same Bible does tell us to study God’s Word (2 Timothy 2:15). One way to study something is to commit it to memory. That way, you have it handy if and when you face questions or problems that need answers.
In 2014, Jana Magruder and the Lifeway Kids Team listed seven reasons why kids must memorize Scripture. Those reasons are to know Christ, fight sin, glorify God, feel safe, know they are loved, love others, and persevere. Magruder’s aim was to educate people in children’s ministry, but the reasons work for people of all ages. We all should know Christ (Romans 3:23, 6:23, 5:8, 10:13), and even the saved have to fight sin (1 Peter 5:8, Ephesians 6:11-18). Meanwhile, Christians should glorify God (Psalm 118:24), especially for loving the world so much that He sent Jesus, His only begotten Son, to die for our sins (John 3:16).
When it comes to feeling safe, today’s newscasts can be very unsettling. Whether it’s creepy clowns or politics that may scare the dickens out of you, it’s important to remember God sees what is happening and is not freaking out (Psalm 11:4). And when you remember that, you’ll have an answer for others who might inquire as to why you are so optimistic when others are not. That’s not me saying that, by the way. God inspired Peter to write that in 1 Peter 3:15.
If we share that optimism, and we should, we show others that they too are loved. In fact, we show love to others by sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. We also help preserve the Word of God by keeping things going. This, I think, is another reason to memorize Scripture. Because we’re entering into an age where Bibles are not allowed or will be frowned upon in some circles. How then will we be salt and light if we sound like Porky Pig trying to discuss Scripture and theology with people who think it is nothing more than a fairy tale? It’s not a fairy tale. It’s the greatest story ever told, and it’s based on true events that we hold near and dear through worship, discussion, and memorization.
Tips for Memorization
As with all forms of study, there are different ways, some of which work better than others depending on how your mind works. As a Sunday school teacher for grades four through six, I’ve seen various techniques. These include reading a verse over and over again, then saying it over and over again. A person choosing to do this might even make a schedule helping them commit one or more verses to memory per day, week, month, etc.
Another tip is to write the verse out, and then erase a letter or two as you go through the process of memorization. Eventually, you’ll end up with words not appearing in the verse, the idea being that you’ll be able to have it memorized by that point. Meanwhile, a Christian school I know provides flashcards to kindergarten students. Each card highlights a letter of the alphabet and uses that letter to help the student memorize a verse. For example, A is for, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
Do you memorize Scripture using different techniques? If so, what ideas can you give us? We look forward to hearing from you. In the meantime, pass this information to your family and friends. In doing so, you are joining us in the effort to share truth and apply Scripture.
