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Scripture Memorization

Uncle Bud said:
Sure I do.

Can someone point out to me where it says anywhere that we are to memorize scriptures?

A better question is WHY memorize scripture.


It prepares you for a life of productive Christian labour and growth. A thorough knowledge of God's word helps us in our every day life:
  • We are told to be prepared to answer questions concerning our faith in Christ. [size=-2](1PE 3:15)[/size]
  • Paul was able to reason with non-Christians because of a knowledge of the word. [size=-2](AC 17:1-4)[/size]
  • Having the word in our hearts allows us to encourage and teach others. [size=-2](CO 3:16; 2 TI 2:14-17)[/size]
  • Knowing and using the Word teaches us right from wrong. [size=-2](HE 5:13-14)[/size]
  • It can increase our ability to distinguish truth from error in doctrine
  • It will help our prayer life [size=-2](John 15:7)[/size]
  • Knowing God's word allows us to study the Bible more effectively
  • If we know the scriptures we can meditate on it anytime wherever we are. [size=-2](Ps 119:97; Ps 16:7)[/size]
  • It helps us to stand firm against Satan's attacks.
Source taken from
Memory Verses.org

 
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aReformedPatriot

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As a future missionary to a possibly hostile country, such as one in the middle east, my bible will be illegal. I will still have one but not if I get thrown in jail or walking around the streets. We, in america have the luxury of keeping a bible handy, but the more I think of the possibilities for me in the future, if I ever get thrown in a muslim jail those scripture that I have on my heart will be a huge comfort. Not to mention one never knows when they may have to witness without a bible.

Whatever you do, do to the glory of God is my advice, whether that means memorizing or not. But its a definite trait that is invaluable.
 
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SumTinWong

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RED that's ME said:
A better question is WHY memorize scripture.
It is indeed a fine question, and one I asked as well.

It prepares you for a life of productive Christian labour and growth.
How? How does memorizing scripture prepare anyone for a productive life of Christian labour and growth?

A thorough knowledge of God's word helps us in our every day life:
Sure enough, but does one need to memorize the passages to have knowledge of God or His will for us? Certainly Jesus boiled everything down to simple statements like ove God and love each other.


We are told to be prepared to answer questions concerning our faith in Christ. [size=-2](1PE 3:15)[/size]
Yep, I agree, and it is also true that the Bible is foolishness to those who are unbelievers, so in some cases rattling off a number of verses will be nothing but a hinderance, or as the Bible puts it, foolishness. I can give a reason why I have hope, and not even mention a Bible verse in the process.

Paul was able to reason with non-Christians because of a knowledge of the word. [size=-2](AC 17:1-4) [/size]
Where does it mention that he memorized these scriptures?

Having the word in our hearts allows us to encourage and teach others. [size=-2](CO 3:16; 2 TI 2:14-17) [/size]
I have the Word in my heart (Jesus the Christ) and He enables me to encourage and teach others.

Knowing and using the Word teaches us right from wrong. [size=-2](HE 5:13-14)[/size]
"5:13 For everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced in the message of righteousness, because he is an infant. 5:14 But solid food is for the mature, whose perceptions are trained by practice to discern both good and evil."
I still fail to see where this applies to memorizing scriptures...

It can increase our ability to distinguish truth from error in doctrine
Cannot a daily reading of the Bible do the same thing? How does memorizing the Bible or passages enhance the daily study?

It will help our prayer life [size=-2](John 15:7)[/size]
15:7 "If you remainjoh15_notes.htm#1522 in me and my words remainjoh15_notes.htm#1523 in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you."
What were His words? Love God, love each other. If these words remain in you, ask whatever you want... He wasn't speaking of the Bible it was not written yet.

Knowing God's word allows us to study the Bible more effectively
How?

If we know the scriptures we can meditate on it anytime wherever we are. [size=-2](Ps 119:97; Ps 16:7)[/size]
I can do that now, as I have a pocket Bible that i can carry anywhere.

It helps us to stand firm against Satan's attacks.
How?

I respect your opinions for the most Red, I just disagree with you on this one.
 
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SumTinWong

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Well that is a good answer, and if I ever get the calling to be a missionary, that will be a good reason to do this. Good point TLE.
 
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arunma

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Uncle Bud, if you don't want to memorize Scripture, I don't think anyone here believes that you are less of a Christian for that decision. It's just handy knowledge to possess.


Wow, that's a very good point. In places like Saudi Arabia, people live their entire lives knowing nothing but the incorrect information that the Qu'ran teaches them about the Lord Jesus. If you ever do become a servant of the good people in Saudi Arabia, God bless your mission.
 
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GreenEyedLady

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Uncle Bud said:
What part confused you? The part where someone challenged me to try it, and I said no thanks? I don't get the confusion.

Bud,

Have you ever lead anyone to the Lord? You know, witnessed to them and then they accepted Christ as thier Saviour right there while you prayed along with them?
 
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seebs

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I try not to memorize, but to remember. For me, words memorized verbatim lose a lot of their meaning, because I can only understand them as I memorized them. It's better, for me, to have a sense for "there was a passage about halfway through Luke about this", and go read the WHOLE passage, in context, and look at it with fresh eyes.
 
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GreenEyedLady

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This is intresting.
Satan battles us in our mind and in our thoughts. Knowing the Word in our mind fights against the enemy. It is our sword.
These words speak to me ALOT. For instance........
My life verse which is 1chron 16:11
Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually.
When i was left with the horrible images of seeing my daughter dead, this verse helped my mind and the images it had in it and forced me to think of Christ's face and to seek his strength. I was able to overcome those horrible images with the strenght the Lord provided me and seeking his face.........................whoa. That was a trip! I mean, I take these verses to heart. They are my spirtual food, they feed my soul.

GEL
 
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Quantum_Man

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"Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'" -Mt. 22:37

It takes time and mental effort to memorize Scripture. I've been in a lot of situations when talking with people and I knew the verse I wanted to say but couldn't remember the exact verse or reference so I had to very loosely paraphrase it. I'd rather be able to give people God's Word in the its purest form, knowing it has power and won't return void.
 
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arunma

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seebs said:
I see all English translations as paraphrases anyway.

FWIW, I also don't think of Scripture as the Word, which is a term I believe refers exclusively to Jesus.

Well I agree that Jesus is the only Word of God (with a capital W). But the Bible is still God's word in the sense that it is his revelation.

As for English translations, not all of them are paraphrases. King James, New King James, and English Standard are all good, literal transations. I prefer the ESV, becuase it's very readable, without loss of literality. Also, I can't get over the fact that the KJV Bible advocates the existence of unicorns.
 
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hindsey

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arunma said:
Also, I can't get over the fact that the KJV Bible advocates the existence of unicorns.

Unicorn
U'NICORN
, n. [L. unicornis; unus, one, and cornu, horn.]
1. an animal with one horn; the monoceros. this name is often applied to the rhinoceros.

I believe in unicorns...


Uncle Bud said:
I have the Word in my heart (Jesus the Christ) and He enables me to encourage and teach others.
Psalm 119:11 "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." Is not referring to Jesus Christ. It is referring to His written words - made plainly clear by the context of the Psalm.
 
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SumTinWong

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GreenEyedLady said:
Bud,

Have you ever lead anyone to the Lord? You know, witnessed to them and then they accepted Christ as thier Saviour right there while you prayed along with them?
No. Why is that important to this discussion?
 
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SumTinWong

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I am with seebs
 
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SumTinWong

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When you give God's word to them in its purest form, is it Greek, Aramaic, or what?
 
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GreenEyedLady

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Uncle Bud said:
No. Why is that important to this discussion?

It would be pretty hard to witness and lead someone to Christ if you really don't care about knowing (memorizing) scriptures. I had a feeling that you had never expierienced this. It is every christains job to "give" out the word and Gospel to the unbelievers. It is every christians job to pass out the Word of God to believers for comfort and unbelievers for salvation. Why are you "hiding it" from others who need it?

GEL
 
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SumTinWong

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hindsey said:
Psalm 119:11 "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." Is not referring to Jesus Christ. It is referring to His written words - made plainly clear by the context of the Psalm.
Jesus has written words? Where? The muslims will be ionterested in this for sure.

Psalms 119:11 "I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you."
H565
אמרה אמרה
'imrâh 'emrâh
im-raw', em-raw'
The second form is the feminine of H561, and meaning the same: - commandment, speech, word.

Right after this he says:
Psalms 119:12-13 "Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes! 13 With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth."

Psalms 119:16 I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.
H1697
דּבר
dâbâr
BDB Definition:
1) speech, word, speaking, thing
1a) speech
1b) saying, utterance
1c) word, words
1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner

So this does not seem to me to be a written thing... It seems to me that in keeping with David, and friends, I am following in his footsteps by keeping these things in my heart, but not memorizing them verbatum.
 
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SumTinWong

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GreenEyedLady said:
It would be pretty hard to witness and lead someone to Christ if you really don't care about knowing (memorizing) scriptures.
Not true. Knowing and memorizing are two different things. There are many people who have memorized things, and taken them out of context to help there present situation or what not. They don't know the correct basis for the texts. And yet they will spout them off as if they mean something, and that will draw others to Christ. It won't.

I had a feeling that you had never expierienced this.
And what pray tell was your feeling based on? I have witnessed, to people, just never "prayed the prayer" with them, so how does that jive with your feeling now?

It is every christains job to "give" out the word and Gospel to the unbelievers.
Agreed, but what is the Gospel GEL? What is the good news, that they were to pass out? I know this, and can relate this to anyone, and don't need to memorize scriptures to do it.

It is every christians job to pass out the Word of God to believers for comfort and unbelievers for salvation.
Agreed, and the Word of God is Jesus, and we pass Him along to others in many ways, one of them being acting in love.

Why are you "hiding it" from others who need it?
Why are you assuming that I am hiding anything from anyone?

You make me laugh, you are so funny sometimes, it is hard to get mad at your insinuations.
 
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