Christ’s great commission is to “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Mat 28:19-20). In commanding us to “teach all nations” or “make disciples of all the nations” (NIV, NLT, NKJV), He left no doubt as to what we’re to be teaching them, “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” But rather than teaching Christ’s commandments, Trinitarian ministers concocted their own religious discipleship programs that accomplish nothing of eternal value.
Their discipleship programs are simply doctrines and commandments of men: “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Mat 15:9); “(Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?” (Col 2:21-22); “Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth” (Tit 1:14). When Paul said, “Touch not; taste not; handle not,” he was alluding to the original deception, “God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it” (Gen 3:3). Commandments of men aren’t what God commanded.
I was a Trinitarian disciple for almost 30 years until my own study of the Scriptures finally led me to the truth taught by Jesus Christ and His apostles. Although I was a disciple of Trinitarian ministers, I wasn’t a very good one because I constantly questioned and bucked their program. I was an ongoing frustration to them because of my dogged pursuit of the truth in contention with their false doctrines.
Memorizing Scripture is one of the greatest dupes Trinitarian ministers lade on their disciples. They tout it by misusing certain statements: “thou shalt meditate therein day and night” (Jos 1:8); “Thy word have I hid in mine heart” (Psa 119:11); “Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart” (Pro 7:3). Memorizing verses helps us feel as though we’re accomplishing something, while wasting our time and mental energy accomplishing virtually nothing!
Another hoodwink is getting us on daily Bible reading plans by blended, canonical, chronological, historical, or Old and New Testament together. By immersing us into a daily reading plan, it soothes our consciences that we’re doing something of eternal value, and also keeps us from in-depth study of the Scriptures to discover the truth for ourselves. But if we really want to study, however, they direct us to their commentaries, theological works, study groups, and “Christian” books that keep us trudging down the broad way to destruction.
Memorizing verses, daily Bible reading, listening to sermons, attending Bible study groups, and reading “Christian” books are all aimed at occupying us with exactly what Christ warned against, “whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them … every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not” (Mat 7:24,26). Their programs simply spin our wheels hearing and hearing but not doing!
Apologetics is another huge deception of Trinitarian discipleship programs. It’s essentially training us to defend the very system that’s damning our own souls! Rather than “earnestly contend for the faith [faithfulness] which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jde 1:3), it’s contending for their false Trinitarian theological system. They misuse Peter’s directive, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1Pe 3:15), to convince us that we need to be trained with arguments against any objections. But Peter was quoting from Isaiah, “Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and lethim be your fear, and lethim be your dread” (Isa 8:13). When we fear God in our hearts and not men, He will give us what needs to be said: “take no thought how or what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit [breath] of your Father which speaketh in you.” (Mat 10:19-20); “Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist” (Luk 21:14-15); “And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit [breath] by which he spake” (Act 6:10).
Trinitarian discipleship programs also include fasting, fellowshipping, giving time and money to Trinitarian ministries, husbands and wives praying together, keeping a journal, meditating, and sharing their “gospel” message with others. It’s all about keeping us busy doing anything except what Christ commanded. Rather than “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you,” they’re teaching them to observe their program on the broad way to destruction.
Paul’s last words about the time that would come have indeed developed into the condition of the church today, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables [mythos 3454]” (2Ti 4:3-4). The Greek noun mythos is where our English “myths” is derived. The teaching of Protestant churches that God is a Trinity of persons, man is an eternal spirit being, and salvation is by faith are simply myths. But because such doctrines have been taught for hundreds of years, people have become grounded in them that they now turn their ears away from the truth when it comes.
This current plight is no accident. The devil is deceiving, confusing, and distracting with false doctrines to keep people from the truth so that they will perish. The Protestant Reformation wasn’t an initiative to return to the beliefs of the early church as it has been acclaimed. It was a calculated and formulated deception by the enemy to infiltrate myths to the multitudes under a façade of the truth.
The Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a split from the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) about 500 years ago that was hailed as the point where Christians finally returned to “the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jde 1:3). However, it wasn’t so much a reforming as it was a rebranding. A reform is an improvement upon what is wrong to something better. And this would have been the case had the Reformation gotten a wrong gospel message right. But the errors of the RCC were far deeper and more pervasive—it had a wrong view of God, a wrong view of man, and a wrong gospel message. But rather than discarding the entire mess and truly reforming, the Reformation kept the same wrong view of God and man, then simply formulated another wrong gospel message from out of it. Protestant churches today are essentially the RCC rebranded under a new name and image with a new message. It’s the same “product” but in new packaging—a subtle and devious marketing strategy.
Furthermore, not only was the Protestant Reformation not a reformation, it also wasn’t a protest—it was by the agency and design of the RCC. Its own Martin Luther appeared to lead a dissent from the mother church after having come to the “enlightenment” that justification is by faith. The true intent of this event, however, was that in the course of diverting everyone’s attention to the noble endeavor of getting the gospel message right, it was covertly reinforcing the Trinitarian view of God as right! In other words, it was a deflection from the main underlying issue while also buttressing it in the process. Though both sides have been hotly debating for hundreds of years whether salvation is by faith plus works or by faith alone, hardly a peep has been uttered about the correct view of God. This was never in question. Fighting passionately against the lesser things that were wrong left the false impression that the greater things were right.
There’s nothing more important than our view of God. Worship a wrong god and nothing else ultimately matters. There’s no possibility that Martin Luther could have begun with the same wrong god as the RCC, and along with the same wrong view of man, yet somehow reached the correct gospel message of salvation. It simply can’t happen. And even if it did happen—if he truly did discover the correct gospel—it’s still worshipping a false god that doesn’t save.
The mother of harlots
So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. (Revelation 17:3-6)
Many have recognized and maintain that this woman is the RCC. She is decked in the pomp and pageantry of her popes and cardinals attired in purple and scarlet, gold and precious stones. She established the doctrine of the Trinity by anathematizing and putting to death any that stood for the truth taught by Jesus Christ. And she is “THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS” by virtue of having given birth to thousands of Protestant Trinitarian churches all over the world committing fornication with a Trinity of persons rather than knowing “the only true God” (Jhn 17:3), and His Son Jesus Christ.
The seven heads of the beast carrying the woman might very well be the seven largest Trinitarian organizations: the RCC, Reformed, Anglican, Methodist, Lutheran, Pentecostal, and Baptist. We were told earlier, “And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy” (Rev 13:1). If this is the true identity of the seven heads, then “the name of blasphemy” on its heads is “Trinity.” Since the number within the name “Trinity” is tri- or three, then this is “the number of his name” (Rev 13:17).
Now the Spirit [breath] speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. (1 Timothy 4:1-3)
Paul accurately described the coming RCC. They forbid their priests from marrying and require abstinance from meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and all Fridays during Lent. And this is what God’s breath spoke expressly or specifically would happen in the latter times.
In the very end times, however, God’s people will come out from this woman, “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues” (Rev 18:4). Within the RCC and Protestant churches are many that embrace the Trinitarian view of God in sincere ignorance because it was taught to them. But the day will come when they’ll no longer be ignorant of the truth and will be given a final opportunity to escape.
Jesus Christ was sent by God. He taught that He is the Son of God and His Father is God, and even His God. The doctrine of a Triune God didn’t come from Him. Then where did it come from? What’s its source? Paul said that doctrines of devils come from those forbidding marriage and requiring abstinence from meats. The doctrine of the Trinity came from the organization that fits his description.
Vain babblings
The Protestant Reformation wasn’t a return to the true gospel message but a continuance of the false Trinitarian view of God. It gave people seeking the narrow road that leads to life another option. And although it might have seemed more appealing than the RCC, it’s still not the narrow road.
The subtlety behind the Reformation is that it continued the spread of the RCC false view of God and man primarily through diversion tactics. Its first and main diversion was that salvation isn’t by “faith plus works” as taught by the RCC but by “faith alone” or the Latin sola fide. But Martin Luther was wrong in this understanding of “The just shall live by faith” (Rom 1:17), because Habakkuk wasn’t talking about faith but faithfulness, “because of his faithfulness” (Hab 2:4 NET) “by his faithfulness” (Hab 2:4 NIV). Paul even clarified this later in Romans, “This was also to demonstrate his righteousness in the present time, so that he would be just and the justifier of the one who lives because of Jesus’ faithfulness” (Rom 3:26 NET). The just live—have eternal life—by Jesus Christ’s faithfulness to His Father in giving Himself as the sacrifice for our sins.
Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith [faithfulness] which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed [trusted] not. (Jude 1:3-5)
Protestant Trinitarianism claims that “the faith [faithfulness] which was once delivered unto the saints” is a body of doctrinal beliefs that was delivered to the early church by the apostles. And this body of beliefs, of course, is the Protestant Trinitarian system of theology! But Jude wasn’t talking about a belief system but the faithfulness God delivered to His people at the time of the Exodus, “the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt” (v. 5). God taught them faithfulness and trust in Him—the same way we’re saved today. Jesus Christ taught us to be faithful servants to Him as Lord: “No man can serve two masters” (Mat 6:24); “Who then is a faithful and wise servant” (Mat 24:45); “Well done, thou good and faithful servant” (Mat 25:21); “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Luk 6:46).
The Protestant doctrine of justification by “faith alone” is just as false and damning as the RCC doctrine of “faith plus works.” It only sounds more appealing because it supposedly glorifies the finished work of Christ on the cross by excluding any of our own works. But this isn’t what it does. It’s just another false gospel message founded upon the RCC false view of God intended to keep people from the truth. By inventing the dilemma of “faith alone” versus “faith plus works” then making such a racket about it, it underhandedly sold us the bill of goods that the RCC Trinitarian view of God was correct since that issue was never even questioned.
The devil is a master distractor. Sola Fide, Calvinism, the rapture, Once Saved Always Saved, speaking with tongues, and many other popular mainstream doctrines are simply smokescreens intended to confuse, deceive, waste precious time and resources, and divert people’s attention away from the greatest issue of the false Trinitarian view of God. Much of what’s being taught in Protestant Trinitarian churches today is simply vain babblings intended to distract and divert people away from the narrow road that leads to eternal life. Paul warned Timothy several times about those spreading vain babblings or words to no profit: “From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling” (1Ti 1:5-6); “O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane andvain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called” (1Ti 6:20); “Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit,but to the subverting of the hearers” (2Ti 2:14); “But shun profane andvain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness” (2Ti 2:16).
Calvinism has proven to be a huge distraction that has wasted unfathomable amounts of time and resources over hundreds of years. It’s simply a cloak to divert people’s attention away from the true gospel message. Trinitarian theologians don’t want us to learn the truth that becoming God’s child is by being joined to His chosen people in Christ Jesus, “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will” (Eph 1:4-5), “Ye are the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead. For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.” (Deu 14:1-2).
The entire Calvinist and Arminian debate about whether “chosen us in him before the foundation of the world” (Eph 1:4) means God chooses which individuals will be saved, is simply a grand diversion to keep people from learning the truth that it’s really about God’s chosen people. They don’t want people to learn that we’re saved by being joined to God’s people and faithfully serving their Lord and Messiah.
It’s an utter shock to come to the realization that Calvinists and Arminians are actually on the same side! They’re not trying to find the truth but fight against the truth. They’re working together to keep people distracted from finding the truth for themselves. In the process of endless debates endeavoring to debunk each other, they’re deliberately confusing us and robbing our precious time from learning what Paul so earnestly wanted us to understand, “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened” (Eph 1:18). The entire Calvinism and Arminianism debate is a sinister ruse to keep us blinded from the truth. It’s a deluge of questions, debates, controversies, and disputes about the meaning of words, “doting about questions and strifes of words” (1Ti 6:4). Does God choose who will be saved? Do we have a free will? What’s the meaning of foreknowledge, predestination, and election? Are you supralapsarian or infralapsarian? It’s wasting people’s time and damning them in the process.
Another shrewd distraction from the truth is the doctrine of the rapture. The intent is to detour people’s hope away from the Lord’s return and the resurrection by inventing an independent rapture event. Rather than the living being caught up with the dead at the Lord’s return, it’s now about escaping the Tribulation period by a rapture up to heaven. It’s simply a digression from our true hope to a false one.
Probably the most nefarious divergence of all is the detouring of honest seekers away from striving to keep the commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus told us to teach new converts obedience to everything He commanded, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Mat 28:19-20). But this isn’t what’s happening today.
As an unscrupulous substitute, Protestant leaders devised “discipleship” programs where new converts are taught to memorize Bible verses on index cards, stick to a daily Bible reading plan, and participate in small group Bible discussions, but to get their understanding of the Bible from their sermons, books, and commentaries. This isn’t simply an oversight or misunderstanding about what Jesus told us to do. Theologians and scholars are highly intelligent men with no problem understanding Christ’s simple commandment. Rather, it’s deliberately misleading honest seekers to the path of destruction. By diverting them to a lifestyle of such religious practices, they’re effectively keeping them from a life of faithful obedience to Jesus Christ as Lord. They’re actually hindering not helping their salvation.
Jesus taught that we’re to not only hear but also do the commandments He delivered in His Sermon on the Mount, “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock … And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand” (Mat 7:24, 26). He said that if we’re not doing His commandments, He will banish us from His presence and we’ll perish, “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Mat 7:23). This is the true and only gospel message that saves.
Conclusion
Protestant churches are steeped in myths about God, man, and salvation purposely intended to keep its multitudes deceived, confused, and diverted away from the truth taught by Jesus Christ. The pastors of these churches teach and preach anything other than what will get people on the narrow road that leads to life, “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Mat 7:14). They teach topically and verse-by-verse, they teach on marriage and family, they teach apologetics, they teach theology, they teach against sin, they teach on faith, they even teach through the entire Bible, but they won’t teach the commandments of Jesus Christ and they won’t agree with what He declared about God and about Himself.
Jesus said, “But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil” (Mat 5:37). If someone doesn’t answer a simple Yes/No polar question with simply “Yes” or “No,” then according to Christ Himself, they have evil motives. If you feel so inclined, ask your Trinitarian pastor this simple question, “Is God the Father, Jesus Christ’s God?” If he answers “Yes,” then he’s not a Trinitarian and needs make it known publicly. If he answers “No,” then he’s disagreeing with the Lord Jesus Christ because He called His Father “My God” before His death (Mat 27:46), after His resurrection (Jhn 20:17), and after His ascension to His Father’s right hand (Rev 3:12). On the other hand, if he answers neither “Yes” or “No,” then there’s evil in his motives. Not answering a polar question is dodging the question to keep from being identified with either side. But why wouldn’t a “Christian” pastor want to be on Christ’s side?
Alright, the title of this article is meant to get your attention. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t ever try to memorize Scripture, only that it should have its proper priority in our walk with God. Some ministers endorse Scripture memorization as one of, if not the most fundamental and important of all spiritual disciplines. I humbly and respectfully disagree. I contend that memorizing Scripture should be regarded as one of the least important endeavors in which to occupy our time.
Suppose, for example, that you work an office job where your boss emailed you instructions for a special project. A couple of days later she follows up with you for an update on the progress of the project. But instead of having worked on it you spent all the allotted time memorizing the email she sent! Do you suppose she’ll be happy that you can quote back to her verbatim everything she wrote? Most likely she couldn’t care less that you can quote any of it and was never expecting you to do that. The only thing that matters to her is your progress in doing what she told you to do. Now, why would it be any different with God? Do we think He is pleased that we’re not doing what He said yet we can quote it?
Probably the most common verse cited to teach Scripture memorization is: “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success” (Jos 1:8). But notice that the entire objective is that we do it! Granted, if speaking God’s word, meditating in it, and even memorizing it helps to obey then by all means we should do these things. But as James said, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (Jas 1:22). We’re deceived if we think that hearing and even memorizing God’s word without doing it is accomplishing anything in God’s sight.
I know some ministers that start new converts with a regiment of Scripture memorization. They have them purchase a verse packet or have them write verses on index cards to carry around with them and read throughout the day. I’ve even heard them claim that “make disciples” in Christ’s statement, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.” (Mat 28:19-20 NKJV), means that new Christians are to discipline themselves particularly in Scripture memorization. However, Christ stated that it means “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.” True discipleship isn’t teaching them to memorize but to obey.
Understanding the Scriptures
Now, in case you might be thinking that I haven’t memorized much Scripture and that I’m just making excuses here, I assure you that I can quote my fair share. In fact, not only can quote many verses but even many entire chapters. But most of this retention didn’t come from trying to memorize but simply from disciplined reading and studying in order to understand the Scriptures. I’ve found that the more I understand what God is saying, the more it sticks with me.
Paul prayed for the Christians in Ephesus: “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened” (Eph 1:18). He didn’t pray for them to memorize it but to understand it. God’s word is the message He intended to convey through the Scriptures. If we don’t have the correct understanding God meant to communicate, then we don’t have the word of God. What good is it to quote something that we don’t even understand and aren’t applying correctly?
Also, what about languages? Am I quoting God’s word when I quote it in English? If so, which English Bible Version? Would it not be better to memorize and quote it in the original languages it was written? It’s quite instructive that Paul usually quoted from the Septuagint which is a Greek translation of the original Hebrew. This indicates that he esteemed the intended message to be what matters. In other words, what’s important is that the message God intended to communicate is being conveyed correctly whether it be through Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, English, Chinese, Spanish, or some other language. God’s word is His message to us.
Furthermore, what about people in false religions? Many Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses can quote a lot of verses as well. Does it really do them any good? What about Jewish people that reject Jesus as their Messiah? Many can put us to shame with their Scripture memorization yet they’re not saved. What does it ultimately accomplish for them?
Even when I can quote particular verses or passages when around other people, I almost never do. For example, if I’m in a class or a Bible study where a certain passage or reference is mentioned that I know I can quote, I almost always look it up in my Bible and read it instead. I don’t want anyone knowing that I can quote it. God’s word is just as effective whether I read it from my Bible or quote it from memory. There’s no need to try and impress anyone by quoting it.
I used to have an elementary school teacher who would have each student in class read out loud a paragraph from a book then explain it back in our own words what we just read. This was to test our reading comprehension. And this same principle applies with Scripture. It’s more important that we can correctly paraphrase in our own words what the Scriptures are saying rather than quoting it verbatim.
Hypothetically, what if we memorized the entire Bible and could literally quote it all verse by verse? Paul said that without love “I am nothing” (1Co 13:2). If we’re not obeying Christ’s commandment to love others, then quoting the entire Bible means absolutely nothing. Some are deceived into thinking they’re really doing well because they can quote verses yet they’re not treating others right.
Proof-texting memorization
“Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes” (Deu 11:18); “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psa 119:11); “Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.” (Jer 20:9); “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” (Jhn 15:7); “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Rom 12:2); “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph 6:17); “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Col 3:16); “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb 4:12).
These are the most common proof-text verses for memorization yet actually say nothing of the sort. Having His word in our hearts, for example, isn’t about memorizing but living because our hearts are where the motives for our actions are stored. Some people do and say the right things but with the wrong motives—it’s ultimately about benefitting themselves in some way. As servants of the Lord, on the other hand, we should be doing and saying what’s right with the intent of pleasing God even when displeasing people. This is what it means to have His word in our hearts.
Furthermore, renewing our minds isn’t about memorizing Scripture but about having a mindset of no longer being conformed to the ways of this world. Earlier Paul had urged the Christians in Rome, “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom 6:11). It’s in our minds that we reckon ourselves to be dead to sin and therefore live righteously in obedience to Christ as Lord. This is what he meant later by “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Rom 8:6). A renewed mind is a spiritual mind. It’s having the mindset and attitude of a servant like Christ Himself, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Phl 2:5). Those who are of the world are carnally minded—they ultimately live for what they can have in this life.
Reasons given to memorize Scripture
People come up with all kinds of reasons to push Scripture memorization on others. One is that it supposedly sharpens our witnessing skills to make us more effective. Actually, what’s far more important is that we’re sharing the true saving gospel message. What good is it to quote a lot of Scripture to someone yet ultimately communicate to them a false message? Besides, sometimes one of the best things we can tell someone is our own testimony of how God changed our lives. We don’t need to be able to quote verses to do this.
Another reason is that memorization supposedly strengthens our prayer life. But prayer is simply talking to God as our normal selves, being sincere and transparent before Him. What He really wants when we approach Him in prayer is a broken spirit and a contrite heart, not quoting verses back to Him. Living a life of obedience to His Son in striving to always please Him is what’s conducive to a strong prayer life.
I heard one man tell about having memorized the first three chapters of Ephesians and what an unspeakable blessing it was to him. But my question would be how much of those three chapters does he really understand? I can quote most of Ephesians—more than just the first three chapters—yet I don’t really find it to be a great blessing. And most of my retention of it didn’t come by trying to memorize but from many years of studying the letter intently to understand it. For me, the true blessing comes with understand the message from God that Paul revealed in Ephesians.
Finally, one last popular reason given for memorizing Scripture is that it supposedly helps us resist temptation. Of course the main example of this is when Jesus quoted verses to the devil. But most all orthodox Jewish men can quote at least the Torah—the first five books written by Moses—yet this doesn’t give them victory over temptation. Everyone except Jesus has sinned. Just memorizing and quoting Scripture doesn’t keep us from sinning.
The trial of our faithfulness
Some think of discipleship as “connecting” with a new convert over coffee and helping them memorize Bible verses. But when suffering persecution, and when tragedies in life occur, being able to quote a few verses is superficial and does little good. What we really need is spiritual maturity and the fear of God.
James began his letter “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith [faithfulness] worketh patience” (Jas 1:3), then said toward the end, “Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy” (Jas 5:11). Job’s faithfulness to God was sorely and severely tested far beyond anything any of us will ever endure. He had 10 children and lost all 10 in one day! I cannot even fathom having to go through something like that. He was a real person with real feelings and emotions who loved his children dearly just as we do. He was also ruined financially then later was stricken with a terrible disease that almost took his life.
How did he patiently endure these trials? Did he quote Bible verses he had memorized? Actually, none of the Bible had even been written yet! He was strong through it all because he lived righteously in the fear of God and avoided all appearance of evil, “And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?” (Job 1:8). Notice that this was God Himself praising Job. What gets us through the trials of our faithfulness is having God on our side defending us against the attacks of the enemy. This only comes by living in faithful service to Him by striving to always please Him. It doesn’t come by simply quoting, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Phl 4:13).
Understanding Scripture 