As a kid going to Sunday School, one of the activities we would occasionally do (and I found it fun, by the way) was called a "sword drill." The Bible is referred to as the Sword of the Spirit in Ephesians 6, and the drill consisted of a race: who can find the scripture reference first? Since I had the books of the Bible memorised I never needed tabs or to look in the Table of Contents. This certainly provided an edge over my peers.
Whilst it is of value to know the order of the books of the Bible for ease of reference, it is best to seek to order our lives according to what is written in them. We are to go beyond racing to find a chapter and verse to learning to rightly divide the Word of truth. The exhortation Paul gave to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:15 we ought to take to heart and make our regular practice: "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." Knowing how to safely and effectively handle the sword in combat takes training and practice, and it is true concerning the wielding of the scriptures.
For warriors having a sword in hand was the difference between life and death, and heeding the scripture ourselves is paramount to withstand the attacks of Satan. Jesus was tempted and struck down every temptation with the truth of God's Word - the same words He believed and obeyed. And this may be the point Christians must labour constantly, for unless we actually believe the Word and put it into intentional practice our memorised scriptures may as well be made of cardboard or rubber. If Satan wasn't intimidated to take Jesus Christ on, he certainly will pull no punches with us. Psalm 119:11 says, "Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You!" Those who have truly hidden the word in their hearts shall have it revealed by lives marked with purity and righteousness.
I wonder: instead of focusing a great deal on rote memorisation of the books of the Bible (as useful and practical as this is), would it be better to be able to explain what a single verse says, what the verse means, and how it can be applied to our own lives? Sword drills have their place, but drills are of little value unless we take what we learn into actual battle.
Whilst it is of value to know the order of the books of the Bible for ease of reference, it is best to seek to order our lives according to what is written in them. We are to go beyond racing to find a chapter and verse to learning to rightly divide the Word of truth. The exhortation Paul gave to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:15 we ought to take to heart and make our regular practice: "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." Knowing how to safely and effectively handle the sword in combat takes training and practice, and it is true concerning the wielding of the scriptures.
For warriors having a sword in hand was the difference between life and death, and heeding the scripture ourselves is paramount to withstand the attacks of Satan. Jesus was tempted and struck down every temptation with the truth of God's Word - the same words He believed and obeyed. And this may be the point Christians must labour constantly, for unless we actually believe the Word and put it into intentional practice our memorised scriptures may as well be made of cardboard or rubber. If Satan wasn't intimidated to take Jesus Christ on, he certainly will pull no punches with us. Psalm 119:11 says, "Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You!" Those who have truly hidden the word in their hearts shall have it revealed by lives marked with purity and righteousness.
I wonder: instead of focusing a great deal on rote memorisation of the books of the Bible (as useful and practical as this is), would it be better to be able to explain what a single verse says, what the verse means, and how it can be applied to our own lives? Sword drills have their place, but drills are of little value unless we take what we learn into actual battle.
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