I delivered this talk to students and faculty at a Bible College in 2025. The talks Call to Holiness and What is Holiness precede it.
Good morning. Thank you for honoring me to speak with you yet again. I do not take it lightly; you have honored me deeply. Thank you to those of you who gave me feedback yesterday. It helps me, as a teacher, know where my audience is.
Two days ago, I gave you the motives for holiness. Yesterday, I defined more exactly what is holiness by numerous examples from Romans 12, Ephesians 4, and Colossians 3. I discussed holiness in 6 areas: Holiness of Mind, Holiness of Body, Holiness in Emotions, Holiness toward the Unlovely, Holiness toward All, and Holiness toward God. I entitled today’s talk, “The Path to Holiness.” In it, I will give you concrete ways to accomplish holiness.
In my first talk, I told you in order to untrain cultural morals and train Biblical morals, you must first study the Bible, because you can’t know what is right until you’re taught it. I challenged you to study two 3-chapter sections of the Bible, but I gave you no helps in that study. For the first part of this talk, I will help, challenge, and encourage you in one way to study, Bible memorization.
When I was your age, during my summer break between my first and second years at Caltech, a friend of mine named John from my hometown organized a 5-person Bible Study in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5-7. John’s full of zeal. Another friend once said about him, “If your first conversation with John lasts more than 10 minutes, you’re sure to hear the gospel.” In that Bible Study, John challenged all of us to memorize the entire Sermon on the Mount. I was daunted, at first. I had only memorized 2 chapters before: Psalm 23 and Psalm 121. These are short; the longest is only 8 verses. Matthew 5 alone is 48 verses. However, I like a challenge, and I took it up. We all did, and by summer’s end, all of us had finished memorizing chapter 5, and a few were further along. I’m a determined person, and I finished memorizing all three chapters my second year at Caltech. And once I finished, I had caught a bug: I wanted to memorize more, because memorization deeply opened the Scriptures to me. And, since that year, I have continued memorizing chapters.
I do not want to gain honor from what I’m about to say. But I will say it, because I want to challenge you and encourage you in just how far you can go, if you set your mind now on Bible Memorization. So, please take this as a challenge and encouragement, not a boast. Years ago, I asked the Lord to keep me alive until I had memorized one-tenth of his word. There are 1189 chapters in the Bible. And, he granted that request: I completed memorizing my 119th chapter in 2017. Some, who know I’ve memorized much, ask me how I do so, and the answer is very simple: 5 lines, 4 times per week, over many years.
Notice I memorize lines, not verses. I think memorizing reference numbers is an over-complicated waste of time. You’re trying to understand God’s word; the numbers added over 1,000 years later are not part of it.
I memorize 4 days per week and read 3 days per week. I’d like to memorize more, but it’s extremely intense. It takes 45 minutes per day, because so much is bound up in review. The 5 lines take about 10 minutes; the remaining 35 minutes I review previously memorized sections. By only memorizing 4 days per week, I can break the intensity up and have enough endurance to continue the next week. Furthermore, it’s still good to have a general knowledge of the entire Bible. Reading 3 chapters 3 days per week gets me through the Bible once every 2.5 years.
Each memorization day, I first recite two chapters: the last chapter I memorized and one of the last 5 chapters I memorized. Then I recite the current chapter up to the point where I must add new lines. I usually mess up along the way and must brush up sections. When I memorize my 5 new lines, I break it into smaller sections of 1-2 lines each, a section short enough that I can get it in one try. I recite each section alone 5 times, then merge them and recite the merged section 5 times. Once I have all 5 lines down, I recite them 10 times. Finally, I recite today’s 5 lines with last time’s 5 lines 3 times. If, at any point, in any of these recitations, I mess up, I brush up the mess and don’t count that time. At the end, I recite 4-6 chapters I memorized in the past, trying to keep them in long term memory. Once I have completed a chapter, I spend a number of days only reciting that chapter and not adding new lines. I do it until I can cleanly recite the current chapter the first time I try it; I call that chapter mastered. Once it’s mastered, I start a new chapter. I break long chapters into smaller pieces, and master each piece one-at-a-time. For example, I memorized Exodus 12 this year, the story of the Passover, in two pieces; I first mastered verses 1-28, then I mastered verses 29-51.
These specifics are too specific for you. You will need to tailor it to your abilities. Furthermore, this method works best for auditory (by ear) learners, some of you learn better visually or with your hands. My son, Derek, sent me a video July 4th of this year, American Independence Day. In it, he recites the American Declaration of Independence from a mountain pass in Colorado called Independence Pass. The Declaration of Independence is 1320 words long, about two Bible chapters in length. Derek’s both a visual and auditory learner. He memorized many Bible sections growing up in my house. He doesn’t like breaking the section into smaller pieces. Instead, he goes front to back multiple times, just looking at it, and gets it down. A man I mentored, named Troy, learns better with hands, which is called kinesthetic learning. He memorized Psalm 119 by writing the chapter down every day for a month. That’s a much faster rate than I memorize. Some of you, who are musical, will find it easier to put a chapter to song.
Whatever way you choose, I challenge you today to memorize. If you start young, and continue, you can have much memorized years from now. I know you are busy in your studies, and doing yet more Bible after hours may be wearisome. Tailor your rate to your abilities and don’t lose your zeal. Once your studies complete, increase it. Where should you start? If you continue, it doesn’t matter much; you’ll get the most important parts with time. If you’re afraid you’ll stop, start with the Sermon on the Mount, like me. It’s the very heart of God.
If you do not accept my challenge, find another way to put God’s word deep in your heart, deeper than general reading. Perhaps it’s writing the word down, like my friend Troy did and as Moses advocates for Israel’s king in Deuteronomy 17. Perhaps it’s a markup Bible Study, where you print the pages out and mark them up carefully with colors and ink, forcing you to go through every word carefully. Perhaps it’s a deep Bible Study with fellow believers, something you could do easily here. In your quest for holiness, you must first know the Word.
Now, I will move to the second portion of this talk, turning your knowledge of Biblical morals into action — in short, accomplishing holiness. In the points I’m about to deliver, I focus on your part. There are other parts at work as you transition to holiness. There’s the part of truth that must first be present in your heart, and which God gives you by his word or messengers. And there’s the part of God, who, through his Holy Spirit, empowers you to overcome things which once enslaved you. Without these parts, your own efforts would be futile. But these parts God graciously grants all who hunger and thirst for them. So, I will focus on your part. But remember, when you do indeed grow in holiness, don’t become arrogant and think you’ve done it alone. Give God all the praise.
First, to accomplish holiness, adopt the right mindset. Not only should you hunger and thirst for righteousness, as I taught in my first talk, but there are other helpful mindsets.
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)
Set your mind on being crucified to self and being Christ’s servant. Set your mind on pleasing Christ. Live in faith.
Understand the consequences of sin and the benefits of holiness. That’s why God gave the long list of punishments for disobedience and blessings for obedience in Deuteronomy 28.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:1-3)
Remember Jesus’ example. When you focus on him, sin looks dull, and righteousness glows.
We have a famous English hymn that reflects this thought well. It goes like this: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus; look full in his wonderful face; and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.”
“So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature [flesh] . . . But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:16, 22-23)
Second, embrace and grow in areas of righteousness you already do well. Just as sin begets more sin, so righteousness begets more righteousness. If you already are kind, but lack generosity, continue to grow in kindness. It will blossom into generosity. Inaction makes you vulnerable to sin, but right living helps you avoid sin.
In April of this year, the Service Team I lead helped a single woman build a shade structure behind her home. As we worked, we found ourselves short on supplies. During the work, at different times, three different team members drove to the hardware store to buy missing supplies, spending their own money on them. Afterward, I offered to reimburse their expenditures with church money. All three refused. Their kindness and sacrifice of time prompted financial generosity.
“When words are many sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.” (Provebs 10:19)
“An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered one commits many sins.” (Proverbs 29:22)
“Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” (James 1:14-15)
Third, replace actions that are known to breed sin with virtue. Replace speaking with listening; replace anger with joy; replace desire with contentment. All three of these can be good: there are good words; there is righteous anger; and, there are excellent desires. However, these are danger areas; they can degenerate into sin quickly, so be careful. When you make this replacement, holiness is easier.
Playing sports reveals my true heart, and it gives me the opportunity to correct it now. Four weeks ago, a player held me as I went for the ball. That’s a foul in football. Instead of calling foul, I yelled out, “Get your hands off me!” I handled his action with cruelty and overbearance. A few minutes later, the same opponent held a teammate of mine. My teammate raised his hand and calmly said, “Foul.” I relearned from my teammate that day the value of using few words. He called out truth without humiliating someone.
Fourth, when you commit sin, repent. Repentance means change your heart. First, you must realize you did wrong. Second, you must apologize for your wrong and make amends for it. Finally, you must act in a way that shows the apology was genuine. I use the word act intentionally. You may initially feel no motive toward good. That’s okay, act right anyway.
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)
Notice this section does not read, “where your heart is, there your treasure will be,” but it reads, “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” There’s a promise inherent in it. When you act, your heart follows.
And this final point isn’t only when you’ve previously sinned. Act holy, even when your heart isn’t there, and your heart will follow.
Three years ago, I attended a men’s breakfast at a church I don’t attend much. I was eager to make new friends. One man who sat at my table was named Eric. He shared he was jobless and didn’t have enough money for his bills. I told him I’d be happy to help afterward. When the breakfast ended, Eric clung to me like a wet blanket. The other men knew who he was and kept their distance. I was annoyed. I came to make new friends and it looked like the only one I’d make wanted something from me. Yet, I also knew God’s commands and obeyed. I gave up making friends and took Eric on a drive. Begrudgingly, I bought him some groceries, filled his car with gas, and renewed his phone card. I went home glum; my heart was nowhere near Christ’s, yet I had acted in righteousness. I saw Eric a few months later at that church’s Christmas Eve service. He came up to me excitedly. Admittedly, I wasn’t excited to see him, but as we talked, my heart changed. Eric had gotten a job as school janitor since I last saw him and now had money for his bills. He came up to me, because he wanted my address to send me a thank-you card. Put your treasures on heavenly things; even a heart as cold as mine was changed.
I’m concerned that my push for holiness this weekend might bring about a great deal of shame: shame for who you were and maybe shame for who you are even now. That can be good, when it leads to improvement. But it can also be bad, when it leads to despair and worthlessness. Do not let past sins discourage you from the race, nor from what God has done through you despite them.
My divorce caused tremendous Christian growth. I became more humble, I prayed more often and more deeply, I could empathize with others’ weakness. However, there was a negative edge to it too. I was so ashamed of my former sin, among friends I belittled the pre-2021 Charles, whom I called old Charles, and praised new Charles. Yet, that changed in May of 2023. A former Sunday School student visited my church and told me I was the best Bible teacher she ever had. At my youngest son’s graduation, I met grateful students I had coached in flag football, taught in Math Club, mentored in Robotics club, or taught in Sunday School. A dear college friend whom I helped out of a cult and helped become a Christian visited me in Colorado Springs for a few days and thanked and encouraged me. All these events occurred in a single week, and all these accolades were for old Charles. I could discard the shame. We are complex, doers of good and evil. I could be proud of old Charles, proud of what God did through me despite my sin. And that goes for you too. Take courage, my friend. In our life on earth, holiness is a journey, not a station. As Paul says,
“Not that I have already obtained all this [becoming like Christ] or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12-14)