James: Chapter 3

Controlling Our Tongue

3:1

Not many, meaning only a very few, should even attempt to become teachers. James is speaking about Teachers of God’s Word. Why Not? Because those people are able to discern the true meaning and understanding of God’s Word in application to our lives. This is a serious responsibility, requiring power from the Holy Spirit. Without God’s special power, direction, guidance, insight and wisdom, teachers can make grave and serious errors, thereby leading Believers astray! Teachers will be judged by a much higher standard, and with greater severity, than other Believers. This Truth is overwhelming and should be very carefully considered before anyone attempts to teach others. Not only do teachers have much greater accountability but will receive greater condemnation! Notice that this infers that teachers willingly assume and accept a greater accountability, responsibility and condemnation! Please, please pray for all those who act in the capacity of teachers, (or daring to write commentary on God’s Word). They need your fervent prayers, and God’s constant and continual admonition, to speak and share only His absolute Truth.

3:2

Our sins and errors offend and harm others. Often, we offend, or harm, someone without even realizing it. A person who NEVER offends anyone with their speech, would be a perfect man; one who controls his entire body, including his tongue, ALWAYS! Have any of you every met someone like that? We should not think this is some mandate to not confront evil, or try to rectify wrongs, for fear of “offending” someone. Otherwise, we could never mention God or Jesus because someone would claim we had “offended” him. The type of “offense” that James is speaking of, was something done or said, that actually harmed someone in some way, not just ‘hurt their feelings’, because we pointed out a wrongdoing, or evil. Speaking the Truth about spiritual matters is something we are commanded to do. However, remember, we are to speak the Truth in Love. Think about Jesus, He spoke lovingly, patiently and clearly, speaking the Truth of Himself and God, and yet He was attacked on a regular basis by the Pharisees and Sadducees. Why? Because they refused to recognize, or admit, the Truth about themselves, and their own hypocrisy. Finally, after they accused Him of being possessed by a demon and of doing miracles by the power of Satan, He then called them a brood of vipers, hypocrites, and accurately told them they were going to Hell! Jesus clearly “offended” the Pharisees and Sadducees on a fairly regular basis, after various incidents in all four gospels. So, remember, that our current worldly definition of “offense” is clearly not the same meaning, or connotation, that James is speaking of. James wants us to realize that we must not say anything that would bring harm to others, even if it is true! If there is something that needs to be addressed, then do it tactfully, privately, and lovingly.

3:3-4

So, now James gives us a few simple analogies. Both animals and vehicles are easily controlled by a small apparatus. Bits in the horse’s mouths, and rudders, or steering mechanisms of some sort for all our various types of vehicles. We now even control all kinds and types of things with our electronic gadgets.

3:5

Yet, we seem unable to control our little tongues; meaning our speech. Good, and wise speech, can, and does, lead to great things. “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” Matthew 12:34. Psalm 141:3-4: “Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. Incline not my heart to any evil thing.” We are inspired by a passionate plea for something that would bring about great good for others. Godly Pastors can, and do, encourage, and inspire us to rethink our foolish sinful ways, and repent, and chose to follow godly inspiration. A passionate plea to help the poor and needy can encourage us to reach out generously to a lost and dying world. A fire can be good, if is used to cook a meal, heat a home, or operate a furnace, boiler, or some type of machinery. However, that same spark that lit the stove, can also ignite an out-of-control fire; destroying homes, buildings, forests, and do millions of dollars of damage, even killing people and animals.

3:6

So, when we say something we know is wrong, foolish, or harmful, we nearly always say, or think, “me, and my big mouth!” We wish we could ‘take back’ that foolish and hurtful comment. Yet, once the words are spoken, the damage begins, causing untold damage and disasters, to others, and often ourselves. James calls that uncontrolled tongue, a FIRE, indicating the source of the evil that is caused is from Hell itself. That uncontrolled tongue is called ‘wickedness, evil, depraved’. The wrong words, and speech, have caused untold damage to children; teens, adults, and even caused wars! Remember, in chapter one, James admonished us to be ‘slow to speak’, now we are beginning to better understand why; to avoid allowing evil to come forth from us, hurting others! It is interesting that James says that the source of this evil is from Gehenna, or Hell. This would seem to indicate that we may be influenced by demons, lurking around us, looking for an opportunity to use us, and our tongue, for evil. As we study God’s Word, we are reminded how often words were used to attack Jesus. Evil tongues, that is words, were used to plot His suffering and death. So, James’s advice to be ‘slow to speak’ would mean ‘think, and pray, BEFORE you speak.’ Anyone you know that needs that advice? Maybe you?

3:7-8

James again gives us the examples of animals, birds, and sea life all being able to be ‘tamed’ or controlled. 8. Yet, our tongue cannot be ‘tamed’, or controlled, by any man. James tells us our tongue is unruly, evil, and full of deadly poison! Keep in mind that the deadliest poison is one that is tasteless and odorless! We don’t realize we are being poisoned until it is too late! So also, is the deadly poison of gossip, criticism, lies and slander; it destroys people, families, churches, businesses, and nations! Churches are especially vulnerable to this type of verbal venom. This is one area of our life we all need to do some serious soul-searching! According to Jewish teachings, the sin of ‘lashon hara’, meant the ‘tongue of the evil’. See Proverbs 12:22. To speak evil this way was considered to be the same as denying God; and was treated as though the person had committed idolatry, sexual immorality or murder! Remember, only God, through the Holy Spirit, can tame your tongue! Let’s all pray for God’s ‘taming of our tongues’.

3:9-10

Now James tells us clearly what we are doing. With our tongue, that is our words, we bless and praise our God. Yet, even in the same day, we curse, or speak evil of people who were created in the image and likeness of God. So, in effect, we are lying to ourselves, claiming we are praising and worshiping God; and then we speak evil of God’s creation, by cursing them! 10. James pleads with us, saying that as Christian brothers and sisters, out of our mouths come both blessings and evil! James tells us we should not be doing these things and speaking these evils! So what does this tell us is REALLY in our hearts? We should be praying for the Holy Spirit to thoroughly cleanse our hearts and minds.

3:11

James asks us IF a spring, or fountain, can bring forth both good, fresh water, and bitter, or contaminated water? We know the answer: It can’t. Clean, pure water is crucial for our survival. So is a clean, pure heart. Are we contaminating ourselves and others with our polluted words? Proverbs 12:18: “There are those who speak rashly, like the piercing of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Proverbs 18:4: “The words of a man’s mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom are as a flowing brook.” Proverbs 18:21: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” Proverbs 10:11: “The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life”. Is the Holy Spirit telling us we need to memorize some of these scriptures for our lives and make them a part of our very soul and spirit?

3:12

Just in case we foolishly ignored, or missed, all the analogies James has given us; he asks if a fig tree can bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs. Again, we know the answer. Absolutely not. So, also a brackish spring can never give us pure drinking water. Controlling our speech and our words is crucial to our spiritual walk. We deceive ourselves if we continue to use evil words, speak evil of others, complain, and especially engage in gossip. The list goes on beyond these: ANY WORDS that do not honor and edify God are EVIL. Repeating criticisms and complaints is NOT uplifting and encouraging. Think before we speak. PRAY before we speak. Think over this past week, did you say ANYTHING that was not honoring to God? Do we realize that we bring evil into our own lives by our own words? Is life difficult and full of problems? How is your speech? Matthew 15:18 Jesus says: “But whatever comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and this is what makes a man unclean and defiles him.” Repentance is available and necessary. Begin by giving God BOTH your Heart and your Tongue. Then select scriptures to memorize, to encourage yourself to begin now to control your tongue. Proverbs 4:23: “Guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it flows the springs of life.” Proverbs 10:21 “The lips of the righteous feed many”. Remember what Jesus told us in John 6:63: “These words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life.” Isaiah 50:4: “The Lord God has given me the tongue of a disciple and of one who is taught, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. He wakens me morning by morning; He wakens my ear to hear as a disciple.” Jesus did this: Mark 1:35: “And in the morning, long before daylight, He got up and went out to a deserted place, and there He prayed.” Do you PRAY each morning, before starting your day? Jesus always did.

3:13

WISDOM. So, we think we are pretty smart, wise, and oh, so intelligent, knowing this or that. Most of us have a higher opinion of ourselves then we should, a much higher opinion than reality! We think, oh, I’m pretty good; or I’m better than so and so. You get the idea. So, James asks us ‘Who is there among you who is Wise and Intelligent?’ Then let that person show how “wise and intelligent” he is by his noble living, good works, and humility of true wisdom. Proverbs 4:7, tells us: “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore, get wisdom: and with all your wisdom get understanding.” This is godly wisdom, not earthly wisdom! Knowledge and Wisdom are two different things: Knowledge is changeable, Wisdom is Eternal; confusing the two is deadly; and leads to disaster and death. Proverbs 9:10: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” So where do we get this wonderful spiritual Wisdom? From Jesus: Our wisdom is of Christ ~ 1 Corth. 1:24, 30; Col. 2:3. Our sure Wisdom is found in the Word of God: Deut. 6:4, 5-6, 2 Tim. 3:15; Psalms 119:97-100. Wisdom also comes from believing prayer; James 1:5. Remember, as you ask God for Wisdom, be prepared to OBEY HIM. God will NOT give you Wisdom if you have no intention of obeying His Word.

3:14-15

BUT here it is, the word we need to pay attention to. Whenever we have these attitudes of jealousy, envy, rivalry, selfishness, and bitterness in our hearts; we should never focus on these ungodly attitudes and ideas. If we continue with any of these attitudes, or feelings, then we are wallowing in our own self-pride! We deny the Truth of God’s Word, by following ‘worldly wisdom’ which is demonic! 15. How do we know that, because James clearly tells us this superficial, earthly, unspiritual ‘wisdom’ comes from devilish and demoniacal sources. A strong warning to all of us!

3:16

Now James tells us how we can easily spot this type of evil: Wherever there is any kind or type of jealousy, envy, rivalry and selfish ambition, contentions and the like; they will bring disharmony, unrest, confusion, rebellion and all sorts of evil and vile and foul practices. Ever see, or experience, evil words that cause the entire situation to explode into name calling, anger, hate, and viciousness? We must make wise decisions to avoid participating in any of these practices. Remember, wrong thinking produces wrong living. If anyone tries to involve you in any type of verbal language that you know is not honoring to God; then remove yourself from the situation; do whatever it takes. You may need to interrupt someone who is venting evil words, and simply state: This type of conversation is upsetting to me, and I believe God is not honored by these words and conversation. ‘Please change the subject, or I must excuse myself’; or say, ‘this conversation has ended’ and hang up the phone. Do whatever is necessary to remove yourself from any ‘evil words’.

3:17-18

BUT now comes the contrast between good and evil. Wisdom from above, is clearly spiritual wisdom from God; the kind we all want in our lives. This type of Wisdom is first of all pure; notice that PURE is first! What a contrast to impure words, ideas, thoughts, and actions. No wonder the Holy Spirit wants us to seek a Pure Heart! Now this spiritual Wisdom is peaceful, kind, gentle, courteous, considerate, reasonable, full of compassion, mercy, and good fruits, wholehearted and Truthful, impartial, and unfeigned. 18. Peacemakers who speak in such a way, will influence others to speak and act in similar wise ways, bringing forth righteousness that honors and glorifies God! Believers who obey God’s Will in their speech will bring forth good fruit of harmony, peacefulness, agreement, and a sense of unity togetherness and love in their relationships. Isn’t that the kind of relationships we want in all areas of our lives? Words spoken wisely, will bring forth Truth and Righteousness; causing all to honor and glorify God. We should all pray to become that kind of obedient, wise person, speaking words of Wisdom!