So it is a very good illustration. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. 2 For we all make many The only other New Testament use is by Jesus (11 times) to refer to the place of eternal torment. We who teach Gods Word will be more accountable, because our words affect more people. And if you get control of your tongue, youre demonstrating spiritual maturity. But, like James, He was teaching that our works reveal whether our faith is genuine faith. Disagree. If anyone does Its kind of interesting, you probably remember as a child, I do, whenever I went to the doctor, my parents would take me to the doctor, the first thing the doctor would say is, Let me see your tongue.. Lets pray, in silence, each of us, inviting the Spirit of God to work that way in our lives. 3Not many of you should become teachers,(A) my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged(B) more strictly. 2 For we all stumble in many things. James 3 Controlling the tongue, then, is essential and James gives us five compelling reasons five compelling reasons for the control of the tongue. And so, when James talks about the mouth and the tongue, it isnt that he in fact blames the mouth and the tongue as if they operated independently of any other impulse. GDPR is the new European privacy regulation, which will replace the Data Protection Act 1998 in the UK and the equivalent legislation across the EU Member States. You say, Well, maybe some of us can avoid it. Look at verse 2. The mouth only responds to the heart. But in Hebrew thought, the distinction between the man and the guilty member is not so clearly distinguished. Its a big thing what God thinks, and I minister in view of what is coming ahead. And I could tell you, Ive been asked on several occasions, for whom do I prepare my sermons? Isnt that practical? 3 Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. This may shock you. Its interesting to me, also, that in Genesis, chapter 3, verse 12, we find that the first actual sin after the fall was a sin of the tongue. Now, while, in a sense, this is a confession on the part of James, it is more an observation of truth than a personal confession. To tame the tongue, we must And thats why even the apostle Paul was reluctant; he was reluctant until he was pressed to do that. Even so, the tongue is a little member, but boasts great things. Stop there. So you had, then, as in the synagogue, officials and unofficial teachers in the church, official and again unofficial teachers. It is present tense. a. 2 We all stumble in James 3:8 - Taming the Tongue - Bible Hub New International Version (NIV). The word here is the word stumble, which is a substitute for the word sin. It means a moral lapse, a failure to do what is right; an offense against God is the idea. While firefighters were trying to contain that blaze, the same arsonist drove to the east and then back to the west, lighting separate fires in each location. Well, now we realize that its not fully possible to totally have a holy tongue, but to the extent that one controls his tongue, he will control his body. And this one way, the mouth, underlies the warning regarding hurrying into the position of teaching. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. 32:35). And so it has great potential to condemn us. An unchecked tongue is the very world of iniquity, that defiles the entire body. This goes back to James 1:26-27, where he said that true religion requires bridling the tongue and keeping oneself unstained by the world. And so in the end, it is right to say youll be judged by your words as to whether you are to go into the Kingdom of God or be shut out of the Kingdom. James says your tongue itself will take your spiritual temperature. We have a tremendous accountability to God when we teach at any level. 3:2) As Christians our tongue can only bless God now. Just show up one day, Like to plow your field, sir. Did you ever know a horse to volunteer to pull a wagon? If you cannot go for twenty-four hours without smoking, you are addicted to nicotine. 12:36-37), But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. WebJames 3 ESV Bible > ESV > James 3 eBibles Free Downloads Audio James 3 English Standard Version Par Taming the Tongue 1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. And the reason they said the tongue was an arrow rather than the tongue was a knife was because an arrow kills at a distance, and the deadliness of the tongue was that it could kill without even being anywhere near the victim. The tongue is a deadly arrow. So James wants us to recognize that we will be held accountable for how we use our tongues, especially those of us who teach Gods Word. WebJames 3:1-12 Taming the Tongue James 3:13-18 Earthly Wisdom and Heavenly Wisdom A. They are now living abroad in foreign countries. As the people in the courtyard said to Peter, The way you talk gives you away. Well, they meant something different, but thats a truism. Have you ever said some-thing that you wish you had not? Let all things be done unto edifying. And then he regulates that, by saying how its to be done and how its not to be done. 5:17), we also carry around with us the old nature or the flesh, which wars against the Spirit (Gal. The psalmist put it this way in Psalm39, verse 1: I said, I will guard my ways that I may not sin with my tongue. 2023 Grace to You. The future judgment for a believer would certainly be at the judgment seat of Christ, when we stand face to face with Him to receive whatever reward He would deem fitting to give to us. I have not failed to declare unto you the whole counsel of God. The tonguethat is the match that sets the world on fire. 1 Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. Lets go back to the verse and see what he says. Well look at the first couple of them tonight. 1. You can direct the whole body. Presumably, you know more than those that you teach, which means that in some way they should look up to you. Taming the Tongue Somebody has asked the question, Why doesnt James use the heart? 12My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? 5Even so (G)the tongue is a little member and (H)boasts great things. It can rip up a nation. I allow God to control my tongue, or it controls me. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition The Lockman Foundation, Related Topics: Spiritual Life, Basics for Christians, Discipleship, Temptation, Steve served as the pastor of Flagstaff Christian Fellowship from May, 1992 through his retirement in December, 2018. To help us understand that, James gives us two illustrations. 6The tongue also is a fire,(J) a world of evil among the parts of the body. Its a neutral term, but generally is used in the New Testament to express a negative judgment. Several homes in San Bernardino were destroyed, killing at least four people. Is it always a sin to criticize? In verse 6, James states directly, And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. Scholars debate as to how to translate and punctuate that verse, but however it is done, the point is clear: the tongue is a deadly, powerful source of evil that taints every part of our being. A dirty mouth is most representative of depravity. But the justification you receive by faith in Jesus Christ will be manifest in your words, so that you can literally be judged according to your words, for your words are a tattletale, they tell on your heart. To look at this from the vantage point of our Lord, turn to Matthew, chapter 12. It was proper to respect the rabbis because of the sacred Scriptures that they expounded, but it was wrong to give men the honor that God alone deserves. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned. Jesus was not teaching justification by works. That is, he has reached spiritual maturity. for out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. I expect you to talk the way you talk because your hearts the way it is. Why doesnt James give us a list of helpful tips on how to control our tongue? James says that all such sins have their origin in the pit of hell. It lays on his tongue. And how can I harness all of the potential areas in my life? And even those who teach need to take a personal inventory on their speech to see if their faith is real. These include love, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control, which all relate to the control of the tongue. Maybe its because most of us, like the alcoholic, are in denial about the magnitude of the problem. The Lord wants us to articulate His truth. You have a fire set among your members! And the whole context of what he says at the beginning, though he doesnt mention the tongue there, is this matter of speech. 2 We all stumble in many ways. Help Grace to You bring important resources like this to people in your community and beyond, free of charge. 3 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. (O) Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. If you cannot go for twenty-four hours without drinking liquor, you are addicted to alcohol. They did the surgery a couple of days later, and what they found was benign and as far as I know, I havent had any recurrence, although I admit I havent been to a dentist in a while. Taming that Tongue I think we have to focus on our mouth, thats what James is saying. 26 Jun 2023 11:46:28 32:17; Hos. He has asked audiences if they can go for twenty-four hours without saying any unkind words about, or to, anybody. I. James Pronouncements About The Tongue. Well, what a simplification, just concentrate on what you say; and whatever means of grace, and whatever dynamics of spiritual commitment take care of your tongue are going to, by virtue of controlling that, control the rest of you. I dont think I ever really grasped this before. Boy, does that simplify things conceptually. With David (Ps. 12:34), You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? WebJames 3:3-4 NKJV Having control over something as mighty as a ship or horse is a good thing. Speak only kind words. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check. We all stumble in many ways. And the implication James is laying down here is and the mouth is certainly one major one. Everyone sins in a myriad of ways. You know why? Christians say, Praise the Lord in one breath, and in the next breath they say evil things about another person, made in the likeness of God. It later became a place to burn trash. Prov. Taming the Tongue James 3 Listen to this: Who did no sin, neither was deceit found in His mouth. No sin in His life, no sin in His mouth. Its a small thing what you think. 23:6-11): They love the place of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues, and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called Rabbi by men. Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. It would be nice if conversion resulted in a total makeover of the mouth, but it is not so! WebTaming the Tongue. I live by my tongue. And Ive thought about that many times since. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. And certainly that great gift ought to be cultivated. As we move into chapter 3, James has gone from preaching to meddling! 4Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. The Bible and I just wrote down a list of things as I went through the Scriptures the Bible refers directly or indirectly to a wicked tongue, a deceitful tongue, a lying tongue, a perverse tongue, a filthy tongue, a corrupt tongue, a bitter tongue, an angry tongue, a crafty tongue, a flattering tongue, a slanderous tongue, a gossiping tongue, a back-biting tongue, a blaspheming tongue, a foolish tongue, a boasting tongue, a murmuring tongue, a complaining tongue, a cursing tongue, a contentious tongue, a sensual tongue, a vile tongue, a tale-bearing tongue, a whispering tongue, an exaggerating tongue, et cetera. James uses two more word pictures for comparison and contrast: a forest fire and tamed animals. Focus on your mouth. It was no doubt among the assembled saints to whom James writes that there were some aspiring to the role of teaching who had absolutely no idea of the possible implications of teaching error. James says that the one who is careless with his tongue is the first to be defiled. And in a year, we would probably produce about 66 800-page books. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. And he was fooling around in my mouth, doing whatever dentists do with all those things they poke at. And Jesus comes back at them, in verse 34, and says, O generation of snakes, how can you, being evil, speak good things? Thats just a basic truth. Neither can salt water produce fresh., His point is the same as that of Jesus (Matt. Nowhere is the union of faith and works more visible than in your speech and my speech. 17But the wisdom that comes from heaven(W) is first of all pure; then peace-loving,(X) considerate, submissive, full of mercy(Y) and good fruit, impartial and sincere. My brothers, let not many become teachers, and actually the my brothers comes after that in the Greek text, so that he starts out with this very strong statement, Let not many become teachers. Now, that is not to deny the fact that God wants us to teach His Word, because God does want us to do that. Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. 2 We all stumble in 2 For in many things we offend all. Thats why Proverbs 4:23 exhorts us, Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life., Have you ever thought about how terribly embarrassing life would be if there were a direct open line between your thoughts and your mouth, so that you blurted out loud whatever you were thinking? And perhaps we ought to say at the very outset that James speaks of the mouth, and he speaks of the tongue, and in a sense he personifies them. James 3 ESV - Taming the Tongue - Not many of you - Bible Memorize James 1:19-20: This you know, my beloved brethren. It is so deadly God caged it behind your teeth. In fact, this is axiomatic enough that it may have been standard stock for writers and wise men in that time and place, and James may even be borrowing the illustration. If youve been to Sea World, youve seen trained whales, dolphins, and seals. Registered User After all, as it says in Colossians, chapter 3, If I have put on the new man, then I should put aside all anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from my mouth, and never lie to anyone, and lay aside all the old self with its evil practices.. And guardedly he asked, Well, what do you plan to do? Very piously she said, I want to put my tongue on the altar. To which my friend calmly replied, There isnt an altar big enough., Well, I dont want to argue with him, but I think there is an altar big enough. James goes on to use an analogy from the animal world. You say, Does the Lord keep a record of everybodys words? Its easy for Him. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Its a small thing what I think. James uses 3 illustrations of something very small (like taming the tongue) having so much power. I have a tool of Satan in my own mouth!. James would vigorously disagree with the familiar childrens taunt, Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me. James is steeped in the Old Testament, and it (especially the Book of Proverbs) has much to say about the power of the tongue, either for good or for evil. Behold, he says, heres another one: the ships, though they are so great, and driven by strong winds, yet are they turned about with a very small rudder, wherever the pilot desires, or wherever the impulse of the pilot desires. Thats another very graphic illustration. Ive discharged my duty. Hebrews13:17 says that we have to give an account to God for how we give leadership and direction and teaching to Gods people. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! Disagree. Who, on the twenty-fourth of May, began to hold her tongue. WebTaming the Tongue 1 Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. You cant do any evil deed you might want to do, because maybe the circumstances arent there for you to do it. And yet surely there were people in the congregation to which James writes who pursued that place of teacher because they were enamored with the whole aura of being in that position. Heres illustration number one boy, this is a first-class illustration to show that if you control the tongue, you control everything. I hope we can get to this just dramatic spiritual insight. It will show up by their endurance in trials, as we saw in chapter 1. And in Romans, chapter 3, very familiar words, in verse 13, he says this is how you describe a sinner: Their throat is an open sepulcher; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of snakes is under their lips: Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. The focal point of our fallenness and depravity is the mouth. A huge ship, and you say, Well, they werent so big in that day. Well, the one in Acts27, if I remember right, had 276 passengers on it; thats a pretty good size ship, driven in tremendous Euroclydon, euroaquilo, that northeastern wind that came. 17But (S)the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, (T)without partiality (U)and without hypocrisy. BEST VALUE in digital Bible study. It is a small instrument, but it can cause a lot of damage. Theres a certain inherent prestige in becoming a teacher. The tongue really is you, it really is. No wonder God put your tongue in a cage behind your teeth, walled in by your mouth. You get control of your tongue and you can direct your whole body. Verse 1: Knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment, and the we is the we of identification. WebChristian Standard Bible but no one can tame the tongue. Its difficult to outline this section, but we can organize it under four truths that we must recognize to tame our terrible tongues: Apparently the churches to which James was writing had too many men who were self-appointed teachers. Dont hurry into some official ministry where you become a proclaimer and a teacher of Gods Word. And among the Jews and you remember James is writing to those with Jewish heritage and Jewish background among the Jews there were official teachers. It will show up by their life being a pattern of good works, which we saw in chapter 2, verses 14 to 26. I read some years ago about a man who turned on his television in London, England, and saw a half-hour program that came out of Texas. James An unbroken, unbridled horse is absolutely good for nothing, just run around. You know what that says to me? To go back to chapter 1, verse 19, This you know, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear and slow to speak, and this in a context of discussing the Word of God; swift to hear the Word of God, and slow to speak it. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. All rights reserved. If theres raw sewage in the heart, there will be raw sewage gushing from the mouth! And the implication of what he is saying is, You must take good care not to thrust yourself into a teaching position, because a teacher basically trades on his tongue, and you have such a high liability to abuse that, and to bring upon yourself potential judgment.. Never. 3:4) A fountain can give bitter and fresh water at the same time. He mentions the tongue in every chapter. 5Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. He does not want to warn others without including himself. It can lead to war. It is a stern warning relative to the accountability of anyone who teaches. So, lets see what points James makes in chapter three about the tongue, and then lets work on some practical steps for taming the tongue. It will show up by their obedience to the Scripture, which we also saw in chapter 1; by their loving concern for the needy without partiality, which we saw in chapter 2. I resist making public announcements about what Im going to do, but in my heart Ive asked the Lord to begin to help me on a daily basis to start every day with a conscious desire to let the Spirit of God control my tongue to let the Spirit of God control my tongue. He said, Theres no special honor in preaching, there is only special pain. 2 For all of us make many Enduring Word Bible Commentary James Chapter 3 So being a teacher of Gods Word is a very dangerous occupation for anyone, because of the power of the tongue to speak error, or to speak misjudgment, or to speak inappropriately, or to misrepresent Christ, or the Holy Spirit. Instead of your polite, Im pleased to meet you, out comes, I couldnt care less about meeting you! After listening to someone drone on about something, instead of, Yes, thats very interesting, you blurt out, How can I get away from this bore?, Im not suggesting that we should abandon politeness and become brutally blunt. And they were the officially recognized teachers in the church. So since speech is the mark of true faith, it should be a proper measure, then, of those who articulate the faith, those who teach the faith. Did you ever know a horse to volunteer to plow a field? 11Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? He encourages his audiences to monitor their conversations for two days. Everyone sins with the tongue. Under control, fire is useful; out of control, it is frightening and devastating! 3 Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. (Js. When Isaiah, wanting to confess to God his utter sinfulness in the midst of a vision of Gods holiness, expressed himself, he said, I am a man with a dirty mouth. Nothing more marked a mans sinfulness than his mouth. He is like Christ, though not exactly like Christ. 9With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in Gods likeness. gain access to 50+ premium resources to enhance your study of Scripture. He says, There are some who have turned aside from the truth to vain jangling, verse 7, desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, or anything theyre affirming. It was in the church at Ephesus. Used by permission. For less than $5/mo. The person who controls the tongue will also control the body, with all of its other impulses. If we sin with our speech, we need to ask Gods forgiveness and also the forgiveness of the one we sinned against. Taming the Tongue The test of a believers speech James 3:1-12, part 2, verses 5-12 Do you know what your most powerful muscle is? Nothing is more liable to reveal total depravity than our mouth.
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