James 1_19_21 The Mature Tongue

James 1:19-21 “The Mature Tongue”

A man working in the produce department was asked by a lady if she could buy half a head of lettuce. He replied, “Half a head? Are you serious? God grows these in whole heads and that’s how we sell them!” The lady said“ You mean, that after all the years I’ve shopped here, you won’t sell me half-a-head of lettuce?” “Look,” he said, “If you like I’ll ask the manager.” So the young man marched to the front of the store. “You won’t believe this, but there’s a lame-braided idiot of a lady back there who wants to know if she can buy half-a-head of lettuce.” He noticed the manager gesturing, and turned around to see the lady standing behind him, “And this nice lady was wondering if she could buy the other half.”

Later in the day the manager cornered the young man and said, “That was the finest example of thinking on your feet I’ve ever seen! Where did you learn that?” “I grew up in Grand Rapids, and if you know anything about Grand Rapids, you know that it’s known for its great hockey teams and its ugly women.” The manager’s face flushed, and he interrupted, “My wife is from Grand Rapids!” “And, which hockey team did she play for?

We have all experienced times when our tongue has gotten us in trouble, I known mine has. But, God’s purpose for us is to be like Christ Jesus, including our tongue.

James is the half-brother of Jesus, many called him “James the Just” because of his righteous living, others called him “Camel Knees” because of the calluses developed during countless time in prayer. This letter is unlike Paul’s, who writes about the root of justification (Faith), James writes about the fruit of Justification (faithful living). In this passage there is an emphasis on the Word of Truth which leads us to righteous living among God and man.

CPS: In order to have a consecrated tongue among men we must have a consecrated tongue before God and be ever mindful of God’s word at work in our lives.

I. The Word of Truth Works the Righteousness of God 19-20

“Wherefore, my beloved breathern” shows us who the audience is, those who are professed Christians, most likely Jewish Believers. James was the first Pastor of the church in Jerusalem, and preceded over the Jerusalem Council which defended the rights of Paul and Barnabas to preach the gospel to gentiles without forcing them first to convert to Judaism. The better translation is “This you know, my beloved brethren,” pointing us to the preceding verses about God being the giver of every perfect gift, who gave us a new birth through His word of truth.

Because of this new birth by the Word of God we are given a 3 fold mandate

A. Be Swift to Listen

The Christian is to listen eagerly to the word of God! James says to have our ears on! When I was a teenager I had a C.B. radio with a P.A., I’d get on the “horn” saying breaker 1…9 anyone got their ears on? Then I eagerly waited for a response. That is what James is saying, be eager to listen, to the Word of God.

Jesus said, “he who has ears to hear let him hear.” But Jesus also said “take heed what ye hear” and “take heed how ye hear” (Luke 8:18) we are to listen CAREFULLY! There are three main ways we listen to the Word of God. 1) The Scriptures. Daily reading and mediation. 2) The Sermons that emphasis good biblical doctrine. (CHECK IT!) 3) The Spirit.This is the most difficult, it means quite time listening to the Lord relying on him completely and recognizing Him as Lord constantly. The Christian is always to be eager to listen to the Word of God!

B. Be Slow to Speak

A Christian should not react in arguments against the word of God! “We have two ears and only one mouth.” This should remind us to listen more than we speak. But notice, our ears are out in the open but our tongue is encased behind a barrier of teeth. We should be slow to speak!

This mandate is geared towards arguments with God, be it verbally or in our hearts and minds. Being slow to speak is one of 53 O.T. allusions used by James. 1) Pro. 10:19 “When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.” 2) Pro. 17:27 “He who restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.”

The Word of God is profitable and when we hear from the Him we are not to argue with what we hear. Jesus had a conversation with a Jewish Lawyer, who asked “what shall I do to receive eternal life?’ Jesus asked him “what is written in the Law?” The lawyer responded you shall love the Lord with the totality of your being and your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus told Him “do that and you will live.” Luke 10:29 “But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Do not debate the Word of God, we ought to be listening!

C. Be Slow to Anger

We must not react in anger at the word of God! Here is another O.T. Allusion. 1) Pro. 16:32 “He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city.” 2) Eccl. 7:9 “Do not be eager in your heart to be angry, for anger resides in the bosom of fools.”

The Word of God brings our sin to light, when you argue with God’s word you are arguing against the wrong person. After Nathan confronted King David about his sin with Bathsheba using the story of the stolen ewe lamb David became angry, but at the wrong person. Nathan said “Thou art the man.” David then confessed “I have sinned.” (2 Sam. 12).

Peter in Gethsemane was slow to hear, swift to speak, and swift to anger almost killing a man with a sword. James is not telling us to never be angry but to be angry at the right things. The Christian should be angry at sin never God’s word.

James explains the reason for the mandate. The anger of man does not PRODUCE the standard of living God desires for us! We must live a righteous life before God and man.

II. The Word of truth works the Salvation of God. 21

“Therefore,” based on the need to live up to God’s standard we must take off the old stained garments of our old self (unsaved self).

A. Rid Ourselves of Defilement

James tells us to “trash” - all moral impurities and the evil that was so prevalent in our unconverted life. The command is to do away with the moral indecency and the malicious attitudes that we once had. Lay apart - apotithemai = to get rid of once and for all. It is the idea of taking off a soiled garment and never putting it on again.

As a child my Mom often joked about how dirty I got when I went to the hunting camp. I’d play in the red Georgia clay, play in and around the outhouse, I’d explore the “gut pit.” And when I cam home I was so dirty and smelly that she would have to undress me outside, hose me off with a water hose and burn my clothes. That is what James is telling us, the dirty soiled garments of our old self is to be taken off, trashed, and never put on again.

B. Receive God’s Word with humility

In contrast we must embrace the word that has been implanted into or hearts at the time of our salvation. James saw the human heart like a garden that must receive nutrients to grow a good crop. I’m not much of a farmer but I know preparation of soil is important. James teaches us to welcome God’s word at all times with a attitude of meekness.

Jesus taught (Mt. 5:5)“Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.” Humility is the opposite of wrath and it accepts God’s word like a new born baby reaches for a bottle of milk! 1 Pe. 2:2 “like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.”

James is not saying by this you are saved, he is speaking to Christians who have been saved by grace through faith, but by this you grow in your salvation, you become more and more like Christ Jesus, and this word is able to carry us all the way to the consummation of our salvation at the end of the ages.

Conclusion: Do you have trouble controlling your tongue before man? Learn to control your tongue before God then it will workout among man.

The fruit of salvation is righteous living, and once saved there is a noticeable change in your life which is on display in front others. I/m reminded of a story Adrian Rodgers once told.

“Some men were standing around talking about different translations of the Bible, some were talking about the King James, others talking about the New English Translations, others were talking about the Amplified Version. One man said, “I like my mother’s translation best.” And, they said, “Oh, we didn’t know that your mother was a scholar. How did she translate the Bible?” And, he said, “My mother translated the Bible into daily living.”

This is James message! Prove ourselves doers of God’s word and we will grow into maturity and our tongues will grow along with us.