The Tongue is Venomous (James 3:1-12)

Introduction

If I were to ask you, what are some of the most deadliest animals on the planet, how would you answer? Would you answer a Lion? A Great White Shark? Would you answer a Grizzly Bear? Or something else? Recently I have found myself at various times watching the World’s Deadliest and the different mini-series and shows. One of which is the World’s Deadliest Snakes. For the record, I hate snakes. I’m very much like Indiana Jones in that regard.

But, there is something about them that is striking, pun intended. These slithering creatures are able to slither on their bellies and yet cause fear, because of their deadly features. Even the non-venomous snakes, you have the Python which is able to coil around and squeeze its prey to death. But then, there are the poisonous snakes. Growing up, we had copperheads all around, rattlesnakes, even cottonmouths, also known as water moccasins. But as dangerous as these are, they are tame compared to some of the snakes around the world.

Consider that of the King Cobra, a snake that opens the hood at the top of its body to strike fear into any near it. It is a lethal and deadly snake. But its cousin is even more dangerous, the spitting cobra. It is capable of spraying its venom 6 feet with precise aim. Better aim than Brett Farve or Tom Brady ever thought of.

Then there is another even more deadly, that of the Black Mamba. A snake known in Africa. The Black Mamba is rightly named due to the black color that fills its mouth. But with one bite, a human will be dead in 20 minutes apart from any anti-venom being given.

And still, as deadly as these deadliest of snakes are, there is something more venomous than these. Our tongues. Our tongues are full of poison that we spit out like that of the spitting cobra in the careless way we use our words. And this should not be. And it is to this point we turn this morning as we continue our study through the book of James.

This morning we come to James 3:1-12 which starts on page #1200 in the Red Pew Bible there in front of you. Or under you if you are in the first two rows.

As we have been working our way through this New Testament letter, we have seen how James works at our hearts to help us towards being spiritually whole. For that is the goal of faith, to produce steadfastness and wholeness in us. To make us perfect and complete (James 1:4).

James wants to see God’s word that has brought us forth in salvation do a great and mighty work in us as we not only hear that word, but then do it. Including in the use of our tongues which can be deadly. Let us then hear the word of the Lord concerning our tongues from James 3:1-12. It says.....

I think the main idea here of James 3:1-12 is this, “As we pursue spiritual wholeness, it is vital, Christian, that we bridle our tongues. For where the tongue goes, so the rest of us.” We are going to unfold this in 4 points: (1) The Powerful Tongue, (2) The Deadly Tongue, (3) The Inconsistent Tongue, and (4) The Perfect Tongue.

Point #1: The Powerful Tongue

James 3:1 “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”

Our passage this morning starts with a warning. A warning that seems out of place. For James has been laboring towards encouraging these dispersed Christians towards spiritual wholeness in the midst of their being dispersed do to persecution. But now, James tells them that many of them should not become teachers.

But wait James, with the people dispersed, with them scattered, don’t more need to rise up and be teachers? James’ answer, no. While there is a pressing likely need of more teachers, the rising to be a teacher should not come too quickly.

The reasoning for this warning, James says, is because those who teach will be judged with greater strictness. Why a greater strictness? Well, because James here is concerned about the danger of the tongue. Those who teach are therefore more susceptible to the dangers of the tongue as they use it in a more prominent way. Tongues that teach, that is to teach God’s word, are meant to extol the glory and excellencies of our great God! Tongues that are to herald the truth of God’s word! Those who are to teach, admonish, and rebuke those under them in the ways of God.

No wonder James then warns that not many should become teachers. Not because there is not a great need of teachers, but because of the weighty matter in which they are called.

Friends, we are constantly in need of teachers to be raised up in the local church. But, we must not be rash in calling men and women to teach in Sunday School, Bible Studies, and especially in calling men to be elders to quickly. For there is a real power and danger in our tongues.

Brothers and sisters, if you are a current teacher in any capacity within the church, let me first encourage you, the role of teaching God’s word is a worthy role. It is a privilege and a joy to teach God’s word. But this also comes with a warning. A warning to never take this role lightly. A warning to never be slothful in your role. For the tongue is powerful and if not careful will turn deadly. And here is the truth that follows this warning.

James 3:2 “2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.”

If we all stumble, and we as teachers are to be judged with greater strictness, we cannot afford to be lazy and careless in what we do and teach.

But this warning about the tongue is not just aimed at teachers. For notice again here in verse 2 who it is who stumbles with the tongue, we all stumble in many ways.

We all fall short of God’s glory, we all stumble in struggle and sin. But then an opposite statement is given, that if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.

This perfect man is the goal of our Christian discipleship.

James 1:4 “4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

And what is it that James says here in chapter 3 is the path towards this? To not stumble in what he says, to not stumble with the use of the tongue. Christian, this means laboring to control our tongue is not where discipleship ends, it is where it begins.

For it is in the gaining control of our tongues that we are able to bring the rest of our body under control as we pursue growth in godliness. As we labor towards that day in which we will be made perfect in our faith, the day our faith becomes sight and we are glorified with Christ.

Though our tongues are small, they are powerful. This is what James tries to paint for us here with the use of our tongue when bridled able to also bridle the rest of the body. To help drive this further, James uses two illustrations for us.

James 3:3–4 “3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs.”

James first here continues his illustration of a bridle and the horse. For those who might be unfamiliar with all things equestrian, the bridle is what you use to put over a horse’s head. It is used to help the rider of the horse turn the horse wherever he needs to go. Bridals typically have a bit on them. This bit is metal and goes into the horse’s mouth in order to help gain control over the animal.

This metal bit, and leather bridal straps are all that is used to control an animal with an average back height of 5 feet, all that muscle and power. Something so small controls something so powerful.

But James doesn’t stop with a horse. He turns to another illustration, this time using a ship and its small rudder. Many of you here are boat owners. We have these powerful machines that we are able to open up at high speeds on the water, or at least could. And yet, consider what it is that turns this fast and powerful machine? A tiny rudder. A piece on the back of the boat, that from a steering wheel or the turn of the wrist as you turn the outboard motor and what happens, the boat goes where we direct it.

Again, something small controls something so powerful. And this is what the tongue is. A small member, but so powerful.

James 3:5 “5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!”

The tongue will guide the course of our lives. Our High King, Jesus taught us that the tongue reveals that which is inside us.

Matthew 15:18 “18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.”

And so, we must examine our hearts by looking at what is coming out of our mouths. Starting with an honest evaluation of our tongues and just how dangerous and deadly they are. This is where we turn now.

Point #2: The Deadly Tongue

James 3:6 “6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.”

We must be honest with ourselves, our tongues are unrighteous, they are evil and set on fire by hell themselves. Why this strong language? Especially to a people that James continually calls brothers?

Because our tongues are untamable and full of toxic venom. They are poisonous.

James 3:7–8 “7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.”

Think about what James is saying here. Every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature can be tamed by mankind. Think about it, we have beasts tamed for show. Elephants, monkeys, even lions are tamed and used for show in the circus. Killer Whales have been tamed and used in performance shows at Sea World. Even that of Cobras have been tamed by the sound of a flute to sway side to side to the music.

All of these are tamed by mankind, but not the tongue. Instead our tongues full of deadly poison act like that of a spitting cobra, spraying our venom in the way we speak about and to one another.

Listen to what David Gibson writes In his book, Radically Whole (p.116) writes:

The tongue has the power to tear and pierce and paralyze and poison, like an axe separating a limb from the body, a sword separating flesh from the bone, or an intravenous drip of battery acid into the soul.

Just think about how careless we are with words. Think of how poorly we use our words in speaking with one another. And I’m not just talking about those who would be true and actual enemies. I’m talking about the way we speak to those in our own families, in our churches, in our community. To our neighbors and friends and colleagues.

Words that cut to the heart and soul of one another. A harsh word, a condescending word, an aggressive word. Words that cut down with no aim of building back up. We use our tongues to lie, flatter, backbite, slander, swear, and blaspheme. It is through the use of our tongues that fights and wars have begun. Our tongues bite and devour one another, even those closest to us.

Think further how much we disregard the tongue, we have disregarded the tongue and the poison of our tongues by coming up with the old saying, “sticks and stones may break our bones, but words will never hurt me.” Seriously, think about it. This old familiar saying tries to downplay the hurt that words have on us. But the reality is, words are hurtful and destructive.

And because of this undermining, we never pause to consider just how deadly these words really are. The words we use with our family and friends. Words that we use with one another in the body of Christ.

Words of backbiting, slander, and gossip. Think about that, we cannot even control our tongues enough to not be the first to spread the gossip around our circles.

A good definition of gossip is given by David Gibson in his book, Radically Whole (p.116):

Gossip is essentially inappropriate reports given to inappropriate people at inappropriate times.

Our tongues in this state are deadly, because they fail to love one another as we are called to. For we are quick to speak rather than slow to speak.

But as problematic as this deadly use of our tongues are, there is something even more troubling about our tongues.

Point #3: The Inconsistent Tongue

James 3:9–10 “9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.”

With our tongues we are one moment using it to bless and praise the Lord our God and Father, and then shortly after we are using that same mouth to turn around and cursing those who are made in the image of God who we were just praising.

Think about it, this morning, we have already sang the word in song this morning. Consider just one of those in Come Thou Fount.

Come Thou fount of every blessing,

tune my heart to sing thy grace,

streams of mercy, never ceasing,

call for songs of loudest praise.

Teach me some melodious sonnet,

sung by flaming tongues above;

praise the mount!

I’m fixed upon it,

mount of redeeming love.

We asked the Lord to teach us a melodious sonnet, and yet how many of us before church were speaking harsh words to one another? Maybe even on the way to church. Or even still, how many of us before lunch is over will speak in an unredemptive manner towards our spouse or children?

Praise for God and cursing of his image bearers should not come from the same tongue. For how do the two mix? James is wanting to drive this home, so he again illustrates his point for us.

James 3:11–12 “11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.”

James turns to nature, in showing that a spring does not have two kinds of mixed water flowing from its mouth, that of fresh and saltwater. Even where the mighty Mississippi river dumps into the Gulf of Mexico, the two are not mixed with some salt and some fresh water. Nature prevents it.

The same is true of the olive and fig trees. Olive trees don’t produce figs or fig trees produce olives.

But then how is it possible for us to bless God while cursing those in his image and likeness?

Do we see the hypocrisy on our tongues with this inconsistency? Especially since we have been told that no man can tame the tongue? That we all fall and stumble in many ways?

It feels kind of hopeless, doesn’t it? And it would be if it was simply up to us to do this work. The taming of the tongue is impossible to us, but not from God!

Hear these words that St. Augustine said (Hughes, Kent. Preaching the Word Series: James. p.128),

He does not say that no one can tame the tongue, but no one of men; so that when it is tamed we confess that this is brought about by the pity, the help, the grace of God.”

It is God and God alone who tames the tongue and bridles it! And he does so by a word of his own, the word made flesh.

Point #4: The Perfect Tongue

Turn back a page or to with me to James 1:18 “18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”

Our only hope of redemption from the deadly nature of our tongue is not to try and master our tongue by our own will and power. The way to master our tongue is by looking to the word of truth, the word that has brought us forth. The word that has come to rescue us.

Now, my hopes are that most of you know exactly what this perfect word is. But maybe you are here this morning and are unsure about what this word is. Friend, this perfect word is that of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus himself. He is the word. He was in the beginning, he was with God and he was God. And this word who was there in the beginning and who made all things has entered the world and became flesh to dwell among us. By the way, all of this is found in John 1 in the Bible.

It is this word, this Jesus, who is our hope. For Jesus, the word made flesh, came to speak and reveal the mystery of God the Father to the world in knowing how to be saved from the trespasses of our sin and death. Friend, this means all these sins that we have been talking about, all this poison of the tongue with its inconsistencies and deadliness is able to be undone and forgiven, but only through Jesus. It is by the placing of our faith in this Jesus that we have hope.

Friend, you can try all you want to find another way, but you will not succeed. The world might tell you it is more loving, that there are other ways, but there are not. Just examine how out of control the tongues are of those very people and how they labor to cut their opponents down. Again, we as Christians don’t get that right 100% of the time. We too stumble. But, where else are you hearing the words that offer life and redemption? Only through the words of Jesus Christ, the Son of God who has come to take away the sin of the world. Come to Jesus and believe today!

Behold Isaiah and his words from Isaiah 6:5–6 “5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar.”

Humble yourselves, friend before the Almighty. Acknowledge your uncleaness before our Holy God and hear his invitation to come to his son for the removal of your sins, to have your guilt taken away once for all in Jesus!

It is only the perfect word that can tame our tongues. The word who became flesh and dwelt among us. The word given the name Jesus, because he would take away the sin of the world. It is he who can tame our tongue. It is he who can remove the stain from our bodies, caused by our tongues and overturn the destruction done by it. So come to him and live!

Likewise, brothers and sisters, we too need to regularly humble ourselves in acknowledging and remembering our own ongoing need for Jesus. For it is through Jesus and the work of the Spirit in us that our tongues will be brought under control, and then our body will follow.

Therefore we must regularly bring ourselves again and again to the life giving words of the Bible to be both reminded and renewed by it. We will not grow in perfection apart from the regular intake of God’s word. For if we fail to intake God’s word, then the word will not get into us, and it then will not flow out from us.

Kids, teenagers, I want to specifically challenge you here. The world will try to fill you with the way to speak. But discipline yourselves early to regularly get into the pages of the Bible and hear the words of life, over and over again. For it is here where we learn how Jesus speaks to us, that we, Lord willing, will learn to imitate.

For this is the goal of this warning, challenging us in the poor use of the tongue and calling us to bridal our tongues. To have a bridled tongue is to have a tongue that learns to stop using the tongue to spray venom in our speech and begins to speak redemptively to one another.

If the deadly nature of the tongue is to use our speech to cut down and destroy one another, the life giving nature of the tongue is to use the power of the tongue to speak life into one another.

Brothers and sisters, how are we using our words to build one another up? How are we using our words to encourage one another? How are we using our words to point one another to life?

This doesn’t mean a hard word will never need to be spoken, a corrective word. But even in these words, remembering there purpose, it is to point them lovingly to the words of life. To point others to Jesus! Let us, Land O’ Lakes Bible Church be a people who learn to speak with purpose and life!

But one last warning here. Brothers and sisters, friends. Again, we are all going to stumble in many ways. None of us have reached the moment of perfecting our tongues. Therefore we must be gracious with one another. We must remember that while on this side of glory, we are not yet glorified. We will fail one another, so let us show one another grace, for we too will need that same grace. Grace that our Lord has shown us in Christ.

Let’s pray....