James 3 Part 1: Managing Your Mouth or Taming Your Tongue

Did you know the words you speak reveal the level of your Christian maturity?

As I was studying this chapter, I came across some quotes by J. Vernon McGee about James Chap. 3. Here are a couple of interesting things he said:

“There has never been a fish caught that didn’t first open its mouth.”

“It takes a baby two years to learn to talk, and the rest of his life to learn to shut up.”

** “People are amazed that an ass talked to Baalam. Today, people are amazed when one shuts up.”***

It has been said that the average person spends 20% of his or her lifetime talking.

It has been estimated that the average man speaks 20,000 words a day, and the average woman speaks 30,000 words a day. Of course, the problem comes when the man gets home, he has already exhausted his words, but the wife still has 10,000 words left to say.

Taming the tongue or managing your mouth is the key to Christian maturity.

What you and I say affects our spiritual growth. I wished we would understand that, and nothing does more damage to a body of believers than an uncontrolled tongue.

It has been said that the church is damaged more by the termites on the inside than by the woodpeckers on the outside, yet we view outside forces as more of a threat, but that is not the case in God’s Word. In God’s Word, the greatest threat to the church will always come from within.

Did you know the Bible says more about the words we say than it does about addiction and homosexuality?

While none of us may become an addict or experiment in homosexuality because both are so horrible, most of us will engage in juicy gossip, and according to God’s Word, that gossip is more dangerous to the body.

Do you want proof?

Proverbs 6:16–19 “There are six things which Jehovah hateth; Yea, seven which are an abomination unto him: Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood; A heart that deviseth wicked purposes, Feet that are swift in running to mischief, A false witness that uttereth lies, And he that soweth discord among brethren.”

Of the things God hates, three come from the mouth and not being able to control our words. Do you remember what Jesus said?

Matthew 12:36–37 “And I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”

Jesus says that we will be held accountable for our conversations, and He says that our conversations will reveal our justification or our condemnation.

Jesus uses the term idle words that men speak. I am telling you that is serious, and we really do not want to consider or contemplate what all that means. Do you realize that in most churches, there are more conversations about politics, Tennessee vs. Alabama, and about gossip than there are conversations abut Jesus Christ?

Are those idle words? Do those conversations have an eternal value?

The next time you want to gossip, use language a Christian should not use, or listen to a joke that you should not, you might be better served to consider the absolute fact that God is recording all of your conversations.

What you and I say reflects our level of faith and maturity.

Romans 10:10 “for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

I am telling you, and you might not believe me, so study for yourself, but what comes out of our mouths is great measuring stick of your faith and life in Jesus Christ. Our conversations should reveal our salvation, yet many of us just say whatever we want because we have the freedom of speech.

Did you know dear Christian friend that a Christian does not have freedom of speech, especially if freedom of speech means saying what you want? Do you want scriptural proof?

Proverbs 13:3 “He that guardeth his mouth keepeth his life; But he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.”

Proverbs 18:21 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue; And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”

Colossians 4:6 “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer each one.”

Proverbs 21:23 “Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.”

Psalm 34:13 “Keep thy tongue from evil, And thy lips from speaking guile.”

I guess those are enough scriptural references. Sometimes, as Christians, it is better for our spiritual maturation to keep our lips closed and our tongues controlled. Have you noticed that we like to talk about the things we should not talk about, but we avoid talking about the things we should be talking about?

When was the last time you sat down with a friend to talk about fishing, sports, shopping, entertainment etc.? When was the last time you had a conversation with that same friend about Jesus?

Do you view yourself as Christian who lives in America, or do you view yourself as an American Christian? How you answer that questions reveals much about you.

The words we speak and our conversations are serious in God’s eyes.

1. The Significance of Our Words.

James 3:1–2“Be not many of you teachers, my brethren, knowing that we shall receive heavier judgment. For in many things we all stumble. If any stumbleth not in word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also.

Verses 1 and 2 show us something very important.

These verses tell us the importance of Christians being able to control their words.

Verse 1 begins by telling us that those who are teachers in the church are held more responsible for what they say. The Bible says that teachers in the church receive the heavier judgment.

God holds every single one of you that teach responsible for what you teach. Now, let me say this. I am very confident in the abilities of the teachers in our church. There is no coincidence that we have had so many younger ones get saved. I know each of you take the responsibility you have been given very seriously.

Think about it for just a second. Anthony is recorded every Sunday morning. You better believe he takes great care in being scripturally sound when he teaches.

Can I take a timeout?

All of our teachers are incredible, but the job my wife does with the little ones is absolutely amazing. I almost bet our beginners know more about Jesus than most junior-aged children in other churches. She gives our children a base from which Mitzie, the other teachers, and I build upon. I say Amen to Hope.

Verse 2 is amazing. James begins by saying that in many things we all stumble.

Now, we all have things in our old natures that cause us to sin. That is why I always say that the Christian life is one of constant and daily renewal.

James, however, makes an incredible statement that should cause us to stop and ponder.

James says that even though there are many things that cause us to stumble, the man who is able to control the words that come out of his mouth is also able to control the things which cause him to stumble.

A man who does not stumble in word is able to bridle the whole body.

James says the one who is able to do that is perfect. Perfect does not mean sinless. IN this verse, perfect means mature.

A Christian who can control his or her tongue is a mature Christian. That is why age and maturation do not necessarily go hand-in-hand even though they should go together. Many times, some of the biggest gossips in the church are those who have been Christians the longest, and I am telling you that is not a sign of Christian maturation. As a matter of fact, as we go through this chapter, you are going to see that James is very unflattering toward gossips.

James shifts gears in verses 3 through 6 as he describes how our words control us.

James 3:3–6 “Now if we put the horses’ bridles into their mouths that they may obey us, we turn about their whole body also. Behold, the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by rough winds, are yet turned about by a very small rudder, whither the impulse of the steersman willeth.

So the tongue also is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how much wood is kindled by how small a fire! And the tongue is a fire: the world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the wheel of nature, and is set on fire by hell.”

Unfortunately, our words control us like a bridle on a horse. Our words turn us completely around to a direction we do not need to go.

James goes onto say that our words are like the rudder on a giant sail ship.

No matter how strong the wind is behind the sails, it is the rudder that controls the boat. That’s a pretty incredible comparison.

Our tongues and words control us like a bridle and a rudder. Think about it.

The winds of revival and growth can be sweeping the church, and one wayward word can stop revival and growth dead in its tracks.

In verse 6, James makes a startling statement. He says the tongue or our words control us and defile the whole body meaning our physical bodies and the church.

James describes our words as the fire that sweeps through a forest fire. James says the words that start the fire are set on fire by hell.

James literally means hell. It is the Greek word Gehenna. The word is only used 12 times in the Bible. Eleven times it is used by Jesus, and once by James.

I guess you have to be in the family to use the term.

Now, it is obvious that God takes our conversations seriously. Our conversations say a lot about us. The words we say have great and grave significance. We must learn to control our words instead of letting our words control us.