Taming the Tongue
Notes
Transcript
We’re going to continue our study of James today in Chapter 3. James has been challenging us to become mature in our faith. This week, James turns his attention to the tongue. It’s another way of describing what we say. James is really concerned about the tongue. In fact, he mentions it in every chapter of his letter. That’s because the relationship between faith and works is most evident in a person’s speech. Who you are will be revealed in what you say.
Many churches are in turmoil right now because of an untamed tongue. The tongue is a powerful thing. It has the ability to build up and encourage, and it also has the ability to tear down and hurt. We all remember the saying: Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
We may try to put on a strong face when people say hurtful words or accusations, but we all know the pain they bring. We have all been hurt by the words of others. Physical wounds will heal, but the emotional wounds of mean and hurtful words often never do. We must remember that words have power. They can and are used to bring hurt, but they also can and should be used to encourage.
Let’s take a look at James 3:1-12 this morning to see what James wants to teach us about the power of our words and how we should grow in our faith by controlling our tongue.
1 Not many should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we will receive a stricter judgment. 2 For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is mature, able also to control the whole body. 3 Now if we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we direct their whole bodies. 4 And consider ships: Though very large and driven by fierce winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So too, though the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts great things. Consider how a small fire sets ablaze a large forest. 6 And the tongue is a fire. The tongue, a world of unrighteousness, is placed among our members. It stains the whole body, sets the course of life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. 7 Every kind of animal, bird, reptile, and fish is tamed and has been tamed by humankind, 8 but no one can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in God’s likeness. 10 Blessing and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way. 11 Does a spring pour out sweet and bitter water from the same opening? 12 Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers and sisters, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a saltwater spring yield fresh water.
James starts his discussion about the power of our words by saying teachers have a special responsibility. Let’s look at verse 1.
1 Not many should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we will receive a stricter judgment.
In the New Testament church, the role of teacher was considered a gift of the Holy Spirit. Paul talked about the gift of teaching as one of the five leadership gifts given by the Lord to the church.
11 And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,
It’s interesting that this is the only time James mentions the role of teaching in the entire letter. It’s possible that some people in the church were tempted to become a teacher when they weren’t actually called by God or given the gift of teaching. James describes the awesome responsibility of teaching and the extra judgement that comes with that responsibility.
The Responsibility of Teaching
The Responsibility of Teaching
James isn’t trying to discourage those that have received that calling and have the that gift. He’s reminding believers that leadership gifts aren’t given to all members of the church. Jame is saying, “Brothers and sisters, God didn’t call many of us to be teachers. Don’t be in a hurry to become a teacher unless you’re sure God has called you and given you the spiritual gift of teaching. Be content with whatever gifts and calling God gives you. Use your gifts in ministry to others and for the glory of God.
Next, James says teachers will receive a stricter judgement. Why should a teacher be judged more harshly? We can look to Jesus for the answer.
48 But the one who did not know and did what deserved punishment will receive a light beating. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, even more will be expected.
When God calls a person to a place of leadership, God requires more from them. Someone who has been given the privilege and responsibility of teaching God’s Word is expected to to it with a high standard of excellence and faithfulness.
Teachers reproduce themselves in the lives of their students. A false teacher does great harm by leading God’s people astray. The New Testament is full of warnings against false teachers.
3 If anyone teaches false doctrine and does not agree with the sound teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ and with the teaching that promotes godliness, 4 he is conceited and understands nothing, but has an unhealthy interest in disputes and arguments over words. From these come envy, quarreling, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant disagreement among people whose minds are depraved and deprived of the truth, who imagine that godliness is a way to material gain.
Next, James talks about the tongue’s power to control
The Tongue is Powerful
The Tongue is Powerful
2 For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is mature, able also to control the whole body. 3 Now if we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we direct their whole bodies. 4 And consider ships: Though very large and driven by fierce winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So too, though the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts great things. Consider how a small fire sets ablaze a large forest.
Verse 2 says that anyone who can control what they say is mature and able to control the whole body. James seems to be talking about being able to control the whole person. In other words, if we can control our tongue which is so easy to cause us to sin, then controlling the rest of our life will fall into place.
A pastor tells a story about a woman in his congregation who was a terrible gossip. One day, she said, “Pastor, the Lord has convicted me of my sin of gossip. My tongue is getting me and others into trouble.” When he guardedly asked, “Well, what do you plan to do about it?” she replied, “I want to put my tongue on the altar.” Because she had said the same thing so many times but never changed, he told her, “There isn’t an altar big enough!” Of course, there is an alter more than big enough because the Lord promises us if we confess our sins, he is faithful to forgive us of all unrighteousness.
James gives two examples that show the power of the tongue to control. The first example is of a horse. He says we put bits in the mouths of horses so they will obey us and we can direct their whole body. Controlling a horse’s mouth controls its head which turns their whole body whichever way we want them to go. Even a gentle horse that has been ridden its whole life can’t be controlled without a bit in its mouth.
My first experience with a horse was in high school. We went to a farm in the country to have a hay ride and bonfire. Me and my friends were looking around the farm and found a beautiful, peaceful, horse grazing in the field. My friends dared me to ride the horse bareback and I was stupid enough to try. They helped me climb up on the horse and I was tickled pink until a dog came running around the house barking at us. The horse took off running with me on the back and all I could do was hang on to her mane. I can assure you that you can control a horse by pulling its hair! I got thrown off and it’s a miracle I didn’t break my neck!!
The second example is of a ship. Even the biggest ships can be controlled using a small rudder. James says even a large ship driven by fierce winds can be controlled with a rudder that is tiny compared to the size of the ship. In both examples, we see that small things can control something much larger. In the same way, our tongues can control our lives and our future.
One writer refers to the tongue as the master key of our bodies. It determines everything else, moving us either in a positive or negative way. Our tongue takes us places. But the tongue is only as good as the heart guiding it, just as the bit in a horse’s mouth is only as good as the rider, and the rudder on the ship is only as good as the pilot. Jesus says that what we say is from the heart.
45 A good person produces good out of the good stored up in his heart. An evil person produces evil out of the evil stored up in his heart, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.
So we learned the tongue is powerful. The next thing we learn is that the tongue is dangerous and can destroy.
The Tongue is Destructive
The Tongue is Destructive
Let’s look at the end of verse 5 through verse 6.
5 So too, though the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts great things. Consider how a small fire sets ablaze a large forest. 6 And the tongue is a fire. The tongue, a world of unrighteousness, is placed among our members. It stains the whole body, sets the course of life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
I read a story of a woman in LA who took her own life. Her suicide note only had two words: “They said.” That’s hard to hear, but it’s true for so many people. So much of our life is determined by “they said.” Even worse, we might have been the ones who contributed to the “they said” moment for someone else.
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
Verse 5 says the tongue is like a small fire that starts a forest fire.
5 So too, though the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts great things. Consider how a small fire sets ablaze a large forest.
Our words don’t even have to be intentional to do a lot of harm. All it takes is a little carelessness. There was a wildfire not too long ago that burned 22,000 acres and destroyed acres of land including homes and businesses. It was started by an innocent smoke bomb used in a gender reveal party. The party was on September 5th but the fire wasn’t put out until November 16th.
A fire has the amazing ability to spread and continue to burn as long as it has fuel. Like most things, water can’t multiply. When you pour it out, no matter where or on what it never expands into a floor. But fire feeds on itself as long as it has fuel and oxygen. The Bible has many references to the destructive power of the mouth.
28 The mind of the righteous person thinks before answering, but the mouth of the wicked blurts out evil things.
27 A worthless person digs up evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire.
2 Like a sharpened razor, your tongue devises destruction, working treachery. 3 You love evil instead of good, lying instead of speaking truthfully. Selah 4 You love any words that destroy, you treacherous tongue!
6 And the tongue is a fire. The tongue, a world of unrighteousness, is placed among our members. It stains the whole body, sets the course of life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
In verse 6, James makes probably the strongest statement on the danger of the tongue when he says the tongue is a world of unrighteousness. The word translated “world” isn’t talking about the earth or another planet. He’s talking about a system or a scheme. It’s a system of evil, rebellion, and every other form of sin.
He says it’s placed among our members and stains the whole body. So the tongue is a flame that burns the world around us, but it also set’s our own life on fire. And we might wonder who started the fire, but James is clear that the tongue is set on fire by hell.
James uses the same word that translated hell here that Jesus did to describe the place of ultimate judgement and condemnation where Satan lives. He’s says that Satan himself uses the evil of our tongues. He lit the fire. He’s the father of lies. We’s walking back and forth with his blowtorch lighting our tongues and enjoying the destruction they cause.
Our words can be so destructive: I hate you. You’ll never be worth anything. You don’t know what you’re talking about. My life would be better if you were never born. You’ll end up alone. You’re my biggest disappointment in life. The world would be a better place without you. I don’t love you.
I haven’t been physically hurt by someone in over 30 years, but I have been wounded to the core by the things others have said to me or about me. I’m sure you have been affected by someone else’s words too. Please think about the damage we can do with our words and the way Satan uses our tongue to destroy our lives and those around us.
The next thing we learn about the tongue is that it is untamable in verses 7 and 8.
The Tongue is Untamable
The Tongue is Untamable
7 Every kind of animal, bird, reptile, and fish is tamed and has been tamed by humankind, 8 but no one can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
James says every kind of animal has been tamed by mankind. I remember going to the circus and seeing lions, tigers, and elephants that were tamed to perform in the show. But James says no one can tame the tongue. Even believers can easily let their tongue slip. David was aware of that danger and prayed
3 Lord, set up a guard for my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips.
Verse 8 says the tongue is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. The word translated “restless” can also be translated “unstable”. It’s the picture of a wild animal fighting with all its might to break free. The restless evil is always looking for a way to escape and spread its deadly poison.
David was a battle hardened soldier who defeated his enemies, but he realized the most dangerous enemies attack with words.
1 God, hear my voice when I am in anguish. Protect my life from the terror of the enemy. 2 Hide me from the scheming of wicked people, from the mob of evildoers, 3 who sharpen their tongues like swords and aim bitter words like arrows, 4 shooting from concealed places at the blameless. They shoot at him suddenly and are not afraid. 5 They adopt an evil plan; they talk about hiding traps and say, “Who will see them?” 6 They devise crimes and say, “We have perfected a secret plan.” The inner man and the heart are mysterious.
We’ve learned the tongue is powerful, destructive, and untameable. The next thing James says in verses 9 through 12 is that it is also hypocritical.
The Tongue is a Hypocrite
The Tongue is a Hypocrite
9 With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in God’s likeness. 10 Blessing and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way. 11 Does a spring pour out sweet and bitter water from the same opening? 12 Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers and sisters, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a saltwater spring yield fresh water.
James says one minute we’re blessing God and the next we’re cursing people made in the image of God. He gives examples of things that aren’t possible: a spring producing fresh and bitter water, a fig tree producing olives, and a grapevine producing figs. This goes back to the root of the problem in our heart.
Some people might talk like a good Christian on Sunday, but yell and cuss at their family the next day. In Bibb County where I grew up, people called that talking out of both sides of your mouth. When you talk one way to one group of people but talk differently to another group you’re a hypocrite.
James says this shouldn’t be. Christ followers shouldn’t be double minded. We should be consistent with our walk and our talk. We need to ask God to help us talk in a Christlike way every day of the week.
This was a hard hitting passage about the tongue and it might leave you feeling helpless to do anything about our tongue. After all, James said no man control the tongue and he’s right. I can’t tame my tongue on my own. I can’t do it in the flesh, but I can with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in me.
63 The Spirit is the one who gives life. The flesh doesn’t help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.
The first step in taming the tongue is to use it to repent. We need to ask God to forgive us for sinning with our tongue and to help us control it. I hope you’ll ask God to reveal the hurtful things you’ve said so you can repent and ask for forgiveness from those you have hurt.
The next step for taming the tongue is to walk in the Spirit.
16 I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want.
Paul says we should walk by the Spirit so we won’t give in to our sinful desires and use our tongue for evil. How do we walk in the Spirit? We have to give up control of our life and give it to God. We have to study God’s Word so we understand how He wants us to live. We have to pray constantly that God will help us tame our tongue.
1 I said, “I will guard my ways so that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle as long as the wicked are in my presence.”
We should fill our mouths with good things. The more our mouths are filled with praise to God and kind, loving, encouraging words for other, the less space there will be for fiery, poisonous talk.
May the mind of Christ my Saviour
Live in me from day to day,
By His love and pow’r controlling
All I do and say.
(Kate B. Wilkinson)
