Our Tongues: Who is in Control?

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me”.

We’ve been taught a Cultural half-truth: words can’t physically hurt us, but a single sentence can crush a spirit.

FCF: God created us in His image to use our words for His glory. Apart from Jesus, we use our tongues for sin.

The Warning to Teachers (v. 1): James begins with a sobering reality—those who teach are “judged with a greater strictness." Why? Because if we are going to teach God’s Word we need to live in obedience to it, too.

If our lives in the pulpit or behind the podium don’t match our actual, everyday lives, we are in grave danger. James says it with us…We ALL stumble in many ways.

Teaching requires humility and honesty for this reason!

Our religion is self-deceived, and it makes us lying hypocrites if we don’t bridle our tongues (James 1:26). We must practice what we preach. Teaching is weighty!

But God’s message in James isn’t only for teachers. We must ALL be slow to speak and careful with out words because every "careless word" is subject to judgment (Matt. 12:36).

We need to Spirit-guided words.

Main Point: Only the Lord has the power to tame the tongue.

I. Our tongues have great power to steer our lives (v. 1-5a)

Two strong metaphors (v. 3-4)

James uses two metaphors of small objects with power to control great things. Likely neutral; can go either way.

The Bit and the Horse (v. 3): A massive, powerful animal is directed by a small piece of metal in its mouth. It can be steered safely on the road or dangerously don’t a steep cliff.

The Rudder and the Ship (v. 4): Even in "strong winds," a tiny rudder steers a Great Ship. If guided wrongly, it could crash into the bank. If steered properly, it can sail to safety.

Like the pilot and horseback rider, our hearts direct our tongues and our lives follow the direction of our tongues. The tongue reveals what is REALLY inside of us.

“Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matt. 12:34)

We can often see the heart and trajectory of someone’s life through their speech.

The narcissistic and arrogant tongue makes great boasts about itself.

The rash tongue uses their words to injure people.. And they do it A LOT of damage.

The double-tongued person speaks one way sometimes and other ways at other times.

The lying tongue takes the truth and bends it or destroys it altogether.

The slandering and gossiping tongue takes the lives of others and spreads it to other people without regard to the truthfulness or goodness of the conversation.

The evil tongue speaks abusive or corrupting words, saying what shouldn’t ever be spoken.

The quarrelsome and whispering tongues cause conflict and fights as they spread their mischief.

The foolish tongue speaks foolish without regard for what is true and wise.

The excessive tongue speaks too much and ends up sinning because they lose all restraint.

The careless tongue brings the judgment of Christ without considering the true risk and weight of our words

Application: To grow to maturity, you need to bridle your tongue! (v.2)

To be "perfect" or "mature" is to be all God created us to be. In Adam, we failed; in Christ, we find spiritual maturity.

Through Christ, we have the power to "bridle" the whole body. James is urging us to start with a focus on bridling our tongues if we want to be truly mature Christians who can control our bodies.

What direction is your tongue steering your life? Are you speaking mostly life-giving words that glorify God? Or are you using your tongue in destructive ways? Be honest with yourself. The Lord already knows.

This is a heart issue! We need to go to Scripture and seek the Holy Spirit’s help daily for heart-level change.

II. Our tongues have great power to wreck our lives (v. 5b-12)

We know we need to bridle our tongues. Here’s a reason why.

James shifts from the steering power to the destructive power of the tongue.

Our tongues are not neutral. Apart from Christ, they are deadly.

A Fiery World of Unrighteousness (v. 5b-6):

The Spark: In a desert or a drought, a tiny fire can consume an entire forest! Ungodly speech can set our lives on fire and ruin them!

The "Kosmos": James calls the tongue a "world" (kosmos) of evil—meaning it is overwhelmed and consumed by unrighteousness. Apart from Christ, we use words against the LORD and against others.

Set on fire by hell (Gehenna): Gehenna (Gk) was a place of fire near Jerusalem that represented God’s judgment and divine punishment. Theologically, it became known as hell, the ultimate place of God’s judgment.

Apart from Christ, our tongues can become active instruments for Satan. (Example: Peter’s rebuke of Jesus in Mark 8:33; Jesus said, “Get behind me, Satan!”).

An Un-tamable Beast (v. 7-8)

Humans have tamed lions, elephants, snakes, crocodiles, birds, and even sea creatures, but no human can tame the tongue.

The tongue is a "restless evil"—unstable and lashing out like a poisonous viper (Ps. 140:3: “The venom of snakes is under their lips”).

App: Have you ever lashed out in a way that even shocked you? Do you know people who just cut people down with their words? We can’t tame our own tongues in our own strength!

The Hypocrisy of the Double-Tongue (v. 9-12)

James calls out hypocrisy: We bless and praise God on Sunday and curse His image-bearers on Monday—sometimes before we even leave the building.

Biological Impossibility: James uses three nature illustrations:

1. A spring or pond cannot produce both fresh (sweet) and salt (bitter) water.

2. A fig tree cannot produce olives.

3. A grapevine cannot produce figs.

Spiritual Oxymoron: Similarly, Christians ought not have blessing and cursing in the same mouth.

A foul-mouthed Christian should sound ridiculous to us! Churches that fight and backbite and tear each other down should be a shocking exception, not the norm!

We have to stop accepting the status quo and call it what the Bible calls it! Sin!

Matthew 12:33–37 ESV

“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

Matthew 12:33–37 ESV

The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Great Commission Impacts. Nothing hinders unbelievers, and especially young people, more than hearing "Amen" in the sanctuary and evil speech throughout the week at home. We have to guard against this!

Application: Put away destructive speech.

James says, “things shouldn’t be this way! This means we must put off corrupt speech.

We often rename our sins to feel better.

"I’m not sinning, I’m just blunt." (Prov. 15:1 says harsh words stir anger).

"I can't help it when I'm angry." (Gal. 5:23 says the fruit of the Spirit is self-control).

"I'm just sharing the facts." (1 Peter 2:1 says put away all slander).

Rather than excuse our sin, we need to put it to death!

It’s got to start with us! We can’t wait for anybody else to do this right before we repent! We need to turn from our sin right here and right now!

Confess your unbridled, untamed words to Christ. Pray that He would give you a heart to speak words that glorify Him.

Ask the Holy Spirit to help you put your old self to death with its sinful and corrupt speech.

Pray that God would show you where your words are destroying your life and hurting others. Pray that God would reveal your blindspots so you can turn from them.

III. Our tongues need to be transformed by the power of the Gospel

Since James says no human can tame the tongue, we have to run to the One who can. Only in Christ can any person tame their tongue.

Gospel Solution: We need a new heart, not just willpower or religiosity. [Gospel Call]

Jesus died on the cross for every word you could speak. Put your faith in Him.

Jesus’s life empowers you to tame and bridle your tongue! No man can tame the tongue, but the Lord who created it can tame it! There is nothing too hard for God!

Jesus’s resurrection confirms that our tongues will be perfectly new. Despite our struggles with sinful words today, there will come a day where you’ll never say the wrong thing or hurt anyone with your words. You’ll only speak what glorifies God and builds people up.

Until then, He is making us more and more christlike in our speech every day.

We need to submit ourselves to the Spirit’s work in our lives through His Word.

There are dozens of passages about how to use your words and speech to glorify God. I’m going to give you two BROAD verses, and I urge you to search out specific passages about how to use your tongue throughout Scripture.

How Gospel People Speak

After laying out who we are in Christ, Paul told the Colossians and the Ephesians how to control their speech. These overarching principles are good for us this morning.

Colossians 4:6 ESV

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

Salt preserves and flavors; our words should bring life, not decay. They should bring gospel flavor to every conversation we enter.

Pray for the Spirit to guide you in everything you say. He will convict and give you insight as to how to speak.

Ephesians 4:29 ESV

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Negative: Avoid anything that is corrupting or unwholesome. If it’s fiery or unrighteous, keep it yourself and pray for the Spirit to change your desires.

Positive: Aim to build people up everytime you speak. That’s a HUGE shift. It will changed everything about how you speak.

Conclusion: Only Jesus can tame the tongue

The Model of Christ

When he was child, he respected his parents. He spoke powerfully in the temple.

As a teacher, he taught with authority ONLY what is true.

He rebuke godless leaders sharply recognizing the dangers of their words and lives

Jesus, when reviled, did not revile in return. He used His words to heal, to teach, and finally, to secure our salvation ("It is finished").

When He rose, He spoke the great commission and sent His people on mission

Call to Repentance

Call to Repentance: If you think you have tamed your own tongue, you are in denial. If you admit you haven't, you are ready for the grace of God.

The Prayer of David: Let us make Psalm 141:3 our daily cry: “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!”

Final Thought: Our words display our hearts. Let us speak as those who have been raised to newness of life in Christ!