A Tongue On Fire
James 3:1-12
A Tongue on Fire
Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.
When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
Set on fire by hell… What a frightful description of the tongue! James is speaking of and to Christians. Though redeemed by the power of the Living God and though called to speak the language of Zion, we Christians are not only capable but also disposed to speak a language which is empowered by the very fires of hell. Perhaps you should know that the picture James conveys is not a tongue set on fire with the fires of Hades (terrible as that may be), but his is an even more frightful picture of the eternal fire of Gehenna (th`" geevnnh")—the lake of fire described in Revelation 20:14, 15.
James also speaks of the inability to draw both salt water and fresh water from the same spring. He will remind his readers that fig trees do not produce olives nor do grapevines bear figs. He employs this as a vivid confrontation of the tendency for us as Christians to glorify God with the same mouths used to denigrate and destroy mankind. Praise and cursing out of the same mouth is not simply unseemly—it is impossible. Underscore this sobering truth: if you possess a destructive tongue it is impossible for you to praise God. Worship is impossible for the individual with an unrestrained tongue.
Speaking of the wicked, Asaph, in the 73rd Psalm says:
From their callous hearts comes iniquity;
the evil conceits of their minds know no limits.
They scoff, and speak with malice;
in their arrogance they threaten oppression.
Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
and their tongues take possession of the earth.
…
This is what the wicked are like…
[Psalm 73:7-9, 12]
We are assured that if we will worship we must meet the Lord on His terms. What we do, what we think and what we say during the week will in no small measure determine whether we actually meet the Risen Son of God on Sunday. Harbouring anger or malice makes us susceptible to destroying others with our tongues. Those oozing the poison of a bitter heart will have made themselves vulnerable to satanic work with their tongues. Should your tongue have been employed to disgrace the Saviour through surrendering to the fires of hell to destroy and injure fellow saints you must not think that you shall worship until you have repented of your sin. This is a stunning conclusion!
The Fiery Tongue Stains the Saints’ Lives [verses 3 through 6] — The pastor of the Jerusalem Church begins by issuing a caution against rushing to assume the role of a teacher. If you teach you are held to a stricter standard than are those who listen. Pastors may either richly bless a congregation or destroy many people through what they say. The preacher bears an awesome responsibility before God and toward the congregation.
This is the reason I caution that you must carefully weigh the Scriptures even as the preacher speaks. Anything which is not taught in the Word but which rather bears the imprimatur of culture or reflects human supposition should be rejected. However, that which is clearly stated in the Word of God imposes responsibility upon you to embrace and submit to the will of God. We are obligated to put into practise that which God teaches; and teachers are responsible to teach all that is in accord with the Word of God.
James segues into a warning against the tongue. He acknowledges that each of us are prone to stumbling. Of course there is not a perfect individual. In the course of his message a pastor raised this issue on one occasion by stating, “There is no one perfect.”
“John Smith is perfect,” a voice from the congregation responded.
The preacher was astonished and sought to clarify the matter by forcefully stating, “No one is perfect. Not even John Smith!”
“John Smith is perfect,” the voice asserted once again.
The preacher asked man who was responding to identify himself by standing. When the man stood the preacher asked, “Who is John Smith?”
“My wife’s first husband,” the man replied.
Of course there is no perfect person. Among reasons James gives for this lack of perfection is our inability to keep the tongue in check. Who among us has not wished at one time or another that we could retrieve words spoken hastily—words spoken in anger, words spoken unadvisedly. That failure to control the tongue is the basis for James’ warning issued in this passage.
Horses may be controlled with a bit. Ships may be steered with a relatively small rudder. The tongue, though small in comparison to the entire body, is powerful in exerting control over the entire body. James’ purpose appears to be to confront each of us with the power which the tongue exerts over the whole of our bodies.
A forest may be set on fire with one match. One ember from a campfire may spark a blaze which destroys many hectares of timber. A hot exhaust on a motorcycle sparked one of the most devastating fires southern California ever experienced. Scores of families were left without homes and the memories of a lifetime were destroyed. The fires which burned out of control around the Los Alamos nuclear facility in New Mexico this past summer were the result of fire control efforts by the Bureau of Land Management. A small fire was set to burn brush and the crew failed to control that fire.
I am fascinated by James’ statement that the tongue corrupts the whole person. The word which our translation presents as corrupts is the Greek word spilovw, which is normally translated stain or defile. One translation faithfully translates the word thusly. The tongue … stains the whole body [James 3:6 nrsv]. The concept is not a mere spotting of one’s life, however. The thought James conveys to his first readers is the warning that the tongue is capable of ruining one’s life rendering that life unfit for service to God.
This sixth verse from the New Contemporary Version reads: The tongue is like a fire. It is a whole world of evil among the parts of our bodies. The tongue spreads its evil through the whole body. The tongue is set on fire by hell, and it starts a fire that influences all of life. In the New Living Translation the verse reads as follows: The tongue is a flame of fire. It is full of wickedness that can ruin your whole life. It can turn the entire course of your life into a blazing flame of destruction, for it is set on fire by hell itself.
By this point you will have no doubt understood that James is warning against permitting what you say to contaminate either your life or the lives of others. The words you speak have that ability to contaminate so thoroughly that it will seem as if all hell itself has broken loose. The work of God will be hindered. God’s Name will be disgraced. Saints will be wounded. Relationships will be destroyed. The whole of your life will be left in smouldering ruins. All as result of a tongue on fire.
The reason the tongue contaminates our lives is that it is expressing what is in our heart at that moment. I invite you to recall the words which Jesus spoke in the Sermon on the Mount concerning anger. You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, “Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgement.” But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgement. Again, anyone who says to his brother, “Raca,” is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, “You fool!” will be in danger of the fire of hell [Matthew 5:21, 22].
To murder someone it is necessary to hate that person. Cold-blooded murderers are said to be sociopaths unsuited for life within society. The reason for such sentiment is that they hate mankind. Likewise, to permit anger to rule your life is to murder people in your heart. Thus, to break out in slander against another, to call another a fool [movro"], is to express your contempt for them, which is a polite way of saying that you hate them. According to Christ’s words you are culpable of murder in that instance. The difference is solely a matter of opportunity. Hatred precedes the act of murder; your life is stained.
A similar warning is found in Matthew 15:11, 18, 19. There the Master warns of the manner in which we employ our mouths. Listen to Him. What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him “unclean”’ but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him “unclean”…
But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man “unclean.” For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.
Let’s think about this for a moment. Jesus’ words lead me to conclude that it is not wicked thoughts which contaminate, but it is rather focusing on wicked thoughts which contaminates. To permit ourselves to focus on wickedness is itself evil. Martin Luther said on one occasion that he could not keep the birds from flying over his head, but he could keep them from building a nest in his hair. It is entertaining the wicked thoughts, savouring them, dwelling on them which is evil. As we surrender our minds to such wickedness we will be liable to express that on which we have been focused.
Of course, employing the words which express our wickedness we are liable to destroy the work of God. Murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander… this is quite the list of wickedness. For the purpose of this message I want you to note that slander is every bit as wicked as is murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft or lying. Slander is the polite sin of the church which we must recognise as wicked, even as Christ speaks of its evil. It is this slander which destroys the work of God more completely and more consistently than do all the other sins which Jesus listed.
The words of Paul in Ephesians 4:29-32 are extremely sobering for us as Christians. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Slander is a form of malice according to this text. Surely it is evident that when we destroy one another with our tongues we have forsaken kindness and compassion. Nor are we any longer forgiving as God has forgiven us. You will remember that failure to forgive is a way to ensure that we imprison ourselves [cf. Matthew 18:35].
Another passage which we should memorise is Colossians 3:5-14. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
James, echoing the words of the Saviour, later states that when we slander another we open ourselves to divine judgement [James 4:11, 12]. On this basis the preacher is commanded to caution the people to avoid slandering one another [see Titus 3:2] which we do by ridding ourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Instead, like new-born babies we are to crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it [we] may grow up in [our] salvation, now that [we] have tasted that the Lord is good [1 Peter 2:1-3].
The reason slander (or malicious talk) is so reprehensible among the people of God is that it is sin. Remember the list of awful sins which Paul presents in the first chapter of Romans? Those given over to a depraved mind are filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. The sentence which begins in the latter portion of verse twenty-nine states that such people are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them [Romans 1:29b-32]. To be a gossip or a slanderer is to situate oneself among the most awful sinners under heaven. How potent then is a tongue surrendered to evil!
Consequently, an individual surrendered to such evil demonstrates that he or she in fact does not know God. This is evident in the warning issued in 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10. Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. This truth serves as the foundation for the admonition that we must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat [1 Corinthians 5:11].
Apparently the sin of an unbridled tongue invaded even the ministry of service within the ancient church for the Apostle found it necessary to instruct the people that deaconesses were to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers [see 1 Timothy 3:11]. While it seems generally true that the sin of malicious talk is more likely to afflict women than men, men are not immune to this awful sin. The propensity of men to engage in precisely this sin is the foundation for the apostolic warning provided in 1 Timothy 6:3-5. If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth.
It is one thing to think of the evil done through false teaching—and such evil is disastrous among the churches of our Lord. It quite another thing to weigh the evil promoted through derogatory speech—through slander and malicious talk about others. Not only does the such slander fail to respect the person being slandered as he or she gives vent to her or his malice, but he or she assassinates the character of the individual being slandered before those listening. The seed of suspicion is planted and it will assuredly and eventually bear bitter fruit. Not content with hating the person he seeks to destroy with his tongue, the slanderer is determined to gain approval from others for his skewed point of view. The slanderer is a coward since she hasn’t the courage to openly confront the person slandered. The malicious talker hasn’t the courage to speak openly to the person she seeks to destroy through her craven verbal destruction. For this reason alone, malicious talk, slander, gossip, is a particularly heinous sin for a Christian.
When the slanderer is finished, the one slandered is injured beyond measure. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me may momentarily bolster the courage of a child who suffers the indignity of being called names. However, words do hurt! Words do wound more deeply than we can ever imagine! What we say about another will either build that one up or destroy. We didn’t believe that old rhyme when we were children and though we may repeat it to our children we know that words hurt.
You know the Word. As Christians we are responsible to make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification [Romans 14:19]. This injunction includes the manner in which we speak of one another. Again, we are responsible to encourage one another and build up one another [1 Thessalonians 5:11]. We cannot obey this command when we are engaging in malicious talk and slander. All that we do should have as a goal strengthening the church [see 1 Corinthians 14:26]. The Body of Christ builds itself up in love which is accomplished as each part does its work [Ephesians 4:16]. This brings us back to Ephesians 4:29 which teaches, Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
The Fiery Tongue Rebels Against All Control [verses 7, 8] — It is one thing to speak of the tongue, it is another to realise that we are virtually powerless to control what we say. All else being equal our speech is uncontrollable. An old adage states, Scratch a saint and you find a sinner underneath. This is a polite way of saying that though we are saved by grace we are yet sinners. We do not attain heaven through our own efforts. Consequently, the natural reaction when attacked or injured is to lash out at the one you believe is hurting you. Like a wild beast gnawing at its own foot when snared in a trap we strike out at what seems to be the source of our pain. Christians can make some of the most interesting statements concerning others in unguarded moments.
The tragedy of this truth is that too often what is said during those unguarded moments is destructive to relationships and without question many candid statements fail to glorify God. In a church meeting people may surrender to their anger, fume over an imagined slight, or take advantage of the situation to settle an old score. Such times result in essentially spontaneous statements revealing the choler motivating such speech. As result of such frank expressions we injure fellow saints, destroy respect others which may have for those we think to be our opponents, and we position ourselves so that pride keeps us from seeking forgiveness and reconciliation—we justify our sinful tongues.
If during a time of trial your speech led you to sin against a brother or sister Christian (and if you spoke harshly with a thought to injure you did sin) you have fallen prey to the evil of the tongue. If during the open discussions of the congregation you said something which wounded a fellow Christian, whether you now regret it or whether you are oblivious to what was said, you have sinned with the tongue. The fires of hell scorched that relationship and ravaged respect for a fellow child of God. The tragedy is that too often we are unaware of the consequences of our speech.
Perhaps we did not mean to hurt; we thought we were only expressing ourselves forcefully. Perhaps we have forgotten what was said, but our words were empowered by satanic energy and a fellow Christian was injured. Though we may think that we are not responsible for those things of which we are unaware, we are responsible to be sensitive to one another. As children of the True and Living God we are responsible for our speech. How else shall we understand the Word of God when it teaches Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one [Colossians 4:6 njkv]?
I am fully aware that when someone has spoken harshly to us that we are responsible to forgive. I know quite well that when we have been attacked verbally we are responsible to go to that one who assailed us so that we can seek to be reconciled. I do understand that if someone is offended in what I have said they are responsible to tell me. However, not every Christian is sufficiently mature to speak or act in a spiritual manner. This is not an excuse for anyone’s failure to confront those who have offended; it is but recognition that if we think ourselves spiritually mature we bear responsibility to be sensitive to the hurt of others.
Paul spoke of these truths when he wrote these words to the Galatian saints. Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load [Galatians 6:1-5].
Whatever else may be true of these instructions, one truth prevails: we are each responsible for others. Perhaps you are confused by what appears to be stultiloquence, alogy or at best a paradox in this particular passage. On the one hand Paul commands that we carry each others burdens. Later he will insist that each one should carry his own load. This seems to be nugacity to many of us. However, think what the Apostle has said.
In verse two he speaks of carrying each other’s burdens [bavro"]. In verse five he reminds us that each one should carry his own load [fortivon]. The issue is clarified through appeal to some contemporary translations. Brothers and sisters, if someone in your group does something wrong, you who are spiritual should go to that person and gently help make him right again. But be careful, because you might be tempted to sin, too. By helping each other with your troubles, you truly obey the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is important when he really is not, he is only fooling himself. Each person should judge his own actions and not compare himself with others. Then he can be proud for what he himself has done. Each person must be responsible for himself [Galatians 6:1-5 ncv].
Dear brothers and sisters if another Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s troubles and problems, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone in need, you are only fooling yourself. You are really a nobody.
Be sure to do what you should, for then you will enjoy the personal satisfaction of having done your work well, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct [Galatians 6:1-5 nlt].
Verse two teaches that a serving Christian lends a hand with heavy loads, whereas verse five teaches that a Christian can test his own actions through pulling his own weight. There is no mystery that some burdens are to be shared—they are so heavy that we need others to help us. There are some loads that we alone can carry. This is the essence of Paul’s words.
Now, shift your thoughts back to the message and in particular think about the unruly nature of our tongues. If a brother or sister has taken offence in our words, or if we spoke unadvisedly and they were wounded through ill-advised words, we are responsible to restore them. Consequently, this word which is translated restore speaks of returning a person to their former condition. The word would be used of setting a broken bone. It speaks of healing the hurting. This imposes responsibility upon us as Christians to care for one another and to apply the law of Christ. What law? The law which Jesus gave His disciples. A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another [John 13:34, 35].
We should guard our tongue, but the text warns us of the untamed terror which we know as our tongue. Knowing that the tongue is unruly and rebellious does not excuse bad manners or unchristian speech. We still have the words of Scripture warning us of our own responsibility to guard our tongues. Underscore these thought in your mind.
Be careful to use good sense,
and watch what you say.
[Proverbs 5:2 ncv]
What you say can mean life or death.
Those who speak with care will be rewarded.
[Proverbs 18:21 ncv]
Do not be quick with your mouth…
[Ecclesiastes 5:2]
The Fiery Tongue Dishonours God [verses 9-12] — There are in too many of our churches individuals who enjoy “roast pastor” every Sunday. Should the pastor be so fortunate to avoid being eaten alive by malicious talkers, another of the saints will suffice for their ungodly roast. I take special note that those in leadership are particularly susceptible to being on the receiving end of such malicious talk. The great tragedy is the impact such unrestrained and godless speech has on the watching world.
Malicious talkers are cowardly—craven and utterly destitute of grace. Such individuals show no evidence of redemption and do not deserve to be called Christian. Were those to whom they repeat their juicy stories and to whom they report their low view of service to the Lord willing to confront them with the demand that they either deal with the root of their malice or cease speaking, there would be no slander. The fact that they have an audience ensures that they will continue for some time to attempt to destroy others through attacking their character. The grave danger to the health of the congregation is that through destroying others they enervate the entire Body.
In a previous pastorate was a group of women who delighted in slandering others. Their alliance was strengthened through their mutual dislike for the manner in which the church conducted its ministry. Consequently, they did not like the music, did not like the conduct of the service, did not like the fact that they had no control. It was bad enough that they undermined respect for those dedicated men and women who gave their time to serve through speaking against them to one another, but they were quite prone to destroy their fellow saints even throughout the town. They spoke against fellow Christians to the editor of the local paper and slandered members of the assembly to bankers and other town residents who were not even Christians. Do you wonder that the church struggled to penetrate the community with the message of grace? There was no grace evidenced among these malicious talkers who instead demonstrated so much of demonic impetus.
I marvelled as I would stand to preach at the manner in which they were able to sing the hymns of Zion, request prayer for their own needs and even praise God for His grace when opportunity was given to speak of His work. These same women whose tongues destroyed respect for the good people of that church Monday through Saturday thought they glorified God through speaking His praise Sunday morning. Listen to James as he puts such wicked thoughts to rest.
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs. Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water [James 3:9-12].
Weigh the power of James statement— Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. If your tongue is unrestrained you cannot praise God. If you are a gossip or a malicious talker you have not worshipped since your tongue began to destroy. We must come to grips with the serious nature of such destructive speech.
I must issue this cautionary statement before I am finished with the message this day. I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgement for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned [Matthew 12:36, 37]. These words were spoken by the Saviour. Surely they serve to caution each of us in light of the message today. Those individuals who are marked as malicious talkers, as slanderers and as gossips shall one day give account for their words. I would help you and not hurt you by pressing this warning to your heart.
You may speak the truth, but if your attitude is wrong you will set relationships on fire and scorch the work of God. The spirit of Christ leads us to seek peace with all men instead of demanding abject humiliation of those with whom we are angry. Much of the speech which marks contemporary society is often truthful, or sufficiently truthful that it is difficult to deny its validity. Yet that same speech burns and sears because the one speaking has no desire to build up or to restore. Such attitudes have no place among the people of God.
I ask you to again weigh the words which we heard earlier as we looked at Paul’s teaching to the churches of Galatia. Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently [Galatians 6:1]. We must learn that not every offence requires us to attack and assault and assail another. I have often said that not every hill is worth shedding blood over. Instead of repeating an offence, we should restore the errant among us. This is the teaching we received from Solomon:
He who covers over an offence promotes love,
but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
[Proverbs 17:9]
If you insist on holding others to an exact standard, you shall also be held to that same standard at the last. This is the Word of God. Listen to these two passages which are recorded in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.
Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you [Matthew 7:1, 2].
Again we are taught, Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven [Luke 6:37].
If we will tame the tongue we will do so only in the power of the Saviour. Let those who are Christians refuse to surrender to their tongues. Let those who name the Name of Christ seek forgiveness for the unruly speech which once marked us. Let each of us who are believers in the Risen Son of God ask Him to give us control of our speech so that we glorify Him and so that we praise His Name. Amen.