Trouble with the Tongue
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Introduction
Introduction
On a windswept hill in an old English churchyard stands a slate tombstone. Beneath This Stone, a Lump of Clay, Lies Arabella Young, Who, on the Twenty-fourth of May, Began to Hold Her Tongue.
How would you like to be known as the person who finally held your tongue on the day you died. But although that might not be your epitaph, in many ways this is true for every person here. I think this is a point that James makes very clear in his epistle.
John Calvin “There is nothing more slippery or loose than the tongue.”
Bobby went to the village priest and asked the priest what to do. The priest instructed him to take a bag full of feathers, perhaps a pillow, and go through the village and place a feather on every doorstep throughout the village. He did so, and returned to the priest to find out what he should do next. The priest sent Bobby home, but told him that when he woke up in the morning he needed to take his empty pillow case and go pick up all the feathers from every doorstep. But he couldn’t find any because over the night the wind had blown them all away. He returned to the priest to share his frustration in his failure. The priest replied, “It’s the same way with your careless words. Once you speak them you can’t take them back. You can ask forgiveness for the pain you have caused, but you cannot take your words back because they have already done damage.”
How many times have you wished that you could take back something that you said?
James deals with this issue in James chapter 3 where we will be spending our time this morning. James begins the chapter by showing how serious a problem the tongue really can be.
What do all these things have in common? They are all often deadly diseases caused by something so small you can’t see it with the naked eye.
James is writing to the twelve tribes who are scattered abroad—the Hebrew Christians and is dealing with multiple issues that they are having. In the end of , James talks about the problem between faith and works. You aren’t saved by what you do, but through faith in Jesus Christ. But that faith is demonstrated by the works you do.
And in , he moves to a specific work that can be especially obvious to yourself and all around you.
You will be held accountable for what you say.
You will be held accountable for what you say.
1 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.
A teacher is someone whose job is to instruct or teach someone. There is a prestige associated with being a teacher. People follow the example of their teachers and the words of the teacher impacts their students for the rest of their lives. This goes both ways for good or for evil. Because of the influence their words can have on so many more people, teachers have a greater responsibility not only for their own conduct but for their influence on others. Don’t be a teacher unless God has called you. If you do it for selfish reasons, you will have big problems.
1. Trouble with the Tongue
1. Trouble with the Tongue
James goes on to say
2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.
We all stumble and sin.
If you don’t stumble in what you say, you are perfect. Indicator of you real spiritual condition.
Reminds me of
26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.
If you don’t control your tongue, your religion is worthless? That’s pretty strong.
A big responsibility and a big problem, but how do we take care of the trouble?
The Problem
The Problem
1. To tame the tongue, you must recognize the power of the tongue.
1. To tame the tongue, you must recognize the power of the tongue.
It is powerful.
It is powerful.
1. Bits in horses’ mouths
Small part with power
Small part with power
Bits in horses’ mouths
Bits in horses’ mouths
3 Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body.
2. Rudder on a ship
4 Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires.
The focus here shouldn’t be placed on the control factor as much as the influence. Don’t underestimate the power of the tongue.
2. To tame the tongue, you must recognize that human power can do nothing to tame it.
2. To tame the tongue, you must recognize that human power can do nothing to tame it.
It is hard to control
It is hard to control
The tongue is naturally wicked.
The tongue is naturally wicked.
2. Source of the Trouble
2. Source of the Trouble
1. Fire
5 Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.
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!
Illustrations:
Great fire of 1858 in Chicago was caused, they say, by a cow knocking over a lantern in barn.
Camp fire
The deadliest and most destructive wildfire in CA happened last year (2018). It was caused by a small fire started by a downed power line.
(i) Camp Fire, the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in CA, was caused by a small fire started by a downed power line.
It was caused by a small fire started by a downed power line.
(ii) Within 6 hours, the fire had almost entirely destroyed the towns of Concow and Paradise. 57 casualities and 95% of the buildings destroyed.
Within 6 hours, the fire had almost entirely destroyed the towns of Concow and Paradise. 57 casualities and 95% of the buildings destroyed.
(iii) Contained 17 days later: burned over 150,000 acres (size of entire city of Chicago), killed 83 people, and destroyed over 19,000 structures.
Contained 17 days later: burned over 150,000 acres (size of entire city of Chicago), killed 83 people, and destroyed over 19,000 structures. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_Fire_(2018)
(iv) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_Fire_(2018)
Verse 6:
Verse 6: Two active verbs and one passive verb. All present tense so not something that has happened in the past. Tongue is doing two things and one thing is being done to the tongue in the present.
"defiles the whole body”
“whole body” not just part; wide-reaching
End of talking about the New Jerusalem “there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles”
“Course of life” — literally means “wheel of birth or existence”. Scholars don’t really know what this phrase means.
James likes to use illustrations. Perhaps he is illustrating how if a wooden wheel catches on fire at the axle, the entire wheel will soon be on fire as it travels up the spokes.
“set on fire by hell”
The word translated here as hell is Gehenna. Gehenna became associated with the final destruction of wickedness by fire because of an actual place—the valley of Hinnum which is what Gehinnom means in Hebrew.
In Bible times, the valley of Gehenna was where the backslidden Jews offered their children to Molech by burning them as a sacrifice ().
Also the place where all the garbage and impure stuff was thrown and burned.
The fact, also, that the city’s offal was collected there may have helped to render the name synonymous with extreme defilement.
Geerhardus Vos, “Gehenna,” ed. James Orr et al., The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia (Chicago: The Howard-Severance Company, 1915), 1183.
Hell is the place where all evil and wickedness, everything worthy of destruction, will eventually be destroyed.
The origin of the world of unrighteousness that comes from out of the mouth through the tongue is evilness, wickedness, etc.
Most Christians are horrified by child-molesters, murder, robbery, and other big sins. But how many of us are ok with a little gossip here and there, maybe a little white lie or half truth, hurtful sarcastic statements, or other tongue sins.
Summary
What you say can defile your entire being.
What you say can destroy your entire existence.
The evil things you say come from the source of all wickedness. Or perhaps under the control of Satan.
Untamable by humans.
7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind.
8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
JAmes 3:
Naturally the tongue is full of poison. It can inflict serious injury and pain to someone.
It is easily corrupted
It is easily corrupted
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.
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 3:9
Rattlesnake, if not carefully defanged, is always full of deadly poison no matter how tame it acts.
The tongue can’t be tamed because it can say something to do great good and suddenly without warning say something that is hurtful. The tongue is naturally poisonous.
Only Jesus can tame the tongue, but he doesn’t mention that here because he wants his readers to realize how bad of a problem the tongue really can be.
3. To tame the tongue, we must recognize the source of the Trouble.
3. To tame the tongue, we must recognize the source of the Trouble.
9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.
10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.
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.
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.
These things ought not to be so.
It’s quite the irony. How can you praise God in one breath but in the next breath say something very demeaning about one of God’s children.
Something isn’t right here.
He goes on to give an illustration:
11 Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?
12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.
James 3
Bitter and fresh water cannot both exist in the same place. If fresh spring, it will be fresh water; if salt spring, it will be salt water. Not like a solid food. You can put a green tomato and a red tomato in the same bowl, but they are easy to spot and separate. Not so with water.
The fruit of a tree cannot be anything other than the kind of tree it is. Apple from apple tree. Grape from grapevine.
Jesus used this same illustration in . He was warning the people to beware of false prophets who come in sheep’s clothing but are actually ravenous wolves. They look good on the outside, but are poison on the inside.
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?
17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
By their fruits you will recognize them. A bad tree can bear fruit that maybe looks good from a distance, but a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. And in turn, a good tree can’t bear bad fruit.
13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.
14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.
18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.
19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
If you are saying things that are clearly not Christ-like, not from God, then by that fruit, you have not allowed God to have full control of your life.
Are you having trouble with your tongue? There is a deeper problem that comes from your heart.
Transition: James asks a question
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.
Understanding= “e pi ste’mon” means learned, skilled, an expert
James is asking “Do you claim to be an expert?” The evidence of your wisdom doesn’t come from the claim or from what you think makes you wise. The evidence is in what you do. In other words again, “By their fruit you will recognize them.”
Your works reveal what you are on the inside.
Remember from the end of . Your works can’t save you.
If you see someone who doesn’t have food or clothing but you don’t do anything to help them. You have faith that they will be provided food and clothing. What good is that kind of faith James asks?
17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
What we do doesn’t save us, but our faith is demonstrated by what we do. In the same way, we aren’t saved because of what we say, but the real condition of our heart is demonstrated by the words that come out of our mouth.
Jesus makes this point very clear in
33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.
34 Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.
36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.
37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
33 And when the crowd heard it, they were astonished at his teaching.
34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together.
35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him.
36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”
37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
33 And when the crowd heard it, they were astonished at his teaching.
34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together.
35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him.
36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”
37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
JAmes 3:13
The words we speak reveal the condition of our heart.
James goes on:
14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.
15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.
16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.
“bitter envy”
James 3:14-
Greek zelos (ζῆλον) is zeal which is used in a good and bad sense in Scripture. In this case, because it is bitter zeal it is definitely in the negative sense. Envy or jealousy in some versions doesn’t really capture all of what James is trying to say.
To envy someone is to wish you were them or that you had what they have so much that maybe you get sick about it.
ζῆλον
Always trying to match or surpass others to make yourself look better than them. Full of a spirit of self-devotion.
“self-seeking”
Greek “eritheia” is derived from the word that is used to refer to a hired servant. Labor for hire.
Take on positions for your own selfish interest.
If you have this in your heart don’t act like you are righteous. Don’t put on a sheep outfit when inside you are a wolf.
You claim you are wise, but if your works don’t show differently and you are totally focused on self, than this wisdom didn’t come from above. James had said earlier in chapter 1
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.”
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .
Sensual has a connotation today with sexy. But the Greek word denotes the natural personality of a person before he has been converted and transformed by the Spirit. Other versions translate this as natural or unspiritual and this is more true to the original text.
For example
19 These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.
If you are entirely self seeking, you will have serious trouble. Confusion and every evil thing.
This particular form of evil is absolute worthlessness and good-for-nothingness.
The Solution
The Solution
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.
18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
James isn’t making a list here in numerical order when he says “first”. He is saying that the core quality is being pure.
The rest are visible fruits you can see evidence of, but purity is something that can’t really be seen. Another meaning of the word for pure is innocent or blameless.
In this list, James is referring to things he has already talked about:
peaceable, gentle, submissive,
full of mercy and good fruits (talked about in this chapter),
impartial (which he talked about in chapter 2—showing honor to a rich man just because of how he looks over a poor man),
without hypocrisy (not claiming to be something that you are not.).
without hypocrisy (not claiming to be something that you are not.).
Those who are peaceable are planting seeds of righteousness that will result in good fruit.
We have to remember that chapter and verse markers were added very recently. Usually helpful, but sometimes make us miss something. The first part of chapter 4 continues on with the same content of chapter. The break isn’t really until the middle of chapter 4.
We will be covering this more in detail next week. But without , we would be left hanging after . James lays out what a serious problem the tongue can be. He shows how powerful it is and how dangerous it can be. He shares how no person can tame the tongue—how its a deadly poison. Then he shows how what we say reveals how self serving we are and shows the contrast with the wisdom that is from above that is pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.
James shows us the trouble, the source of the trouble, and the solution to the trouble. But we haven’t seen how to get the solution for our own life—how to make the solution actually work in our life.
Before we get there, however, James gets even more personal.
Why do you have so much fighting in your midst? You are selfish, pushing for power to uplift your own selfish interest.
You don’t have because you don’t ask and when you do ask you don’t receive it because you are asking with that selfish interest to further your own interests.
You have commited adultery against God
How can you claim to be followers of Christ when trying to be friends with the world?
Fresh water can’t come from salt springs. Good fruit can’t come from bad trees.
If you are a friend of the world as you are now, you are an enemy of God.
You know that bitter jealousy that you have with one another? God is jealous for your affection and your friendship. He created you for a relationship with Him and He is jealous for your attention.
He yearns jealously.
He is yearning. Strongly desiring something.
This word for jealous is different than the word for envy or jealousy we looked at earlier. This jealousy is a desire for what is rightfully His.
But then the tone switches and James says,
6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
How do you get this grace? He says in vs 7-10
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.
10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
Submit to God
Resist the devil through the power of Jesus. Don’t let him have control over you any more.
Draw near to God. Seek diligently after Him. Yearn for a relationship with God as He yearns for you. and He will draw near to you.
The following can’t come unless the previous is happening.
Cleanse your hands. Allow Jesus to take the guilt. Remember Pilate symbolized his freedom from guilt of the death of Jesus by washing his hands. Same imagery. Allow Jesus to make you guiltless.
Purify your hearts, you double-minded. You are trying to serve yourself in the world and Christ. Remove all of the junk out of your life that does not help your friendship with Christ.
Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.
James isn’t saying you have to become depressed all the time.
But you need to take it seriously because it is incredibly serious.
And finally humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up.
As you humble yourself before the Lord, removing every bit of selfishness that causes this trouble that is shown by what we say, He will give us grace.
What do all these things have in common? They are all often deadly diseases caused by something so small you can’t see it with the naked eye.