The Battle of the Tongue
The Battle of the Tongue
James 3:1-3:8
Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 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.
3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 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. 5 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. 6 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.
7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8 but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
Controlling our tongue is one of the toughest battles we will face in our spiritual lives.
Our words and our speech are to be glorifying to God and used to build up those around us.
It doesn’t take people long to get a feel for a person through the way they talk, the tone they use
The tongue is the key to our maturity as a Christian.
The tongue is the true measure of the change that’s taken place on the inside.
Often we deal with the more impressive issues of faith, the seemingly more important issues, we may fast, spend hours praying, memorize whole books of the Bible, all of these are good things and commanded by God but if we fail to control our tongue, James says they are worthless.
It is so important to control our tongue
Is your tongue destructive or productive?
I. THREE TRAITS OF THE TONGUE James 3
A. The Tongue is Very Small but Very Powerful!
In comparison to an Arabian stallion a bit is quite small.
In comparison to an aircraft carrier a rudder is quite small!
Words are like dynamite--if used properly and in the right place they are beneficial. Used improperly and in the wrong place they produce a lot of damage!
If a person can control their tongue they can master their life! (3:2)
B. The Tongue is Very Small but Very Dangerous!
The great Chicago fire was allegedly started by a single cow-- Mrs. O’Leary’s, who kicked over a lantern in its stall. From that one lantern the entire city burned down!
A Dangerous/Destructive tongue
1. SPEAKS IDLE OR CARELESS WORDS
Jesus says in Matthew 12:36 that we will give an account of judgment day for every idle word we speak. The word “idle” in the Greek means “lazy; free from work”. That means to me that every word that I speak that doesn’t produce some good, I will held accountable for.
2. GOSSIPS
A person who gossips is the devil’s broadcasting station. Paul describes someone who gossips as a “busybody”. Someone who doesn’t necessarily have a fulfilling life of their own, so they insist on talking and ruining someone else’s
How do I know if I am gossiping? Here are five practical questions to ask yourself before sharing information:
IS IT TRUE?
IS IT NECESSARY?
IS IT BENEFICIAL?
DO I HAVE PERMISSION TO SHARE IT?
IS MY MOTIVE PURE?
If you can’t answer YES to all five questions, yourself, me and this church a favor, keep your mouth shut!
3. LIES
The word here for “abomination” in the Hebrew means, “a disgusting thing”. So we can say that lying lips turn God’s stomach. It makes God sick.
4. SWEARS AND CUSSES
5. Murmurs and complains
6. Criticizes
C. The Tongue Very Small but Very Revealing. (read verse 9)
1. How and what we talk about--the "spin" we put on life by our words reveals our hearts in a way nothing else does!
Read Matt. 12:33-35 33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.
II. TAMING OUR TONGUES Practical guidelines from James
A. BE QUICK TO LISTEN, SLOW TO SPEAK (1:19).
1. "It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt" (Abraham Lincoln).
2. "I have never been hurt by anything I did not say" (Calvin Coolidge).
3. "When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise" (Prov. 10:19).
B. KEEP A TIGHT REIN ON YOUR TONGUE (1:26).
1. The tongue must be bridled constantly!
2. "He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity" (Prov. 21:23).
C. REFUSE TO TEAR OTHER PEOPLE DOWN (4:11; 5:9).
D. SPEAK ONLY WHAT IS TRUE (5:12).
E. PRAY FOR GOD’S HELP IN TAMING THE TONGUE (3:8).
1. "No man can tame the tongue!"
2. We need God’s help!
A TONGUE THAT IS PRODUCTIVE
1. IS SILENT
2. DOES NOT GOSSIP – already been there
3. IS ADDICTED TO WITNESSING
4. SPEAKS THE TRUTH IN LOVE
5. DOES NOT GRUMBLE AND COMPLAIN
6. MAKES POSITIVE CONFESSIONS
7. CONTINUALLY PRAISES THE LORD
I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. – Psalms 34:1