SMALL BUT DEADLY

CHRISTIAN CONVESATION

James’ Ch 3 can be summed up like this. Don’t rush to be a teacher. It is dangerous, for everyone stumbles when he talks a lot. The tongue is small but powerful. Like a bit used to control a horse or a rudder to steer a ship, we control the whole person when we control the tongue. Tongues are virtually impossible to manage. We can tame all types of animals, birds, and reptiles; but our tongues are incorrigible. Only God’s gracious power can supply the strength for change.

One reason why everyone has trouble with their speech is the double-mindedness of the tongue. With the same tongue we praise God and curse people and the people we slander and talk about are made in God’s image. We need to demonstrate humility if we truly want God’s wisdom. The opposite of humility and God’s wisdom is envy and selfish ambition these come from false wisdom or speech of the enemy. True wisdom produces peace and a harvest of righteousness not a string of bodies in its wake.

How you ever had a conversation and left feeling about a ¼” tall?

What about the opposite, left feeling better than you entered the conversation?

Words can build and words can destroy –

We need to be careful of the words we use Benjamin Franklin said -

“A slip of the foot you may soon recover, but a slip of the tongue you may never get over.”

Let us Pray

Christian Conversation

James 3:1–12

I. THE CONDEMNATION— The Need to Control the Tongue vv. 1–2

God wants his people to control their tongues – by doing so displays true wisdom, but those who misuse the tongue receive God’s condemnation

1. Criticism—v. 1. It is a dangerous thing to criticize others. Live right before God.

We will all have to give account to God for the words we speak – but pastors, teachers, will be judges with greater strictness.

2. Complaint—v. 2. If we control our tongue, then our whole life will be under control.

James reminds us here that we all stumble with our speech – and if you say you don’t you are perfect – if you can keep your tongue under control you are able to keep your entire body under control – only one person was able to do that

II. THE CONTROL— The Power of the Tongue vv. 3–8

The tongue being so small can control and influence major life events – sets the course your life is on

1. Control—vv. 3–4. Horses and boats are controlled.

2. Confusion—v. 5. The small tongue can start a big fire. Arguments, misunderstandings, hate, divorce, etc. are brought about by using the tongue wrongly.

Proverbs 16:27-28 states A worthless man plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire. 28 A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends

Proverbs 18:20-21 states From the fruit of a man's mouth his stomach is satisfied; he is satisfied by the yield of his lips. 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.

3. Chaos—v. 6. A sinful tongue defiles the body.

Uncontrolled tongue has 3 results –

a. Corrupts the whole body

Source of pollution and when opened pollutes, defiles the whole body

b. Sets the course of life on fire

Affects the whole cycle of life -

c. Tongue itself is set on fire by hell

Satan has influence on the tongue – judgmental, critical, gossipy, scandalous speech

We do not want to be what David describes in Psalm 5:9 – For there is no truth in their mouth; their inmost self is destruction; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue.

We need to be like Psalm 15:2-3 – He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart; who does not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his friend;

4. Condemnation— The Rebellion of the Tongue vv. 7–8. Animals controlled by man, but he cannot control his small rebellious tongue.

Psalm 140 verse 3 talks about tongues being full of venom, deadly poison.

III. THE CLEANSING— The Double-Mindedness of the Tongue vv. 9–12

1. Peril—v. 9. Can the same tongue praise God and curse those created in His image? When we speak evil against or about someone – since they are created in the image of God – you speak evil against Him. It shows the moral inconsistency we live out - this is not Christianity!

We are supposed to maintain our integrity as children of God – Proverbs 19:1 Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool

Isaiah 3:8 reminds us why Jerusalem fell – For Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen, because their speech and their deeds are against the Lord, defying his glorious presence.

God told Zephaniah in 3:9 – “For at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call upon the name of the Lord and serve him with one accord.

Words have power to build or destroy – Paul told the Corinthians in 2 Cor 8:7 – But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also.

Excel in faith, excel in speech – it was the second on the list, even before knowledge – we must control our tongue if we want to be in a right relationship with God.

And in Titus 2:8 – Paul tells Titus “Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, 8 and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.”

2. Purging—vv. 10–12. No one can be a Christian and have all the fruits of a sinner.

Fresh water and salt water cannot come from the same spring

Good trees cannot produce bad fruit

Bad trees cannot produce good fruit

Colossians 4:6 states Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

God hates evil words – Proverbs 8:13 The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.

Proverbs 4:23-24 states Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. 24 Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you.

If you love the Lord – Psalm 34:12-14 states What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good?13 Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. 14 Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

Over fifty times Psalms and Proverbs speak about the tongue – gentle tongue is a tree of life, soft tongue breaks bones,

Proverbs 21:23 Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.

James in chapter 1 remember said that if you think you are religious and do not bridle your tongue you deceive yourself and your religion is worthless.

Finally, 1 Peter 3:10 – reminds us “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit;

Principles

• God holds teachers more accountable for the words they utter.

• The tongue is a small object which can influence huge events with its words.

• Only the grace of God can tame the tongue.

Applications

• Control your tongue to show a mastery of your attitudes and impulses.

• Be consistent in the use of your tongue, not letting curses for people made in God’s image come from the same tongue that praises.

What is God calling you to do today regarding your tongue? Your speech?

How has inconsistent speech impacted your walk and witness to others?

Does your tongue control you – saying whatever comes to mind – or do you have control over your tongue?

What steps do you need to take so that the tongue that sings praises of God does not let slanderous, venomous, devious, arrogant, consuming and destroying words, but build, rebuild, heal, bring peace?

Let us Pray