Lesson 5
God is the Tongue Inspector
James 3:1-12
June 28, 2015
“Give me liberty or give me death,” Four score and seven years ago,” “I have just begun to fight,” “Remember the Alamo,” “Remember the Maine,” “Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country.” These are all statements that at some point evoked strong emotions that often led men into conflict with a common enemy. There are also far more instances when the words of men have caused whole countries to succumb to brutality, like Communist Russia and China and Nazi Germany. Words from the likes of Lenin, Mao, Stalin and Hitler have brought death and destruction to large segments of people. Under Stalin there were upwards of seventy million Russians killed while Hitler did everything in his power to annihilate the entire population of Jews. From the time he came into power until his death in 1945 he had caused the extermination of six million Jews.
None of us would say that we have that kind of power. I know that from past experience that I have not been able to influence many people to do anything. That, however does not excuse me, because I have done my share of saying some pretty hurtful things to others. This is one area I am trying to address. It is not Christ-like to hurt others by what I say. I have certainly used phrases like “I was just joking,” or “I am telling this to you because I love you.” We even someone use so called prayer as a means to gossip about others.
Much of what we see coming from the church today would fit in with using words to promote its own agenda. Some of the most popular and recognizable names in the world of the media church are sharing a message that is distorted. Their teachings related to the prosperity gospel simply cannot be backed up when a person looks at the whole counsel of God. If that kind of good news was valid certainly the writers, especially in the New Testament, would have qualified to be healthy and wealthy.
Even in churches that call themselves conservative do not always speak words that are comforting and encouraging. There can be an undercurrent of griping and murmuring by those who go under the name of Christian. Church leaders have been forced to resign because enough people in a congregation become determined that he must leave. Many people have left churches in all different denominations because of the way they have been treated. This is of course not a new thing but goes all the way back to the beginning of time. The question is what are we going to do about it in our own lives and in the life of the church. James wrote about this issue and the damage it causes. Let’s see how he addressed it.
James 3:1
It is important to mention that James, like the writings of Paul and others, were letters. I mention this because the idea of faith and works ties in with the idea of his view on who should be a teacher. Although not specifically mentioned one would expect that one who taught should be an example of a person who is mature in his faith and exemplifies in the life of the church. Based on what he had written he did not see the maturity in the recipients of his letter that would qualify them to teach. The gospel had such eternal consequences that great care needed to take place in the selection of those who taught it. To be a false teacher who by his words mislead the people would eventually be judged on those words and the affect it had on the lives of those who heard them.
- In your mind what qualifies a person to teach?
- How do you identify those qualities?
- Who among those whom you have heard in your own experience have been good teachers? Why?
- How do you believe a person acquires the needed maturity to teach?
- What did James see taking place in the lives that caused him to issue the warning he did? (They did not understand the basics of the connection between faith and works so how could they effectively teach others.)
- What is the safeguard for each person against following a false teacher?
- What are the consequences for those who do not handle the word of God accurately?
James 3:2
In the area of sin James would have agreed with Paul’s words, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Even though a man is a sinner the one way in the mind of James he could show the world that he had matured in his faith was the control he had over the things he said. The bridling of the tongue then affected the behavior that could also be held in check. The words and actions of man are from the heart. In Proverbs is found these words, “He who restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. Even a fool, when he keeps silent is considered wise, when he closes his lips he seems prudent.” (Proverbs 17:27-28)
- What, in the words of James is the condition of all men?
- How does this compare to what he said in James 2:10?
- What was James’ description of a perfect (mature) man?
- Why does man have such difficulty according to James’ view?
- How are we able to control our speech? (The basis should be our relationship with Christ and then mankind in general)
- How do Bible reading and prayer help us to overcome a loose tongue?
- How are speech and behavior related? (Both flow from the heart.)
James 3:3-4
James gives two examples of those things that can be affected by a small piece of equipment in comparison to the object it is able to control. He wrote:
- A powerful horse can be controlled and directed by a bit in his mouth.
- A ship can be turned by a tiny rudder, even in the worst conditions.
- What are some modern day examples of large and mighty things that are controlled by a small piece of equipment?
- Why did James use the two examples he did? (One was alive and powerful and could easily disobey man. The second was an inanimate object that could be driven about by the circumstances of the world without the control that man had over the situation.)
- What does it feel like to know that you have the ability to affect the situations in which you find yourself?
- What are some examples that you can share that your actions made a big difference?
James 3:5a
Man is different. The tongue cannot generally be controlled by an outside force. A person can be told to shut up but may only do so because he decides to or has no choice in obeying the one issuing the command. Rather than submitting to a greater authority man’s tendency, according to James, is to boast of his accomplishments.
- How different is man than the examples in verses 3-4?
- Under what conditions will he refrain from talking?
- What does it show about man that he uses his tongue to boast? (He puts himself at the center of all that is going on)
- Is there anything about which a man can boast without seeming arrogant? (Boast in Christ alone.)
- How does God want us to use our speech? (See Ephesians 4:29)
James 3:5b-6
It does not take much to start a major forest fire. A fire can be started by one little spark. For a fire forest fire to occur there are three things needed. They are:
- A spark according to James is the tongue
- Oxygen is the climate or conditions that keep the fire growing.
- Combustible material is the listening ear of those who are willing to listen to the boasts of man.
As mentioned above the tongue speaks the evil that is in man’s heart. It is the organ that can defile all of man’s behavior. It is important to realize that all evil has one source the devil.
- What is to be learned from the analogy used by James? (It does not take but one word to produce great evil in this world.)
- Why does a forest fire get quickly out of hand? (It is fire in the trees but also the decaying material on the forest floor that fuels the fire.)
- Why do we need to take great care with the words we speak?
- According to Jesus what is the source of evil actions? (The heart)
- What did James see as the source of evil speech? (Hell the domain of the devil.)
James 3:7-10
There was a dichotomy taking place in the world. All animals can be tamed by man but man cannot even control his own tongue. The conditions of man that produce the words are result of restless evil and deadly poison pervasive throughout mankind. Out of his mouth come both blessings and cursings. Man attempts to bless God but at the same time has no problem destroying and tearing down his brother. John wrote that one could not say he loves God and then hate his brother. (1 John 2:9-10)
James emphatically admonished the dispersed Christian to change the way they were thinking. He told them clearly that their lifestyle that allowed the tongue to be so hurtful should not continue.
- What dichotomy did James present to the believers scattered in many places?
- If man can tame animals why cannot he not control his own tongue? (He is a sinner who has not matured in his relationship with Christ.)
- Why does man think he can both issue blessings and then turn and curse someone?
- What did John say that refutes the idea that man can love and hate at the same time?
- What did James admonish the people to do?
James 3:11-12
In order to drive his point home James used four examples to show the impossibility of mixing evil actions and words with what is good. To make his hearers think about what he had said he asked rhetorical questions. He wanted them to think whether:
- A fountain could produce good water and also that which was unfit to drink?
- A fig tree could produce olives?
- A vine produce figs?
- Salt water produce fresh water?
The obvious answers to all of them would be a resounding no. James did not want to give them any excuse for ungodly living.
- Why did James use questions to get his point across about the tongue? (Questions make a person come up with answers for themselves.)
- Why did James use the examples he did? (Living in an agrarian society each of them would have meaning to the listeners)
- What kinds of contrasting ideas would we use to make a point that would have meaning today?
- What was James trying to say to the people that would resonate with us today?
- How can we make sure that we are not guilty of the behavior shared in these verses?
- Read and meditate on Ephesians 4:29 and Colossians 4:6 that they each may affect your speech.
- Understand that your words can either hurt or heal.
- Listen only to those who have proven to be truthful in the way they present the good news from the Bible.
- Read and medicate on Proverbs 3:5-8.
In the opening I spoke of those who have been both positive and negative influences on society based on their words. There is One who has had a greater affect on mankind than any of them. In the face of evil that is so pervasive throughout our society He has words of hope for every man. The Scripture gives us words for life, how to live it and how we are to treat others. I truly believe if we read and meditate on the message of the Bible we will indeed find that our lives take on a different tone. We need to be the kind of church that welcomes everyone but more importantly treat them as Christ would.
Finally, there can never be unity in any group of people if the words spoken are not uniting. We need to take great care to make sure that thoughtless words never tear us apart. There is enough division in the world. Our words are to put out fires. James certainly gave good advice, as he wanted to make sure that both good and evil not come from a person but only that which is fruitful.