The Book of James: Putting Faith to Work! (Chapter 3:1-5)

Hello Friends!

Welcome Back! Let’s continue our journey through “The Book of James: Putting Faith to Work!”

The Book of James: Putting Faith to Work! (Chapter 3:1-5)

This week we will continue our reading of verses 1-5 in chapter 3 as we consider Taming the Tongue…

James presents the matter of the “tongue” as another test of “living faith” in Jesus Christ. True “faith” will be demonstrated by our “speech” in “truth” & “righteousness” as will a false “faith” that habitually “lies” & “deceives.” Therefore, the “tongue” is the real you! The “tongue” is a tattletale and it points to our “heart” as the problem! In fact, Jesus Christ Himself mentioned the “mouth” in this matter: “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” – The tongue reveals our heart!

Taming the Tongue!

This issue of the “mouth” is also of great concern to James, as he mentions the “tongue” in every chapter of this excellent epistle. And now James stresses that “new life” transformation through “salvation” will show up in the way a “believer” speaks. Therefore, James is demanding here that “we” must recognize that true “living faith” will prove itself by a “controlling” of the “tongue” in our spiritual maturity. The focal point of our fallen “sinful” nature and desperate depravity is our “mouth” – Tame your tongue!

Taming the “tongue” is essential for the “Christian” life and James gives us several compelling reasons for harnessing its positive potential and power. To begin with, James calls us to consider our “tongue” because of its “judgment” factor:

My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment – James 3:1

The full context here again is a matter of “speech” regarding the proper handling of God’s Word. The implication of what James is saying in this passage is that we must take extreme care not to thrust ourselves into a “teaching” position through silly self-promotional efforts concerning the instruction of God’s Word. Why? Because of the potential to bring “judgment” upon ourselves through our “mouth” as we falsify God’s Word to the “hearers” placed before us. Therefore, we must never willingly misrepresent the “Scriptures” in such a way that would discredit God’s Word – His Holy character or nature!

However, this is not to deny the fact that God does want His Holy Word “taught” in its proper context through the capable capacity of the true “worker” of whom is “called” and “gifted” by the Holy Spirit. In fact, the Apostle Paul had this to say concerning the two “faithful” young pastors under his tenacious “teaching” tutelage:

This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work – 1 Timothy 3:1

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth – 2 Timothy 2:15

…holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict – Titus 1:9

Therefore, we must not embark upon a formal “teaching” ministry without a sense of the seriousness involved. Incidentally, James has in mind not only blatant “false teachers,” but also the ignorant, unqualified, unprepared, unapproved or wrongly instructed handler of God’s Word. And no doubt in the “assembly” to which James is writing, there was some failure to consider this great concern and people were aspiring to an official “teaching” role with all of its prestige and honor with very little or no thought as to the severe implications involved. In other words, those who articulate and “teach” Biblical “truth” must take a personal inventory of their own “speech” to see if their “words,” their “doctrine” and their “works” are legitimate in the sight of a Holy God – Very Serious!

Everyone “sins” in a myriad of ways and the “mouth” underlies the stern warning regarding foolishly hurrying into the position of “teaching” God’s Word. Therefore, James then expands upon his concerns related to this extremely important subject matter:

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 – James 3:2

This word “stumble” is a synonym for the word “sin” and refers to a major moral lapse or an offense against God’s Holy character and nature. Obviously, there is no “perfect man” of whom will never “stumble,” because we all will “sin” in “many things” as declared throughout the Scriptures. James is simply saying that only the spiritually mature and firmly grounded “believer” is able to control their “tongue” and thus as a result “bridle” their “whole body” with all of its “fleshly” and wicked impulses. Although we will remain in our “fallen” state until we meet the Lord in “glory,” the true “follower” of Jesus Christ can “overcome” their “sinful” tendencies by consistently dying to the “flesh” and “being” continually “filled” with the “power” of the “indwelling” Holy Spirit – Praise the Lord!

THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: The Apostle Paul also expounded on this “truth” that “no one is good” and cannot “bridle” himself! Therefore, it must be a supernatural “work” of God within the “wicked” and “sinfully” depraved “heart” of man to “save” him from his “sin.” In the third chapter of Paul’s excellent epistle to the Romans he quotes directly from the very “Word of God” using several marvelous illustrations from the Old Testament Prophets to make this theological “teaching” point pertaining to the “doctrine” of Original Sin and its devastating and disastrous decimation upon mankind…

As it is written:

“There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one”  (Psalm 14:1-3, 53:1-3 & Ecclesiastes 7:20)

“Their throat is an open tomb; with their tongues they have practiced deceit” (Psalm 5:9)

“The poison of asps is under their lips” (Psalm 140:3)

“Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness” (Psalm 10:7)

“Their feet are swift to shed blood; destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace they have not known” (Isaiah 59:7-8)

“There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Psalm 36:1)

This is God’s comprehensive list of stinging statements taken directly from His perfect, inerrant, eternal and sufficient Word pertaining to the desperate “depravity” found within the “whole body” of “sinners” to include all of “us” – Focus on your tongue!

Next, to help us better “understand” this important point concerning the “evil” of the human “tongue” – James provides three illustrations…

Illustration One: James refers to a “horse” to make his point:

Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body – James 3:3

How does one control a horse? By controlling its “tongue!” A metal “bit” is placed in the horses’ “mouth” and it lays on his “tongue.” You then attach it to a harness and pull it up over his head, take the reins and when this apparatus is pulled against the horse’s “tongue,” it will “obey” your every command. The horses’ “whole body” is now under complete subjection to your full control! As is true of an unbroken and unbridled “horse” so it is of an un-submissive and “sinful” person – Good for absolutely nothing!

Illustration Two: James refers to “ships” in further declaring his point:

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 – James 3:4

How does one control a ship? By controlling its “rudder!” When the “pilot” applies power at the proper point, it is sufficient to control the whole vessel as he “desires” to do so. Therefore, “self-control” applied to the “mouth” is sufficient to “control” the whole person. The focal point is to concentrate on the “control” of your “tongue” and if you do that, you’ll command every other part of your life – By the power of the Holy Spirit!

Illustration Three: James finally refers to a “little fire” in summing up his point:

Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! – James 3:5

How does one control a fire? By controlling its “kindle!” The “tongue” may be a “little member” of the “body” but It is a very powerful instrument for destruction! When it “boasts great things” in lies and hypocrisy, it will indeed tear down people and churches as well as destroy relationships. It can mangle a marriage and devastate a family. It can even lead to murder and war. And if we do not get a “hold” of this “little member” of our body, it will “control” the entirety of our lives – Wicked depravity!

Essentially James says, “If you can just get control of your little tongue, you can move everything else!” In fact, the Apostle Paul also admonished the “brethren” in Colossi to “put off” all “filthy language” and other such “sins” of the mangy “mouth”: 

But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all – Colossians 3:8-11

On the other hand… The “tongue” can also be used to “build up” others, express “love,” “joy,” “peace,” “patience,” “kindness,” “goodness” as well as enthusiasm, encouragement, comfort and support when “empowered” by the Holy Spirit of God! The Apostle Paul then continues his line of thought in this regard:

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him – Colossians 3:12-17

So James and Paul equally “admonish” us to take a very close look at our “hearts” of which rules over our “words” spoken – To the glory of God!

IMPORTANT QUESTION: Do you “live” by the “speech” of a “living faith” in Jesus Christ or by a “dead faith” in your “sinful” and fallen “fleshly” nature? Although we will “sin” in “many ways” through our corruption, we must willingly “submit” our lives to the Holy Spirit’s “control” over our “tongue” because of its power to “condemn” ourselves and others – What a practical word that is for us today!

In closing:

The original Hebrew literary approach focused very often on the guilty “member” of the physical body rather than on the “heart” issue. For example, we read about “feet swift to shed blood” as if the “feet” were the culprits in a murder. We read about “eyes of adultery” as if the “eyes” were guilty of sexual impropriety. Of course we know it is the “sinful” and “fallen” inner person that is to blame – Guilty as charged!

Therefore, the Jewish expressions regularly spoke of a particular body part itself as if it were the guilty party. Similarly, when James refers to the “mouth” and the “tongue,” it isn’t that he blames them as if they operated independently of other “fleshly” impulses. It is simply that they are the “sinful” bodily organ by which the “heart” expresses itself most clearly – The tongue personifies the heart!

On a lighter note… Someone once regarded the “tongue” in this way:

“Remember your tongue is in a wet place, and it can slip easily! Every one of us is carrying around a concealed weapon. All we have to do is open our mouths and it’s unconcealed.” 

FUN FACTS: The average person “speaks” about 18,000 to 25,000 words a day. In fact, some studies have shown that a man will speak approximately 25,000 words in a day and a woman will speak approximately 30,000 words in that same day. I’m not sure who tallied these numbers, but they may indeed be quite accurate. The potential problem here is by the time the typical man comes home from a long day of work, he has already spent his 25,000 words… However, the woman has most likely barely started using her 30,000 words – And she is just waiting for her opportunity! 

With this information as a foundation for your personal studies, please read through verses 1-5 of the third chapter of James.

Keep looking up and sharing the Gospel while there is still time… Hallelujah and Maranatha – come quickly Lord Jesus!

We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!

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