The Book of James: REVISITED Putting Faith to Work! (Chapter 3: Verses 6-12

Hello Friends!

This week we’ll continue to work our way through this serious “study” series solemnly surveying the powerful book of James in considering the TRUE calling of the “Christian” life as directed throughout this excellent Epistle – “Putting Faith to Work!”

The Book of James: Putting Faith to Work! (Chapter 3: Verses 6-12)

⁶ And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. ⁷ For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: ⁸ But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹ Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. ¹⁰ Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. ¹¹ Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? ¹² Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh – James 3:6-12

OPENING POINTS TO PONDER: One of the “works” that a true TEST of full “faith” practically produces is sound “speech” that wholly HONORS our great “God” in heaven. And if “James” were alive TODAY, perhaps he would emphasize as much as ever in the history of the world, the necessity for the bold “believers” to willingly WASH out their mouths “spiritually” speaking. Perhaps even quite – LITERALLY!

In fact, “James” was greatly exercised about this matter of “pure” words ORIGINATING from the “heart” held. WHY? Because he uniquely understood that his loving “Lord Jesus Christ” Himself too was greatly exercised by the power of the “tongue” for “evil” purposes:

O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned – Matthew 12:34-37

Therefore, just as “Jesus Christ” had totally taught that our “speaking” was to be PURE and Holy. His little half-brother “James” in kind had taught as well that the “mouth” was to be a PURE presentation to the great – GLORY of God!

The TORCHING Tongue!

“And” an all-encompassing exclamation to the dooming DANGER of the torturous “tongue” and its powerful potential to wreak horrible HAVOC in our own “lives” and in others around “us” in kind, brother “James” continues his apt analogy of a fierce “fire” as he powerfully PROCLAIMS that it actually has a fearful potency for a “world of iniquity” and deadly DEVASTATING destruction demised:

And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell – James 3:6

When “James” solemnly speaks of the torrid “tongue” he practically proclaims that it will readily REVEAL our heinous “heart” condition. Therefore, he COMMANDS each of “us” to do absolutely everything possible to soundly “speak” in a real “righteous” way willed through the “Holy Ghost” energized COMMITMENT unto “our” loving “Lord Jesus Christ” Himself. WHY? Because the terrible “tongue” itself can indeed become – Very DANGEROUS!

HISTORICAL HINTS: The fearsome FORCE of a flaming “fire” is quite fascinating. One tiny little flame can surely “setteth on fire” an entire city burning to the ground… Think: Rome & Chicago! Fierce “fire” has an amazing capacity and the intense imagery associated with the “tongue” here is very VIVID indeed. Therefore, “James” soundly says that everything the fiery maniacal “mouth” itself totally touches throughout the “course of nature” is utterly DESTROYED by the “fire” of  “hell” itself. The “tongue” itself therefore IS indeed a fallible “fire” within “our” lives and MUST be kept under – Holy Spirit CONTROL!

What “James” is saying here is that the “tongue” is an iniquitous system. It is a wholly HOSTILE and rankly REBELLIOUS insatiable “iniquity” within each of “our” desperately depraved and sordidly “sinful” humanness! It is a potential “evil” that falls foolishly SHORT of our great “God’s” grand and PERFECT standard and is the firm focal point of behavioral “unrighteousness” set deeply within SINFUL mankind. The tormenting “tongue” utterly INFLAMES all of the corrupt capacities of the fallen “flesh” in its eager effort to bring “our members” into its WICKED sordid system. Therefore, the “whole body” is desperately defiled and a filthy “tongue” results in a filthy “follower” fomented – The TORCHING Tongue!

THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: The Greek word for the English word “hell” here is “Gehenna” and is ONLY used in the New Testament Gospels, with this one exception considered here by “James” himself. The “Lord Jesus Christ” used the word “Gehenna” at least ten times and He ALWAYS used it to rightly REFER to the literal and eternal place of “burning” for the DAMNED souls. The Greek word for the Hebrew word is “Ge Hinnom” meaning the “Valley of Hinnom” being a particular PLACE of constant burning in which caused a STENCH from the flesh of little children of whom were satanically SACRIFICED by the wicked worshipers of the fickle FALSE deity known as Baal cast in the form of a bull having outstretched arms containing a “fire” of which these young ones were laid upon and BURNED as a human worshipful sacrifice. In the Old Testament book of 2 Kings we learn that the “righteous” ruling “King Josiah” himself had surely STOPPED these sickening sacrifices…

And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the temple of the Lord all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto Bethel. And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven – 2 Kings 23:4-5

Hence, the jaundice “Jews” came to regard this WICKED place located within “Jerusalem” with deep HATED held. Later in the New Testament era, this place of “Gehenna” had become the city DUMP for all gross garbage along with the DEAD bodies of animals and human criminals of which were THROWN into this place. Therefore, it became known as the seething SATANIC sludge pit of great – “Gehenna of FIRE!” 

The UNTAMED Tongue!

“For” next pastor “James” connects with NATURE concerning the untamable torrid “tongue” tabloid:

For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison – James 3:7-8

Similar to the earlier verses of this challenging chapter, “James” diligently DESCRIBES the trying “tongue” as a wild untamed savage “unruly evil” of which “can no man tame” and will constantly COMBAT every effort to control its waning “wicked” ways. The twisted “tongue” wants to utterly control us and does NOT want to be controlled by us! Today, maniacal “man” is able to “tame” all types of “beasts and birds” as well as the “serpents, and of things in the sea” but the terrible “tongue” is frightfully “full of deadly poison” and filth. However, notice that “James” does NOT say that the “tongue” itself can NEVER be totally “tamed” at all. Rather, he intently IMPLIES that wicked “man” in and of himself can definitely NOT truly “tame” his trayful “tongue” in full. That is the defining DIVINE difference. Only the Justifier Jesus Christ through the “saving” and “sanctifying” perfect power of the Holy Spirit is alone aptly able to do so in the lauding “life” of the true “believer” to the glory of God alone – TAMING the Tongue!

Blessing AND Cursing!

Notice too that the “mouth” can itself also be used for NOBLE purposes in that it may “bless” our great “God” granted. But… NOT for long:

Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be  – James 3:9-10

Our torrential “tongue” can be ultimately used to boldly bless “bless God” and “even the Father” Himself. This fact is very RELEVANT to the jurisdiction of “Jews” to whom “James” writes. WHY? Because whenever they mention the name of “God” Himself, they had ALWAYS followed this mantra through their “same mouth” with the words – “BLESSED be He!”

HOWEVER... With the very “same mouth” one can also caustically bring “blessing and cursing” unto those of whom have been CREATED in the same “similitude of God” and thus “James” boldly bemoans his belligerent “brethren” to sharply STOP it! The same “tongue” that will boldly “bless God” will also caustically “curse” the very ones mindfully “made” in His own “image” inferred. These are religious HYPOCRITES beheld bringing – Blessing AND Cursing!

Sweet AND Bitter!

Our great “God” has Sovereignly “saved” and “transformed” each of “us” with the confident capacity for new solemn “speech” and He indeed EXPECTS all of “us” to soundly “speak” in this “new” manner!  This is an impossible compromise for Him to TOLERATE as such. Therefore, “James” intently illustrates the obvious with TWO more amiable analogies for each of “us” to consider:

Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh – James 3:11-12

The OBVIOUS answer to these quizzing questions is an unequivocal NO! In other words, let nature itself teach you what is quite natural! Thus, “James” says a true “believer” can NOT have “sweet water” welled with the “bitter” coming from the same “fountain” nor are there “olive berries” found on a “fig tree” nor are there “figs” found growing on a “vine” in kind. In other words, the taste of the product rightly REVEALS the exact nature of its source! Therefore, pastor “James” is right back to where he STARTED in this terrific train of thought. WHY? Because the TRUE telling “believer” will be really REVEALED in their righteously – Specific SPEACH!

BIBLICAL BACKGROUND: In the Gospel of Luke the eldest half-brother of the beloved “James” namely “Jesus Christ” Himself made this same powerfully poignant point VERY clear:

For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh – Luke 6:43-45

Here “James” was simply referring to what our loving “Lord Jesus Christ” had originally said in His solemn Sermon on the Mount! The true “believer” is keenly known by his godly “speech” and he will “speak” with a “tongue” that is under “control” of which is the EVIDENCE that he is “walking” in willful “obedience” to the wonderful “Word of God” in full. And as “we” too take a long LOOK at each of “our” own lives and seeing those terrible “things” coming out of our own “mouth” that which ought NOT to be, may “we” then constantly CONFESS it as sordid “sin” and turn AWAY from it in “repentance” unto the “Lord” Himself! And just how we righteously REACT to those trying times when “bitter water” woefully comes OUT of the “sweet fountain” is the keeping KEY kept regarding “our” spiritual growth and outward effectiveness focused upon HIM alone – Sweet AND Bitter!

In closing:

The Old Testament and New Testament narrative “Scriptures” whether directly or indirectly everywhere rightly REFER to the demonic DISASTER found within the maniacal “mouth” melded of fallen “man” in right relationship to the torrential “tongue” tangled. Here are just a FEW for each of “us” to indeed carefully consider…

Deceitful, lying, perverse, filthy, corrupt, bitter, angry, crafty, flattering, slanderous, gossiping, back-biting, blaspheming, foolish, boastful, murmuring, complaining, cursing, contentious, sensual, vile, tale-bearing, whispering, exaggerating and sinful.

WOW! Dearly “beloved” followers of “Jesus Christ” our loving “Lord” Divine, may WE only wisely use our tamed “tongue” for the great GLORY of our glorious “God” and to the benefit of the beloved “brethren” beheld – In Jesus’ MIGHTY Name!

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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Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

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