The Untamable Tongue- Part 2

James 3:2-12

Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh. 

The words above come from James 3:11-12. These verses are the conclusion of James’ powerful words about the tongue. In part 1, I focused on James 3:1 which relates to how teachers should use the tongue to teach the whole truth. The pure truth of God’s Word is compared to “fresh water”. That “fresh water” becomes “bitter” when humans add to or take away from God’s Word. As teachers, we also have to live what we teach. If I am teaching others how to become a Christian, and live a Christian life, then I must practice what I preach. Just like a fig tree can’t bear olives, and a grapevine can’t bear figs, I can’t act like the world, and then turn around and try to tell others how to follow Christ. This also pertains to the “spring” that gives “both salt water and fresh”. It can’t happen. This behavior would make me a hypocrite, and I would never bear any fruit for God. In fact, I would harm God’s kingdom instead of help it grow. I would be useless to Him…..a dead branch to be tossed into the brush fire. (John 15:5-6) I could teach everything from God’s Word perfectly, but if I don’t live as an example of what I am teaching, then why would anyone listen to me? 

In James 3:2, it reads, “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.” This verse refers back to verse one in that if we want to teach others or have any kind of good influence on others for the gospel, then we have to work on controlling our tongue. The verse also connects to the rest of the verses on taming the tongue. The meaning behind this verse is fairly clear. We all “stumble” or sin. We all make mistakes daily. (Romans 3:23)  If we say or even think in our minds that we don’t sin, then we are making God out to be a liar. (1 John 1:10) God cannot lie. (Numbers 23:19, Titus 1:2, Hebrews 6:18) The verse goes on to say that if a person does not “stumble” or sin with her words, then she is a “perfect” or completely mature Christian, and is able “to bridle the whole body”. In other words, if you can control every word that comes out of your mouth, then you can control the actions of your whole body. Wow! That is a lot of power in one tiny member! I know some ladies who are “perfect” in my mind with their words. They are wonderful examples of mature Christians. These are ladies whom I try to emulate, because I am certainly not included in the “perfect” group! However, none of these ladies of whom I am referring would ever claim to be “perfect” in their words. I don’t know that anyone would ever claim to never “stumble” in their words. If someone did claim this, would that not be considered as being arrogant? Proverbs 26:12 says this, “Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” Isaiah 5:21 reads, “Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!” We know that God frowns upon arrogance. We should never think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think. (Romans 12:3) James is trying to get this point across to his Christian brothers and sisters. In a round-about way, he is asking them, “are you perfect? Do you think you can do better? Are you sure you want to have this responsibility of being a teacher?” I often wonder why he brought this subject of teachers up in verse one. Were some of the members complaining about the teacher? Was someone thinking they could do a better job than the one teaching? Did the teacher make a mistake in something he taught? Quote a wrong verse? Misunderstand a passage? We will never truly know the complete context, but we know human nature. We know how some people can be unfairly critical of others’ efforts by thinking that they can do so much better. And maybe they can do better. But sincerely wanting to share the gospel in order to help grow God’s kingdom, and wanting to make oneself look better than others are two different motives on opposite ends of the spectrum. Which person would God prefer to have teaching others? Obviously, it is not wrong to volunteer to help with teaching. It is a wonderful thing….with the right motive and attitude behind it. Motives are everything my friend. I believe James could have been dealing with some of these attitudes of arrogance when he wrote this letter. 

James 3:3-4 reads, “Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. 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.”

In these verses, James builds on the statement about the tongue controlling the whole body by comparing it to horses’ bits and ships’ rudders. The rider controls the horse’s entire body with a small bit in the horse’s mouth. The comparison of the ship’s rudder is even more elaborate. No matter how big the ship, and even with fierce winds, it is turned this way and that way by a very small part called a rudder. These comparisons are amazing! If the small bit can control the entire horse’s body, then the horse can go in the direction that the rider wants it to go. If the ship’s rudder can control the entire ship, then the captain of the ship can control which way the ship goes, and the ship will be where it should be in a timely manner. What about our tongues? Who is our “captain”? Who controls the way that we should go? We only have two choices as to who is in control of our lives, Jesus or Satan. If our tongue controls our entire body, then we will allow our “captain”…..whoever it may be, to control our entire life. We need to make Jesus the captain of our tongues. If Jesus is the captain of our tongues, then He will captain our lives as well. Our tongue is our “rudder”……our “bit”…..and we need our captain, Jesus, to guide us through the storms of life, and eventually to a home in heaven with Him. The next comparison is truly eye-opening! How serious is James about the tongue? Read James 3:6 and you will see just how serious of a problem the tongue can be! Just listen.

In James 3:5-6, it reads, “Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.”

Sometimes we are big talkers, aren’t we? Our tongues can get us in trouble if we don’t control it, right? We have insecurities that come out through the tongue. We have weaknesses that come out through the tongue. Our coping mechanisms can come out when we speak. We try to cover up our true feelings instead of being truthful when we need to be, or we show too much of our true feelings…..and say things that are better left unsaid. In comparison with the tongue boasting great things, it is compared to how a forest fire starts. Suppose someone hears a rumor about someone, and then proceeds to tell someone else the rumor. A rumor is something that may or may not be true. It is unverified. Maybe it is only told to one person in the beginning, but before long ten people hear the rumor, then twenty, then fifty, then one hundred…..and it just keeps spreading…..like what? Like a fire! A tiny spark can grow into a raging fire, and destroy acres and acres of forest habitat. In much the same way, a tiny rumor can grow, and ruin someone’s reputation, destroy their marriage, harm their children, and ultimately have devastating effects that can spill over into every aspect of life…..including the Lord’s church if the person is a Christian. Even if a rumor turns out to be true, should we automatically tell others about it? Absolutely not! We certainly should never be excited to talk about the downfall of another human being, whether the person is a Christian or not. Our main goal should be helping the person to get right with God. If the person is a Christian, then steps should be made to approach her, and help her to see that she needs to make things right with God. And if the person is not a member of the church…..will spreading rumors about the person……even if they are true……help win the person to Christ? Maybe we have verified proof that something we heard about a fellow Christian is the truth. As Christian sisters, our mission and motive should be to help our sister get back on track in her walk with God. Nothing else. For a non-Christian, the situation might be a chance to help the person turn to Jesus and His church for help. God works in all kinds of ways to win souls to Him. Let’s never forget Jesus’ words in Matthew 12:33-37, “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” That last part is what scares me! I will give an account of what I say on the day of judgment. I will be justified or condemned by my words! It is a very serious thing as James is trying to get across in His letter. My tongue can set my life on fire, but not just my life….it can set on fire the lives of those around me…..my family, loved ones, friends, and the Lord’s church! There is no limit to the damage that can come from the tongue that is not bridled. It can even change the course of nature! One careless comment can set forth a chain reaction that can cause a domino effect in someone’s life that can have consequences that can never be repaired. And ultimately, our tongue can cause us to be lost eternally. On the flip side, our tongues can have the opposite effect. We can change the course of someone’s life in a positive way. We can share the gospel. We can build others up. We can show kindness and compassion to others. We can speak positive words that come from positive thinking. I am truly trying to work on this in my life. I know that I need to have a more positive outlook, and a more positive influence with my words on the people around me. The world has a tendency to put negativity in our heads, and then it comes out of our mouths. But we can control it…..with Jesus at the helm of our ships! 

The next two verses are where I got the title for this series. James says that the tongue is untamable! Listen to these words from James 3:7-8, “For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”

Humankind has been able to tame so many different types of wild animals. I think of the lion tamer at the circus who has control over the king of the jungle. As humans, we have been able to do so many wonderful things down through the ages, because God has allowed us to have so many awesome talents and abilities. Look at all the inventions that humans have come up with…..all the technology. Look at all the medical advances that humankind has come up with over the years. But I hope we all realize that every great thing that humans have ever done is only because God has allowed it. It was in the mind of God before it was in the mind of humans. However……even with all this advanced technology, the tongue still cannot be tamed by humans alone. James even says that the tongue is unruly and full of poison. It makes me think of a poisonous snake that is ready to strike some unsuspecting person who is just walking by innocently. We can be living our lives, minding our own business, and then suddenly……..someone can take our legs right out from under us in a second with their words. Do we have a choice if the Bible says the tongue cannot be tamed? Is it an impossible and hopeless task to tame our tongues? I have two words for you……but Jesus. Here is a scenario for you. “Someone made me very angry today, and I wanted to lash out. I felt like talking behind that person’s back. I felt like throwing them under the bus! Then I think to myself, but Jesus……” Jesus is the only one who can cause us to get control of this small member that can wreak so much havoc in our lives if left unchecked. How does Jesus do it? That part is up to us. We have to let Jesus have control of our lives. He has to be our captain. How do we do that? We have to first become a Christian if we are not. The way to become a Christian is at the bottom of the post. After that, we have to grow in our faith. We have to get in God’s Word, and allow His Word to change our hearts. His Word has to be ingrained in our very being. Will we be perfect at that point? No, we won’t. That is not possible. However, we will be actively trying to reach that perfection, and we will recognize when we need to renew our minds with God’s Word. (Romans 12:2)  It is football season, so here is a football analogy…..we will know when we need “to back up and punt”, and start again. We can always start again with God when we mess up. That is the beauty of having Jesus at the helm of our lives. And now…..we are coming full circle and back to how we began our post. 

James 3:9-10 leads us directly into our feature text. It reads, “With it (our tongue) we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.” 

Our tongue can be erratic…..meaning, we can change what comes out of our mouths in a split second. One second we might be speaking beautiful words about our Father in heaven, and how much we love Him. But…..in the same breath, we can tear down another human being…..possibly even a fellow Christian. Human beings are made in the image of God. James is implying that if we speak unkindly about other people who are made in the image of God, we might as well be speaking unkindly about God Himself. Wow! I’ll be honest…..I have never really read these verses in this way before. This entire study has been super eye-opening for me! So…..maybe I do get upset with another person for something that they have done, but…..I need to remember that the person that I am aggravated with is made in the image of God, just as I am. And…..am I perfect? Also, I need to ask myself, is talking about the person going to help the situation? No. It won’t. It could make it much worse! So…..what do I do when I am struggling with my feelings about another person? I go to God in prayer, and ask Him to guide me as I deal with my feelings and emotions. I turn to His Word for help. I can also talk with my spouse or a trusted Christian friend if needed, not to tear the person down, but to gain some clarity and discernment in how to handle the situation. I cannot control the choices that other people make. I can only control how I react. I don’t know why others make the choices that they make. And…..I have to keep in mind that I don’t make all the right choices either. Jesus said in Matthew 7:2, that we would be judged by the same measure by which we judge others. Do I want God to judge me in the same way that I judge others? How do I want others to react to my mistakes and slips of the tongue? (Matthew 7:12) This is all directly related to our tongues. We should have patience with our fellow Christians of whom we are joint-heirs with Jesus. We should also have patience with non-Christians who don’t know the truth yet, because we were once where they are right now…..in a lost condition. Remember…..they don’t know what you know! James makes it very plain when he says that “these things ought not to be so”. I love how James uses the word “we” in these verses. He is including himself in this reprimand. 

Sisters and friends, I’m going to leave you with some verses that go right along with this subject. 

“So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” (James 1:19)

Let’s listen more, and speak less. And let’s get a handle on our temper. Pray about it.

“Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” (Ephesians 4:29)

Let’s build others up, and encourage others. We never know the effect our words can have on another person….in a good way or a bad way. What will we choose?

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” (Proverbs 18:21)

Our eternity can depend on our tongue. Let’s speak the words of life with it. 

In closing, I leave you with the verses that I started this post with…..

“Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.” (James 3:11-12) 

We cannot be double-tongued. I have always heard the saying, “don’t talk out of both sides of your mouth”. I am a phony Christian…..a hypocrite…..if I do this. Let’s remember that in James 1:8, it says, “….he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” This is referring back to the verses before it that portray a person who does not have the proper faith in God, but expects God to bless her life anyway. She actually doubts God, and is pulled by the world this way and that way. She may expect to go to heaven anyway, even though she has not truly trusted God, been faithful to God, or allowed God to be at the helm of her life. How does this relate to the tongue? Well….here goes! If we are double-minded, then we will certainly be double-tongued. It all starts in the mind, my friends. Let’s keep James 3:1-12 in our hearts as we go about each day. I need to read it everyday as a reminder of just how serious God takes this tiny member that can set my life and my eternity on fire. If God takes it seriously, then I should too. 

I hope you all have a wonderful Labor Day! Love you all!

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan that God has set forth in His Word, for humankind to receive His grace that leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible. 

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17) 

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16) 

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32) 

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19) 

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins.  (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

Then, we remain faithful in our commitment to Christ until death. (Revelation 2:10, 2 Peter 2:20-22)