Power of the Tongue
READ JAMES 3:1-6
“They love the place of honor at banquets, the front seats in synagogues, greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by people. But as for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi,’ because you have one Teacher, [the Messiah] and you are all brothers.”
Matthew 23:6-8
Holy Bible Holman Christian Standard Bible, Black/Burgundy, Leathertouch, Personal Size Bible. Holman Bible Pub, 2014.
Jesus-followers have one teacher, and His name is Jesus. We are to follow Him as our only source of spiritual guidance. Jesus gives us all knowledge and understanding to live lives at peace with Him and in Him. We need no other spiritual instruction. Anyone looking to help further the instruction of the called-out people of God should first submit their podium to Jesus.
Inn the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus notes that many spiritual people will claim the authority to instruct and teach as a right. This was true of the Pharisees in Jesus’ day and it is still true of many today. Primacy in all things spiritual belongs to Jesus for the glory of God our good Father. As was common in His entire ministry, Jesus turns the norm on its head. The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew) and the Sermon on the Plain (Luke) serve as a reverse manifesto for living in the kingdom of God, and they hold Jesus-followers accountable to the higher standard – the law of Jesus’ grace (Lk. 6:37).
“There is certainly no righteous man on the earth who does good and never sins.”
Ecclesiastes 7:20
Holy Bible Holman Christian Standard Bible, Black/Burgundy, Leathertouch, Personal Size Bible. Holman Bible Pub, 2014.
Who can say they have never sinned (Pr. 20:9)? Who can cast the first stone in judgement? Is anyone righteous based on their own merit? The answer is certainly a resounding “No!”. Each and every one of us is inadequate, fallen, and sinful. We cannot measure up to the holiness and righteousness of God our good Father. Whether intentional, unintentional, aggressive or passive, we all consistently make mistakes.
In chapter three we see James’ Jewish influence on display. He is appealing to the general truths, universal plights and earthen metaphors so common in the Old Testament wisdom literature. Again, the practical nature of James’ writing is reinforced. He effectively authors the most applicable New Testament letter on living, working and worshiping distinctively as a Jesus-follower. Chapter three centers on the tongue as the central clarifying organ in the life of the believer. Simply put, the words we speak every day matter immensely and can be used for a good or evil.
“Come, children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. Who is the man who delights in life, loving a long life to enjoy what is good? Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from deceitful speech. Turn away from evil and do what is good; seek peace and pursue it.”
Psalm 34:11-14
Holy Bible Holman Christian Standard Bible, Black/Burgundy, Leathertouch, Personal Size Bible. Holman Bible Pub, 2014.
Wisdom books like the Psalms and Proverbs teach us the proper fear and respect we as believers need to hold in our hearts for our good Father God. Respect for God affects the tongue. Our words matter! Our turning away from evil and pursuing peace is manifested in our words. The person who speaks peace delights in life given him in God’s provident grace. The person who guards their tongue has learned to enjoy what is good and pleasing to God.
“‘Brood of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart. A good man produces good things from his storeroom of good, [from the storehouses of his heart] and an evil man produces evil things from his storeroom of evil. I tell you that on the day of judgement people will have to account for every careless word they speak. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Matthew 12:34-37
Holy Bible Holman Christian Standard Bible, Black/Burgundy, Leathertouch, Personal Size Bible. Holman Bible Pub, 2014.
The tongue is a microscope on the soul. Our heart is magnified in our words. In language, we hear in specifics what we believe about what we worship and live for. Like a cup overflowing, it is unmistakable what kind of liquid is in the cup. When we speak, it is unmistakable what is in our heart and soul. Jesus made it clear that when it comes to cleanliness and the set apart character of the believer it is the words that exit the mouth which mark us as pure or dirty (Mt. 15:10-11). Other men and women will acknowledge our identity (in Jesus or otherwise) based on the words we say.
Our words metaphorically bubble up from the heart and gush from the mouth. Jesus is clear in that evil, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft and false testimony against our neighbor and God begin with the spoken word (Mt. 15:18-19). Language is important! Words carry weight! The things we say have immense power. Like a horse’s bit, a ship’s rudder, or the first spark of a wildfire, little words can change the outcome of events. We must be sure, when words change things for evil, this inspiration has come from Hell itself and has the ability to wreck lives, hopes and dreams. Words hold the power to do great and eternal damage.
Taming the Tongue
READ JAMES 3:7-12
“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, all the earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.’ So God created man in His own image; He created him in the image of God; He created them male and female.”
Genesis 1:26-27
Holy Bible Holman Christian Standard Bible, Black/Burgundy, Leathertouch, Personal Size Bible. Holman Bible Pub, 2014.
The tongue was made to bring God glory. It can just as easily bring Him dishonor. There is good in the tongue. There is good in mankind in that we are made in God’s image. We are broken reflections of God. God is so infinitely good that, while we were in sin and fallen, He gave to us authority to rule and govern His creation. The Psalmist speaks beautifully of this relationship (Ps. 8:3-8). It does not make sense why God would set mankind in a place of favor. We are bent towards doing evil. God, by His nature, is gracious and merciful and desires that His children would perfectly reflect His image in the world.
James reminds us that the brokenness of man is unfitting for our faculties. We were made for more. Our tongues were made for blessing not cursing. James holds to a view that the tongue is redeemable. It is possible for good to come from it. Good was, and is, and is to come from the mouths of Jesus-followers. Just as a freshwater spring cannot pour out salt water, so the tongue of the believer should not pour out cursing. If we have faith, we believe that God will perfect the spring of our tongue (Ps. 100:3). One day we will be utterly and fully perfected by God, and we will lavish blessings on Him forever.
“‘I cannot be perfect; it is hopeless; and He does not expect it,’ – It would be more honest if he said, ‘I do not want to be perfect: I am content to be saved.’ Such as he do not care for being perfect as their Father in heaven is perfect, but for being what they called saved.”
(MacDonald, p. 28)
MacDonald, George. George MacDonald: 365 Readings. Edited by C. S. Lewis, Collier Books, 1986.
C. S. Lewis’ mentor and master, George MacDonald, goes hard after the understanding of sanctification or the perfection of the Jesus-follower. He challenges us to ask ourselves if we really desire to be perfect? Do we? That is the question. God claims that He will be faithful to bring to fruition that which He created us for in the beginning (Ph. 1:6). Do we want to be made complete on the day that Jesus returns? Will we trust God to do so? MacDonald claims that sanctification is an all or nothing deal and that “there is no halfway house of rest, where ungodliness may be dallied with, nor prove quite fatal” (53).
God wants us completely. He will not stop half way! Taming the tongue will be a struggle. Purifying the heart and the speech that comes from it will demand us “paying the last farthing, in becoming lowly, penitent, self-refusing – so receiving the son-ship and learning to cry, Father”. When we learn to relate completely to God as our Father, then will our heart be redeemed fully and our speech be only blessings to His name, forever. We will then be made more like the freshwater fountain and the fig tree, who cannot produce any other fruit than that which is natural to its kind. However, we will be the better for we will be able to see God, love Him, and choose to bless Him with all our will and life.
The Wise Tongue
READ JAMES 3:13-18
“This is what the LORD says: The wise man must not boast in his wisdom; the strong man must not boast in his strength; the wealthy man must not boast in his wealth. But the one who boasts should boast in this, that he understands and knows Me – that I am Yahweh, showing faithful love, justice, and righteousness on the earth, for I delight in these things. This is the LORD’S declaration.”
Jeremiah 9:23-24
Holy Bible Holman Christian Standard Bible, Black/Burgundy, Leathertouch, Personal Size Bible. Holman Bible Pub, 2014.
If we believe we have wisdom, James demands that we put our money where our mouth is. He asks us to live lives that display our wisdom through good works in all gentleness. Humble right-doing marks the life of the believer. As Jeremiah saw before Jesus stepped onto the scene, the truly wise must be confident in their relationship with God alone. Our relationship with God through Jesus is the only source of confidence for the believer. They will begin to exhibit the power of God’s faithful love, justice and righteousness on earth. Jesus-followers are privileged to be radiation points beaming with the power of God’s kingdom in the world today.
We should be slow to note ourselves as being wise. It would be better to do right than to claim to be wise (Is. 5:21). Wit and wisdom are best owned in good deeds not by verbal assent. It would be better to place all of our confidence and assurance in our God to do in us what He desires to accomplish in our submission and obedience. Do not take pride in your own words and deeds but live humbly in the fear and respect of our good Father God (Ps. 20:7). Loose lips can sink ships.
“Remember, God is as Great as He is Good!”
Noah R. Hunt
POIEMA: Created for Truth 