LifeWay Explore the Bible Series for August 16: How to sail through life

The tongue is two ounces of angel or monster and easily susceptible to failure in the arena of faith and works. James follows his stimulating message on faith and works with guidance regarding the use of one’s tongue and words. As a vital organ of the body, the tongue articulates thoughts, emotions and attitudes with sounds and words.  

Most of the world’s work is born on the back of words. In the world of business, the common ingredient of success is communication, vocabulary, words. Preachers and teachers know the power of communication and the value of words in the pulpit and class room. As soon as possible, babies turn sounds into words.

In John 1:12, Christ is called the Word that “became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” Scripture is God’s revelation to man as words placed upon pages that God might be known.

Libraries are critical to the world’s knowledge, words catalogued into subjects and by authors. We live in the information age filled with advertisements, wireless smart phones, the Internet, websites, video feeds, Facebook, Youtube, email, texting, twittering and blogging. The better the world communicates, the more efficient the world becomes.  

Communication is the No.1 cause of problems in the fellowship of a church. Loving all people may be equated with the control of one’s words with the tongue being the major indicator of a life under the control of God. A Christian can quote, “love your neighbor as yourself,” and cut out the neighbor’s heart with a sharp hateful tongue.

Church families can harbor people who are infamous in their gossip which may be done in perceived innocence, that is, without malice. The danger is insipid and touches everyone. “Foot in mouth” disease contaminates more than cows but also cowards—people who have no courage to go face-to-face but will injure quietly, behind-the-back and behind closed doors.

The tongue can be the world’s most damaging weapon, a destructive force, a sinister missile that has little defense. Taming the tongue is a first line of defense in self-control. Like sin, the tongue is impossible to control perfectly.

Warning to teachers (James 3:1-2)

Within James’ venue of the churches of the dispersion, attaining the status of a teacher was a familiar and favored vocation. Church leaders were teachers and considered to be particularly wise in the advancement of knowledge. In 1 Corinthians 12:28, the teacher is ranked just after apostles and prophets. The teacher was instrumental in building the foundation of the early church on truth, knowledge and principles from God’s word. The heavy responsibility and significance of the position caused James to warn the Galatians “not many of you should presume to be teachers” (v. 1). A similar statement is heard today when an experienced pastor says to a young aspirant to the ministry, “If you can do anything else and be content, then do not pursue ministry.” The challenges of ministry, preaching and teaching are more than you might expect, harder than you might imagine and filled with all-consuming demands. One should be very careful in any pursuit of the position of a teacher.

A teacher, studied and learned, can teach the fundamentals of the faith, explain the Old Testament Scriptures and define the words of the apostles spoken by Christ. A person could be sincere and wrong or insincere and right, neither of which is fit to assume the position of teacher. Consequently, the responsibilities of a teacher are such that a stricter kind of judgment would be required by God.

The early church contended with false prophets and teachers, with heresies, insincerity and inconsistencies. The tongue is an essential asset of the teacher’s mind but also the greatest tool of the teacher’s mischief, bias, devilishness, ignorance, deceitful purposes, irresponsibility and sham. Truth can be sacrificed for sensationalism, pride and greed. Teachers with a deceitful tongue, half-truths and misinformation could do immeasurable harm to the cause of Christ.

A current example is helpful. In July 2009, the presiding bishop of the Episcopal church, Katherine Jefferts Schori called salvation “the great Western heresy,” expounding that it is heresy to preach and teach “that we can be saved as individuals, that any of us alone can be in right relationship with God.” Rather, this is a sensational statement that most Protestants would declare to be heresy.  

Along with wisdom, character was an essential ingredient to the status or position of a teacher. James insisted teachers in the church conduct themselves with honor, integrity and compassion. Students seek truth in learning and expect the teacher to be responsible and consistent in word and deed. An eager tongue without knowledge, wisdom, character and holiness could destroy the work of the apostles and prophets.

Power of the tongue (James 3:3-8)

The tongue, a powerful servant of the will and the emotions, is to the soul what the bucket is to the well, what the gate is to the reservoir, and what the faucet is to the pipe. What lies deep in the soul is verbalized by means of the tongue. The tongue, itself, is neutral, but under the control of the will, it will be whatever the character of the person is. Good, evil or both can spew out of the same mouth. The words it forms can be calm, volcanic, meek, merciful, humble, forceful, dramatic, intense, dull, lazy and inept, all in the process of instructing and illuminating. James is so strong in his assessment of the tongue that he equates the tongue with the will of the speaker, focusing on the physical organ rather than the persona behind the small piece of flesh.

Including himself, transparent of his own susceptibility, James says, “We all stumble in many ways.” His next statement is hyperbole, but incisive—that a person who never sins in the use of his words is a perfect man who controls his entire body (v. 2). Mastery of the body, including the tongue, is spiritual maturity of the soul. Obviously, his use of “all” and “anyone” includes more than just teachers.  

Using three excellent metaphors (vv. 3-6) of a small bit in the mouth of a big strong horse, the small rudder in the hull of a huge ship and a tiny spark in a giant forest, James highlights his message that small things can make tremendous impact when controlled or uncontrolled. Gaining mastery of such a comparatively small mass of flesh keeps potential problems in check and in complete constraint. The tongue can have massive evil impact when uncontrolled but, conversely, influential impact for good when controlled and can boast of great results, as well. For example, the “tongues of fire” at Pentecost that fell on the new church produced a boldness of witness that would shake the world.

James is concerned about the evil impact of the tongue, calling the tongue “a fire, a world of evil among parts of the body” which “corrupts the whole person” (v. 6). A person who speaks corruptly promotes more corruption within himself and in the minds of others, like setting an evil fire that touched the entire courses of life (v. 6). The evil saturates the tongue when it is “set on fire by hell.”

Apparently, James had experienced the terrible tragedies of unleashed evil tongues and struck back with descriptions that demand attention. He strongly warns of the danger because of the power of the tongue to produce volcanic, frightening problems within the church fellowship that extended far beyond, ripping the heart out of the Christian community. The tongue can destroy one’s reputation, the fellowship of a church, the ministry of a pastor and the purpose of a nation.

Forcefully and fiercely, James insisted “no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison” (v. 7). Straight forward, the weakness of man is strung up for all to see and understand. Man can tame the creatures of creation, but he cannot tame himself. His own worst enemy, the human master of creation cannot master himself. The tongue evidences the truth of fallen human nature.  

Consistency of the tongue (James 3:9-12)

Unruly and unstable, the tongue is dichotomous or double-minded, capable of speaking with opposite and contrasting content, with different sets of values and conveying both good and evil. One can be a saint in public and a devil at home, or vice versa.

James illustrates: “Out of the same mouth comes praise and cursing.” The tongue can praise God in worship and soon afterward curse God, profane his name and malign by speaking abusively to a person or about a person. James protested with a judgment: “My brothers, this should not be.”   

In the same manner a fresh water spring produces fresh water and a fig trees bears figs, a person should be consistent and true to his spiritual nature in the use of his tongue. Evaluate your language and asked, “Who am I, really?” Have I been transformed by the power of Christ? Is there part of my life I have not surrendered to the lordship of Christ? Do the words and attitudes expressed by the tongue mirror what you say that you believe? Words will reveal the nature of your soul or the immaturity of your spiritual life. Everyone is accountable for his words (Matthew 12:36-37). God’s holiness should characterize a Christian’s speech.   

Wisdom for words (James 3:13-18)

This paragraph does not introduce a new subject. James adds content to the words spoken and addresses the heart from which the words flow. Previously, he focused on the physical tongue and the words delivered and heard. Now he espouses the need for wisdom and understanding behind the words which will be demonstrated by a good life (v. 13).

Wisdom is the residual of understanding and experience, forming the basis for future, more beneficial experiences and decisions. Wisdom is expert knowledge with good common sense used for godly purposes. Wisdom moves from the abstract and philosophical to practical behavior. Words of wisdom are good but that wisdom is shown by a good life, moral behavior, decent actions and loving works toward one’s neighbor or person in need.  

Contrasting concepts help define choices. James gave a comparative look at worldly and heavenly wisdom in a similar way that Paul contrasted the acts of the sinful nature and the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:19-26).  

The major culprit of the tongue’s failures is “bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart” (v. 14). This kind of wisdom does not issue from heaven but is “earthly, unspiritual, of the devil” (v. 15). Earthly wisdom is demonstrated by a way of life. “Bitter envy and selfish ambition” divides rather than unifies, tears down rather than builds up, destroys rather than gives life, hates rather than loves, is cutthroat rather than compassionate and fosters pettiness rather than fellowship. Chaos, confusion, conflict, conceit and cantankerousness are produced from such selfishness and jealousy and is exceedingly destructive when brought into the church. Disorder, tragedy and all kinds of vile practices are prevalent when there is envy and selfish ambition (v. 16). Such internal demonic corruption residing in the heart, products of the unregenerate mind, will find exposure through the tongue.

Wisdom “from heaven” is very different, not just a fact but a spirit within. Coming from heaven, through regeneration, to the mind and heart of man, this wisdom “is first of all pure” (v. 17), the kind of wisdom that practices holiness, justice and righteousness and is free of envy and selfish ambition. “Pure” is the first of seven ways James describes heavenly wisdom, a gift of God (1:5), and is the key to the other six. Purity is the inner disposition and vow of moral purity, a purity that sparks a sense of awe, a sincere moral integrity.  

Heavenly wisdom is “peaceable”  or “peace-loving,” especially in the social aspect of being free of strife with others, but distinctive, in the personal aspect, of inward peace, harmony and well-being. Preferring a life of peace and goodwill, the person spreads peacefulness and is not contentious. Division and alienation are avoided in pursuit of right relationships.

“Considerate” is being reasonable, gentle and forbearing (self-restraint) with clemency, doing what is fitting rather than strict justice. Moderation is preferable but must include fairness and generosity. Principles of mercy and grace are better than the letter of the law.

“Submissive” is to be compliant or to yield to persuasion and reason, the opposite of disobedience. This characteristic suggests a person is corrected easily, will take constructive criticism and is open to new insights.  

Fifth, heavenly wisdom is “full of mercy and good fruit.” Mercy is all inclusive and embraces everyone, leaving no one out, and looks to those troubled or in trouble. Placing the two thoughts together would imply that out of mercy will flow good fruit in behalf of those in need. Sympathy and pity are not enough but must consist of action on behalf of individuals in need.

Next is “impartial” which is certain and continuous in not making distinctions. Making distinctions between people creates disunity and disrespect. Last, is “sincere.” What you see is what you get. There is no pretense, hypocrisy or ingenuousness.

Conclusion

The tongue of a person of wisdom is instrumental in peacemaking. Peace is sowed and “a harvest of righteousness” is raised. Where godly wisdom is practiced, healthy interpersonal relationships results which gives glory to God and His work on earth.  Purity of thought and speech provide opportunity for the fellowship to grow in love and for churches to give a witness of loving each other.  How winsome is that!