Written ~ 12-04-2024
Read James Chapter Three
James 3
In this chapter James deals with a topic that every single one of us can struggle with from time to time. And that is controlling our tongues. That means the words we actually speak out loud can either be used to build each other up or they can be used to destroy. Even if you think you have the “right” to say what’s on your mind… sometimes it is better to control your tongue and stay quiet.
Let’s go ahead and read this whole section of Scripture together, then break it down verse by verse…
James 3:1-12…
1 “Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.
3 We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. 4 And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. 5 In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches.
But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. 6 And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.
7 People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, 8 but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. 9 Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. 10 And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! 11 Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? 12 Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring.”
These verses are a lot to take into consideration, so we will take this slow and go through each verse one by one…
Verse 3:1…
1 “Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly.”
When a believer aspires to become a teacher, there is a much higher responsibility set upon them. They are taking the Word of God, something that is Holy and Inspired by the Heart of God and bringing it to those who want to learn. This role should never be taken for granted. Teaching the Word of God can greatly influence the person listening, it can directly affect their spiritual lives. Therefore, the example and leadership role that a teacher has taken on must show the light of Jesus in everything they say and do. Teachers of the Word of God “will be judged more strictly…” A teacher of God’s Word has the responsibility to take the Scriptures and interpret them in a way that always brings honor and glory to the Father, they will be under an extremely strict “microscope,” just to make sure they are not leading astray any of the children of God. If a teacher of God’s Word twists the meaning, adds falsities to its words or skips over parts that might cause conviction in the hearts of sinners and waters down the message of Salvation, the Lord’s judgement will come down hard. So, the person who has the desire to become a Pastor or a Bible teacher must understand the incredible duty they have in preserving the Holiness of God’s Word and bring its message in boldness and in truth.
Verse 3:2…
2 Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.”
All of us have a mind of our own and unfortunately it can get us in trouble if we were to speak, out loud, everything that crosses our minds. As believers, we must live to a higher standard. Obviously, because of our sinful natures, it is inevitable we will have thoughts that do not line up with Scripture, but what we decide to do with those thoughts is what makes the biggest difference. All of us have those moments where we fly off the handle. We can say something that doesn’t show the heart of Jesus living within us. We can even get caught up in gossip, possibly even belittle someone else by our spoken word, we can lie and manipulate, exaggerate and complain. All of these things show what’s really going on in our hearts and minds. If those are the types of things that frequently find their way to your lips and then come out of your mouth, it’s time to get your heart right with the Lord, it is time to repent and seek the Lord’s forgiveness and turn your heart fully on the things found in the Word of God. Matthew 12:34b-35 says, “…For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart.” Then in Luke 6:45b it says, “…what you say flows from what is in your heart…” Yes, we all make mistakes, that is a very true statement, but there comes a time when we have to take control of where those “mistakes” are coming from. None of us are perfect, but we should all seek the One who is Perfect and reflect His perfect control in every way we possibly can.
Verses 3:3-4…
3 “We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. 4 And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong.”
It doesn’t take much for us to say something that will either build another person up and create confidence or completely devastate and destroy the entire countenance of someone’s heart. If a horse can be controlled with a small bit and a huge ship with a small rudder, why is it that we cannot control our tongues? It is a matter of the heart… what you store in your heart and what thoughts you contemplate will eventually come out of your mouth. In order to control your tongue, you must first cleanse your heart and mind of those things that do not belong in a believer’s life.
James 3:5-6…
5 “In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. 6 And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.”
Think of the damage one tiny spark can have on a hillside or a forest. With one spark, uncontrollable devastation can be set into motion. This illustration is extremely important to realize how just one word from our mouths can set another person’s life into a whirlwind of devastation. One word. Now think about how much a lifetime of words can bring someone to a place of no return. James tells us that “the tongue is a flame of fire,” when we are careless with that flame, it can get away from us very quickly and turn into something that creates corruption and destruction everywhere it goes. Did you know that Satan can use our words for his purpose? Even as believers, if we are not controlling the words that come out of mouths, Satan can use them to destroy everything in its path. Sometimes the words we use are impulsive, we don’t think much about the damage we just set into motion. Even if we apologize, the moment those words of wickedness landed, they left a scorched mark on the person they were directed at… that’s why it is so important we hold off on saying the first thing that comes to mind, especially if it isn’t going to build the person up.
Verse 3:7-8…
7 “People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, 8 but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison.”
No matter how hard we try, controlling our tongues will be a constant struggle. Controlling our tongues will be something that we must put into practice every single day. That’s why reading and studying your Bible every day will give your mind and your heart something to meditate on that is good, that is encouraging and brings life.
Verses 3:9-10…
9 “Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. 10 And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!”
Some believers don’t find anything wrong with still using God’s name in vain, for example, saying “Oh my God!” as an exclamation point after hearing something exciting or surprising. Some believers don’t find anything wrong with using four letter cuss words in their conversations. Now, even if you aren’t blatantly cursing someone with the words you are using, the disrespect for the Lord by using His name and by using filthy language just isn’t acceptable! Especially when that same mouth is being used to Praise our Almighty God and our Savior Jesus Christ! Let me reiterate what James said in verse 3:10, “This is not right!” As believers and followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we can’t have it both ways! Using your mouth to curse and to bless shows a contradiction of the heart. Who are you going to serve? The Lord? Or the world? When the Holy Spirit resides within us, He makes changes to our hearts, He cleanses, He creates something brand new and beautiful. So, when we decide not to control our tongues and use them to bring destruction, it is time for you to evaluate where those things are coming from. If your life has been changed by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and you have become Born-Again, you need to ask yourself why you continue to sound like the world.
Verses 3:11-12…
11 “Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? 12 Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring.”
I think these verses give us wonderful imagery. If, as a believer, you do not control your tongue, it will not shine the light of Jesus within you. Period. What you allow to flow from your heart will become evident as soon as you open your mouth. In Proverbs 4:23 it says, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” In the days we are living in, it may become increasingly more difficult to stand firm on the Word of God. The world’s enticements may grow stronger, pulling you towards its lights. But we must remain faithful. Guarding our hearts and our minds are a couple of ways to determine our path. Are we going to allow our tongues to create devastation and corruption? Or are we going to control our tongues and be an encouragement to others, building each other up with confidence and creating a peaceful and joyful atmosphere in our homes, our workplaces and everywhere we go?
***I realize we did not finish the entire chapter, so please read the rest of chapter three on your own***
I am going to close today’s Bible Study with this statement from verse 3:13… I want it to give you something to really think about, ponder on and meditate on…
James 3:13a…
“If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life…”
~AMEN~