07. Understanding the Tongue

Sermons on James 2009

James 3:1-12

Introduction

I mentioned in a previous sermon that James has much to say about controlling the tongue. We come this morning to the most detailed passage in this epistle dealing with this subject. James speaks of the tongue in most unflattering terms. This is not because he had bad experiences in this life with people saying things they shouldn’t. James writes about the tongue in a negative manner because he knew that it is a fundamental issue in our sanctification.

James realized that there is little danger of overly emphasizing the potential damage associated with human speech. He recognized that, as fallen creatures, our speech is the primary way in which we offend, hurt, destroy, manipulate and confuse. I have seen tears in the eyes of other people; I have seen looks of devastation and extreme hurt on the faces of other people; and I have known of incidents in which marriages were fatally wounded and friendships forever spoiled. I have seen these things and witnessed these events and all were caused by what someone said. As James is going to teach, the tongue is an incredibly powerful organ. That is why it is imperative that Christians know all about the tongue.

Therefore, James presents a passage concerned with understanding the tongue. In these verses, he will write first of the importance of the tongue; second, he will write about the nature of the tongue; and, third, he will write concerning the work of the tongue.

01. The Importance of the Tongue (vv. 1, 2)

3:1 Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment. 2 For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well.

This passage begins with a word of exhortation to those who think they might like to become teachers (v. 1). A teacher, by definition, speaks; a teacher performs his duties by talking and, thereby, imparting knowledge and opinion to others. One who teaches helps shape the worldview of others; one who teaches is likely to have an enormously significant impact on the development of other human beings. This truth, by itself, James implies, should be sufficient reason to make us all think twice before putting ourselves forward as a teacher.

We might wonder why James turns to this particular subject at this point in his letter. Perhaps James suspected that some in his audience were too quickly desiring to become instructors for the group, or perhaps some other concern prompted him to deal with this issue at this time. It is not clear why James starts talking about the great responsibility that rests upon the shoulders of those who teach others. However, consideration of this matter leads James to provide a lengthy statement on the tongue.

Admittedly, James writes, “we all stumble in many ways.” (v. 2) There are many faults that can be cataloged in the human experience (the word translated “stumble” is ptaio, which refers to errors or sins). Every person has problems with consistency and faithfulness; no one goes through life without making mistakes and without sinning. But there is one area that must be of a greater concern to us than others; there is one area where inconsistency or faithlessness can be very costly. That one area is the speech that comes out of our mouths. “If anyone does not stumble in what he says,” James declares, “he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well.”

When I think of the most influential people in my life, I think of my father, my father-in-law, certain college professors, certain seminary instructors, and some colleagues with whom I’ve served over the years. The reason I would think of these people as being highly influential is based primarily on one element and that is what they said to me or taught me. Each one said things during our relationship that I remember now, even though, in some cases, it’s been many years since we’ve had contact. My guess is that you could also come up with a list and the majority of people on your list would be remembered primarily for what they said to you at some point.

With that in mind, understanding as we do how important words have been in our lives, let’s consider the implications of that statement we just read. James teaches that control of our speech is the key to self-control in other matters. The man who “does not stumble in what he says” is a “perfect man.” The word “perfect” (teleios) means “complete” or “full grown.” In this case, it refers to an advanced level of maturity. The person who manages to gain control of his speech so that he says what is necessary and not what is unnecessary—which is a simple way to think of what James means here—is a person who will manifest a stability in all matters that have to do with self-control. The tongue is of such a nature that mastery of it means mastery of what are, by way of implication, less unruly aspects of our lives.

This statement from James tells us just how important the tongue really is. It is the key to self-control. If we are not able to control our speech, then we will have no control in many other areas of our lives. Do you know anyone who has a habit speaking harshly, speaking in anger, or offending others with words? If you know someone like that, can you honestly say that you have observed or would expect to find Christian maturity in some other area of their lives? Is it realistic to think that a person who cannot control the tongue will demonstrate admirable conduct in other matters? The words of James answer these questions.

James is emphatic that the one who would put himself forth as a teacher of others must have control of his speech. But, as James illustrates as he continues with this thought, we all must give consideration to our speech because control in that matter is inseparably linked to self-discipline in general. Maturity in the faith, James teaches, depends upon control of the tongue. The person who does not control his speech will not and cannot advance in spiritual growth. The tongue occupies a pivotal position when it comes to gauging our advancement as Christians.

Considering what James teaches, isn’t it ironic that one of the issues that receives little attention among Christians is speech? When it comes to our sanctification, our manner of communicating with others is critically important. The last time you and your spouse had an argument probably began with something that was said. How many times does the Bible warn us about the power of the tongue? How many times are we told that the words we speak can bring peace or misery, depending simply on what words are chosen and how they are spoken? Unrighteous use of the tongue is among the most serious of sins, yet it is one of the easiest offenses to commit. We talk all the time, so the potential for stumbling in this matter is ever present.

02. The Nature of the Tongue (vv. 3-8)

James has written concerning the importance of the tongue. He explained how control of the tongue is linked to self-control in general and how control of the tongue impacts our over-all maturity in the faith. But what exactly are we dealing with when we think of controlling the tongue? What is the tongue like and why does it pose such a threat to our spiritual well-being? What is it about the tongue that leads James to write with such zeal? As this passage continues, we find the answer to these questions:

3 Now if we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well. 4 Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. 5 So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. 7 For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race. 8 But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.

As we’ve seen before, James is fond of using mental images to convey his points. Here, he reminds us of a couple of common truths. First, he says, a beast as big and strong as a horse is controlled by a relatively small bit that is placed in the animal’s mouth (v. 3). With the bit in place, if the rider pulls the reins to the left, the horse turns to the left; or, if the rider pulls the reins to the right, the huge animal turns to the right. From one perspective, it makes no sense to think that a small bit, only a few inches long, could possibly have anything to do with controlling a horse. But, as James says, the horse obeys us and we are able to direct that animal as we desire because of that small bit.

Consider also, James continues, the ships that travel upon the sea (v. 4). These are large structures. It takes a powerful wind to move them along. Nevertheless, even these great vessels are controlled by “a very small rudder.” The pilot of the ship decides which direction he wants to take and he adjusts that relatively small rudder and that big ship goes where the pilot wishes. Compared to the ship, the pilot is almost insignificant in size; yet, he decides where that ship is going and he does it by means of a small rudder.

James is illustrating how something that seems relatively insignificant does, in fact, have great significance—significance far beyond what one might assume based upon certain considerations. This is how you must think of the tongue, James writes: “So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things.” (v. 5)

Here is where we begin the introduction to the nature of the tongue. Already James has told us about the importance of the tongue, but he did not speak of what we should expect of the tongue or why, precisely, it must be controlled. Now James tells us something about what the tongue is like; it is a small part of the body, yet it boasts of great things. It is the nature of the human tongue to exaggerate, to brag and to make unfounded declarations. Don’t miss this point. This is what the tongue is like; this is the nature of the tongue that has so much influence over our lives. And this is why it must be controlled. The potential for harm is easily understood based upon what James has written so far.

He gives us another illustration: “See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!” A forest fire may begin with a small flame, but this small flame can destroy the entire forest if it is not controlled. So it is with the tongue, James teaches. In fact, the goes on to say that the tongue is like the small flame that leads to the destruction of the whole forest. The tongue, he writes, is “the very world of iniquity.”

Here again we are being told about the nature of the tongue. In fallen man, the tongue will, if left to its own inclinations, speak evil. It is evil by nature just like the person to whom it is attached. It will give evidence of the fallen condition unless it is stopped. It will, James declares, “defile the entire body.” The tongue can ruin your reputation and your life if you do not learn to master it; the loose tongue can ruin your relationships.

I’d be willing to say that in a congregation of this size, right now this morning, there are a few strained relationships and the tension is grounded in something that was said. Do you see how powerful the tongue is? It has the power to separate us from one another and the power, therefore, to affect our worship; rather than being at peace with one another as we come into God’s presence, there are times when we come before Him with hard feelings toward one another due to something that was said. James is on the mark when he says that tongue is like a flame from hell; and it will burn up our lives if we aren’t careful.

Let me emphasize that James is telling us about the nature of the tongue in these verses. It is not an innocent member of our body. In a fallen human being, the tongue will seek to fulfill one chief purpose and that is to destroy. To prevent that destruction, which is going to come rapidly and naturally, the Christian must take steps to manage the tongue. We can be assured that our tongues will have exactly the kind of influence in our lives described by James if we don’t take precautions.

The tongue, simply put, is an unruly entity. Man has managed to tame all kinds of beasts and birds and reptiles and creatures of the sea, James says (v. 7). But no one can tame the tongue. The tongue is “a restless evil,” James declares. The word “restless” (akatastatos) means “that which is unstable, unsteady and unruly.” The tongue is never still, but always ready to spew forth hurtful words, words that sting and words that are unnecessary. The tongue is “full of deadly poison,” James concludes. There is nothing good in the tongue that goes unchecked; and the wise Christian is the one who listens to James and believes him. The foolish Christian is the one who thinks, “Well, things aren’t that bad.” That’s the kind of Christian who destroys others with their careless talk.

If the nature of the tongue in fallen man is what James says, then we had better realize that we are up against a powerful foe, one determined to undermine our lives and one determined to bring misery to others. Simple words, James teaches, lead to untold devastation. Just give the tongue a chance to wag freely and you will soon hear yourself speaking evil of a brother or speaking critically of a sister. You will soon hear yourself calling into question the motives of those around you.

You are terribly naïve if you think the tongue won’t do exactly that if you turn it loose. Just remember that it is the nature of the tongue to destroy. This means that the tongue cannot help but be what it is in fallen man; and in fallen man, the tongue is a “world of iniquity,” a flame of hell that will set your whole life on fire, “a restless evil” and “full of deadly poison.” “Don’t underestimate the tongue,” James tells his readers.

03. The Work of the Tongue (vv. 9-12)

Maybe you need proof of the nature of the tongue, James seems to suggest. Maybe as you read his words, you think that James is speaking only in hypothetical terms. So, what about the work of the tongue in real life? Is it truly as bad as what James says? Is the tongue really a “restless evil” and is it really “full of deadly poison”? James now provides a prime example of the true nature of the tongue as he cites one “work” in which the tongue engages:

9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; 10 from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. 11 Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh.

To demonstrate the way in which the tongue operates, James cites two opposite activities. On the one hand, we use our tongues to “bless our Lord and Father.” We speak praises to God with our mouths. We speak wonderful things about Him; we declare our love and devotion. But then, James adds, “with [our tongue] we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God.” (v. 9) This shows the duplicity of the tongue; this shows that James’ estimation of the tongue, given previously, is exactly right. How can the same source speak blessings upon God and then curses upon God’s creatures, those who bear His image on the earth? James assumes that we see the hypocrisy in such behavior.

Just in case the obvious is not obvious to his readers, James continues and says that blessing and cursing come from the same mouth (v. 10). He expects the reader to recognize how wrong that is; he expects us to see and agree with him that the tongue that praises God should not then curse those made in God’s image. This is the same as praising God and then turning right around and cursing Him. “My brethren,” James pleads, “these things ought not to be this way.” Surely you can see, James says, that something is terribly wrong when a man speaks with reverence and love for God, but then speaks with hatred and disdain for his fellow-man who bears God’s image.

This is how the tongue works. It behaves in this shocking fashion because of its nature, which James explained before. The tongue is treacherous; it cannot be trusted, as James’ illustration here shows. If the tongue will bless God one minute and curse His creatures the next, how can it be trusted? How can we possibly conclude that there is no danger in the tongue?

Consider this, James says: “Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?” (v. 12) Or, have you ever seen a fig tree, he asks, which produced olives? What about a vine that produced figs? Have you known fresh water to come from salt water? A fountain doesn’t give both fresh and poisonous water. A fig tree doesn’t produce olives. A vine doesn’t produce figs. Fresh water doesn’t come from salt water. Everyone knows all of this. But, James emphasizes, the tongue speaks the praises of God and then speaks evil of the creatures that bear His image. Such is the evil inherent in the human tongue. It is an evil to be identified, an evil to be guarded, and an evil to be subdued.

If allowed to do its work, the tongue will behave in the manner described; if allowed to go its natural way, the tongue will speak pleasantries about God and then rip the hide off a brother or sister. If not controlled, the human tongue will deceive, lie, hurt and kill all the while claiming love for God and devotion to God’s will. This is what James wants us to see. He wants us to recognize the tongue for what it is. When we recognize the tongue for what it is, then we can deal with it effectively; then we are armed with helpful knowledge; then we can do something about the destruction that is produced by this unruly member in our midst.

Application

How many people have been hurt by your words? How many reputations have you damaged by your words? Husband, how many times have your harsh words wounded your wife’s heart? How many times have your child’s eyes fallen because you spoke in a tone of voice that crushed them? I can ask these questions in confidence knowing that they are right on target for everyone in this room. My confidence comes from the words of James. He tells us how important the tongue is; he tells us about the nature of the tongue; and he just described how the tongue does its work. We have to face what James is saying. We cannot pretend as though we have no problem with our tongues. James says everyone has a problem with the tongue because we all have one!

Are you listening to what James says? Do you understand the importance of the tongue? The tongue is so important that it is the key to self-control across the board. The tongue is so influential, so dominant in our lives that control of it means control in many other areas of our lives. Should you give attention, therefore, to this issue? Or should you say, “Nice sermon, pastor,” and be on your way?

You need to understand how important your speech is. If you want to mature in Christ, if you want to be considered a mature man or woman in Christ, then you must gain control of what you say. You cannot be a person who speaks quickly without thinking. You cannot be a person who speaks without having all the facts. You cannot be a person who repeats everything you hear just because you were not sworn to secrecy. The tongue is important and you must use it with discretion.

James also wrote of the nature of the tongue. Do you understand how influential your speech is in your life? Do you understand that people reach conclusions about you and your faith based upon what you say and when you say it? Your whole life is affected by your tongue. Let it flap as it pleases and you will be a person with an unstable life. Let the tongue go unchecked and you soon will be a person who is not trusted. No one is going to confide in you if they suspect that you will tell others about their problems. And this means that the body of Christ suffers. We are supposed to bear one another’s burdens and we are supposed to offer comfort and counsel when needed. But if we can’t be trusted to keep our mouths closed, then those helps are not going to be available to the one who needs them.

Don’t be fooled by the smallness of the tongue, James warned. It is a danger that is constantly present in your life. You dare not drop your guard for an instant. Remember that the tongue’s nature is evil. It will do evil if allowed to do evil because it is evil. The tongue would much rather speak words of hurt and destruction. If you understand that, then you are on your way to controlling it.

Finally, James spoke of the work of the tongue. There, he spelled out the problem with how the tongue works. It is hypocritical. It will praise God in one breath and curse a brother in the next; it will say, “Oh, how I love Jesus,” and then spew out poison on those for whom Jesus died. Don’t let that be your legacy as a Christian. Don’t be a hypocrite. Don’t think that your pretty speech about how much you adore the Lord is going to mask those words that follow and that crush His people and hurt His beloved children.

Determine that from this day forward, you will monitor your mouth and you will guard your speech so that whatever you say is that which is necessary. Understand that this is not a secondary issue; this is a primary issue. It is one that must be given attention. Otherwise, the rest of your Christian life will be adversely affected.

Let’s pray . . .

Sacrament of Baptism . . .

Hymn for Communion . . .

Conclusion

It is a profitable exercise to take the Bible and look at the things God has said to His people. I’m not talking about prophecies recorded by men, but words God actually spoke at some point. Such an exercise will quickly reveal how our confidence as God’s people is strengthened by His words to us. And think about the words of Jesus—think about those particular statements He made with His own mouth. Time and time again, Jesus made brief declarations, but those declarations lift our hearts and make us courageous. “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” “Let not your hearts be troubled.” “I am the good Shepherd and I lay down My life for My sheep.”

The gospel itself is communicated in words and most often, I would imagine, in spoken words. When we consider the use of the tongue, therefore, let us determine to use ours honorably and humbly as we consider this morning the work of our Savior on our behalf. Speak words of praise and thanksgiving to Him as you receive the element. Depart today and take with you words of comfort and peace to share with others.

Matt. 26:26 And while they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” 27 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; 28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. 29 But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”