Gospel Light Christian Church Thru-The-Bible Series (30.1)

The General Epistle of James

James Chapter 3:1-4 - Read this Bible passage once through before referring to the notes below.

Memory Verse Jas 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

Introduction

James devotes the whole of this chapter to help us appreciate the power and danger of the tongue as well as to differentiate between heavenly wisdom and the other wisdom that is earthly, sensual and demonic.  James here argues that true religion controls the tongue, and that true religion displays heavenly wisdom. 

True religion controls the tongue (vv1-12)

 v1.      My brethren, be not many masters. In the last chapter, James said that faith that is not followed by works is dead.  Once again, take note that James is not saying that we are saved by works.  No, salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ alone.  But works that follow salvation is evidence of saving faith.  The problem with those who believe in salvation by works (i.e. works before salvation) is that they have a tendency to impose their standards on others, making them masters (or teachers) and judges of the works that qualify for salvation. This often results in their losing control of their tongues for they frequently censure others who do not meet their perceived personal standards.  James here is warning his fellow believers that if they want to be teachers/masters in the church, they should take their responsibilities seriously. They should not be like those many teachers who believe in works for salvation.  He is telling them true teachers/masters should have the humility and spirit of learners; there is no need to be judges or imposers of personal standards.

James gives 2 reasons for this.  The first reason is stated in this verse: knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.  This is a follow through from Matt 7:1-2:  Judge not, that ye be not judged.  For with what judgment you judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.   Do not be mistaken that these verses prohibit us from judging.  No, rather these verses say that we should judge righteous judgments.  If we as teachers/masters were to judge based on our own standards (i.e. being censorious), then God will apply strict and severe judgment on us in return.  So if we as believers were to adopt the censorious attitude of those teachers, then we should know that we shall receive the greater condemnation. 

v2.       The second reason why believers should not be censorious judges is given here: For in many things we offend all.   James is saying that in many things we (James here included himself) stumble. James is not talking about a fatal fall, but things that cause us to stumble in our daily walk with the Lord.  In this light, James provides a measure of spiritual maturity for teachers and for all Christians: we should not stumble in what we say.  This is especially relevant to teachers, who have so much more opportunity to sin with their tongue. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.  By perfect man James means an upright man. The secret to being upright is the ability to control the tongue.  This ability to control and avoid tongue sins is a sign of true grace. Contrast this with what is stated in Jas 1:26 earlier: If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.  True religion therefore controls the tongue. 

The power of the tongue

v3.       If a man is able to rule his tongue well, he is also able to rule all his other actions.  James gives 2 examples to back this up.  First consider the horse.  Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.  If you have an unruly horse, you don’t solve the problem by confining that horse to its barn.  No, you control it by its mouth.  You put bits in its mouth, and you control that horse by the bridle around its mouth. 

Isn’t it amazing that something so small as the bits can make the unruly horse obey us, and thus enable us to put that horse to productive use, like providing transportation for men or things?  Without controlling the bridle around the mouth, that horse’s energy is destructive; with control it becomes constructive.

Have you ever wondered why James used the example of a horse?  Perhaps he recalled the words of the Psalmist David: I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me (Ps 39:1).  Like the unruly horse, there is much fierceness in man, as demonstrated by the tongue.  We know what happens to the unruly horse – it runs away with the rider, or it throws him away. This is the picture we get when watching the cowboys at the rodeo shows of the Wild West. 

Similarly, the tongue if uncontrolled, will cause problems to its owner.  But how to control the tongue?  In the case of a horse, we put bits and a bridle over the mouth.  For a believer, that bridle is the grace of God.  It is by the grace of God that we control our tongues, and in so doing, we will be able, by God’s grace, to control all our actions.

v4.       The second example given by James to illustrate the power of the tongue is that of the ships: Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.  Now it is a fact that every ship, whatever its size, has a helm; equally it is also true that the helm is a very small part of the ship. But the helm is a very important part of a ship.  By controlling the helm (or rudder), the pilot is able to steer and turn the ship in whatever direction he pleases. 

If the rudder is damaged, the helm is powerless, the ship cannot manoeuvre and it is exposed to the dangers of the sea. In a naval battle, if a navy ship is crippled by the loss of the rudder, it is exposed to the destructive weapons of the enemy ships. In the same way, the tongue is a very small part of the body, but if properly managed, it can govern the actions of man.   If the tongue is not managed, that man is exposed to the fiery darts hurled by Satan.  This can result in shipwreck in his life.

While the tongue can cause problems with words spoken in haste or in anger, the pen can equally cause problems with words written in haste or in anger.  We should therefore think of tongue sins not just in terms of spoken words, but also written words.  Words spoken or written in haste or in anger can result in defamation suits.