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3.1.3 James 3

I. What Happens When You Speak?

  1. Unbridled Tongue Invalidates a man's Religion (Exposes it for What it Is), James 1:26
  • "Seem to be religious" ... appearance of

James 1:26 — 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.

  • Example "Pharisees":

Matthew 15:10-13 — And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: 11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. 12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? 13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.

  • Matthew 26:73 "Thy speech bewrayeth thee" (manifests; makes clear)
  1. When You Say ... ("sit here") ... become Judges of Evil Thoughts, James 2:4

James 2:4 — Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?

Evil Thoughts become evil words and deeds. Just words? EVIL IN ITS EFFECT.

  1. Speak in Light of that which we will be Judged ("The Law of Liberty")

James 2:12 — So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

Not "My truth" "My perspective"

  1. Unhelpful Talk & a Faith that Does not Work, James 2:14-16

James 2:14-16 — What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? Jas 2:15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

  1. Asking Wrongly: , James 4:1-10

James 4:3 — Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

  1. Speak not Evil of Another (Being a Judge), James 4:11-12

James 4:11 — Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. 12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? [cp. James 3:1 "be not many masters" & James 5:9 "The Judge standeth before the door."]

  • "evil" -- slander
  • "brethren" -- adelphos -- from the same womb
  • Making myself the "law", is sin.
  1. Presumptuous Talk, James 4:13-15

James 4:13-15 — Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: 14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. 15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

  1. God Hears the Cries of those who have received Injustice, James 5:4

James 5:4 — Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.

  1. Take for Example of Sufferig Affliction & Patience the Prophets (Who Have Spoken in the name of the Lord), James 5:10

Jas 5:10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. 11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

  • Be careful to speek the WORD OF GOD. --- "The Life of Trust" by D.L. Moody --- after months of prayer wrote ...
  1. EXAMPLES OF A BRIDLED TONGUE: Swear Not, Pray, Sing Psalms, Call for Prayer, Pray the Prayer of Faith, Confess Your Faults, Pray for Another, Pray Again, James 5:12-20

II. Mastering Me, vs. 1-12

A. "Be Not 'Many Masters'", vs.1,2

James 3:1,2 — My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. 2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

  • Teaching Others.
  • didaskalos: an instructor, doctor, master, teacher: (MOST USES: Many called Jesus "Master"; "Does your master pay his taxes?"; "Disciple is not above his Master"; At 12 Jesus sat in the midst of the 'masters' hearing & asking. Luke 2:46)
  • TEACHER: persons whose ordinary office was to instruct the people in the Christian doctrine.
  • Do not covet to 'put on the appearance of the teacher'; Do not usurp this role. (Hebrews 5:12)
  • This was the Desire of the Inexcuseable Man of Romans 2 (To be "Man-Masters")
  • I would like to be in charge of ... (stop) ... You will be in charge of your own tongue! (Master This!)
  • The tongue is the "organ" or "instrument" of speech
  • Falsehood, which had made words and oaths play-things (3:2-12)

B. 5 Pictures for Mastering Me

Why you should focus on the tongue when mastering you.

1. "We put Bits in the Horses' Mouths", v.3

James 3:3 — Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.

2. "Ships are Turned about with a Very Small Helm": , v.4

James 3:4 — 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.

3. "The Tongue is a Fire": It is Massively Destructive though Small, vs.5,6

James 3:5-6 — Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

4. Taming of Beasts, Birds, Serpents and Things in the Sea: It Is Unrestrained Evil, vs.7,8

James 3:7-8 — For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: 8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

5. Sources in Creation: It Is Contrary to the Divine Order vs.9-12

9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. 11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? 12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

  • 1 Tongue: Bless God + Curse Men
  • 1 Fountain: Fresh Water + Salt Water
  • 1 Fig Tree: Figs + Olives
  • 1 Vine: Grapes + Figs

Genesis 1:11 — And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.

III. The Way of Wisdom: Where Does it Lead?, vs.13-18

James is written during the time of the diaspora of Acts 8:1.

Acts 8:1 — And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

  • Tension and Conflict abounded. Wisdom is absolutely a priority if the work of God is going to survive!

1. Guard the Gates: Let Him and NOT Him, vs. 13,14

James 3:13 — Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. 14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

  • There is a need for concern and even alarm. WHERE DID WE GET THIS? WHERE IS IT COMING FROM?
  • There is judgment needed of knowledge and by extension what should be said.
  • There is a false persuasion of wisdom adn there is true wisdom.
  • There is Always a Place for Godly Wisdom
  • but HOW? out of a good conversation his works with: a) meekness of b) wisdom
  • Wisdom is not just knowledge, but knowledge rightly applied ... Let Him Show

2. Wisdom from Below, vs. 14-16

Tension exisists where there is truth. Most desire for truth to be on their side while not necessarily willing to be on the side of truth ("comming to the truth" versus "desiring the truth to come to me").

14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. 15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

a. "bitter zeal and party-spirit": (Acts 23:12-35)

If you're under the influence of a strong false view, fierce, unkind and contemptuous spirit (while pretending to defend true religion), "ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts." Attempting or pretending to defend true religion, and to boast of your works or success in silencing an enemy; is not pure religion, nor true wisdom, and to profess either without giving God the full Glory is to lie against the truth.

  • Even if you win, boast not.
  • Even if you win, that is not proof of your true religion. (or "rightness" because you "won the debate")

Paul wisely spoke the truth (vs. 1-6). "God Shall Smite Thee (the High Priest!)" "I wish he was not the high priest..." and then seeing the "party lines, v.6" Paul says "I am a Pharisee".

Seeing the crowd might "tear Paul apart" the High Priest has Paul arrested. The next day 40 Jews "banded together" under a curse that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul!

  • Getting caught up on "fierce" debate is unwise. Winning the argument is not demonstration of "true" religion.

b. The Source of this Wisdom is:

  • Earthly: Cannot rise above the limits of it source and bears the same spirit.
  • Sensual: Originating in the "appetites" instead of moral reasoning.
  • Devilish: The same that demons exhibit. "Barns --- There may indeed be talent in it, but it leads to ... every evil work"

for ENVYING and STRIFE are, (God is not) There is confusion and every evil work. This kind of "knowledge" leads to self-conceit because a man is force to defend his own opions instead of humbling submitting to the truth.

This wisdom is ENVIOUS & QUARELSOME and leads to CONTENTION.

ENVY — painful or resentful awareness of an advantage enjoyed by another joined with a desire to possess the same advantage

quarrel — a ground of dispute or complaint [quarrelsome: pettily so]

contention — a point advanced or maintained in a debate or argument

  • "Sounding Wise" is not "Being Wise"

If God Is Good, Why Does God Allow Suffering?

Jews for Judaism website on Matthew 2:23, "Since a Nazarene is a resident of the city of Nazareth and this city did not exist during the time period of the Jewish Bible, it is impossible to find this quotation in the Hebrew Scriptures. It was fabricated."

3. Wisdom from Above, vs.17-18

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. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

Common Things Sinners Say Against Christians:

  1. Christians are against more things than they are for.

  2. I would like to learn about the Bible from someone who actually believes it.

  3. I don't see much difference in the way Christians live compared to others.

  4. Some Christians try to act like they have no problems.

Other Questions by James:

  • 2:4 — "Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?"
  • 2:5 — "Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?"
  • 2:6 — "Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?"
  • 2:7 — "Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?"
  • 2:14 — "What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?"
  • 2:16 — "notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?"
  • 2:20 — "But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?"
  • 2:21 — "Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?"
  • 2:25 — "Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?"
  • 3:12 — "Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs?"
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