NO ONE CAN TAME THE TONGUE

PROCLAMATION

“Even so the tongue is a little member … it defileth the whole body … every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things of the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind; But the tongue can no man tame; It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”  James 3:5-8 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written by James, the half-brother of Jesus, The Christ, (Galatians 1:19) under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the Jewish believers who were scattered after the crucifixion of Christ. (James 1:1)  He wrote this general epistle to provide them with practical advice on Christian behavior.  He begins this letter by telling them that most of them should not become teachers because those who teach will be judged more strictly and will be held to a higher standard. (James 3:1)  Then he tells them about the use of bits to control horses and the use of rudders to steer ships.  These are small things relative to what they control. He tells them that the tongue is a small part of the body, but it can do a lot of damage. (James 3:5-6)  He continues by saying that no man can tame the tongue.  They praise God and curse each other with the same tongue, and that should not be so. (James 3:7-10)  He ends this chapter by telling them what wise men should do and should not do.  Wise men will live a good life, speak good conversation, and their good deeds will reflect their wisdom. (James 3:13-18)

 

APPLICATION

Our tongue can get us in a lot of trouble.  Frequently we have said things that we should not have said.  What we say can defile us. (Matthew 15:11)  Sometimes the less we say, the better off we will be. (Matthew 5:37)  We should refrain from profane conversation and vain boasting. (Timothy 2:16)  We will be judged on every word that we speak and by our words we will be justified or condemned. (Matthew 12:36-37)  We need to pray for God’s help to teach us to hold our tongue and be quiet. (Job 6:24)  We should pray that our words will be “seasoned with salt” and helpful to those that hear us. (Colossians 4:6)  We should also pray that God will create within us a clean heart, because that which comes out of our mouth reflects that which is in our heart. (Matthew 12:34)  Good clean Christian conversation requires the help of The Lord.  Our behavior and our conversation should exhibit the fruit of The Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23)