Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit. (Proverbs 18:21); Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conversation that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. (James 3:13)
The chapter starts with God explaining through James that there should never be many "masters" or "teachers" in the body of Christ, because those people will be judged more severely than the followers: My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. (James 3:1-2). Those of us who feel called to teach others better be very careful that we are being called by God to do so, because “Whoever causes one... who believe in Me [Jesus] to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!" (Matthew 18:6-7; Luke 17:1-2)
Jesus explained this to the Scribes and Pharisees in Jerusalm, which is to all religious leaders, even today: But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.(Matthew 23:8-12, 14; 23:1-36)
James goes on to explain that many large things are controlled by small things. For example: Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. (James 3:3-4) The same is true regarding our tongues: Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. (James 3:5-6)
It's baffling that we can control so many things in our lives, For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. (James 3:7-8) What's even more frustrating is With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh. (James 3:9-12)
How can we bless God, but then talk bad about people, when God made all people in His image? (Genesis 1:26-28) How can good and bad come from the same place? Jesus teaches that no matter what we try to look like on the outside, what's really in us will come out: “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. (Matthew 12:31-32)
“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:33-37)
Whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. Basically, Jesus and James are saying the same thing, whatever we decide we're going to be, be that, whether a Christian or not, but don't be a HYPOCRITE! "Woe to you hypocrites!..." (Matthew 23)
Christ Jesus had the Apostle John write a letter to the "lukewarm" church in Laodecia which explained this even more: ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. ... As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’ (Revelations 3:14-22)
Let's not be "lukewarm" and have God vomit us out of His mouth. If we profess and call ourselves Christians, then we are to be that. If we don't believe, then we aren't to act like we do, because we'll only be fooling man but not God. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and our first step to eternal life is to ...confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9-10) AMEN!
The rest of the chapter, God explains to us how to resolves this tongue issue, with WISDOM...
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