Alright our text this morning is James chapter 3. James chapter 3, and this morning we’re going to look at the first twelve verses. The first twelve verses of James 3. So as usual, let me first read our text in James 3, beginning in verse 1.

“My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgement. 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. 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. 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. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no one can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 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.” So this is the Word of God.

Now we are looking at James’ letter or James’ epistle which is written by James, the brother of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, remember James was one of the elders of the Jerusalem church. He was probably the leading elder. Today we might call the senior pastor of the church. But remember that the church was being persecuted and the people scattered all over the place. And that’s the reason why when James begins his letter, he says that he’s writing to his church people who have been scattered all over the place.

Now perhaps today we know of many Christians who have been scattered. This morning I was just imagining as I pray for the brethren in Ukraine, them not in their churches like us, perhaps. Many of them are perhaps on the run, not able to hold their worship services. They have been scattered all over the place. So James as a pastor, he writes to them. And the reason for writing to them is like Paul instructing Timothy to convince, to exhort, to rebuke, and to teach. So that is James’ purpose here in this letter. It is to exhort us. It is to rebuke us. It is to challenge us. It is to teach us the things of God.

Now in the study of this letter, we have learned many things from James. It begins with suffering. We need to learn about dealing with suffering because we remember that even though we have been saved by grace, we have been saved by our Lord Jesus Christ, but we are still in this world of suffering. And we suffer together with the rest of the world. When there is a pandemic, we are not immune or exempt from that suffering alright. And that’s the reason why this morning we pray for our sister Sharon alright who has contracted or infected with the virus. And so that is a matter of fact.

So do not go and tell people that if you have become a Christian you will be free from all kinds of sufferings. So James writes this letter to encourage, to exhort, to teach. Now when we come to this chapter (chapter 3 of his letter), now he deals with another subject, another method. It’s a very practical letter, deals with many issues about our Christian life. For that reason, I will say some commentary would basically entitle this epistle as practical Christian living. So a lot of practical lessons for us. So what is James writing about here in this chapter (chapter 3, these twelve verses)?

Well, if you look at verse 5, he writes: “Even so the tongue is a little member”. And then he writes in verse 6: “And the tongue is a fire and the tongue is so set among our members”. And then he writes in verse 8: “but no man can tame the tongue”. Now it’s quite easy actually if you read through this letter. You kind of detect what James was writing about, what we might call his subject method. Like in the previous section, we noticed that the subject matter was faith. We see that word being repeated many times. And then earlier on, we were studying chapter 1. The second part of chapter 1 verse 19 onwards, we see that the word ‘Word’ or the ‘Word of God’ is mentioned repeatedly.

And so we know that that was his subject matter. So that seems to be his style. He mentioned that word again and again or repeatedly to inform us that this is what he’s talking about. And so it is the same here in this passage that his subject matter is the tongue alright. He mentioned that word repeatedly. So our title this morning is to guard our tongue alright- guard our tongue. Now we know that we use our tongues for many things alright. There are many uses of our tongue. I suppose that we all know that the two main uses of our tongue is number one, to taste our food alright. That’s the reason why the cook alright when they cook, they will just put something on their tongue to taste whether it’s nice or not nice or salty or not salty alright.

So that is one use of the tongue. Now, what is the other use of the tongue? Alright, we know in these days many people use tongue for other reasons alright. And the two main reasons like you know they’re not happy with other people and they’ll stick out their tongue at them. And that’s why we have many those emojis you know in our WhatsApp and say all the tongue coming out alright. So people use tongue for all kinds of reasons. But the use that James has in mind in this passage is this. He’s thinking about talking. So we use our tongue to taste, and we use our tongue to talk. And so here he’s not talking to the cooks alright. He’s talking to all of us, all of us humans alright.

And all of us Christians, we all talk. So he’s talking about talking. In other words, he’s talking about words. Now we know that alright I think from the context as well as in verse 2 when he says: “For we all stumble in many things”. Then he says: “if anyone does not stumble in words”. Now you see, he’s talking about words, talking about talking. That is what he means by tongue. Now we all talk. I hope we all talk. And here are some statistics. I don’t know how accurate it is alright. It is said that we all men speak about twenty, twenty-five thousand words a day. That’s quite a lot. But a woman, thirty thousand alright.

So it’s more, but here’s the problem alright. The trouble is the man used up his quota by the time he comes home, and the woman is about to begin. And that’s where we have all these issues in communication. And if we put all these words together, it is also estimated that we will produce a fifty-four-page book every day. We are all authors or writers. We put all our words together, a fifty-four-page book every day and sixty-six books a year. Oh, you can write a Bible alright, sixty-six books a year. And so we spend one-fifth of our time talking, some even talk in their sleep.

Now that’s how we all talk. And that is what James is talking about. So we need therefore to pay some attention to this subject of our talking. Is it a matter that we should be concerned about? Now James says yes. James says yes. That’s why I say we must guard our speech or our tongue or our talking. So he’s talking about talking. And that is what James is trying to point out here that we should be concerned about the tongue. In fact, he said we should be very concerned about the tongue as I read just now from verse 5. That is what he’s pointing out here, say even so the tongue is a little member and boasts of great things. And you see how great a forest a little fire kindles.

So he’s talking about the effect of the tongue alright, the influence or the impact or the consequence. It’s great, immense consequence. And that’s why we don’t take our talking lightly. Now the great effect, the great impact or influence. So we don’t take our tongue lightly. Pay careful or serious attention to this matter of our tongue or of our talking. And so we must guard our tongue. That is his point alright- that is his point. We must be concerned about our speech. The question then is: Why? Have you asked yourself? If people ask you, you should be very careful about your speech, about your talking or about words that come out of your mouth. You should be very careful.

Of course, you want to ask if you are not aware already and say why? Why should we be careful? And so that is what James is talking about here in this passage. Now here he gives us at least four reasons alright why we must guard our tongue. Now four reasons why we must guard our tongue. And the first reason is this. He says that we must be careful about our speech or guard our tongue because we will be answerable for what we say one day. You see, we must remember that. It’s not like for nothing alright no consequence. We will all be accountable or be answerable for what we say one day. So he makes the point in the first two verses alright- in the first two verses.

Now he says here: “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgement”. Say remember, we shall be accountable for what we say. Now I pointed out again and again in this study of James’ letter that he is actually a good student of our Lord Jesus Christ. He has heard the Lord very carefully, and he here seems to be echoing what the Lord Jesus said in the gospel of Matthew chapter 12. And so if you just flip over to Matthew 12:36-37. Verses 36 and 37, now this is what Jesus said. Probably James was there when Jesus said that alright. He heard that, and so he’s penning it out to instruct the Christian in his church.

Now Jesus said in Matthew 12:36- “But I say to you that for every idle (careless) word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgement. (Verse 37) For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”. God will hold you accountable for every word that you speak on earth. So don’t simply speak. Don’t simply talk. That’s what James is talking about. Remember what you talk, the words that come out, well you have to account alright give an account of it to God. And that is what Jesus thought, and that is exactly what James is saying here in James 3. And that is how he begins. We must be careful because we must remember.

And then he says that this is especially so for certain groups of people. Now you see, we are all accountable, but for a certain group of people, this is especially so. Who are these groups of people? Well, James tells us alright in verse 1. He says: “Let not many of you become teachers”. Now there are teachers here, and you might want to pay attention to what James is saying here. Especially for you teachers, God will hold you accountable. Now you might ask: Why are teachers singled out? Why are these people singled out or mentioned by James? Well, the reason is this. James is saying remember, you teachers. You teachers, you are especially accountable alright. God will especially hold you accountable because teachers are people who are in a position of influence.

Now let’s talk about just school teachers. You know that that is your responsibility. That is your influence, influencing a whole generation of young people alright. They’re under your care. What you say to them is so very important. That’s what James is talking about that teachers are especially to pay attention to this point because they are people in a position of influence. Now, who are the teachers that James is thinking about here? Now I do not think that he is specifically thinking about school teachers. There were no schools, the kind of schools that we have in those days yet. So who was James thinking about?

He is thinking about all people who are teaching, whether you’re teaching Mathematics or Physics or you’re teaching the Bible. And so you see, James is actually particularly thinking of preachers when he thinks about teachers. The teachers of God’s Word, the preacher of the Word of God, do not you know like take this lightly. And anyhow you want to be a preacher, say think first and think carefully before you preach the Word of God because God is going to hold you accountable for what you say. Woe to those who preach and preach all the nonsense and they do not preach to benefit or to edify the people of God or to preach and bring the people away from God. God will hold these people accountable.

That’s what James is saying. And for that reason, we are told when John Knox went back to Scotland from the continent and he preached to the Scottish church, and he said that he wept so bitterly when he first preached that he had to be carried down from his pulpit. He understood the immense responsibility that was placed upon him that he dare not simply say just anything he wants to entertain the people. Woe to those preachers if they think that that is their duties. No, that is not. They are to be faithful. And that’s the reason why when Paul wrote to Timothy in Second Timothy chapter 4. And Paul gives Timothy these instructions that this is your solemn responsibility. He writes to Timothy in his second letter in chapter 4 and verse 2.

He says to Timothy you “preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering”. Means with all patience and teaching, regardless of whether people want to hear you or not. In fact “for the time will come (in verse 3) when they will not endure sound doctrine”. Yes, they would not want to hear you, but that doesn’t change the fact of what you must do. And that is your clear responsibility. You preach the word in season and out of season, not changing with the fashion, not changing with what people want to hear. You just be faithful to discharge your duty. And that’s why he says in verse 5: “But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, to do the work of an evangelist, fulfil your ministry.”.

Understand what your calling is about. Understand what you are called or told to do and do it faithfully because if not, remember you will be answerable to God. Then that’s why in this passage in James 4:1 he begins this way: “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom”. So he begins with that reminder when he instructs the preachers that I want to remind you that day will come that the judge will appear and you will have to give an account. Now that is what James is talking about here. That is what James is talking about here. You teachers, he said let not many of you think of becoming teachers.

He is thinking of teachers of the Word of God. He is thinking of preachers, preachers of the Word of God. Now, who are the other people James might be thinking about? I believe that there are others who fall into the same category, who belong to this group of people called the teachers. It’s not just the preachers but also the Sunday school teachers. Remember you are handling precious lives week after week when little kids, little children are gathered before you. Now think about what you are doing with these children. What are you going to teach them? Telling funny stories just to entertain them? What are you going to do with these little kids week after week under your care?

James is thinking of these people in mind. You are teaching. You are speaking the Word of God to little children. Where is your burden? Where is your concern? Is there the fear that you may lead all these little children astray, teaching them wrong ideas and wrong things? Are you not concerned about that? James says that you better be because you will be held accountable. Who are the other people James might be thinking about? I believe he is also thinking about Bible study leaders. Now all the people who are having a group of people under their care, either in a very small group or in a little you know twenty people, twelve people under your group or in your care group, in your cell group. What are you doing with these people?

And that’s what James is talking about. You must remember your heavy responsibility. So the Sunday school teachers, the Bible study leaders, the youth ministry leaders. And then I believe there is one group of people that James is having in mind here, and they are the parents. The parents. Oh, you are teachers. Don’t you realise that? God has given you precious souls, little ones to care for. For twenty-one years of their lives, how are you investing in them? What are you doing with this life that God has given to you to raise? What are you supposed to do? You see, Paul is very clear you know. He is on the same page as James here.

Now a lot of people like to think that you know Paul and James they are not on the same page. No, they are on the same page. They understand the same thing. Now Paul understands that parents have great responsibility. And that’s the reason why when he wrote to the Christians in Ephesus, now this is what he says to the fathers in Ephesians 6:4. He says: “And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and (the instruction or the) admonition of the Lord.”. Now that is the duty of the parents and the fathers in particular. So what are you doing with these little, precious souls that God has given to you and not to other people but to you? They are great blessings as we read earlier on in Psalms.

Parents, you are teachers because and as teachers, you are in a position of great influence. What this little one may turn out to be in the sense depends on you, depends on what you do with these little ones, what they turn out to be. It is your responsibility. What you teach them, what you say to them have great impact. And so- and so James says be careful with what you say, especially the teachers, especially those who speak the truth of God to others either in the church or in the family. And then he says not just the teachers.

So then he says okay, he doesn’t want to be a teacher, so this verse doesn’t apply to me. But James says, back to James 3. But not just the teachers. Then he thinks of the other group of people in verse 2. He says in verse 2: “For we all stumble in many things”. Meaning to say we are humans, easy for us to fall, make mistakes. So we all stumble in many things. And then he says: “f anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man”. You see, we make mistakes in other things alright in other areas of our lives, in our other duties. But if you think that when it comes to speaking you don’t make mistakes, then you are a perfect man.

But none is perfect. No one in this world is perfect except the Lord Jesus Christ. Except the Lord Jesus Christ. And so it is easy to stumble in a sense that it’s easy to say the wrong words. It is easy to offend people with our words. It’s very easy. It’s easy to hurt someone. It is easy to sin with our mouths. And so James reminds us that we have to guard our tongue, especially the teachers. But all of us- all the rest also alright because we all sinned with our words. That’s the reason why Proverbs says you know better not to talk too much alright in many words alright. The more you talk, the more likelihood that you sin with your words.

We all stumble, James says, and we therefore all like the teachers will also be accountable one day for what we say to a brother or a sister or someone in the church. That’s reason number one why we must guard our tongue. Now reason number two alright- reason number two, now James says we must be careful with our tongues or guard our tongue because words are powerful and have enormous influence. Words are powerful and have enormous influence. Now James really wants to help us think about this because a lot of people don’t realise that. They don’t realise that. They think that we can just anyhow say anything. We think that our words have got no consequence. Now James says now think about it.

Now, it’s not true. It is not true that your words are inconsequential alright, got no consequence. Our words actually are very powerful and have great influence. And then what he does here alright is that he used some examples alright- he used some examples or some pictures to help us understand this. Now the first picture alright he uses is that of the horse, is that of the horse in verse 3: “Indeed we put bits in horse’s mouth that they may obey us and we turn their whole body.”.

Now what James is trying to do is that when he uses this picture that of a horse, he’s, first of all, trying to help us understand which the people in his time can easily understand (perhaps more than us because many of us have not even seen a horse alright). But a horse is a huge and powerful animal. That’s what James is talking about here. And that’s why people talk about horsepower alright because we understand the power of the horse. It can really drag alright and carry heavy stuff. Now so James said think about the horse, such a powerful, strong animal, an animal that can pull a huge load of carts. And yet this animal, this powerful animal is controlled by a very little thing called the bits.

And so what they do is that they put this little thing in the horse’s mouth and then the rider will control the horse, pull to the right I think, I don’t know. But I think when you pull to the right the horse will turn right. Now those who know horses probably can correct that. You don’t pull, it’s gonna turn the other way and you fall off. But what James is saying that there is a way to control the horse. Now you don’t need a huge instrument to control it. One tiny little thing called the bits will control the horse.

And then he uses another example in verse 4 and that of the ship. Again this is a huge item, a huge machine as it were James is talking about. Probably especially in his day alright this probably is one of the biggest machines that ever built by human, the ship. Today we think of the airplane and things like that. In fact, we think of ships, huge ship. And James is thinking of a huge item, a powerful item. Think of the Titanic sailing across the Atlantic ocean, that kind of a picture that James is raising here.

And what does he say about this ship? He said although in verse 4 they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder. And that is how you control the huge machine. You want it to move in this direction, you don’t need to use a big thing to do it, just a small thing called the rudder alright. I just turn it, the pilot just turns and it can control that huge ship. Now different pictures but again conveying the same, either. Something huge, but controlled by something small. Now the third picture is that of the forest fire in verse 5: “Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!”.

Now this probably we can understand. Now every now and then we hear of forests in Australia or in California or some parts of the world. And these are huge forests, many trees, many hundreds of hectares of land, and just a little fire. Now someone just strikes a little matchstick and you can burn hectares and hectares of forest alright woods. And that is the picture. And so see, the tongue as it were, it’s just little thing but has great impact. Great impact. So these three pictures are trying to impress the point. I think we can see what James is talking about, can’t we? We can see how powerful words are. And when we hear of great orators alright people who speak well, they can really influence people.

Now remember during the Second World War and how Hitler with his oratory skill alright he was able to bring the whole nation of Germany into the war. And then we hear of Winston Churchill again with the power of his word he’s able to mobilise another force to fight against them. And then in a more modern era, now we can think of great orators like the late Ferdinand Marcos alright of the Philippines and how he was such a powerful and great speaker or the late Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore alright. All these are great orators. Maybe in our time Anwar Ibrahim alright.

Now this is what James is talking about. When you have a great person who can speak well, you can see the power and the influence of their word but all only come from one little instrument called the tongue, a very small instrument like the horse’s bit or the ship’s rudder or a little fire that burns the forest. Can you see the power or the influence alright of the tongue? And that is what James is talking about. And he says that yes, the tongue though small is very powerful. It is powerful in what sense? Well, you see it is powerful in a sense it can influence but it can influence in two directions.

You see, your words can influence people in two ways. It can influence people for good alright- it can influence people for good. In other words, your words can edify. Your words can build up people. And that’s why Proverbs says the mouth of the righteous is a well of life. If you speak, your words can bring life to people. Or in another proverb. Proverbs 16, it says: “Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.”. You see, that’s what we call counselling. We come to people and we speak words that build them up, that encourages people, that brings health to people’s soul. That is the power of words. You can do that. You can do that. You can save lives.

And that’s why you know the prophet Isaiah said how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who bring good news! The most powerful words we can bring to people is the good news of Jesus Christ. Do not keep our mouth shut and hide this message. These powerful words, the gospel. That’s why Paul understands that, that these beautiful words, the words of the gospel are so powerful such that he tells the Romans that I’m not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation. That is what we must do. We must understand the power of words and it has power to influence for good.

And the gospel is the greatest power alright. It’s the greatest words we should proclaim, we should speak to bring life to people. But on the other hand. On the other hand, you see that words alright, our words can also destroy. It can build, it can give life, but it can also destroy and cause death. And cause death. So be careful of gossip. That’s the reason why when you read the Bible there are so many warnings against gossip because gossip is about words and it’s about words that can destroy.

Now I was reading once on newspaper with the caption: “Boy Kills Girl”. And then when I was reading the story about this, and this is a story behind this caption: “Boy Kills Girl”. It’s about a boy who killed a girl, little girl. Little boy killed a little girl in the tuition centre. Now in the tuition centre. The reason, because the girl said this to the boy: “You are a fat boy”. He got so angry he killed the girl. You see, the power of words. You say the wrong thing, you offend somebody. That’s the reason why a lot of people kill people. They are angered. They are offended by what you say. You enrage them by your words.

Here is another true story that I read some time ago of a happy family that was destroyed because of baseless, careless words or rumours. This is a story of a young woman who killed herself and her two young children because she believed her friends who told her a lie about her husband’s affair. She believed that information and she destroyed her life and those of her two children. See, words can have great effect. It can do things to people. It can destroy. For that reason, Proverbs write: “With his mouth the godless destroy his neighbour”.

Proverbs 11. Another proverb. Proverb 16: “A perverse man sows strife, and a whisperer separates the best of friends.”. And Job at one point he cried out as his friends keep talking to him. He says: “How long will you torment my soul, and break me in pieces with words?”. You see, words can torment people’s soul. Words can break people up. Words can kill people. That’s what the Bible is saying here. Or the psalmist who says in Psalm 52: “Your tongue devises destruction, like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.”. Now that is the picture. Our tongue is like a sharp razor. It’s a sharp knife. It can kill people. It can cut people. It can hurt people.

So be careful, that’s what James is talking about. Be careful with your tongue. Number one, because you will be answerable for every word that you say. Number two, because your tongue or your words have great power or influence. It can build, yes, but it can also destroy and kill. Number three. Number three, why guard your tongue? Because James says in verses 7 and 8 that the tongue is so uncontrollable. Verse 7: “For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed (or is controlled) and has been tamed (or controlled) by mankind.”.

Now James is asking even in those days alright- in those days they were able to control or to tame wild animals. Now we know that they do that today. You go to the zoo, and then you watch the animal show or you go to the sea world or somewhere else and you see all these animal shows and you see how they control all these wild, huge animals like the tiger and the orangutan and the whales or the dolphins and the elephants and so on. Snakes. They can tame all kinds of animals. That’s what James is talking about. In those days they could tame horses. They need to tame horses in order to use them.

So they are very familiar with what James is talking about. He says that all kind of animals has been tamed by human. And then he says in verse 8: “But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”. When it comes to the tongue, come to our mouth, it’s so difficult to control alright. Try controlling your children’s tongues. You probably need to tape them up alright otherwise they yek, yek, yek non-stop alright. Adults also the same. Adults also the same. We need to control the tongue. But James says we can’t alright. We can’t. It is not controllable. Why? Why is it that we can control the tiger and the orangutan and the lion and the elephant? Why is it that we cannot control the tongue, such a small little you know muscles here in our mouth?

The reason Jesus tells us again in Matthew chapter 12. Matthew 12:34. Now Jesus says here, verse 34 of Matthew 12: “Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks evil.”. That is the problem. That is the reason why our mouth cannot be controlled because it is controlled by the evil heart. You see, the Bible tells us or teaches that we are not basically good people. We are people born with a sinful nature. That is what our heart is about. The heart is deceitful beyond description.

That is what the Bible wants us to understand about our nature. And what Jesus is saying is that because our heart is sinful and because our heart is evil, and that’s why we speak evil words. That’s why our tongue cannot be controlled. The only way to control the tongue, the only way to change the tongue (your speech as it were) is to change your heart. It’s to have your nature, your basic sinful nature being changed. That is our only hope. And that’s the reason why Jesus said that you must be born again. That’s why Paul says that we must be new creatures in Jesus Christ. There is no way that you can be changed except by coming to Jesus Christ. And Jesus alone can change you, can give you a heart of flesh and take out that heart of stone that is in us.

That is our only hope. That is our only hope. And listen to what Paul says in Romans. His epistle or his letter to the Romans and chapter 3. Romans chapter 3 as he also touches on this subject. Romans chapter 3, look at verse 13. Now he says: “Their throat is an open tomb; With their tongues they have practiced deceit”. Why? Because he says that “the poison of asps is under their lips”. Now he’s saying exactly the same thing as Jesus said in Matthew 12 using different pictures here. So the reason why we spill up poison, spill out evil words, hurtful words is because underneath we are like poisonous snakes. That’s why Jesus called them a brood of vipers. That is the picture the Bible uses to speak of humans.

Now we speak of humans with other pictures, in other terms. But the pictures the Bible uses that we are like poisonous snakes. There’s poison inside. And then when we speak all the poison has been spilled out, it’s been spilled out. Why is it that this poison is being spilled out? Why is it that we are so evil? Verse 18, Paul says because “there is no fear of God before their eyes”. You see for the natural man there is no fear of God. He doesn’t believe in God. He doesn’t believe in God. He doesn’t live his life as if God exists. His life is not in reference to God and to what He says. There’s no fear of God in their hearts. And that’s why they speak as they like. They speak as they like.

And so the tongue, be careful alright guard it because it is so uncontrollable. And then the final reason James tells us why we must be careful with our tongues is this. So in verses 9 through 12, he says that we must be careful because our tongue is so inconsistent. The tongue is so inconsistent. Verse 9: “With it we bless our God and Father and with it we curse men who have been made in the image or likeness of God”. Now out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. Then James says: “My brethren (or my brothers), this ought not to be so”. But this is the truth. This is a reality that we humans we use the mouth for two different things that we shouldn’t do.

I remember once I was still studying in Singapore. So for some reason, I was parking my car in the compound, belonged to a church. The church was having a meeting (it’s not a Sunday but a special meeting) and hearing noises you know singing hallelujah, hallelujah inside. They’re singing inside. And these are the hallelujah people alright. Every other you know words that come out of their mouths is hallelujah, praise the Lord. And because I parked my car and blocked his car, he came out and he cursed me. I was thinking hallelujah inside; but cursing outside. Now this is from my personal experience. When I read this I said how true. How true.

With the same mouth alright you bless and you praise God and with the same mouth you curse other people. You say bad things about other people. You slander other people. You tell lies. Now James says that is our problem. And then he uses two illustration pictures alright to make his point. I mentioned this before you know. James’ letter is filled with metaphors alright picture words here and illustrations. And so in verse 11, he brings out two examples to illustrate. The first is that of the spring in verse 11: “Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?”. Now the fresh water and the bitter water or the salt water, do they come from the same place? He said no, it’s not possible. It’s either fresh water or is salt water.

And then he says verse 12, the second picture: “Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs?”. Can that happen? You go to your papaya tree and you look for durian? You see, it cannot happen. We don’t do that. So you see, James is using these two pictures alright these two examples to illustrate his point. He said in the natural world, this is something that is impossible. When we come to the spiritual world, he said then this should be improper. You ought not do that. This is not proper. This is not right. This ought not to be. But that is what James observed. That is what he observed.

So he says how can we? How can we praise God and curse people with the same tongue? How can we use the same spoon (I used to use this illustration)? How can you use the same spoon to feed your baby and feed the dog? Then I realised as I grew up alright that the Westerners do that. We Asian will tell our children oh, you don’t do that. I think that is what James is talking about. You don’t do that. That purpose is for this, not for that alright. Use a different spoon for other purposes.

Now one person said that one of the most challenging sermons he had ever heard was called “Ten Minutes After The Benediction”. I think you probably can Google and find out and read up this sermon. It’s called “Ten Minutes After The Benediction”. In the sermon, the pastor spoke of those who move from moments, move in moments from Gloria to gossip, from creed to criticism, from worship to wounding men. I was so sad that Christians come to the church we sing praises, we read the Word of God, we sing hallelujah, and then after the worship service, we gossip and slander and hurt other people with same mouth alright with the same tongue.

Now let me end with this reminder. Earlier I quoted to you from Psalm 52:2 that our tongue is like a sharp razor working deceitfully. I think it pays if we were to take note of what James is saying here to remember this picture word that the psalmist uses to describe our tongue. It is like a sharp razor. Every week when we come to church, remember we are holding in our mouth one sharp knife. Imagine if every one of us is holding a sharp penknife alright with us, and then after the worship and we start to talk to people. And we start to talk people you know some people talk, now they move a lot. Ah yesterday. You say hold it, hold it alright. You’re holding a sharp knife alright. Don’t swing your hand everywhere.

Now, remember that’s what James is saying. That is the picture. We are all holding a sharp razor with us. So be careful. Now be careful lest you hurt other people. And therefore, our prayer really should be as the psalmist said: “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.”. May God help us. Let us pray.

“Our Father in heaven, we again thank You for this letter James has written to the believers who were dispersed and how they found so much help through this instruction. And we pray that You might indeed help us to pay careful attention to what James has written here. Help us to remember what a powerful instrument we have in our mouths. We know that it can be an instrument for good to encourage, to edify, to build up. And yet at the same time, it is an instrument that can cause hurt and destroy and ruin lives. So teach us therefore to be careful and to guard our tongues. For we pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.”

This transcript has been lightly edited for readability.