James 3

1. Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, knowing that we shall be judged by a higher standard .

James may be warning his readers to be careful of looking for a position in the church so that they can appear to be very spiritual to others. In other words, check your motives. See also 1 Corinthians 14:29-31, Eph. 4:29, Proverbs 15:2.

2. Because we all stumble in many ways.  If there was such a man who never sins in what he says, he would be a perfect man, enable to control his whole body also.

Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! Luke 17:1

3 -4

We put bits in horses mouths to make them obey us and we are able to turn their whole body in any direction we choose. See how boats as big as they are, are blown around by strong winds, but they can be turned by a very small rudder in whatever direction that the pilot chooses.

Play the “Telegraph Game” by whispering a difficult sentence into the ear of someone and telling them to whisper it to next person and so on all around the room.

Ask the last person to speak out loud and tell the class what the message was. Most of the time the message will be passed on incorrectly. Explain how the tongue can often get us in trouble because we don’t know all the facts.

Death and life are in the power of the TONGUE: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. Proverbs 18:21

Whoso keepeth his mouth and his TONGUE keepeth his soul from troubles. Proverbs 21:23. See also Psalm 32:9.

5. The tongue also is a very small part of the body which has a lot of power.  Look how much fire is created by a small pile of wood!

Please notice that almost every sin that is committed in this world is done with the tongue. Are you aware that there was no sacrifice in the Old Testament for intentional sin?

Regardless of your doctrinal view or interpretation of these Scriptures -what are you planning to do about your sharp tongue?

See also Hebrews10:26, Psalm 120:3-4, Proverbs 26:20, Numbers 15:31.

6. The tongue also is a fire in the evil world is like wood.  The tongue can poison the whole body and set the whole world on fire, and this fire comes from hell.

Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is considered prudent. Proverbs 17:28

Why it is so important that we have control over our tongue. What are the consequences if we do not? Jesus talked about the members of our body and hell fire (Matthew 18:19). See also Luke 6:45.

7 – 8

Every kind of beast every kind of animal can be tamed and has been tamed. But the tongue no one contain.  It is an evil that is always ready to break out, full of deadly poison!

This is what the American Indians used to call a “forked” tongue. Blessing is the only medicine for this poison. 1 Peter 3:9

See also Proverbs 18:21, 21:23, Matthew 12:34, 15:9, Isaiah 6:7-9.

9. With our tongue we bless our God and Father, and with the same tongue we curse men, who were created in the image of God.

It does not matter how mixed up people are, they are all made in the image of God. See also Genesis 1:26-27.

10 - 12

Out of the same mouth come, blessing and cursing.  This is wrong.  My brothers. Does a fountain have sweet and bitter water at the same time? Can a fig tree create olives, or a vine create figs?  No fountain can have saltwater and fresh water at the same time.

Have you met anyone who is like a fountain that has dirty and clean water at the same time?

Who will believe your well has clear water if you are holding a bucket full of muddy water? See also Proverbs 25:26,  Proverbs 26:21, Matthew 7:16.

13. Who has wisdom and understanding among you?  Then let his life be an example of humble wisdom.

A word spoken at the right time is like golden apples in silver settings. Proverbs 25:11

14. But if there is jealousy and arguing in your heart, then do not be proud of it and deny the truth.

The mouth speaks the things that fill the heart (Luke 6:45).

15. Wisdom that is full of pride does not come down from above, but it is of the world, even from the devil.

There are many people who pretend that they have secret wisdom which the rest of us do not have.  True wisdom comes from God.  This false, secret wisdom is from the devil.

16. Wherever there is jealousy and arguing there is confusion and every kind of evil.

For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace. 1 Corinthians 14:33

17. The wisdom from above is clean, peaceful, kind, easy to be talked with, full of mercy and good fruit, able to be trusted, and is not fake.

Notice the progression in this chapter from the tongue (verse 5) to the heart (verse 14) and finally bringing us to our knees (verse 17). See also Proverbs 15:1, Exodus 31:3-6.

18. The kind of seed that produces righteousness is planted in peace by peacemakers.

Blessed are the peacemakers. Matthew 5:9

Peacemakers can only plant seeds. The ones they are working with have to decide what to do with these seeds and then God's Spirit can give them the power to break free. So the peacemaker must be careful not to try to control a situation but learn to only plant the seed and then get out of the way.