Category: James

James 3:15 – Not Worldly Wise

Posted on by Will

This is not the wisdom descending from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.

Truth to Learn

The wisdom possessed by some teachers in our churches today is earthly wisdom. Unlike godly wisdom, it has no heavenly source.

Behind the Words

The word translated “descending” is katerchomai, which is made up of kata, meaning “down” and erchomai, meaning “to come” or “to go.” It is expressed here as a participle, so the opening of this verse is translated as, “This is not the wisdom descending from above.”

There are three other words that we need to look at as well: earthly, sensual, and demonic. The first, “earthly,” is from the Greek word epigeios, which literally means “upon the ground.” Hence, it refers to things which are earthly rather than heavenly.

“Sensual” is translated from the Greek word psuchicos, which comes from the Greek psuche, or psyche, and refers to “the soul.” In other words, it is that part of us which is neither body nor spirit. Therefore it is often used as a reference to the sensual part of our being.

Lastly, the word “demonic” is from the Greek word daimoniōdēs, which is derived from daimonion, the Greek word for “a demon” or “a fallen angel.” Hence daimoniōdēs means “it has the characteristics of a demon, It is demonic.

Meaning Explained

Keep in mind that James is talking about teachers in the church. In verse thirteen he implied that teachers need to be the wise ones in the church. But it is a heavenly wisdom which he is talking about, not an earthly wisdom. It is a wisdom that is demonstrated by meekness and works; the kind of works that James talked about in chapter two. These are works which come from a heart that is blind to riches and is honoring to all.

But, James says if you are bitter and argumentative, you don’t have the wisdom you need to be a teacher. Instead, he says your so-called wisdom is contrary to heavenly wisdom (it is earthly), contrary to spiritual wisdom (it is soulish and sensual), and contrary to Holy wisdom (it is demonic). This type of wisdom does not come down from God, rather it is a wisdom steeped in the present world system. Boy, talk about in-your-face!

This type of wisdom produces behavior which is envious and which causes strife. It is earthly and self-seeking, rather than heavenly and God-honoring. Here’s how Paul described this behavior in his first letter to the Corinthians:

for you are still fleshly. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not fleshly and behaving like men? (1 Corinthians 3:3)

Application

It is a good thing to want to be used by God. Our highest calling is to be His most humble servants. But, that means serving God in the manner, and in the position, which He chooses for us. It doesn’t matter how hard you are working in God’s kingdom if you are doing what you want and doing it for yourself instead of doing what He has called you to and doing it for His glory!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

James 3:14 – Just the Truth

Posted on by Will

But if you have bitter zeal and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.

Truth to Learn

Strong, bitter feelings towards others and loud, boastful proclamations are not marks of a good teacher.

Behind the Words

The words translated “bitter zeal” are dzelos pikros. The word dzelos means “strong feelings” (we get our English word, zealous from this) and pikros means “bitter.” It is the same word used a few verses earlier in reference to bitter water. In the New Testament, dzelos is often joined with eris, which means strife. Here it is joined with eritheia.

The word translated “self-seeking” is eritheia. James may have been making a play on words by using this word instead of eris (strife). But this word, though sounding similar, is derived from erithos, meaning “a hired servant.” Eritheia refers to “labor for hire” and it has come to be applied to those who serve in official positions for their own selfish interest. Hence, this word often is used in reference to those who cause contentions.

“Boast” is translated from katakauchomai, which is made up of kata, meaning “down” or “against” and a form of kauchaomai, meaning “to boast” or “to loudly proclaim.” Hence, this word refers to making loud and boastful proclamations against someone or something. From the end of the verse it is clear that the boasting is against “the truth.” No teacher of God’s word should ever do that!

Meaning Explained

Even if you have great talents for teaching and have vast knowledge of the Word of God, James says if you are contentious, you like to argue, you harbor bitterness, and you make boastful claims about yourself or against what is clearly taught in God’s Word then you are not called to teach. In fact, this type of teaching is against the truth of the Word. These things are contrary to humility and righteous living. You are not yet ready to be a teacher.

The key attributes for a close walk with God are “submit and commit.” Submit to His will, not your own, submit to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And, commit to obeying and serving Him and Him alone in the position He has chosen for you. If these things are not true of your own walk with the Lord, then how can you possibly expect others to believe your teaching and to submit and commit themselves?

A teacher of the Bible who is putting all his or her effort into disproving what someone else is teaching is not teaching God’s way. By simply teaching what the Bible says, we reprove the works of darkness. Our job is to build up the saints with the knowledge of the truth, not to equip them for a contentious verbal battle against teachers of error. This is not to say that we should ignore bad doctrine. The way to combat error and lies, however, is not to fight against them; rather it is to proclaim God’s truth in humility, backed by a life of meekness and faith.

Application

I have listened to sermons where the preacher spent forty-five minutes spinning a tale and making powerful claims about what God wants for Christians without making a single reference to God’s Word. It sounded good and it felt good, but it wasn’t God’s truth that was being proclaimed. If you are a teacher, make sure that you are teaching God’s truth from a humble, submitted heart.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

James 3:13 – Wise Teacher

Posted on by Will

Who is wise and knowledgeable among you? Let him show his works by his good behavior, in meekness of wisdom.

Truth to Learn

Many who desire to be teachers don’t qualify. But it’s not due to lack of knowledge or understanding.

Behind the Words

“Wise” is translated from the Greek word sophos. In classical Greek, this word described respected philosophers and other truly learned men. However, in the New Testament it implies much more than just intellectual brilliance and education. Specifically, it refers to “the ability to apply with skill what one knows (especially religious truth).”

The word “knowledgeable” is translated from epistēmōn. This is made up of epi, meaning “upon” or “over” and a form of histēmi, meaning “to stand.” In the Greek vernacular, one would say that it refers to “someone who overstands.” Today we would say, “one who understands.” This word refers to intelligence and the knowledge of an expert.

The word translated “behavior” is anastrophē, made up of ana, meaning “up” or “again” and a form of strephō, meaning “to turn.” Hence, it literally refers to turning again. Metaphorically, it refers to the way a person lives his or her life.

Meaning Explained

After a lengthy monologue about the tongue, James finally moves on to a new subject. His discourse, however, is still in reference to teaching in the church. Just because someone knows a lot doesn’t mean they should be a teacher. We all have been gifted by the Holy Spirit with special abilities to be used in the church. Not all are gifted as teachers, though. If you have the ability to speak and teach and you think you know a lot about God and what is taught in the Bible, James says there are still more things that are necessary before you will be considered a good teacher. Not only do you need to have mastery over your tongue, you need to have mastery over what you know, and that mastery must be demonstrated, not just proclaimed.

He says if you have a lot of knowledge (understanding of facts) and wisdom (proper skillful application of those facts), then let your humble actions prove it. Although James has a clear, “politely in-your-face” style in most of his writing, here he is making a very subtle statement to people who want the prominence and power of the position of teacher in a church. It is this: “Don’t put yourself forward as a great teacher; let others recognize it in you from your humbly demonstrated wisdom, righteous living, and ability to teach.” If this is clearly demonstrated, you will be asked to be a teacher.

James tells us that wisdom needs to be possessed in meekness. Some of the most intelligent and educated people are very proud of their position or the letters that appear at the end of their names. That is a problem according to James.

Application

Do you seek the position and prominence of a teacher within the church? James might tell you that you don’t qualify. Those who are truly called by God to teach in the church are constantly humbled before God because of the awesome responsibility that has been placed on them to rightly instruct the truth of God’s Holy Word.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

James 3:12 – Olives and Figs?

Posted on by Will

My brothers, is a fig tree is able to produce olives, or a grapevine figs? So neither can a sprint yield both salt water and fresh water.

Truth to Learn

Just like a fruit tree or a fountain of water, our tongue should only produce a single kind of fruit: blessing or cursing.

Behind the Words

This verse opens with the two Greek words mē dunatai. Mē, as we have already learned, means “absolutely not” and dunatai means “it is possible” or “it is able.” These two words are used in a similar manner to the opening word of the previous verse. That is, they form a question which is expecting a negative answer.

The word “tree” does not appear in the Greek text either this verse or the previous one. It was common in James’ day to use the same word to refer to a tree and its fruit. This further emphases the fact that a tree can only bear its own kind of fruit.

The word translated “produce” is poieō, which means “to make, to do, or to produce.” This is the same Greek word that is translated “yield” later in this verse. This serves to strengthen the tie between the fact that a tree cannot produce any fruit other than its own and the fact that a spring can only produce one kind of water.

The best Greek manuscripts do not contain the words translated “So … a spring” and the word translated “and.” A literal translation of the end of this verse would be, “neither can salt water yield sweet.” However, it is obvious that this the spring mentioned in the previous verse is what James is referring to.

Meaning Explained

James’ second example is also one that people in the first century would be very familiar with. In the northern and eastern Mediterranean basin, both fig trees and olive trees are quite common. Why did he use these two types of trees, though? If you know anything about these two types of trees, you recognize that the fruit of the fig tree, when ripe, is very sweet. It has very high sugar content. Grape vines produce sweet grapes. Olives, on the other hand, even when ripe have a very bitter taste and have to be treated before they can be eaten. So you see when James talks about water being sweet and bitter, it is only natural in making a sweet and bitter analogy to use the fig tree and the olive tree.

Again, the obvious answer to James’ question by the first century reader is that the fig tree does not produce bitter olives and the olive tree does not produce sweet figs. And certainly, neither tree can yield both at the same time. Each can only produce a single kind of fruit. A fig tree produces figs, an olive tree produces olives, and a grapevine only produces grapes.

James then applies this to the spring of water; it can only produce one kind of water, either sweet or bitter. He leaves it to the reader to then apply this back to the original subject, our tongue. Just as a spring of water can only produce one kind of water, and just as a fruit tree or a vine can only produce the kind of fruit it was created to produce, so our tongue should not be producing both blessings (like sweet fruit and sweet water) and cursing (like bitter fruit and bitter water). Our tongues should not be producing both blessings and cursing. It’s just not natural!

Application

James started this chapter telling us that we should not all be trying to become teachers, because teachers of His Word will receive harsher judgment from God. James’ reason is that teaching involves using words which can be a powerful force for good or for evil. You, who have the gift of teaching in the church, bathe your teaching in prayer. May others be blessed and may God be glorified by the sweet use of your tongue.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

James 3:11 – Sweet and Bitter?

Posted on by Will

Does a spring out of the same opening send forth fresh water and bitter?

Truth to Learn

Not only is it not right that the same mouth should be used for the noble act of praising and also the vile act of cursing, it is unnatural.

Behind the Words

James begins this verse with the interrogative particle mēti. Literally, this word means, “not anything,” though its appropriate translation into English depends on the context. And, not only does this word indicate a question, it also indicates that a negative answer is expected.

The word “spring” is translated from pēgē, which refers to a fountain or a well as a source of water, though not necessarily the original source of such water. Based on the following verb, however, we can conclude that this is a spring or fountain. The definite article (“the” in English) is present for this word in the Greek, indicating that James is not referring to a specific spring; rather he is offering a hypothetical situation.

“Send forth” is translated from the Greek verb bruō, meaning “to be so full as to be overflowing” or “to pour forth abundantly.” This verb indicates that it is a spring which is spewing forth water rather than a well which is holding it.

“Fresh” is translated from gluku, meaning “sweet.” And “bitter” is from the Greek word pikros, meaning “having a sharp, pungent, or bitter taste.” These are the two types of water that come forth from springs. Either a spring gives sweet water or it gives bitter water, but not both.

Meaning Explained

In the previous verses, James has written about the fact that from our mouths go forth both blessing and cursing. These things, he says, should definitely not be happening! Now, in his clear exemplary style, he offers us a picture by way of a question. The picture is one that would be very familiar to all his first century readers who usually got their water for drinking, irrigation, and cooking from a well or a spring. Occasionally, a spring would bring forth such bad water that it was actually poisonous and would not even produce crops. The prophet Elisha encountered one such well at Jericho:

Then the men of the city said to Elisha, "Please notice, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the ground barren." And he said, "Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it." So they brought it to him. Then he went out to the source of the water, and cast in the salt there, and said, "Thus says the LORD: 'I have healed this water; from it there shall be no more death or barrenness.' " So the water remains healed to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke. (2 Kings 2:19-22)

The answer to James’ question would have been obvious to the first century reader, “Of course not. A spring is either a good spring yielding fresh water or it is a bad spring yielding bitter water. It can’t give both!”

Application

It is unnatural, even inconceivable, for a spring to send forth both sweet water and bitter water. How, then, can we allow both godly words of blessing and wicked words of cursing out of our mouths.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

James 3:10 – It Shouldn’t Happen

Posted on by Will

Out of the same mouth comes forth blessing and cursing. My brothers, it is not fitting for these things to be so.

Truth to Learn

It is not right that the same mouth should be used for both the noble act of praising and the vile act of cursing.

Behind the Words

The word translated “comes forth” is exerchomai, which is made up of ek, meaning “out” or “out of” and erchomai, which means “to come” or “to go.” Again, this verb is in the present tense, active voice, and indicative mood, indicating current continuous action. In other words, both blessing and cursing are now continually coming out of our mouths.

“Not fitting” is the translation of the Greek words ou chrē. We have seen before that ou is a negative particle which expresses absolute negation. The word chrē is a form of chraō, having a meaning somewhere between “appropriate” and “necessary.” This word is not used anywhere else in the New Testament. Together these two words basically mean “should definitely not …”

The expression “these things to be so” is translated from the two Greek words houtōs ginesthai. The word houtōs means “in this manner, in this way, or like this.” This word ginesthai is an infinitive of ginomai, meaning “to come into being” or “to cause something to begin.” Hence, the ending of this verse could be paraphrased as: “Things like this should definitely not be happening!”

Meaning Explained

James now reiterates what he said in verse nine and proclaims the tragedy of it. It does not make sense that the same mouth should be the source of both blessing and cursing. It is incongruous that the tongue should be used for both a noble deed like praising and for a vile deed like cursing.

James may have recalled the story taught by Jewish Rabbis of his day: Rabbi Simeon, the son of Gamaliel, said to his servant Tobias, “Go and bring me some good food from the market.” The servant went, and bought him tongues. At another time he said to the same servant, ”Go and buy me some bad food.” The servant went and again bought tongues. Simeon said, “What is the reason for this? When I told you to buy me good and bad food, you brought tongues both times?” The servant answered, “From the tongue both good and evil come to man: if it be good, there is nothing better; if bad, there is nothing worse.”

Application

How well do you control your own tongue? Are you able to hold back when the urge strikes to lash out at someone, to speak disparagingly of someone else, or worse yet, use the Lord’s name in vain? If so, great! Keep it up! If not, don’t despair. Instead, do as we are told in 1 John 1:9:

If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

 And, may we all pray as David did:

Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips. (Psalms 141:3)

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer. (Psalms 19:14)

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

James 3:9 – Offending God?

Posted on by Will

With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.

Truth to Learn

When we curse a fellow member of the human race it is offensive to the God who created us.

Behind the Words

The word “bless” is translated from the Greek word eulogeō. This is a compound word made up of eu, meaning “good” and logeō, meaning “word.” Hence, James is saying that we say good things about God. This word could be translated as “bless” or “praise.” This Greek word is expressed in the present tense, active voice, and indicative mood, meaning present continuous action (we are continually blessing God).

“Curse” is from the verb form of katara, which is made up of kata, meaning “against” and ara, which originally meant “a prayer” but came to mean “a curse which a deity was to perform against someone.” Thus, we see that this word refers to “requesting evil against someone else.” This verb is expressed in the present tense, middle voice, and indicative mood. The middle voice implies that we are cursing ourselves. That is, we are cursing members of mankind (of which we are a part).

The Greek word translated “similitude” is homoiōsis, from the verb homoioō, which means “to make like” or “to make in a similar form.” Hence, homoiōsis means “to have a similar form” or “to have a likeness.” Although it often does, it does not have to refer to physical appearance.

Meaning Explained

James reminds us that with our tongues we are continually offering praise and blessing to our Lord. And well we should, because he is worthy of all our praise! He is our Heavenly Father who has created us and has given us spiritual life through the blood of His Son. Unfortunately, we use the same tongue to continually curse our fellow human beings who have been made in the image of God. In Genesis 1:26, 27 we are told that God intentionally made us in His image.

This image, however, is not a reference to our physical form. We know this because Paul tells us in Philippians 2:6, 7 that Jesus already had the form of God (because He is God) and He took on the form and likeness of Man:

who, being in the form of God, … taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.

Mankind was a special creation of God, separate and distinct from all the animals. He gave man intellect, a moral nature, the power to communicate with others, and an emotional nature. These are characteristics of God which He only gave to humans. These are the ways in which we have been made in His likeness. Because we bear this likeness, this family resemblance, it is an act of deprecation against God Himself to curse man.

In the next verse we will see how James really feels about the tongue being used for both blessing and cursing.

Application

Try putting your ear in front of your own mouth (no, not literally, figuratively) and listen carefully to all you say. Are you continually blessing God, or offending Him?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

James 3:8 – Poisonous Tongue

Posted on by Will

But no man is able to tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

Truth to Learn

Although men have managed to tame every kind of wild animal, no man can tame the tongue.

Behind the Words

“No man” is translated from oudeis anthrōpōn, which literally means “not one of men.” There is not one human being who can tame the tongue, his own or anyone else’s.

The word translated “unruly” is akataschetos, which means “unrestrainable.” There is a variant reading on this word with some texts using the word akatastatos, meaning “unsettled” or “unstable.” Whichever is the proper reading, it is nonetheless clear that the tongue cannot be completely controlled.

The word “evil” is from kakos, which literally means “worthless.” It refers to that which is intrinsically or inherently worthless, bad, or evil.

“Full” is from the Greek word mestos, which means “stuffed completely full.” It is the picture of a vessel that is filled to the brim without any room for anything more.

The word translated “deadly” is thanatēphoros, which is a compound word made up of thanatos, meaning “death” and a form of pherō, meaning “to bring” or “to bear.” Hence, it refers to something which brings death.

Though it may appear in our English translation that evil is full of deadly poison, the Greek construction makes it clear that James is referring to the tongue as being full of deadly poison.

Meaning Explained

In spite of mankind’s ability to tame all the wild animals, no one can completely tame the tongue, according to James. This is not to say that it is never brought under control for a time, but eventually our tongue gets us all in trouble. The way it bites is like a poisonous snake.

The Apostle Paul, quoting from Psalms 5:9 said a similar thing in his letter to the Romans:

“their throat is an open tomb; with their tongues they used deceit”; “the poison of asps is under their lips” (Romans 3:13)

And the Psalmist, in Psalms 140:3 said:

They sharpen their tongues like a serpent; the poison of asps is under their lips.

How many times has someone said something to you that hurt deeply, whether they intended it that way or not? And which one of us has not experienced a time when we said something out of the emotion of the moment, only to regret it as soon as the words were out of our mouth. “Oh, I wish I hadn’t said that,” we tell ourselves, wishing we could control our tongue.

Keep in mind that James is not saying that we can’t control our tongue, therefore we shouldn’t try. He is saying that with God’s help we need to work especially hard at controlling the tongue because it is such an unruly thing!

Application

Let us all take a few minutes in prayer right now and ask God to help us control our tongue. May our words be a blessing to God and to others, and may we give the praise to God!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

James 3:7 – Taming the Beasts

Posted on by Will

For every kind of beasts and birds, of creeping things and creatures of the sea, is subdued and has been subdued by mankind.

Truth to Learn

Some things are hard to tame. Hard, but not impossible!

Behind the Words

The word “kind” is a translation of phusis, which is a derivative of phuō, meaning “to bring forth by natural birth.” It stands in opposition to that which has been created by or assisted by man. In other words, it’s natural. Hence, phusis refers to the nature of things. James is referring to all sorts, or kinds, of animals.

“Beast” is from the Greek word therion, which means a dangerous or venomous animal. It is one term that is used of the antichrist in the book of Revelation, indicating the beastly nature of this person. But, it is sometimes used to refer to any kind of beast including the tame species.

The word translated “creeping things” is herpeton, from herpō, meaning “to creep.” Hence, it refers to a creeping thing which could include insects and reptiles.

The phrase “creatures of the sea” is from enalion, which is made up of en, meaning “in” and a form of hals, meaning “the sea.” Therefore this word literally means “things in the sea.”

“Subdued” is translated from damadzō, which is from an obsolete word meaning “to reduce to stillness or quietness.” The first use of this word in this verse is in the present tense and passive voice meaning that it is something currently being done to something else (is being subdued). The second occurrence is in the perfect tense and passive voice, indicating something that has been done in the past with an ongoing effect in the present.

Meaning Explained

This is the fourth illustration from nature that James has used to help us understand the tongue (horse’s bridle, rudder of great ocean vessels, fast spreading fire, and wild animals). The wild animals, he says, have been tamed by man. He is not saying that every species of animal on earth has been tamed. He describes four classifications of animals, which is intended to show that all kinds of animals have been tamed by man.

Lest we think that we in the twenty-first century have excelled at taming animals above our ancestors, Pliny the Elder in the first century AD identified a list of animals which had been tamed at that time. This list includes: elephants, lions, and tigers, among beasts; the eagle, among birds; snakes and crocodiles among the creeping things; and various fishes, among the inhabitants of the water. Even the Egyptians did some remarkable animal taming, including lions which were used by them both in hunting and in warfare.

James is pointing out that we humans have been able to tame every kind of animal. He does not say that they have been easily tamed. In fact, he implies that it has been done with great difficulty, just as it is very difficult to tame the tongue, as we will see in the next verse.

Application

Do you feel like God, through the writings of James, is talking directly to you? If you do, that’s good. If you don’t, well, you should! Because of our sin nature, we all have a tongue taming challenge. Are you up to it? With God’s help, you are?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

James 3:6 – The Inflaming Tongue

Posted on by Will

And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. So the tongue is set among our members defiling the whole body, and inflaming the course of nature; and it is inflamed by hell.

Truth to Learn

Our tongue, like an out of control fire, is the source of much of our sinfulness.

Behind the Words

The word “fire” in this verse is from the Greek word pur which means “fire.” However, it is also the word that is specifically used of lightning, indicating the rapidity and unexpected nature of the fire.

The word “unrighteousness” comes from the Greek adikia, which is made up of the privative a, meaning “without” and a form of dikē, which means justice or righteousness. Hence, adikia refers to anything which is “unjust, unrighteous, or morally wrong.”

The word translated “defiling” is from spilos, which means “a stain” or “a blemish.” In the Greek text this word is expressed as a participle, so it could be rendered, “defiling” or “staining.”

“Course of nature” is translated from trochon tēs geneseōs, which literally means “wheel of birth.” That is to say, the wheel which is set in motion at birth and runs on th the close of life. Thus, it is a figurative description of human life. Metaphorically it refers to the entire circuit, or pathway, of life.

The word “inflaming” is a form of phlogidzō, which means “to set on fire.” It is expressed here as a present, passive participle, which implies continuous action done to the subject (course of nature).

Finally, the word translated “hell” in this verse is gehenna. Gehenna is a reference to the valley of Hinnom, on the south side of the city of Jerusalem, where trash and refuse were constantly burned. Because of the unceasing fire there, it came to mean an eternal fire, which is thus interpreted as “hell.”

Meaning Explained

This is one of the more difficult passages of James to interpret because of his use of so many odd or obscure words. He literally says that the tongue is “the world of unrighteousness.” That is, the tongue personifies all that is unrighteous. As was pointed out in verse two, we are all sinners. This is because we all have a sin nature and our sin nature is often revealed by our words. Hence, our tongue is the ambassador for the world of our sin nature and thereby stains, or defiles, all that we do. In other words, the tongue reveals the most basic unrighteousness in us, kindling the worst fires in the entire course of our life.

James is telling us that even though the tongue is only a small member of our body, it is a rapid fire starter, causing sin. Therefore it blemishes our entire being and continually inflames all of our being into a fire like that of Hell itself.

Lest we give up without even trying, however, let’s remember that God’s grace is greater than our sin. And through the power of the Spirit of God we can control our tongue.

Application

Wow! No wonder James said earlier that the man who can control his tongue is a fully mature Christian. I hope I get there someday soon, how about you? Don’t relax just yet, though. James has lots more to say about the tongue. Apparently, he felt that it was a subject about which we all need a lot of teaching.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved