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Reasons for Controlling the Tongue

James: Faith Works
Sunday, June 30, 2024
Pastor Jerry Tom

 

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. 3 If we put bitsinto the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.

How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.

James 1:26 “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.”

Matt. 12:36-37 “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Reasons for Controlling the Tongue

  1. Because of the Tongue’s Teaching Power - v.1

  2. Because of the Tongue’s Controlling Power - v. 2-5a

  3. Because of the Tongue’s Destructive Power - v. 5b-8

  4. Because of the Tongue’s Revealing Power - v. 9-12

Because of the Tongue’s Teaching Power - v.1 “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”

Eph. 4:11-12 “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ”

2 Tim. 15-16 “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved,[c] a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 16 But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness.”

Heb. 13:7 “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life,and imitate their faith.”

  1. Imitate their faith

  2. Pray for them to rightly handle the word of truth

  3. Submit to their leadership - Heb. 13:17 “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls”

2. Because of the Tongue’s Controlling Power - v. 2-5a “For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.”

Jesus said in Matt. 15:18-19 “But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.”

Because there is no limit to what the tongue can say, then there is no limit to the destruction the tongue can cause to marriages, families, friendships, churches, the ruin of people’s reputation, and the tongue has been the cause for even nations going to war

3.          Because of the Tongue’s Destructive Power - v. 5b-8 “How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.”

John MacArthur - “Fire has the amazing and virtually unique capacity to reproduce itself in an almost unlimited way as long as it has fuel to burn. Like the vast majority of things, (like) water cannot multiply. When it is poured out, no matter where or on what, it never expands into a flood. But fire feeds on itself. If there is sufficient flammable material and enough oxygen to sustain combustion, it will burn indefinitely.”

Col. 3:5 “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you:[b] sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”

Col. 3:8-9 “But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self[d] with its practices''

v. 6 “setting on fire the entire course of life”

v. 6 “set on fire by Hell 

Eph. 2:1-2 “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience”

Matt Mitchell “the sin of gossip is bearing bad news behind someone’s back out of a bad heart.”

Ps. 18:8 “The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.”

Ps. 64:3 “who whet their tongues like swords, who aim bitter words like arrows.” need to pray and ask God to examine your heart before telling anyone.

Prov. 15:1 “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” 

V. 7-8 “For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.”

1. Because of the Tongue’s Revealing Power - v. 9-12 “With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers,[c] these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.

Rom. 6:11-12 “So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.”

Reasons for Controlling the Tongue:

  1. Because of the Tongue’s Teaching Power

  2. Because of the Tongue’s Controlling Power

  3. Because of the Tongue’s Destructive Power

  4. Because of the Tongue’s Revealing Power