THE USE OF OUR TONGUE
James 3:1-12 

(Prov 13:3) "He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction."

Introduction:     Our tongue has the potential to edify or destroy depending on how it is used. For instance, with our tongues we can Exalt the Savior, Edify the Saints, and Evangelize the Sinner OR we can Elevate Ourselves, Evaluate the Saints, and Exclude the Sinner. Misuse of the tongue is common to all of us, but especially to teachers (v.1). Note what verse 2 is saying, “in many things” we all stumble. “Offend all” = we all offend. The tongue shows us that we are always stumbling and coming up short. Therefore we must learn to control our tongues. Why? The tongue speaks what is in the heart or mind, and it is the tongue that will either justify of condemn us before God. (Mat 12:34-37) "O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. {35} A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. {36} But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. {37} For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." The point is shocking; nevertheless it is a warning from Jesus that our warfare is spiritual and not carnal (2 Cor.10:3-5).

I.          THE DISCIPLINED TONGUE (VV.3-4)
A person’s maturity can be measured by the control of his tongue. If a person will learn to control his tongue he can control any passion or appetite of the body. The tongue is a little member that boasts great things:

            A.        The Reins (v.3) - Small but controls a big and powerful animal.

            B.         The Rudder (v.4) - Small but controls a big and powerful ship.

II.         THE DISORDERED TONGUE (VV.5-8)
Boasting is nothing more that vain or empty talk, but its destructive force should never be underestimated.

            A.        It Is Untamed (vv.5, 7, 8)

·        Pride (v.5) – Small but boast of big things. “Matter” = wood or forest (thus the matter or raw material of a thing). A great forest is set on fire by only a little spark.

·        Possibility (7) – Man has tamed some in nature, but not the tongue. Only God can tame our tongues.

·        Poisonous (v.8) – Full of deadly poison and unruly.

            B.         It Is Uncontrollable (v.6)

·        It’s Scope - It defiles the whole body and sets on fire the whole course of man’s nature or life. “The course of nature” = the wheel of nature or life itself (the span of life reaching from life to death). Name the sin and words are involved whether through thoughts of the mind or spoken by the tongue.

·        It’s Source – From hell itself. Satan is the igniter of a fiery tongue. The fire of hell ( Gahanna ) is never to be seen in the life of a believer. (Eph 4:31) "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:" (1 Pet 2:1) "Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,"

III.       THE DIVERSIFIED TONGUE (VV.9-12)

           A.        By Inconsistency (vv.9-10)

From Humanity - Opposites ought not to come from the same source!

·        Similitude (v.9) – Cursing men made in the image of God.

·        Sayings (v.10) - Blessing God with one breath and cursing men in the next ought not to happen among believers.

            B.         By Investigation (vv.11-12)

From Nature - Opposites cannot come for the same source!

Conclusion:       What is your tongue saying about what’s in your heart? There is one case in which the tongue does not lie. That which is harbored within the heart will ultimately be represented by what we say.