Post by Radrook Admin on May 1, 2020 18:39:04 GMT -5
Control Your Tongue
The disciple James compared the tongue to the rudder of a ship which determines its destination even though it is small in comparison to the rest of the hull. Yet it can direct the ship into shallow waters and lead to a shipwreck. In the same manner, spoken thoughts can steer a life into glory or disaster. They can get a person fired from a job or else elevated to a higher position. They can lead to the hospital or the morgue if hurtful enough and spoken to the wrong person. They can lead to broken marriages and create permanent barriers between children and parents.
James 3:1-18 ESV
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 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. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 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. 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! ...
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 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. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 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. 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! ...
Using the tongue in order to deceive via lies imitates Satan the enemy of God.
John 8:44 ESV /
You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
Romans 3:13 ESV
“Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.”
Ephesians 4:25 ESV
Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another
You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
Romans 3:13 ESV
“Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.”
Ephesians 4:25 ESV
Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another
Evil speech is characteristic of evil people:
Matthew 12:33-37 ESV
“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Proverbs 16:27 ESV /
A worthless man plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire.
“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Proverbs 16:27 ESV /
A worthless man plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire.
The things we say can influence the behavior of others to the point of causing deaths.
Proverbs 18:21 ESV
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.
One prominent example that readily comes to my mind is how the current POTUS uses his tongue and the very serious consequences that it has produced. For example, people have been emboldened by his MAGA rhetoric into persecuting others via verbal abuse and even into attacking others physically. This unbridled use of his tongue has him constantly in political trouble. In fact, it is presently even threatening his re-election.
Proverbs 13:3 ESV
Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.
Proverbs 21:23 ESV
Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.
Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.
Proverbs 21:23 ESV
Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.
The disciple James recognized the extraordinary power which words have in creating dangerous situations. He compared such situations to great forest fires ablaze set ablaze by a small flame.
James 3:1-12 ESV
....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. 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! ..
....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. 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! ..
Foul usage of the tongue can also render our efforts at worship God worthless. We might be regularly attending church and be exceedingly active in the ministry. However, if we are simultaneously lying, gossiping, and deceiving, then our efforts are useless.
James 1:26 ESV /
If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.
Matthew 12:36-37 ESV
I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.
Matthew 12:36-37 ESV
I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
That's because our spoken words indicate the condition of our hearts.
Matthew 15:18 ESV
But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.
Luke 6:45 ESV
The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.
Luke 6:45 ESV
The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
Proverbs 4:23 ►
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.