To put failure behind you, face up to it. But James said the root problem is bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts (3:14), which stems from pride. When it is once past, it is gone forever. Brian Bell -You see this truth at any Ringling Bros. & Barnum & Bailey Circus. Steven Cole aptly observes that "God is merciful to us in spite of the fact that our problems usually stem from our own sin and rebellion. And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: The fire of the tongue has been used to burn many. (Ibid), Tame (1150)(damazo) means to subdue (used in Mk 5:4+ - see below) "To reduce from an uncontrolled to a controlled state of persons and animals: a possessed person,uncontrollable debtorsof a part of the body (tongue)." J Vernon McGee's comment also alludes to the heart -It is interesting to note that Paul said, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved" (Ro10:9, italics mine). HAVE YOU BELIEVED IN JESUS THE PERSONIFICATION OF WISDOM? Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check. In regions of Southeast Asiathere is a snake called the "two-step." Aletheiais that which is not concealed, but instead is is that which is seen or expressed as it really is. Take my voice and let me sing The struggle to control our tongues can seem like a losing battle. let him make his works clear by a life of gentle wisdom. It was used of those versed in the sea, skilled in the building craft, or expert in evil. Anon. defiles the whole body (James 3:6). Small spark, big fire. Prejudices soon become well-established weeds with deep taproots. Reprinted by permission. We have a far better best seller to help us to live harmoniously: the wisdom of Gods Word. Neither can a salt spring furnish fresh water. In James 3:14 it is used figuratively to describe jealousy as bitter, which speaks of resentful attitude (harsh, cruel). But if zeal gets out of control, it can reduce everything to ashes (so to speak). YLT James 3:11 doth the fountain out of the same opening pour forth the sweet and the bitter? These pictures make me want to cry out to the Holy Spirit to make Psalm 141:3 my continual protection! "He kisseth the lips Who giveth a right answer" (Proverbs 24:26). 3. of wine and the like, to overcome, overpower, Hom. George Swinnock, Speech is the mirror of the soul; as a man speaks, so he is. Indeedshe thought would gain wisdom, which she did, but it was earthly, natural and demonic and ultimately deadly!. This is unfortunate, since his works contain priceless gems of information that are found nowhere except in the ancient writings of the Jews. Our tongue has that same awful potential. 4:23). The coals of jealousy quickly become a raging fire that will burn us severely. 5:20; Isa. ), the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; (1 Cor 2:3-7). The evidence of false wisdom in control (James 3:1416) If at the end of that cooling off period, he still felt the same sentiments, he would send the letter. My friend is a Texas Aggie and has a little Dachshund dog ("weinerdog") and when you ask him "Do you want to be a Texas Longhorn," he rolls over and plays dead! Philemon Jesus said that our words come from our heart (Matt. A man can bless God with his mouth, and he can blaspheme God. Reprinted by permission. Reprinted by permission. The adjective suggests the picture of "some caged but unsubdued wild animal, ever pacing uneasily up and down its den." Specifically, that what one does (or says) proves what they really believe. Zephaniah James 3:17. This is what unregenerate people do, not those who have been born again and are called to live a like of truth and righteousness. One of the little girls asked the visitor, "Do you know who it was?" Christian: Had I known him no more than you, I might perhaps have thought of him, as, at the first, you did; yea, had he received this report at their hands only that are enemies to religion, I should have thought it had been a slandera lot that often falls from bad men's mouths upon good men's names and professions; but all these things, yea, and a great many more as bad, of my own knowledge, I can prove him guilty of. Unlike the human mouth (James 3:10), a fountain will not send forth sweet and bitter from the same opening. 15:11; Eccl. 20:11; Deut. In its only pre-New Testament occurrences (in Aristotle), eritheia refers to the selfish ambition, the narrow partisan zeal of factional, greedy politicians, so this word may also conveythe notion of rivalry, party-spirit, or factiousness. You may say, Oh, but that's just the way I am! James 3:1-12 The Tongue Is a Fire 1 aLet not many of you become teachers, bmy brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a 1stricter judgment. 5:9), never troublemakers.ByDave Branon(Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Morgan thought that investing was respectable but that gambling was a sin. "), ILLUSTRATION -When I announced in the bank where I worked as a young man that I was going to study for the ministry, one of the vice-presidents of the bank called me into his office. Piety is disgraced in all the shows of it, if there be not charity. 1:183:23. Daniel Ambrose. James makes the point that heavenlywisdom is not just what one knows (intellectual) but how one lives (behavioral). But Christian wisdom is based on Christian certainties which come to us from God through Jesus Christ." (Mt 12:33), What is James' point? (Ibid). NET James 3:11 A spring does not pour out fresh water and bitter water from the same opening, does it? THOUGHT - PRAY - Lord, help me to think before I speak, to check my heart. It seems, Father, that sometimes we are our own worst enemies. 64:3; Pr5:4 = "in the end she is bitter as wormwood"; Pr27:7 = to a famished man any bitter thing is sweet. A philosophy professor ended his letter with "It just beats me. Sometimes in Scripture, as commonly among ourselves, man is spoken of as consisting of a body and a soul, in which case soul is used in the widest sense. There is nothing more painful than having unhealthy communication with the one you love. (Ibid). My brothers, these things should not be this way. The best peacemakers are those who know the peace of God. But as noted with my brethren James is clearly addressing believers among whomit is not fitting or right for theirtongue to exhibit such untamed speech. I have gathered together some close friends and asked them what not to say to your spouse. No, and you can't draw fresh water from a salty spring. Neither can salt water yield sweet. Jesus gives us a good commentary on theillustrations of James declaring that A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.So then, you will know them by their fruits. "The many acts of practical mercy mature in a rich harvest of variegated fruit." 11:7; Song2:3; Isa. It promotes "right relationships between man and man, and between man and God." (Pr 26:20) So if there is no"wood" (no gossip, put downs, derogatory statements, etc, made by others in your hearing), the tongue is not set on fire! The bank vice-president said, "That's your soloist who sings like an angel on Sunday!" It is glorying that one has been able to get up to the top in a manner that is not exactly honest, boasting that one is there because he deserves to be there and that he is enjoying the favor of God, but also that his opponent was defeated because he is not as good as oneself. (b) Eupeiths can mean easy to persuade, not in the sense of being pliable and weak, but in the sense of not being stubborn and of being willing to listen to reason and to appeal. Is sown(present tense= the customary practice)(4687)(speirofromspao= draw out, pull) literally means to scatter (seed) and the opposite of reaping or gathering. Home; Shop. All rights reserved), How easy it is to use many words A bitter word may hate instill; 2:24; Jas. Still today, the phrase crossing the Rubicon is a metaphor for passing the point of no return.. It would be a great pity to stir up impure minds. (Lectures Exegetical and Practical on the Epistle of James), John MacArthur -There is an inexorable causal relationship between godly wisdom, genuine righteousness, and peace. While we should never compromise doctrinal purity on essential truth, neither should we fight over minor matters where godly, Bible-believing people differ.Years ago, I received in the mail a number of papers from a man who had graduated from the same seminary that I graduated from. They had speakers who didn't do and doers who didn't speak. She said, "Under God we are all equally human.". Unfortunately believers can sometimes corrupt the purity of God's wisdom by intermixing worldly wisdom, especially when we compromise and mix worldly principles with Biblical principles. When man sinned in Eden, the likeness to God was severely marred but not lost. (Lectures Exegetical and Practical on the Epistle of James). "The sweetness of the lips increaseth learning" (Proverbs 16:21). ESV Study Bible -Evil speech destroys because it comes from Satan himself. The discerning person soon realizes that biblical wisdom is more about practice than philosophy. 3:19; Jas. It is notoriously unreliable, constantly prone to break out in vicious words. He must read the day's record through; If David killed Saul, they thought they could stop hiding and David could become king. (MacArthur New Testament Commentary James). (GENTLENESS)Humility is the character trait underlying the Christian behavior described in the entire letter; this is the trait to cultivate if one would take James's teaching deeply into one's life (cf James 1:21+). a) But theres one beast not even PT Barnum could tamethe tongue! He thought that he was wise and that he was defending the truth, but he was not displaying godly wisdom because he was not peaceable. It's when you feel like you have to say something that you end up saying the dumbest things. (Ibid), Phillips -Some of the lies that the tongue tells are diabolically wicked. The washerman replied that according to the rules of his vocation he would need a vessel large enough to hold the elephant, where-upon the king commanded the jealous potter to provide one. Through faith in Christ one gains access (so to speak) to divine wisdom, yea, even to "the Mind of Christ." The usage in Philippians 2:10 reveals an expression used to encompass every aspect of creation, in heaven, and. Hebrews This pipeline is reciprocal. NLT James 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. 2:17; Jas. Can he so live as to bear the fruits of iniquity instead of the fruits of righteousness? Eirenecan convey the sense of an inner rest, well being and harmony. It has no place for God or the things of God. And on more than one occasion, as my Sunday school teacher, he made degrading comments about the pastor and others in the church. b. Today, researchers continue to try to replicate that ancient formula, but without success. In a single day He who restrains his lips is wise. Although she had planned to have her teacher approve the experiment, her classmates persuaded her to perform it outside the classroom. Malachi 3:1. Henry Law, The next best thing to being wise is to live in a circle of those who are. 6,7,11-13). Can(1410)(dunamai) means able to do something. All of our conduct and conversation stems from either the one nature or the other. That the meek should inherit the earth (Mt 5:5+)they that bear wrongs, and exemplify the love which seeketh not her own, (1 Cor 13:5+)to a world that believes in high-handedness and self-assertion, and pushing the weakest to the wall, a statement like this of the Lord from heaven cannot but appear an utter paradox. Anon. Reprinted by permission. They say and do the right things at the right time for the right reasons. Jesus upsets our pride too. 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