James 03
The Power of the Tongue
Jas 3:1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, because you know that we will be judged more strictly.
The Greek word for "teachers" is διδάσκαλοι (didaskaloi), meaning Bible teachers who are competent in teaching theology. The tongue is a powerful weapon. It can expose or promote false doctrine, which will affect the spiritual lives of the hearers. Therefore, only those who are given the gift of teaching are able to teach. This does not refer to one-on-one teaching from individual to individual. This refers to the gift of teaching which occurs in public meetings.
Teachers will be judged at the Judgment Seat of Christ for what and how they teach. They will be judged more strictly. This is not a judgment of salvation, but a judgment of gaining or losing rewards. Many of the believers desire to teach, but they should not do so unless they were given the gift of teaching and if they are called by God.
3:2 For we all stumble in many ways. If someone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect individual, able to control the entire body as well.
The "we" includes James, who was a teacher. Teachers are not perfect and they will sometimes stumble and fall. They may stumble morally, in their duty, by making a mistake, or by sinning. The tense is present, meaning that teachers will continually stumble and fall. Teachers will usually have good control of their tongue, but they are not perfect, so sometimes they will stumble.
3:3 And if we put bits into the mouths of horses to get them to obey us, then we guide their entire bodies.
One little bit can control the movement of a powerful horse. One small bit can keep a horse from running away and becoming wild. Believers should place a small bit in their mouths to control their tongue, so that the tongue does not run wild.
3:4 Look at ships too: Though they are so large and driven by harsh winds, they are steered by a tiny rudder wherever the pilot’s inclination directs.
One small rudder controls a large ship filled with many people. Believers need to place a rudder in their mouths so that their tongue does not go off course.
3:5 So too the tongue is a small part of the body, yet it has great pretensions. Think how small a flame sets a huge forest ablaze.
One little match can set an entire forest ablaze. The tongue can do the same thing,
3:6 And the tongue is a fire! The tongue represents the world of wrongdoing among the parts of our bodies. It pollutes the entire body and sets fire to the course of human existence – and is set on fire by hell.
The tongue is a fire that can burn and destroy the lives of people. Hell itself starts the tongue of fire. The enemy desires that believers lose control of their tongues.
The Greek word for "world" is κόσμος (cosmos), meaning the satanic world system. The tongue is the main weapon of the satanic world system. Satan uses the tongues of men, including believers, to orchestrate his will upon the world. Satan uses the tongues of humans to control the body parts of other people.
The tongue defiles the body of those who use it for satanic purposes.
The tongue sets fire to threaten human existence. For example, Satan used the tongue in Nazi Germany as propaganda to exterminate God's chosen people. Satan used propaganda in Russia and China to promote a Bible-less communist society. Satan used propaganda in the Arab nations to fuel anti-semtisim. Satan used propaganda in America to outlaw the teaching of God's word in public schools. Satan is currently using the tongue in the liberal media to bring about Bible censorship, same sex marriage, gun control, abortion, transgenderism, socialism, and many other anti-Biblical views.
The tongue of fire can be used to deceive others, keeping them blind, causing them to burn in Gehenna, which is hell. Many will burn in hell because of the destruction by the tongue. The tongue is indeed a powerful weapon that Satan uses for his purposes.
3:7 For every kind of animal, bird, reptile, and sea creature is subdued and has been subdued by humankind.
One can go to the circus and find that the most brutal of beasts have been tamed by man. Man is in control of the world. All animals are under man's subjection.
3:8 But no human being can subdue the tongue; it is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
Man cannot tame the tongue like a circus animal. The tongue is too dangerous, because it contains the deadly poison of false doctrine, liberalism, total depravity, and evilness. These types of poisons not only kill the body, but they kill the soul. The tongue can only be subdued supernaturally, by God Himself.
3:9 With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse people made in God’s image.
The tongue can bless God or curse people, causing eternal damnation. Men are not to curse those who were created in God's image. When a person says "God d...," then he is cursing one who was made in the image of God. When a man curses God, he is cursing God as well.
3:10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. These things should not be so, my brothers and sisters.
Cursing is a sin which should be confessed, according to 1 John 1:9. Since blessings of God are combined with cursings from the same mouth, then believers were guilty of cursing as well.
3:11 A spring does not pour out fresh water and bitter water from the same opening, does it?
The Greek question demands a negative answer. Fresh and bitter water do not come from the same vessel. Blessings and cursings should not come from the same mouth of a believer.
3:12 Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers and sisters, or a vine produce figs? Neither can a salt water spring produce fresh water.
These are two more Greek questions that require negative answers. A fig tree cannot produce olives. Neither should blessings and cursings come from the same mouth of a believer.
Salt water does not come from a spring that produces fresh water. Neither should blessings and cursings come from the same mouth of a believer.
True Wisdom
3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct he should show his works done in the gentleness that wisdom brings.
The Greek word for "wise" is σοφός (sophos), meaning to possess moral insight so that one has the skill to make divine viewpoint decisions.
The Greek word for "understanding" is ἐπιστήμων (epistaymown), meaning to understand the situation because of experience of previous knowledge. This Greek word basically means that the individual is an expert in these matters. The believer is to be an expert in Bible doctrine so that he possesses the skill to make divine viewpoint decisions. He is to use his tongue to express the mind of God. This is the only time in the New Testament that these two Greek words are used together.
The Greek word for "good" is καλός (kalos), meaning notable, honorable, beautiful, and praiseworthy. Wisdom only comes from mastering Bible doctrine from the entire counsel of the Word of God. Those who truly possess wisdom will apply the Bible doctrines that they have learned.
3:14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfishness in your hearts, do not boast and tell lies against the truth.
The Greek word for "bitter jealousy" is ζῆλον πικρὸν (zaylon mikron), meaning a burning inner desire to be bitter. Instead of learning wisdom by mastering and applying Bible doctrine, they were mastering a burning desire to become bitter and selfish in their personalities. They were boasting and claiming superiority over others. They began to speak lies against the truth. The truth contains the Greek definite article, meaning that they were using their uncontrolled tongue to speak lies against the truth of the gospels.
This is the position of the liberal today. He possesses a false wisdom which causes him to become bitter and selfish in his heart. He uses his tongue to boast about his intellect, although it comes from false wisdom. He uses his tongue to speak lies against the truth, which is the Word of God. Global warming, same-sex marriage, adult entertainment, gun control, abortion, feminism, transgenderism, socialism, and other liberal agendas come from the arrogance of those who have rejected the Bible and placed their own human intellect above the inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God. Liberals are using their tongues to promote the satanic world system agenda. They boast of their "superior" intellect, thinking that they can solve the problems of the world with the philosophy of satanism. They live as if there is no God and they are in control of their final destiny. These types of liberals will be hiding in caves during the Great Tribulation. They will spend their eternity in the Lake of Fire.
3:15 Such wisdom does not come from above but is earthly, natural, demonic.
James was not a seeker-friendly pastor. He stated the origin of liberalism clearly. The wisdom of the world is demonic. It is contrary to the Word of God.
3:16 For where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is disorder and every evil practice.
Satan uses the jealousies and selfishness of men in order to cause confusion and promote his satanic kingdom.
3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and not hypocritical.
The wisdom from above comes only from the written Word of God. It does not come from the satanic world system, the books of best-selling authors, the Ph.D.'s of secular colleges, the tongues of charismatics, the predictions of modern charismatic prophets, the words of knowledge of modern charismatics, or any other source outside the written Word of God. Satan has always had his miracle workers, tongue speakers, prophets, and healers in all of the religions of the world. Jesus, Peter, John, Paul, and Jude warned the believers of these demonic strategies, yet ignorant Christians flock to charismatic churches not to study the written Word of God, but to listen to the tongues, prophecies, and words of knowledge of demons.
What is wisdom? James describes wisdom with eight abstract nouns. First, it is from above, meaning those who are wise are only wise because God gave them the wisdom. There are no smart Christians. There are only gifted Christians.
Second, wisdom is pure, meaning it is not mixed with the philosophies of the satanic world system.
Third, wisdom is peaceable, because believers are able to live in peace with their heavenly Father. They are not being spanked by Him, because they are out of fellowship with Him.
Fourth, wisdom is gentle, meaning kind and compassion is shown toward others, especially those who want to grow in wisdom.
Fourth, wisdom is accommodating, meaning a soldier being submissive to men in authority. Those who possess wisdom are submissive to God first, and second to those who God has placed as authority figures over them.
Fifth, wisdom is full of mercy, meaning that one has the compassion to perform kind deeds for others.
Sixth, wisdom produces good fruit, meaning they possess good fruit among the needy.
Seventh, wisdom is impartial, meaning to possess without bias toward those who are of different social classes, such as wealth and poverty or Jew and Gentile.
Eighth, wisdom is not hypocritical, meaning that it is sincere, genuine, and not wearing a map.
Wisdom is gained by study of the Scriptures. It is demonstrated by its application of Scripture.
3:18 And the fruit that consists of righteousness is planted in peace among those who make peace.
There cannot be peace without righteousness. This is a spiritual concept that the United Nations does not understand. The United Nations thinks that they can sit down at a table and discuss peace until it comes. This is impossible, because the heart of man is too evil. The heart of man will sit down at that table and agree that there needs to be peace, and then they will kill their neighbor. Peace will not come until the Lord Jesus Christ returns. When He returns, the world will not want peace. All of the nations will join together against Israel and the Lord Jesus Christ. The one world army will fail and Christ will bring peace to the world.