SERMON: “The Power of the Tongue” (James 3:1–5)
“The
Power of the Tongue” (James 3:1–5)
Series: “James: True Faith Works” #14 Text: James 3:1–5
By: Shaun Marksbury Date:
January
26, 2025
Venue: Living
Water Baptist Church Occasion:
PM Service
I.
Introduction
I’ve tried to help many people who have become entangled in
“word-faith” thinking over the years.
This is often associated with the prosperity gospel, a distortion of
biblical teachings by emphasizing the power of positive confession and the
ability to create reality through words.
Some of these individuals, sadly, were incarcerated, but they believed
in the “power of positive attraction,” that their faith-filled words have a creative
force to change their circumstances.
They’ve been warned that negative speech can attract
undesirable circumstances. They base
this on a misapplication of passages like Proverbs 18:21 — “Death and life are
in the power of the tongue” — turning it into a formula for manipulating God to
achieve personal desires. It shifts the
focus away from God's sovereignty and grace, placing undue emphasis on human
control and self-centered outcomes. This
view contradicts biblical teaching, which portrays faith as trust in God’s will
and promises.
The truth is, of course, that our words can get us into
messes, and sometimes, get us back out of them.
They can bless people, and they can curse people. While God hasn’t granted us the ability to
build worlds with our tongue, He has nonetheless granted us great power over
others and even our circumstances.
This passage we’re studying tonight comes right on the heels
of the call to faithfulness. James calls
believers to living out our faith consistently, by showing our works. Good works include good words, getting us to
this section with the tongue.
James already began admonishing us to control the tongue in
the first chapter. This chapter moves
back to that, and beyond that, James will challenge us to operate with wisdom
and control our thoughts, as well. As
one commentator notes, “The mouth is, after all, connected to the mind. Winsome speech demands a wise source. Both controlled talk and cultivated thought
are necessary.”[1] So, this is all connected in James’s
thinking.
We’ll being considering the tongue this evening, and that
discussion will eventually go through v. 12.
We could break this up as the power of the tongue (vv. 1–5) and the
perverseness of the tongue (vv. 6–12).
We’ll consider how the tongue can corrupt and destroy next week, leading
to our need to control it.
While not mystical, the tongue indeed has immense power to
build or destroy, to bless or curse. So,
Christians must control the tongue.
We’ll see that all believers must control the power of the tongue, and
then we’ll see illustrations of the power of the tongue. Let’s start with the first point.
II.
First, Believers Must Control the Power Tongue
(vv. 1–2)
Let not many of
you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter
judgment. For we all stumble in many
ways. If anyone does not stumble in what
he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well.
Now, there’s a directive here about teachers. As such, we will talk about why teachers must
understand and respect the power of their words. Yet, this is an instruction that affects
everybody. So, for v. 1, we’ll see the
cause for teachers to control the tongue, and then in v. 2, we’ll note the
implied call for everyone to control the tongue.
A.
The Cause for Teachers to Control the Tongue (v.
1)
The KJV has “masters” here, but the word (didaskaloi) is that for teachers. As those fleeing Jerusalem persecution became
situated, one of the issues James noted was that many aspired to be teachers in
the synagogue. This wasn’t necessarily a
full elder role, but one of wanting to be a teacher. Perhaps seeking the respect and admiration
afforded to Rabbis. But James reminds
them of the gravity of teaching.
Jesus warns
against receiving the moniker “Rabbi” (Matt. 23:8), and Paul challenges those
who receive and give instruction to teach themselves and not live
hypocritically (Rom. 2:20–21). That
means that Paul saw this, too; he told them to honestly evaluate their
positions in the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:28), because in the cacophony of
voices, no one was teaching for the building up of the saints (1 Cor. 14:26).
There was an
issue with these teachers. Here, in v.
13, James says, “Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds
in the gentleness of wisdom.” So, part
of the issue is that they’ve not been living as they should, and part of that
might be a sinful aspiration. Teachers
influence others, and with influence comes responsibility.
Now, James tempers his commands, of course. He calls his audience “brothers” or “brethren,”
so this isn’t a question of salvation or hatred. In fact, he includes himself in what he has
to say next: “knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.” He personalizes the command, and similarly, all
preachers and teachers should see ourselves here.
What does he mean, though, when he warns of a judgment which
will weigh heavier on teachers? The
stricter judgment James refers to does not imply eternal separation from God
for believers but rather a heightened accountability before Christ. As the Reformation Study Bible notes, “Teachers
exert influence over trusting students, a relationship that makes the students
vulnerable to serious error.” Teaching
God’s Word is a sacred trust, and those who mishandle it will answer for their
carelessness.
The prohibition against teaching comes as a warning, not as
a flat command not to teach. Indeed,
the Christ gives His church pastors and teachers (Eph 4:11), but that comes
with the understanding that one must be called to the role. As the MacArthur Study Bible notes here, “This
is not meant to discourage true teachers, but to warn the prospective teacher
of the role’s seriousness (cf. Ezek. 3:17, 18; 33:7–9; Acts 20:26, 27; Heb.
13:17).”[2] Those who take up this mantle face greater
judgment should they not fulfill their role.
This verse calls back to mind 1:19–27. There are those who are quick to speak and
slow to hear. Those are the ones who
might take pride in knowing some Scripture, but they aren’t doers of the
Word. Specifically, James points to the
tongue in 1:26 and here in 3. Don’t be
in a rush to do what you might not be called to do.
So, this is all a reminder of the power of the tongue. A teacher may not only sway trusting students,
but also influence the course of congregation.
If a popular teacher came in teaching error, then potentially many people
in the congregation would begin to adopt those views and want the church to
change some stances. This is how
congregations can grow more liberal over time, for instance, and it all comes
back to the tongue.
This is why such a warning is important. For those who teach, this verse serves as
both a sobering reminder of their responsibility and an encouragement to
approach the task with humility and reverence.
That attitude begins wherever you are, bringing us to the next verse:
B.
The Implied Call for Everyone to Control the
Tongue (v. 2)
Again, James isn’t talking down to the congregation. He again includes himself, saying “we all
stumble.” The KJV has, “we offend all.” Our expression is, “I put my foot in
my mouth;” here, we might also say, “I tripped over my tongue.” There’s
a sense in which we all fall short in regard to our speech.
The word “stumble” here emphasizes our universal struggle
with sin, particularly with our speech. In
fact, James previously said we can stumble and become guilty of the whole Law (2:10). We must see that our problem is more than just
misspeaking; it’s often sin.
James drives home the truth for the self-righteous, then — we
all stumble in some way. In case you
think you’re all that and ready to give some holy chat, know that no one walks
without tripping over his own feet.
Moreover, we don’t just stumble in one way, but James says “in many
things we offend.” Were it not for the
undeserved, unmerited grace of God in Jesus Christ, we would have no hope.
Now, it may be that someone doesn’t offend in word or “what
he says,” and that would be a perfect man.
The phrase “perfect man” can mean complete or mature. While true, sinless perfection is unattainable
in this life, spiritual maturity is evidenced by the ability to control one’s
speech. This principle ties back to James 1:26, where the person who cannot
bridle his tongue is said to have a worthless religion. So, this is something James expects of his readers.
James says that controlling the tongue is being able to “able
to bridle the whole body as well.” When
he talked about the importance of bridling the tongue in 1:26, he said, “If
anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but
deceives his own heart, this man’s
religion is worthless.” True religion is
being able to control your words and not express whatever urge you have in the
moment. In fact, if you can control the
tongue, you can control all emotional outbursts.
Controlling the tongue is more than avoiding overtly sinful
speech like gossip or slander. It
extends to all forms of speech. I heard
a pastor said on this passage, “Our goal as Christians ought to be not to just
stop cussing. Our goal as Christians
ought to be to cease from all forms of evil speech.” Our words reveal the condition of our hearts
(Luke 6:45). To control our words is to
exercise self-discipline over the passions of the flesh.
Paul says this in Colossians 3:8–11. It’s possible to change both the way we
communicate with our wives, loved ones, and fellow human beings. It comes only through Christ, who alone can make
us new. He can remove that old heart
with its treasure of self-love and replace it with a patient heart, one able to
speak good words.
The tongue, though small, wields disproportionate power. It can deceive, divide churches, and destroy
relationships. It can also be a source
of untold blessing with just a simple kind word. The power of this small muscle leads James to
illustrate this truth with three vivid images.
III.
Second, Illustrating the Power of the Tongue
(vv. 3–5)
Now if we put the
bits into the horses’ mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire
body as well. Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven
by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination
of the pilot desires. So also the tongue
is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a
forest is set aflame by such a small fire!
James uses three analogies to highlight the tongue’s immense
influence. The tongue is like a bridle, the
tongue is like a rudder, and the tongue is like a fire. Each demonstrates how something small can
control or destroy what is vastly larger.
Let’s consider the first of these.
A.
The Tongue is Like a Bridle (v. 3)
James has already twice used this image of the bridle. A bridle or a bit, though small, can control
a powerful horse. In the same way, the
tongue, though small, has the power to control our entire being. The unbridled tongue is one without control,
and the person with no control of his tongue proves he has no true religion.
A truly godly individual holds his thoughts until later and
refuses to give vent to his wrath. Those
who lash out verbally or speak without full knowledge are immature believers at
best, and probably unbelievers who have deceived themselves. Those who are doers of the Word (v. 22) are
swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath (v. 19).
Remember that the tongue does not have a mind of its own. Speaking sinful utterances, the tongue speaks
from our hearts. It’s far better to
control our mouths rather than be defiled by the words coming up from our
sinful flesh.
A mature believer, uses the bridle of God’s Word to guide
his speech and actions. The implication
is both humbling and hopeful. While the
tongue is difficult to tame, it is not impossible. By submitting to the Holy Spirit and immersing
ourselves in Scripture, we can control our words to glorify God.
James gives us another image to help drive this home:
B.
The Tongue is Like a Rudder (v. 4)
This metaphor builds on the first. Ships, much larger than horses, are still
steered by a tiny rudder. James’s point
is unmistakable: the tongue, though small, sets the course of our lives.
We have large ships today steered by small rudders—we might
think of how much better the Titanic would have fared if its rudder had been
larger. Of course, the ships of James’
day were not quite as large. When Paul
took that Mediterranean ship to the island of Malta, it had 276 persons aboard
(Acts 27:37). Yet, regardless of the
exact size of the ship, the rudder
changes its course, just as an errant word can change our course.
The “strong winds” here may represent external pressures or
circumstances. Sometimes, we are tempted
to run our mouths more when we are feeling increased pressure, fatigue, or
illness. However, we must think of the
tongue like a rudder, able to steer us off course; for instance, uttering the
wrong words to a police officer can set the course for the rest of your evening
or even the next few months of your life.
We must keep a tight control so we don’t go astray or even shipwreck our
faith!
For believers, this underscores the importance of a
sanctified thought life. Our words
should reflect the mind of Christ, steering us toward righteousness. However, when the tongue is left unchecked, it
can lead to spiritual shipwreck.
This leads us to James’s more intense, final image:
C.
The Tongue is Like a Fire (v. 5)
James’ final illustration is the most vivid, especially with
wildfires having recently been in the news. A tiny spark can ignite a massive forest fire. Similarly, the tongue can unleash destruction
far beyond its size.
The fact that the tongue is a member of a body indicates
that the brain should redirect its function.
When a person is born again, he receives a new set of desires. He also receives the grace to be able to
redirect his steps into paths of righteousness.
Even though he still has the choice to follow sin once again, it is
something he will eventually repent of and return to the proper path; sin has
no dominion over the believer. However,
an unbeliever cannot yield his members as righteous instruments at all, and
will be trapped making choices between different kinds of unrighteousness (the
sin spiral). That the tongue can control
a life so effectively to the ill indicates a life dominated by sin, i.e., an
unconverted life.
What we saw in the news was a complete mismanagement of
resources. Forest underbrush wasn’t
cleared. Fire department resources were slashed. Water reservoirs were emptied. Factoring in the high winds, there were no
worse conditions for a fire to have ignited.
We don’t know what is happening in everyone’s lives. They may be the proverbial tinderbox. Yet, as Proverbs 26:20 notes, “For lack of
wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down.”
Even when conditions are bad, our use or
lack of use of the tongue can keep a fire from consuming relationships and churches. Only you can prevent forest fires.
So, whether we consider the tongue like a bridle, a rudder,
or a fire, we see the same point. Gossip,
slander, and careless words can destroy relationships, reputations, and even
entire communities. As believers, we
must recognize the destructive potential of our speech and strive to use our
tongues to build up rather than tear down.
IV.
Conclusion
The tongue, though small, wields incredible power. James’s warnings remind us of the gravity of
our words and the need for self-control. As Colossians 4:6 says, “Let your speech
always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how
you should respond to each person.” For
teachers, this is especially crucial, as their words have a profound impact on
others. Yet, this applies to believers —
controlling the tongue is a mark of spiritual maturity.
This is not a task accomplished through human effort alone. Only through the power of the Holy Spirit can
we hope to bridle our tongues and use them for God’s glory. We apply His word and rest in His strength to
overcome. By His grace, may our words
reflect the grace of Christ and bring glory to His name.
[1] J. Ronald Blue, The
Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, 1985, 2, 827.
[2] John MacArthur Jr., Ed., The MacArthur Study Bible, electronic ed., (Nashville, TN: Word
Pub., 1997), 1930.
