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Introduction
Tonight we are wrapping up our study of James 3. I have prepared another handout for you.
Essentially, it is an expansion of the handout that I have given to you after we finished each chapter of James.
By way of review, you will see on your handout the expanded outline that I have developed for James.
We are adding James 3 to it tonight.
Remember the overall theme is “Living Out Our Faith.”
We started with James 1 seeing how we are to Live Out Our Faith Victoriously.
James 1:2-5 teaches us we can do so by Understanding the True Purpose of Life’s Trials.
KEY VERSE(S)
James 1:6-12 encouraged us to Simply Follow God’s Plan for Our Lives.
KEY VERSE(S)
James 1:13-18 continues to teach us that we can live victoriously as we Realize the Consequences of Sin.
KEY VERSE(S)
James 1:19-27 follows that up by helping us continue to live victoriously in our faith as we Faithfully Hear and Do God’s Word.
KEY VERSE(S)
As we moved into James 2, we learned we are to Live Out Our Faith Openly.
James 2:1-13 shows us the importance of openly and Obediently Loving Our Brother as Ourselves.
KEY VERSE(S)
James 2:14-26 encourages us to Outwardly Demonstrate Our Faith by Our Actions.
KEY VERSE(S)
And now, over the past weeks, we have learned from James 3 two things that will help us Live Out Our Faith Skillfully.
Let’s read the first paragraph.
Living Out Our Faith Skillfully by...
Comprehending the Danger of an Uncontrolled Tongue
We started with:
In this verse, we learned about the responsibility of teaching others—the Holy Spirit warns us to be careful about seeking such a position.
The word “master” literally means teacher.
We also noted that those who teach would one day give an account to God for how and what they trained others.
They will be the ones who will receive “the greater condemnation.”
PRINCIPLE: Teaching others is a serious responsibility resulting in Divine accountability.
From this verse, we learned the universality of sin.
There is not one person sitting here tonight or listening on our live stream that is not a sinner.
The fact is we not only sin, but we sin in many different ways.
Additionally, saying that we do not sin, especially in words, is ridiculous.
Only a perfect (completely mature) person can make that claim.
And, if they were perfect, they would be able to control every part of their body.
PRINCIPLE: We are all sinners and must admit we have no control over the flesh.
The Holy Spirit follows verse 2 by giving us some practical illustrations.
We have the horses’ bit and a ship’s helm or rudder.
Both are very small devices.
A horses bit is around 6 - 8 inches.
Yet, this small bit controls an 1800 pound animal.
The rudder of a ship is very small compared to the overall size of the vessel.
Under the control of the helmsman, that small rudder controls the movement of the ship even under adverse circumstances such as fierce winds.
PRINCIPLE: Small things possess great power.
The Holy Spirit takes those illustrations and applies them to our tongue.
Just like the bit and the rudder, our tongues are small.
Small things have great power.
The tongue is very powerful.
It is small.
It is pride’s most valuable tool.
An uncontrolled tongue is quite destructive.
PRINCIPLE: Our sinful tongue is small, full of itself, and tends to seed nothing but destruction.
There are many things man has tamed - beasts, birds, creeping things (serpents), sea creatures.
It is easier to tame things in nature than it is our tongue.
No person can tame or control their tongue.
The tongue controlled by the flesh is unruly (totally out of control), evil (full of wickedness and sin), and filled with deadly poison (ready to cause destruction).
PRINCIPLE: We are completely incapable of controlling our sinful, fleshly tongue.
In these verses, we find that the tongue is a paradox.
It spews both blessing and cursing.
With it, we bless God, and, in the same minute, we curse men who made in God’s likeness.
It is also a parrot—the word “proceedeth” has the idea of repeatedly doing the same thing over and over again.
Thus, our tongue continually parrots blessing and cursing.
Therefore, we must prohibit the tongue for the reasons listed in verses 7-10.
The Holy Spirit clearly states that we need to stop using our tongues in the wrong way.
PRINCIPLE: Believers must stop using their tongues in a sinful manner.
Again, the Holy Spirit uses some practical illustrations.
His illustration uses three things.
He uses a spring of water, a fig tree, and a grapevine.
In using these illustrations, He points out our main issue.
Our issue is our heart.
Remember, the illustration is about how like-kind reproduces like kind.
A fountain cannot produce two kinds of water at the same time.
It either gives you sweet water or bitter.
Fig trees only bear figs, not olives.
Grapevines only bear grapes, not figs.
Thus, the lesson is this.
If you have a carnal-minded heart, your mouth will spew forth carnality.
However, your mouth will spew forth spiritual things if you have a spiritually-minded heart.
PRINCIPLE: Your heart determines what comes out of your mouth.
Thus, as we have learned, we must face the realities of the uncontrolled tongue.
It is dangerous.
Additionally, it matters not if you are teacher, all believers must understand the dangers of the uncontrolled tongue as they live out their faith daily.
Ultimately, we must also understand we cannot control it.
The only Person Who can control the uncontrolled tongue is God.
Our responsibility then is to live a life of complete obedience to Him.
All of which falls right in line with the entire book of James as well all of Scripture.
In the next paragraph, the Holy Spirit continue to teach us about Living Out Our Faith.
Again, we are:
Living Out Our Faith Skillfully by...
Committing to God’s Wisdom and Not Our Own
The wise believer is a believer who not only teaches God’s Word, but also lives God’s Word.
That is the principle learned in this verse.
Remember they are to “show out of a good conversation” their works.
“Conversation” goes deeper than just speaking words.
The Greek word here indicates conduct.
In other words, actions speak louder than words.
If you are going to teach God’s Word, then you better be committed to living out God’s Word.
In fact, I will go even further.
If you say that you are believer, then live like a believer.
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