The Book Of James Pt. 33 Let Wisdom From Above Govern Our Tongue.

The apostle James is teaching us about the sin of a Christian with an unruly tongue. He has gone to great lengths to help us see that an ungoverned tongue can ruin our testimony for Christ Jesus.

We ended yesterday noting that no man can tame an unruly tongue. Nor can any ordinary means govern it. 

Today, we will learn how God provides the means to tame our tongues.

Faith with works will have a governed tongue.

James 3:13  Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. 

The picture in this text is that although a true Christian cannot bridle other men's tongues, he can restrain his own. 

James connects back with chapter two and the idea that faith without works is dead faith. Here, he says that a governed tongue is the good work that should follow true conversion to Jesus Christ. 

A believer in Christ can, by a holy life and chaste conversation, show through meekness and gentleness of spirit, that he is a Christian indeed. 

His works and his spirit prove that God is truly in him with truth. From the fullness of a holy heart, his feet walk, guided by God's Word. His hands work in gospel ministry and his tongue speaks the truth in love. 

The apostle is going to address two kinds of wisdom. First, he will address the wisdom of this present evil world, in order to place it in contrast with wisdom from God. 

Do you recognize the pattern of sin among those whom James is speaking to? 

1 Corinthians 1:10-11  Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11)  For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. 

This is very similar to the sin issues that Paul had to correct at Corinth. They also had unruly tongues, factions, divisions, strife and envying going on (See for examples, 1 Corinthians 1:10-17; 3:1-23; 5:1-13; 6:1-11. 

Therefore, James is addressing a problem that must be faced by each generation of Christians. The unruly tongue and all the harm that it causes must be rooted out of our lives. 

Devilish wisdom creates strife, envy and evil works. 

James 3:14-16  But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.15)  This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16)  For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.   

Remember, James is writing to Christians, "beloved brethren" and he is addressing problems within the early church. 

Some Christians had a bitter envy toward other believers. Some got into verbal fights and squabbles with other Christians. 

James tells them that they are wrong if they are under the influence of an unkind, fierce, contentious spirit. He tells them they lack true religion and have no true wisdom to share with others.

When our tongue is unruly and we boast of our own wisdom instead of God's, it reveals that we are hypocrites, claiming faith in Christ, but not living by faith. 

How sobering to be told that an unruly tongue is guided by corrupt, depraved wisdom that is devilish in nature!

Divine wisdom produces fruit in our lives and rules our tongues.

James 3:17-18 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18)  And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

Look how the wisdom from heaven contrasts so sharply from the world's wisdom. 

God's wisdom is pure, chaste and holy. 

1 Peter 1:22  Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 

God's wisdom produces peace in our heart.

Philippians 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  

Salvation brings peace with God and it instills a peaceable spirit in us, so that we can love our neighbors as ourselves. 

God's wisdom is gentle, forbearing and willing to making allowances for others. It is leniency towards others when they are slow to fulfill their duties toward us. 

God's wisdom is easy to be entreated or “easily persuaded,” and not harsh as to a neighbor’s faults.

It is full of mercy regarding our response to a neighbor’s miseries. Wisdom from God does not show partiality toward others. 

Psalm 71:23-24  My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed. 24)  My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt. 

The Psalmist shows us that when we worship God aright, our tongue will speak of His glory and righteousness all day long. 

Psalm 119:171-172  My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes. 172)  My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness. 

Our mouths will be filled with praises to God as we learn and study His Word. Then, our tongue will speak of Bible truth and righteousness. 

Colossians 4:6  Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

The idea of having our speech seasoned with grace is that of having our minds renewed by reading, studying and meditating on the Word of God. Salt retards or slows decay and God's Word, says the scriptures will cause us to be slow to speak. 

Psalm 120:2  Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful. tongue. 

The Psalmist prayed daily that Jehovah would deliver him from lying lips. He did not want to sin with his tongue.

Titus 2:8  Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

Thus, the apostle encourages us to fill our minds with scripture, and to guard our tongue so that we speak the truth in love, rather than reacting to someone with angry words. 

Thoughts to Ponder...

May we pray as the Psalmist did, to be delivered from the sins of the tongue. 

May we pray seeking divine wisdom from our Father in heaven who stands ready to supply us, liberally.

May we read our Bible carefully with thoughtful minds, open hearts and a readiness to retain and apply its truth.

May God have His way in our hearts so that our mouth will praise Him, and speak of His Word all day long. 

Bob