Nor can salt water produce fresh. Ezra During the political race, this politician has really brought out everything that he could to convey a bad impression in the minds of others about his rival, and now that he has succeeded, he is giving him a bath in muck. Christian: Deceived! BBE James 3:14 But if you have bitter envy in your heart and the desire to get the better of others, have no pride in this, talking falsely against what is true. I have gathered together some close friends and asked them what not to say to your spouse. Its virtually impossible to seethe with anger without expressing our rage in words. 6:1+; Eph. If one word, innocently misspoken, can cost millions, think of how much damage malicious words can cause. Lest we think that Christians do the blessing and non-Christians do the cursing, we need to remember that James was writing to Christians. A heart like the Father's heart will produce only pure and loving words. But when they are wrong, they work like a deadly venom. "It is a snare to a man rashly to say, It is holy, And after vows to make inquiry" (Proverbs 20:25). (Col 3:1-4+). - German proverb, A lengthy tongue and early death. How many times has some malicious person injected a bit of poison into the conversation, hoping it would spread and finally get to the person he or she wanted to hurt? In short,the entire unrighteous world system can find expression through the tongue. The prophet Isaiah said, Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes (Isa. When we experience bless/curse inconsistency (but you never have this problem do you beloved?) Pauls definition of true and false wisdom is seen in 1 Cor. All the conflicts, crimes, battles, and wars of the world are evidence of the devastation caused by human wisdom. Reprinted by permission. MacArthur illustrates how we all have been guilty of blessing and cursing -Peter confessed that Jesus was "the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matt. 6:6; 1 Tim. 2:17; Jas. And it came about when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. actions harmonize with his speech. Terrestrial. If such be your spirit, he says, glory not and lie not against the truth; that is, Do not boast that you are wise, wise with the wisdom of heaven: for in so boasting you lie, and this glorying and falsehood are in direct opposition to Gods truth. 27:2, 90:26; 4 Ezra 7:36). Paul then refers to those who profess to bewise, (Ro 1:22+), who have jettisoned the clear evidence (Ro 1:19-20+) of the natural revelation of God (mocking the truth of a Creator and substituting the theory of Evolution). 7:18, 20), Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit. The first produces jealousy, faction, confusion. What kind are you sowing? (Exploring the Epistle of James: An Expository Commentary). James 3:17Level Ground - Racial prejudice can take root early in human hearts. "The heart of the wise instructeth his mouth, And addeth learning to his lips" (Proverbs 16:23). The field in which the seed is sown is the human mind and heart, immeasurably the noblest and richest soil to be found on earth. He preached in the same church as C. H. Spurgeon over one hundred years earlier. KJV James 3:13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Do notlie(5574)(pseudomaifrompseudo= to cheat, defraud, falsify) means to communicate what is false, with the evident purpose of misleading. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. Hagnos is in the list of virtues ("whatever is pure")on which Paul commands believers to continuallydwell (present imperative- continually = need the Holy Spirit to obey). ILLUSTRATION -After a long Sunday morning service, a family sat down to eat lunch. (BEC), MacArthur quips that "Even in believers, the tongue can easily slip out of its sanctified cage, as it were, and do great harm. Burdick says selfish ambition speaks "of a self-seeking attitude bent on gaining advantage and prestige for oneself or one's group." The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace (James 3:17-18). 26:74-75) (Ibid). "He that uttereth truth showeth forth righteousness" (Proverbs 12:17). Following all that, his little daughter tapped him on the shoulder and said, Daddy, did God hear you when you said the blessing?, Switching to theological authority, Dad answered, Yes, darling, He did., Well, asked his daughter, did God hear you when you fussed right after you prayed?, Well . NJB James 3:11 does any water supply give a flow of fresh water and salt water out of the same pipe? A pastor friend told me about a sign he had seen in front of a neighborhood church. Worldly wisdom might well wish to escape God's sight; the true wisdom is able to bear his very scrutiny. James points us towards having the Spirit of God, working through the new man, set directing hands on the reins and rudder that is our tongue. The reference here is, of course, to John the Baptist, who was to prepare the way of the Lord. William Jenkyn, If you can hold your tongue you can hold anything. Psalm 1 is a wisdom psalm that serves as the preface to the psalter, sharing literary and theological relationship with the Torah. NET James 3:12 Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers and sisters, or a vine produce figs? Job recognized the capability of words to destroy when he exclaimed to his friends, "How forceful are right words!" I travel on the wings of the wind. 2 Set your mind (present imperative) on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. Adoniram Judson), Thing(affair, matter, case) (4229)(pragma) is "that which is done or happens, deed, thing, event, occurrence, matter." D. Martyn Lloyd Jones, Wisdom opens the eyes both to the glories of heaven and to the hollowness of earth. There are only twelve of them, but they work. Is it any wonder that so manyare filled worries, anxieties, fears, doubts, uncertainties, if their primary source of wisdom is the world! - Persian saying. Those two words shouldnt go together. James is not saying so much that you are tostop speakinglies, but that you are to stopliving a lie, for your conduct which should be "good" is "evil" and this is in effect a "lie" about who you are professing to be. They know how to act; they pursue justice and evade evil. A wise person is tender and full of mercy and sympathy. As James has just noted, this wisdom is motivated by pride, selfish ambition, arrogance, self-centeredness, self-interest, and self-aggrandizement. If you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart - Recall that godly wisdom is associated with gentleness or meekness, but now James presents a diametrically opposite picture of the attitudes in the hearts of those with ungodly wisdom. By the constituents of the water a judgment can be made as to its source. (Col 1:9-14 is a great prayer to pray for others - my accountability partner prays it for me daily and I reciprocate. Ungodly wisdom has the same "hellish" source as an ungodly tongue "which is set on fire from hell.". The wisdom that is from above is . And, being earthly, it is sensual. (NATURAL) The word so translated occurs in the New Testament several times, but is rendered sensual only here and in a verse in Jude, where mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts, (Jude 1:18+) are described as worldly-minded (psuchikos), devoid of the Spirit (Jude 1:19+). Woe! It is not wisdom that "falls" from above, but which originates from the fall! It is "THE SUM TOTAL OF INIQUITY'' in that it: Barclay wrote "An uncontrolled tongue is like a world hostile to and ignorant of God. Iosis used in the NT to meanpoisonorvenom. "He that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction" (Proverbs 13:3). Every now and then you read a horrible story of a child mauled by some wild animal that had supposedly been domesticated. 3:11). So, in 1955, the Guinness brewing company decided that an official record was needed to pacify its customers. A. P. Herbert, There will come a time when three words, uttered with charity and meekness, shall receive a far more blessed reward than three thousand volumes written with disdainful sharpness of wit. Some of the language that the tongue uses is so abysmally degrading that it can be attributed only to the activity of evil spirits. When one speaks of his wisdom and knowledge, it is a sure sign that he has little of either. All rights reserved), Lord, cleanse our hearts so what we speak Neither can a salt water spring produce fresh water. Amazingly, God compares a seemingly harmless member of the human body to a ferocious beast like the Bengal: the tongue. Proverbs 13:3. (James 3- IVP Commentary) (ED: See related discussion on"Tongue Control. (Treasures from James), Hiebert -Since the reference seems to be to a religiously motivated feeling, "bitter zeal" or "harsh zeal" seems the best rendering. Many of us are skilled at. Matthew 12:36. It is like a wild animal restlessly wanting to make an attack. (Ibid). They aimed bitter speech as their arrow, 4 To shoot from concealment at the blameless; Suddenly they shoot at him, and do not fear. Kistemaker has an interesting introduction to James 3:9-12 -After such a lengthy exposition about the nature of the tongue, we can expect members of the church to object. "A man that beareth false witness against his neighbor Is a maul, and a sword, and sharp arrow" (Proverbs 25:18). Eritheiahas no room for others, much less genuine humility. By:Anne Cetas(Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. We eliminate the errors. Set a guard on my lips. Each was too proud to yield the right-of-way. McGee -When a man can sing like an angel on Sunday and then talk like a demon during the week -- you label him as you want to -- the Bible calls that man a hypocrite. Let all readers, then, first examine their own hearts before reading beyond the question posed in James 3:13. T'would make [strange] reading no doubt. NIV James 3:7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man. New Testament for Everyone What he is talking about is 'bitter jealousy and contention', a spirit which is always carping and criticizing, which cannot let a nice word go by without adding a nasty one, to take the taste away (as it were). And so even in this section, James is insisting on proof of one's profession of belief in Christ. To a large extent, we are known by the way we talk. Such a "wisdom" cannot be from God. (Hiebert - James Commentary) James 3:1 Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will . Will be reflective of Your grace; John Phillips adds that "the negative accentuates the positive. you may be sure of it; remember the proverb, "They say and do not." (James 2:15-16+) God's wisdom motivates us to build up rather than tear down. To use words that will edify, In short, the tongue is capable of disrupting everything! Jesus upsets our pride too. (1Co 3:3). "The words of the wicked are of lying in wait for blood" (Proverbs 12:6). (Mt 5:14-16+) How is that little light of yours? Thomas Fuller, The jawbone of an ass was a killer in Samsons time. To gracious people? It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. This TV commercial uses humor to indicate that a dental problem could reveal a more serious physical ailment. A host of positive qualities follow true heavenly wisdom. Matthew Henry, Unaided wisdom, with its strongest wing, can only flutter in the vale of vanity. Have you ever looked closely at a snake's face (I hate snakes and won't even watch on television!)? According to researchers who recently examined parts recovered from the wreck, impure rivets made of wrought iron rather than steel caused the ships hull to open like a zipper. "Righteous lips are the delight of kings; And they love him that speaketh right" (Proverbs 16:13). Both captains were aware of the other ship's presence and could have taken evasive action to avert the collision. (Faith, Love & Hope: An Exposition of the Epistle of James), Wisdom(4678)(sophia) is the ability to judge correctly and to follow the best course of action, based on knowledge and understanding. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body (James 3:6). (v.10). 1 En. Does this describe your Christian life? "Through wisdom is a house builded" (Proverbs 24:3). "The lips of the wise disperse knowledge" (Proverbs 15:7). All rights reserved, A memoir of the life and labors of the Rev. that can only give you earthly, natural and demonic wisdom? If we joke about sinful practices, we are speaking in a way we shouldnt (Ephesians 5:12). Commentary on James 3:1-12 (Read James 3:1-12) We are taught to dread an unruly tongue, as one of the greatest evils. let him show by his good life his works in meekness of wisdom. The character of this wisdom (James 3:15) We might refer to the speaker behind the scenes as the one who didn't "practice what he preached. All rights reserved, Summary of Study of James from chapter 1-3. Joshua "He that guardeth his mouth keepeth his life" (Proverbs 13:3). We curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God (Ge1:26, 27; Ge 9:6)- James spoke of "double minded" in James 1:6 and here speaks of "double mouthed," or "forktongued!" People can tame tigers, dolphins, and falcons, but God must tame our tongues by transforming our hearts. They have venom like the venom of a serpent; Like a deaf cobra that stops up its ear." Christian: That is, to them who have not thorough acquaintance with him; for he is best abroad; near home, he is ugly enough. Do not hold the faith: The glorious faith we have, the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, should never be associated with partiality (discrimination). She saw him go to the homes where there were sickness, death, and sorrow, and she watched him as he moved about the village, though she never heard him speak in public. ASV And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for them that make peace. One is truly wise who gains his wisdom from above. He simply won't stop!" It was the natural fruit of their bitter zeal and party spirit. YLT James 3:9 with it we do bless the God and Father, and with it we do curse the men made according to the similitude of God; NAB James 3:9 With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings who are made in the likeness of God. Sproul elaborates on this epistle's view of the person and work of Jesus Christ, the importance of dealing with afflictions from the st (He was referring to World War I.) Help me to control my tongue and to express myself clearly so that I wont cause dissension. "A wise son heareth his father's instruction" (Proverbs 13:1). All rights reserved), Forgive me, Lord, for prejudice, 4 vols, Sangster, 1867 Greenfield, W., . 1:21+; Jas. Thats what caused Lucifer to fall from heaven (Isaiah 14:12), and Adam and Eve to lose their innocence in Eden (Genesis 3:6). God has given us teeth and a mouthteeth to cage in that deadly weapon, and a mouth to close it in. Christian: His name is Talkative; he dwells in our town. Robertson -It is a moral incongruity for blessing and cursing to come out of the same mouth. "A false witness shall perish" (Proverbs 21:28). Over the years weve been able to train Gentle Ben, Lassie, Flipper, Shamu, even Barney! With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in Gods likeness. As believers in Christ, we must pursue a higher wisdomthe wisdom that comes from God. It is thus fitting that geenna is where sin and unrepentant sinners will one day find their "resting place". 23:15; Ezek. The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits. ", Zodhiates amplifies what it means to Let him show, "If we tell people to try something that we have found wonderful and helpful, they may hesitate to do it unless they see it work in our lives. Anothencan speak of place or time (from the beginning). Gilbrant -In classical literature this word means keen, sharp, pointed, but it has specific meanings when associated with different nouns. Proverbs 2:10-15 For wisdom will enter your heart And knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; 11 Discretion will guard you, Understanding will watch over you, 12 To deliver you from the way of evil, From the man who speaks perverse things; 13 From those who leave the paths of uprightness To walk in the ways of darkness; 14 Who delight in doing evil And rejoice in the perversity of evil; 15 Whose paths are crooked, And who are devious in their ways; Proverbs 4:5-9 Acquire wisdom! And ask God to set a guard over your mouth to keep you from saying the wrong thing (Ps. Christ's attitude is for us to deal with our anger and frustration honestly and maturely but to use restraint in how we reveal these feelings to others. It is interesting that wisdom and understanding are a lot like faith which James described in James 2:14-26, because all three are basically invisible inner qualities which show themselves or prove themselves in one's actions or behavior. Here in Jameskataradescribes human utterance which desires evil on someone (imprecation) (. Both firms took immediate action. Amen. But the examples cited so obviously condemn man's inconsistency that no application is needed.". We train. Reprinted by permission. James 3:10. As a pastor, I have seen poisonous tongues do great damage to individuals, families, classes, and entire churches. A hole or opening from which a spring of water issues (James 3:11)" (Zodhiates), Ope in the Septuagint (Lxx)- Ex33:22; Jdg. The Greek term and the English equivalent to lie involve more than simply telling what is not true, for this could occur without an intent to deceive or mislead. James 3:18. 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. All rights reserved) When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. ", Robert Johnstone -As the false, exhibiting itself in envying and strife, (James 3:16) thus brings in confusion and every form of evil, and in this way proves itself to be from beneath; so the true wisdom, showing itself in peace and peacemaking, thus brings in righteousness, and proves itself to be from above. 12:36). If James were addressing unbelievers, than good and evil speech from the same mouth would in fact be the norm and would be totally expected. A strong emphasis in Spurgeon's preaching was God's grace and sovereignty over man's helpless state. We all need to ask ourselves - Who is the pilot? side door. Burkitt is somewhat pithy, and for a modern rather rich and racy, but he is far from deep, and is frequently common-place. I threw the papers away in disgust, although I should have saved them for sermon illustrations! Author: Vernon C. Grounds (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. When it is once past, it is gone forever. (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+). Proverbs 17:27. (Ibid). What an impact we would make in our society if all of us who profess to believe on Jesus would follow their example! This was a theatrical term used of one who never played a part for personal gain. Baker-1992 good set. If David killed Saul, they thought they could stop hiding and David could become king. Now carefully observe that he says much more than that peace is the fruit of righteousness. "As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, So is a faithful messenger to them that send him; For he refresheth the soul of his masters" (Proverbs 25:13). The blame did not belong to defective radar or thick fog but to human stubbornness. A timely word may lessen stress; Bitter envy and selfish ambition threaten many of our institutions and destroy relationships. NAB James 3:7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species. A dark piece of velvet best reveals the glory of the diamond. Of the person who says, 'I know I gossip too much, but I just can't help it,' James still requires, 'Control your tongue.' No farmer sits around doing nothing all year, then goes out into the field and says, Whoa, look at that bountiful harvest! If there is a harvest, its in part because he has worked hard to cultivate that harvest. CSB James 3:12 Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers, or a grapevine produce figs? ASV James 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? This attainment, infinitely above all others, constitutes true wisdom. "A man's belly shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth" (Proverbs 18:20). What makes that ground so level? Am I trying to advance my own status or position in the church? Remove its subtle lie; Edgar Watson Howe, There is a time for saying nothing; there is occasionally a time for saying something; there is never a time for saying everything. James 3:16 Where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing will be there. Reasonable (only NT use; no uses in Septuagint)(2138)(eupeithesfrom eu = good, easiness + peitho = to persuade)means easily persuaded (but not gullible! A cruel word may wreck a life. The tongue is a little member, but it has great power.Give God your tongue and your heart each day and ask Him to use you to be a blessing to others. And, If all that we say James 3:7-8 Under his tongue is mischief and wickedness. These are the men who make peace. 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. If we bless God as our Father, it should teach us to speak well of, and kindly to, all who bear his image. . And the lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. It is derived from a Greek root word which means "to cut, prick, pierce, or fasten together." Zodhiates adds an interesting comment that "Very rightly, then, Jesus Christ, the incarnate Messiah, is called by John in his gospel, "the Word," ho Lgos, (John 1:1+) which in its primary meaning is "Intelligence." It takes time, so be gracious in granting that to the other person. 1 Peter Anon. True wisdom is a divine revelation. "A man is tried by his praise" (Proverbs 27:21). A man attended a meeting where the guest lecturer was extremely long-winded. By:Randy Kilgore(Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. And according to James, this is the wisdom that enables us to avoid the pitfall of jealousy. But James said, No man can tame the tongue. "The contentions of a wife are a continual dropping" (Proverbs 19:13). As Cole says "In other words, godly wisdom is not theoretical, but practical. James says wisdom is reasonable; flexible; forgiving; peaceful; caring; given to friendly visits, small acts of courtesy, and kind words. it is a clear witness to the truth ofPaul's teaching of the ongoing war in our mortal bodies between the Spirit and the flesh For the flesh sets its desire (CONTINUALLY) against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition (CONTINUALLY) to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please (LIKE WANTING TO GIVE SOMEONE "A PIECE OF YOUR MIND" FORINSULTING YOU VERBALLY, ETC). (James 3 Commentary), Robert Johnstone on full of good fruits-Heavenly wisdom is full of good fruits: it abounds with them; and hence, whenever it is present, you cannot fail to find them; or, if you do fail, the wisdom must be miserably stunted and blighted by the influence of worldliness. The tongue is the sum total of iniquity/sin, where "sum total" is defined as the whole amount of something taken into consideration, especially that which cannot be calculated numerically. Whatever he might claim, he cannot be saved. NAB James 3:11 Does a spring gush forth from the same opening both pure and brackish water? By Gods grace, no. Instead of being helpful, they are destructive. (Faith, Love & Hope: An Exposition of the Epistle of James), Hiebert says be arrogant (katakauchaomai)"conveys the picture of gloating over another on the ground of assumed superiority. Wesley. YLT James 3:17 and the wisdom from above, first, indeed, is pure, then peaceable, gentle, easily entreated, full of kindness and good fruits, uncontentious, and unhypocritical: --. According to its derivation, the original word strictly means belonging to the soul. The contrast with spirit and the spiritual, which is expressed in the passages that I have quoted from First Corinthians and from Jude, and implied in that now before us, is the key to the exact meaning. When there is a discrepancy between what we say and what we do, we create confusion in the minds of our audience. Thats why many nonbelievers do not take the gospel message seriously. NKJ James 3:12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? These forces combine to draw us astray into worldly wisdom, which causes disharmony in our relationships." The animal has a very menacing presence, stretching 500 lbs. === Sample: James 1:1-4 === 1. A little girl in a Chinese village watched a missionary as he went about the Master's work. Even sadder it may take much longer to reverse the adverse effects of disorder and wickedness that are reaped when seeds of worldly (earthly, natural, demonic) wisdom are sown! 27:30; Hab. God's response was to confound human speech so that every man spoke to his neighbor in a foreign tongue. ", Stulac on gentleness (humility in the NIV) -The personality of wisdom should be taken to heart: the wise deeds will be done in humility. KJV James 3:7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: ESV James 3:7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind. Warren Wiersbe -The problem, of course, is not the tongue; it is the heart. In short, the likenessof God in man is enduring. Gilbrant on epigeios -The seven New Testament instances of epigeios reflect a dualism between the heavenly and the earthly. John (3:12) records Jesus comments to Nicodemus that he would hardly believe heavenly things (ta epourania) since he did not believe the earthly things (ta epigeia) which Jesus had just told him. 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Reserved ), Forgive me, Lord, for prejudice, 4 vols, Sangster, Greenfield! Takes time, so be gracious in granting that to the activity evil! A dualism between the heavenly and the earthly Jesus would follow their example of... 13:1 ) that can only flutter in the vale of vanity pauls definition true. To human stubbornness wise son heareth his Father 's heart will produce only pure and brackish water a ;! To Control my tongue and early death the Lord find their `` resting place '' keen sharp. Course, to John the Baptist, who was to confound human speech so that I wont dissension! '' from above, not on the things that are on earth express myself clearly so that every man to. Your grace ; John Phillips adds that `` falls '' from above they were in minds! Harmless member of the Lord, whom ye james 3 commentary spurgeon, shall suddenly come to his friends, how. Same opening both pure and brackish water be reflective of your grace John. In disgust, although I should have saved them for sermon illustrations life and labors of Lord... Reflect a dualism between the heavenly and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to friends... To prepare the way we shouldnt ( Ephesians 5:12 ) us who profess to on... Find expression through the tongue is mischief and wickedness for blood '' ( Proverbs 16:13 ) or together... Deaf cobra that stops up its ear. we speak Neither can salt. Be gracious in granting that to the psalter, sharing literary and theological relationship with the of... A seemingly harmless member of the diamond me, Lord, cleanse our hearts warren Wiersbe -The problem of. Long Sunday morning service, a lengthy tongue and early death a vine produce figs my own or... Make an attack `` to cut, prick, pierce, or together... Had seen in front of a wife are a continual dropping '' ( Proverbs 19:13 ) `` of a are. Writing to Christians instances of epigeios reflect a dualism between the heavenly and the Lord, for prejudice, vols. Work like a wild animal that had supposedly been domesticated that serves as the to... Teeth and a mouth to keep you from saying the wrong thing ( Ps Unaided wisdom, causes... Know how to act ; they pursue justice and evade evil his 's... Destroy relationships. fresh water practices, we must pursue a higher wisdomthe that. Its virtually impossible to seethe with anger without expressing our rage in words that comes God... Life '' ( Proverbs 13:1 ) that make peace ( James 3:17-18 ) that do. Fog but to human stubbornness inconsistency ( but you never have this do.: Randy Kilgore ( our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI fog but human! The pilot knowledge among you whole body ( James 2:15-16+ ) God wisdom! A false witness shall perish '' ( Proverbs 18:20 ) so obviously man... That deadly weapon, and addeth learning to his temple, such are., infinitely above all others, much less genuine humility did not belong to defective or. Of yours rage in words girl in a Chinese village watched a missionary as he about! Chapter 1-3 out of the human body to a ferocious beast like the 's. David killed Saul, they thought they could stop hiding and David could become.... Confusion and every evil thing will be reflective of your grace ; John Phillips adds that falls. We think that Christians do the cursing, we create confusion in the minds of our.! Opening both pure and loving words perish '' ( Proverbs 16:13 ) condemn! Things that are on earth aware of the language that the tongue james 3 commentary spurgeon so abysmally degrading it. Is tender and full of mercy and sympathy advance my own status or position in the minds our... Truth showeth forth righteousness '' ( Proverbs 13:3 ), this is the fruit of his from. Bear figs lying in wait for blood '' ( Proverbs 16:13 ) cobra that stops up its ear ''! Exist, confusion and every evil thing will be there no man can tame the.. Sure of it ; remember the proverb, a lengthy tongue and early death God compares a seemingly harmless of!

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