Ref: KJV, JAMES (3:6-12), Eph 4:31-32
AIM: To share with brethren from God's word on christian speaking
INTRODUCTION
Questions: Some critical questions for us to take note and ponder? Who has control of our words, God or us? Does our words reflect who we are in Christ, or does the sinful nature have it roots in you? Is it God's wisdom guiding our speech?, or the desire for the world’s attention? Are we being ambassadors for Christ through our thoughts and speech? (2 Cor 5:20). Does our tongue reflect our spiritual maturity and character?
1. Today, we have three objectives:
a. To know the relationship between mind and speech
b. To know the destructive power of tongue
c. To know the types of evil speaking that God is against and why man do that?
2. Words have the crucial role of communicating not only our ideas but how we are connecting with others. How we use our spoken language, as well as our body language, is very important. The tongue is that instrument to aid us in our communication purposes. Lets raise our communication to higher purposes. The purpose to serve God. Words can serve both for the good of the God's Kingdom and the destruction of the Church.
3. NO shame/remorse in the wisdom of man. Now, from radios, televsions and movie screens, there spew forth words of evil without shame. In books, magazines, and newspapers, obscenity (behaviour, appearance or expression that violate accepted standards of sexual morality) is no longer taboo. For e.g. Even in Singapore, we previously did not allow any scantily clothed people to perform but now we know that there is a crazy horse that was already here.!!. In public, swearing, taking God's name in vain and using filthy, suggestive language is no longer the unacceptable exception. There is no shame attached to evil speaking or corrupt communication. The world find it “cool” and “trendy” instead to use such words.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MIND AND SPEECH
4. Just as the tongue can be an indicator of our physical health, so also it can inform us of our spiritual well-being. The real origin of man's oral communication lies in the mind of the communicator.
5. In the bible, mind is equated with the heart of man. These denote the spiritual part of man's makeup. With the spiritual heart, man thinks (Gen 6:5; Prov 23:7; Mat 15:19), understands (Mat 13:15), and Believes (Rom 10:10). This is the function of man's intellect. The Spiritual heart is also the seat of man's desires (Rom 10:1), loves (Mat 22:39), and his power to trust (Pro 3:5). These are the expressions of man's emotions and intellect. With the heart, we express intent (Heb 4:12), purpose (2 Cor 9:7), and obedience (Rom 6:17). These things involve the will of man, power of choosing one's own actions. Our hearts also either approve or condemn our thoughts and actions (1 John 3:20-21). This is the work of conscience.
6. Jesus spoke in the parable of the sower (Luke 8:4-15), that it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks (Mat 12:34-36). A good man brings forth from the treasure of his heart that which is dynamic or good, and an evil mans speaks that which being deadly, proceeds from an evil heart (Mat 15:18). The character of the heart will be manifested in the conduct (Mat 15:19).
7. God further warns us in (Prov 4:23-24), We should follow David's Prayer (Psa 19:14). When we get our hearts right, our mouths will be right! Jesus said, (Mat 12:36-37) “But i say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement. For by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned”Let us be willing to “bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ”(2 Cor 10:5). Which we will study deeper next week on how do we seek God's help on controlling out tongue.
JAMES ADMONITION – DESTRUCTIVE POWER OF THE TONGUE
8. Solomon said, “Death and Life are in the power of the tongue”(Pro 18:21). The wise man declared, “Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles”(Pro 21:23). Let's reflect on what someone in our life said made us feel so motivated/ encouraged?, like encouragement from your family, teachers or friends. On the other hand how about the words that we heard, that discourage us? It is just words that create such great effects. On one hand, it makes us so good that we feel that we are on top of the mountain but on the other hand, it makes us feel really down. Lets pay attention to James on the destructive power of tongue.
9. Verse 6: James likened the power and evil of the unrestrained tongue to a deadly, devastaing, defiling fire. The tongue may destroy the body as the fire destroys the forest. As a fire destroys the posessions and somtimes the lives of people,
a. so the lying tongue destroys the reputations, names and sometimes the lives of innocent people.
b. Angry tongue (Prov 14:17) will deal foolishly with words. And words once spoken could not be taken back. (Pro 29:22) An angry man stirreth up strife, and a wrathful man aboundeth in transgression. (Prov 29:11) A fool uttereth all his anger.
c. Gossiping tongue. (Prov 16:27) A worthless man deviseth mischief; and in his lips there is as a scorching fire.
d. Tongue causes defilement. “defileth” here in greek means “spilos”, which means to spot even the whole body.
e. The greek word for Hell is “Gehenna”, Hell and Satan are the real influences behind the heart that allows the tongue to be misused in such destructive ways.
10. Verse 7: James paralleled the power and evil of the unrestrained tongue to wild beasts which have not been tamed. Once the animal is tamed, men do not fear it. As such, men must have the attitutde like David and try to seek God's help to control his tongue. (Psa 141:3) (Psa 39:1)
11. Verse 8: Unrestrained tongue to the effects of deadly poison. i.e. Hypocritical tongue, corrupt communication tongue, backbiting tongue. How dangerous and life threatning it could be.
12. Verse 9-12: Unrestrained tongue is inconsistent. Praise on one hand and curse on the other. (1 John 4:20) John reminded us that “if a man say, I love God and hateth his brother, he is a liar; for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath not seen, cannot love God whom he hath not seen”.
a. James used the illustration of a fountain to further emphasise his point. He traced the problem back to the source. If there is sweet water and bitter water at the opening, something is wrong at the source. (Mat 12:34) – the heart is the source of the lips. Our speech reveals our character (Luke 6:45)
GOD IS AGAINST EVIL SPEAKING
Ques: What are evil speaking, name some examples?
13. God's will that man birdle his tongue; otherwise, his religion is in vain. (Jam 1:26) There are many ways in which a person can sin with the tongue and suffer destruction. They are gossip, backbiting, lying and corrupt communication.
14. To understand the problem, we must know what the Bible says about gossip, backbitiing, Lying and corrupt communication. We need to see the effects of these sins in people's lives.
WHY IS THERE SUCH A PROBLEM?
15. Man is drawn away of his own lust on things of this world to sin. (James 1:13 -15). Things of this world (1 John 2: 15 -17). Lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and pride of life.
a. First it is a heart problem. “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murder, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blaspehmies: theseare the thigs which defile a man”(Mat 15:19 -20). Some lie for fun. Some lie to hurt another. Potiphar's wife falsely chargerd the pure and godly Joseph bacause he had spurned her advances. (Gen 3:14) (Prov 26:28)
b. There is a lack of control of the mind. (Pro 23:7) Pro 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
1Ti 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
2Ti 3:8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
c. There is a lack of self-esteem. Some want so badly to be accepted, they will do whatever it takes. If the corwd one considers to be cool, uses prfanity, so will he. What a sad reason to sell one's soul!
d. Some lie to save their pride or position. Aaron said when confronted with the sin of making the idol, the golden calf. (Exo 32:24)
e. Some lie for advantage to deceive for gain. ( Pro 21:6)
f. Some lies are set forth in an effort to avoid detection and punishment, or upon being caught, to shift blame. After sinning, Adam tried to blame Eve (and God!). (Gen 3:12).
g. Some lie to protect themselves. When peter was identified as one who had been with Jesus: “he began to curse and to swear, lies are made in an effort to please another, or to avoid offending someone. (Mark 14:71)
h. Some lies are made in an effort to please another, or to avoid offending someone.
i. Some are lies of boasting. Some fearful of losing their power and popularity to Jesus, sought false witnesses to accuse Him (Mat 26:59). Because some will not “2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; (2 Tim 4:3). As long there are those who will listen to the fables of men, there will be men who will supply them. (2 Tim 4: 4) 2Ti 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
What are we going to do?
Eph 4:31 - Let all bitterness and wrath, and anger and clamour and evil speaking, be put away from you with all malice.
Eph 4:32 - And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
Peter declares in 1 Peter 2:1-2, “Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrises, and envies, and all evil speakings, as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby”.
