James - Chapter 3

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With which part of the body can we--without much effort--do the most harm to others?

James 3:1-6

Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

Teaching was a highly valued and respected profession in Jewish culture, and many Jews who embraced Christianity wanted to become teachers. James is simply warning them that, although it is good to aspire to teach, it is a great responsibility.

If we dare to teach, we must be extremely careful of what it is we’re teaching. He is not saying that we shouldn’t teach, but that we will be judged more strictly on what we have taught. By teaching, we set ourselves up as having some kind of authority, which causes others to believe in what we say. Therefore, what a teacher says carries more weight with the listener. So if we teach the wrong things, we may cause others to go astray.

In verse 2 it says that if we can keep from offending with our tongues, we will become complete and be able to control all parts of our lives. Our tongue is ‘the weakest link’.

What is the purpose of a bit in a horse’s mouth? What about a rudder on a ship? In the same way, a teacher is someone who guides others. What we say could cause someone to be guided in the wrong direction.

Verse 6 is a sharp image of how devastating sin can be. Our tongues can corrupt us entirely. We might live otherwise pure lives, but what we say can destroy, not only our testimony for Christ, but our souls by putting us in jeopardy of hell’s fire.

Even if we don’t go to hell for the sins our tongues commit, we may cause others to turn away from Christ, causing them to go to hell.

Think of the forest as the lost souls around you. Think of your words as the spark that could send them all into the flames of hell.

Satan uses the tongue to divide people and pit them against each other. Hateful words are damaging because they spread destruction quickly, like a fire out of control. No one can stop the results once they are spoken. Even if we apologize later, the scars will remain, like charred wood that cannot be repaired.

James 3:7-8

All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

Although we can tame all of earth’s creatures, we can’t tame our own tongues. If we could, we would be perfect and able to control all parts of our lives.

So, if no man can control his tongue, where is our hope? We are not fighting the tongue’s fire on our own. The Holy Spirit will give us the power to monitor and control what we say if we ask. When we are offended, we need to turn to prayer so we can be reminded of God’s love, and we won’t react in a hateful manner. When we are criticized, we should turn to Christ to heal the hurt, rather than lash out.

James 3:9-12

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Praise for God and ungodly speech should not be allowed to come out of the same mouth just as fresh water and salt water cannot come from the same spring. In the same way, we cannot produce both good and bad fruit. We may tell someone about Christ, but if we curse or gossip, that person is going to see us as hypocrites.

We shouldn’t talk against another person because God made all of us in His image, and by making fun of someone else, or cursing them, we are committing a sin against God and His creation.

If you heard a tape recording of everything you said last week, how much would you want to edit out?

When you hear someone using foul language, how do you react? How does it make you feel about that person? How much can we learn about someone by the way they speak? What do others learn about you when they hear you speak?

Let’s forget about foul language. In what other ways do we dishonor God with our tongues? Examples of an untamed tongue include gossiping, putting others down, bragging, manipulating, false teaching, exaggerating, complaining, flattering, bitterness, expressing anger, and lying.

Before you speak, ask yourself if what you are about to say is necessary, and is it kind?

Now James turns back to his main theme, which is the development of Christian behavior.

I Corinthians 2:6-10 says "We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" (taken from Isaiah 64:4)— "but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God."


This message of God’s secret wisdom is revealed through the scripture that we are studying. It IS THE SECRET OF LIFE.

James 3:13-14

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.

How do we show wisdom? By living a good life.
If we feel bitterness and envy or selfish ambition, or if we are quarrelsome with others, what should we do? Should we ignore these feelings and pretend they don’t exist? Don’t boast to others about these feelings because they are not something to be proud of. But don’t lie about them either. You need to confess that you’re having these feelings and try to rid yourself of them.

James 3:15-16

Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

These feelings come from ‘earthly wisdom’, which is not from the Holy Spirit, but from Satan. If you have envy and selfishness in your life, it will cause disorder and sinfulness, making our lives confusing.

It’s so easy for us to get drawn into the world’s wisdom. We are constantly encouraged to “assert yourself”, to “go for it”, to “set high goals”. We’re constantly told that we “deserve to do things for ourselves”. This causes greed and destructive competitiveness. Seeking God’s wisdom delivers us from the need to compare ourselves to others and to want what they have.

Many of us feel our lives spinning out of control sometimes. God wants us to be at peace and in control of our lives.

How many commandments are there? A total of 613 commandments are listed in the Law of Moses, most of which are in the book of Leviticus. Why did God make these rules? Was it to test our faith or to make our lives more difficult?

Of course not. Throughout the scriptures, God doesn’t give us rules to live by just out of a need to control us. Each commandment He gives us is intended to make our lives easier, less confused, healthier, and more peaceful. The rules are our Father’s way of guiding us through the chaos life throws at us.

James 3:17-18

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

Heavenly wisdom, wisdom which comes from the Holy Spirit’s guidance, is pure, peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere without hypocrisy.

Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the Peacemakers for they will be called Sons of God.”

If you live your life with these guidelines, you will be sowing the seeds of peace and ‘reap a harvest of righteousness’.

What does the word righteousness mean to you? (Other words that describe righteousness are ‘virtue’, ‘morality’, ‘decency’, and ‘honesty’).

So James tells us a Christian will:

1. live a good life
2. be humble in doing good deeds
3. will rid ourselves of bitter envy and selfish ambition
4. will be pure
5. will be peace-loving
6. will be considerate
7. will be submissive
8. will be full of mercy and good fruit
9. will be impartial and sincere
10. will harvest from our lives righteousness.

God’s Word to the wise:


Proverbs 10:5 -- The wise ‘gathereth in summer’ (does things in a timely manner)

Proverbs 11:12 -- The wise ‘holdeth his peace’ (doesn’t berate others-keeps the peace)

Proverbs 12:15 -- The wise ‘harkeneth unto counsel’ (doesn’t assume he’s right all the time)

Proverbs 13:1 -- The wise ‘heareth his Father’s instruction’ (follows parent’s guidelines)

Proverbs 13:14 -- The wise ‘depart from the snares of death’ (a wise teacher can keep others from falling into the hands of Satan)

Proverbs 15:7 -- The wise ‘disperse knowledge’

Proverbs 17:2 -- The wise ‘shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren’ (shall share in the riches of Heaven)

Proverbs 19:8 -- The wise ‘loveth his own soul’ (will take care of his soul’s needs by living a good life and studying God’s Word to achieve a better understanding from the Holy Spirit – feeding his soul)

Ecclesiastes 7:19 -- The wise ‘are stronger than ten mighty men which are in the city’ (through wisdom comes strength and power—by knowing how to live we gain power over ourselves and our destiny)