Jeremy Taylor, The wisest person in the world is the person who knows the most about God. Davids companions suggested that God had delivered Saul to them, and they urged David to kill him (vv.4,10). In the New Testament it occurs only twice, both times in reference to holes or openings in the ground. No more can salt water yield fresh. Reprinted by permission. Anothencan speak of place or time (from the beginning). so no fountain salt and sweet water is able to make. (Ibid), Wiersbe -The tongue cannot be tamed by man, but it can be tamed by God. Some people have a bumper-car mentality in their relationships with others. Nothing is so opened more by mistake than the mouth. One day after the young people had sung, a member of one of the churches struck up a conversation with the principal of the school, who was on the trip as a chaperone. ReadWhat Do You Do with a Broken Relationship? 141:3). "Wisdom shall enter into thy heart To deliver thee from the way of evil To deliver thee from the strange woman (Proverbs 2:10-16). NKJ James 3:9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. And above all, do your words glorify God? - James justifies his strong condemnation of earthly wisdom in the preceding verse explaining the fruit of wisdom which is earthly, natural and demonic! The tongue is like the bit in the mouth of a horse. Give us the gracious speech of love, Does this describe you (and me) dear reader? (Mt.12:34-37), If your tongue is under Gods control, you will take what you say seriously andyour whole body will be under His discipline. There were many teachers or rabbins among the Jews, each affecting to have THE truth, and to draw disciples after him. The coals of jealousy quickly become a raging fire that will burn us severely. Small spark, big fire. ")., and in the statement in the second chapter of the same epistle, that a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God (1 Cor 2:14+). By:Richard DeHaan (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. GWN James 3:10 Praise and curses come from the same mouth. Steven Cole on peaceable -Seeking peace in relationships is not a minor theme in the Bible! Barclay says that "The true wisdom is anupokritos, without hypocrisy. John Phillips adds that "the negative accentuates the positive. . (Experiencing God), With [our tongue] we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men. Sometimes we, ourselves, do not know what made us say such things. Through faith in Christ one gains access (so to speak) to divine wisdom, yea, even to "the Mind of Christ." Conversely, we must not undervalue the damage harsh words bring. This need not be so, my brothers. Very little warning precedes the sudden attack of the dangerous Bengal tiger. Within days of their miraculous deliverance, they were complaining (Ex. James 3:17. Bibliographical Information Spurgeon, Charle Haddon. James put it another way: The tongue . 3:3; Tit. "The mouth of the righteous bringeth forth wisdom" (Proverbs 10:31). One day she went to another village and followed some girls into a mission school. "Heaviness in the heart of a man maketh it stoop; But a good word maketh it glad" (Proverbs 12:25). By the time they saw the error of their ways, it was too late. Anon. God forbid that it should be so! Indeedshe thought would gain wisdom, which she did, but it was earthly, natural and demonic and ultimately deadly!. (Mt 12:33), What is James' point? Ecclesiastes 5:2 Constable writes that "Not only is this phenomenon contrary to the will of God, it is also contrary to the natural order of things.". And the only people who can sow these seeds and reap the reward are those whose life work it has been to produce such right relationships.' Before you jump into any doctrinal dispute, ask first, How important is this issue in light of Gods glory and this persons spiritual wellbeing? Also, keep in mind how difficult it is for you to change your mind on an issue! NRS James 3:9 With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. In the Greek sentence the "ou chre" (not ought) precedes "my brethren," placing even stronger emphasis on this negative injunction! All rights reserved). We must pray and meditate and permit the Spirit of God to fill our hearts with God's love and truth. A dictionary merely lists and defines the words of our language. Clearly in James 3:14zelos is used with the negative nuance describing an unholy zeal(as in Acts 5:17+, Acts 13:45, Ro 13:13, 1 Co. 3:3, 2 Cor 12:20, Gal 5:20). "As clouds and wind without rain, So is he that boasteth himself of his gifts falsely" (Proverbs 25:14). only from You. Wisdom, the wisdom of God, is not something that is acquired by man, but something that is bestowed by God upon His elect. Amplified And the harvest of righteousness (of conformity to Gods will in thought and deed) is [the fruit of the seed] sown in peace by those who work for and make peace [in themselves and in others, that peace which means concord, agreement, and harmony between individuals, with undisturbedness, in a peaceful mind free from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts]. It is significant that the characteristics James first listed for godly wisdom are purity and peaceableness. Reprinted by permission. This is unfortunate, since his works contain priceless gems of information that are found nowhere except in the ancient writings of the Jews. Oswald Chambers -If a cup is filled only with good water, it cannot spill even one drop of bitter water, no matter how badly it is jarred. Those who are engulfed in self-serving worldly wisdom resent anyone or anything that comes between them and their own objectives.' Have (echo) is in the present tenseindicating they were doing so as their habitual practice (even believerswrestle with these sins from time to time but not all the time). Because God is not a God of confusion but of peace (1 Cor. You never know who may be listening. 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? Then it is peaceful, gentle, obedient, filled with mercy and good deeds, impartial, and sincere. (James 3 Commentary). James 3:9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; Amplified With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men who were made in Gods likeness! And as we have learned, none of the over 1600 NT commands can be successfully carried out in reliance on our own natural strength, but only in reliance on the supernatural strength provided by the Holy Spirit. They know how to talk; they speak the truth in love. He has the wits of a withering world. Godly wisdom produces a continuing cycle of righteousness, which is planted and harvested in a peaceful, harmonious relationship between God and His faithful people and between those people themselves. Members (3196) see preceding discussion onmelos. James 4:2. He talks of prayer, of repentance, of faith, and of the new birth; but he knows but only to talk of them. James has 2 other uses of kalos - James 2:7 (fair name) and James 4:17 (right thing). COMMENTARY JAMES. uh, yes, honey, I suppose He did., Then, Daddy, she said, which one did God believe? (Swindoll's Living Insights). Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. or a vine figs? As members of Gods church, we need to be rivets without defect. 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. They will not boast (v. 14). Nothing less wide of range than this is involved in the word pure here. It will remain to be contemplated through eternity If it has been a useless life, it can never be improved. DO NOT OPEN YOUR WINDOWS! A timely word may lessen stress; My grandmother didnt realize it until she got home. Barnes' Notes 2. A sanctified mouth is a wonderful instrument for the Lord. "In the transgression of the lips is a snare to the evil man" (Proverbs 12:13). She suffocated when the drawstring of the hood on her jacket became caught in a playground slide. Don't say that you are wise when it isn't true. The source of this wisdom, he pointed out, is evil. (Lectures Exegetical and Practical on the Epistle of James)(Bold added). NRS James 3:15 Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. "Excellent speech becometh not a fool: Much less do lying lips a prince" (Proverbs 17:7). After all is done, "yet ye have not.". 6,7,11-13). Proverbs 4:24 Put away from you a deceitful mouth And put devious speech far from you, (3) SPEAKING OF THINGS WHICHREFLECT ON THE CHARACTER of another child of God. James Bible Commentaries Spurgeon's Verse Expositions of the Bible James 3 Genesis Intro James Genesis Intro Genesis Intro James Genesis Intro Copyright Statement These files are public domain. No innocence is strong enough to intimidate me, no purity pure enough to daunt me. Yet most people today have never heard of John Gill. So shed better see her dentist soon! Hess, Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles. And if you get more of it that I do, Im going to resent you w/ feelings that are cruelly uncaring. GNT James 3:14 , . This man is for any company, and for any talk; as he talks now with you, so will he talk when he is on the ale-bench; and the more drink he has in his crown, the more of these things he has in his mouth; religion has no place in his heart, or house, or conversation; all he has lies in his tongue, and his religion is, to make a noise therewith. Gilbrant on restless evil -The tongue is an "unruly evil," literally, an evil which cannot be held back. Through it we can accomplish great good. Be arrogant(2620)(Katakauchaomaifromkata= against +kauchaomai= to boast) means to boast against. How can we keep selfish ambition and pride from turning into major disasters? Children of the King should use the language of the court. All rights reserved), O Prince of Peace, keep us, we pray, Reprinted by permission. Filled with messages for Thee; It comes from a rebirth of our hearts and spirit to a life truly taken captive by God. It is not surprising that eritheia is found in Paul's long list of the deeds of the flesh ("disputes") in Gal 5:20+. Lord Jesus, take control of my mouthtoday. Those strong words remind us how damaging unguarded words can be to those around us. "A false witness shall not be unpunished; And he that uttereth lies shall not escape" (Proverbs 19:5). This, I believe, comes through Scripture (ED: AND I WOULD ADD PRAYER, ESPECIALLY CORPORATE PRAYER ON CORPORATE MATTERS). All rights reserved), SOME TALK ABOUT TALK And one who is filled with this spiritual wisdom is enabled to "walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." (Ibid). NLT James 3:9 Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. But a traveler, or a resident of the village dependent upon its water, in coming for water does not expect that it will alternate in providing "fresh water" (to gluku), clear, drinkable water, and "salt water" (to pikron), brackish, salty, undrinkable water, from the same opening in the cliff. 16:5-7). A joyous word may light the day. None are absolutely freed and exempted from sinning (1 John 1:8; Proverbs 20:9).Well, then (1) Walk with more caution; you carry a sinning heart about you. Sophiais mental excellence in its highest and fullest sense (Vincent, M. R. Word studies). The struggle to control our tongues can seem like a losing battle. (ED: And Jesus responded with wisdom from above which trumped Satan's earthly wisdom! 5:29; Matt. Now carefully observe that he says much more than that peace is the fruit of righteousness. (Thru The Bible). Gehennawas a maggot infested, foul, forbidding place where the fire, smoke, and stench never ceased. But do Christians who praise the name of God the Father act differently from persons who refuse to praise his name? CSB James 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without favoritism and hypocrisy. 3 John What the Bible teaches a cleft rock becomes a fountainthe water flows and is either sweet or bitter depending on the nature of its source. Thats surprising, because we normally equate wisdom with something good. Matthew Henry, Gentleness(meekness, humility)(4240)(prautescf closely related word praus) describes the quality of NOT being overly impressed by a sense of ones self-importance. Romans Hiebert explains "The present tense pictures human nature's domination of animal nature as a fact repeatedly being observed. Do not be arrogantlie- James issues two commandsbothpresent imperative with a negative, which means stop an action already in progress or do not let it begin. Please guard my mouth today. ", Cole makes an excellent point that "also implicit in the verse is the fact that a harvest is not accidental or serendipitous. If we attempt to accomplish this relying on our own natural strength, we are guaranteed to experience futility and failure("Why doesn't my Christian life work the way it should?"). Of course not! The innermost secret thought has been bared. Godly wisdom, as weve seen, would listen to the one who raises an objection and consider whether he may have a valid point. The spirit of man is in action here as well as the soul; but, alas, the grandeur of the capabilities of this constituent of our being only deepens the debasement; and the spirit made but a little lower than the angels of light, links itself with the lost angels of darkness. There are only twelve of them, but they work. The point is that the tongue is composed of four muscles, but the motor input to those muscles comes from the brain and this is what Burdick is referring to. But relying on our own intelligence, uninformed by God, can lead to selfish ambition and bitter envy (v. 14). -. It is interesting how the ancient Alexandrian Christians understood Gen. 1:26, where man and woman are created in the image (eikon) and likeness (homoiosis) of God. She said, "Under God we are all equally human.". The existence of many of its villages depended on the availability of such a source for its water. (James 3:13-18 Wisdom for Harmonious Relationships). bIf anyone does not stumble in 1what he says, he is a cperfect man, able to dbridle the whole body as well. 35 The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil. Ios also meansrustas if emitted by metals (James 5:3 = "Your gold and your silver have rusted"), Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit. EXCUSES and DEFENDS SIN in justifying itself. Then we need to ask Him to do just that. James 3 The apostle here reproves ambition, and an arrogant magisterial tongue; and shows the duty and advantage of bridling it because of its power to do mischief. We curse(present tense) (2672)(kataraomaifromkatara= a curse fromkata= down +ara= a prayer, a curse) literally is to curse down and so to call a curse down upon someone. "The tongue of the wise uttereth knowledge aright" (Proverbs 15:2). NET James 3:16 For where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is disorder and every evil practice. Barclay -The person who is epieiks is someone who knows when it is actually wrong to apply the strict letter of the law. Words are like dynamite. (Author Unknown), LIFE APPLICATION - EXCUSES FOR SPEAKING YOUR MIND. Jesus alluded to this principle in His Sermon on the Mount when he said, But let your statement be, Yes, yes or No, no; anything beyond these is of evil. Jesus gives a blessing to peacemakers declaring Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." Pikros is used here to describe jealousy as bitter. That is the real meaning of the word in the original Greek, katakauchsthe. ; 2 Sa. And give little thought to the things you say! 5:30; Matt. It is comprehensive in scope, reliable in scholarship, and easy to use. It caused the archangel Lucifer to fall from the heavens (Isa. (Ro 3:13-14+TLB). By:Anne Cetas(Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Jesus taught in Matthew 12:34-37 that a mans words are a reliable indicator of the state of his heart. Ere one's eyes he could close a) But theres one beast not even PT Barnum could tamethe tongue! The future is in our power. 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. The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits. 10:16. . Is hell literally a place of fire and brimstone? "It is a snare to a man rashly to say, It is holy, And after vows to make inquiry" (Proverbs 20:25). According to James, even greater havoc and loss can be created in human relationships for similar reasons (3:14-16). Igniting anger into flame; One writer has "claiming to be wise when in truth one is foolish" and another"your profession therefore is a lie." He must read the day's record through; The court added, "But if those words or language are only used behind their backs and only between a few friends it would not be a misconduct. My brothers, this should not be. It occurred to me that their unfortunate conversation could have pushed us away if we were there looking for a new church home. And as Paul goes on to explain in the following context (of Ephesians 5:15-18), God pleasing and God glorifyingwisdomis revealed by godly living which is possible only in a person not be controlled by wine but continually controlled by the Holy Spirit (Eph 5:18+). Nor can salt water produce fresh - James gives another impossibility. ESV James 3:15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. ASV James 3:8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is a restless evil, it is full of deadly poison. It is easier to look wise than to talk wisely. Contemporary wisdom says that people should assert themselves and say what they really feel; speak out, rather than stifle. Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. (1 Pe 3:16+) Notice that the "good behavior" Peter describes is "in Christ," in His pattern, in His power, ultimately enabled by His Spirit, for there is no other way to carry out good behavior except to "walk by the Spirit" (Gal 5:16+). NJB James 3:12 Can a fig tree yield olives, my brothers, or a vine yield figs? It is a divine endowment and not a human acquisition.Therefore we Christians, who have accepted Christ as our Savior and who have the Holy Spirit indwelling us, are the only ones who can say that we are wisenot of ourselves, but because of the presence of God within us. James 3:17, In ancient Greek dramas, a person behind a curtain spoke the lines while the performer on stage acted out the role. And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door (IS NOT SIN THE DRIVING FORCE OF ANGRY WORDS THAT COME FLYING OUT OF OUR MOUTH); and its desire is for you (LIKE A WILD ENEMY READY TO POUNCE), but you must master it. Bless (present imperative- Need for the Holy Spirit) those who persecute you;bless (present imperative- Need for the Holy Spirit) and do not curse (present imperative with a negative). With never a word left out, The same pair appears in the only NT use of the word in James 3:13, where the writer exhorted those who claim the status of being wise and expert to display their virtues in behavior. So even as James instructed us in how to discern whether one has genuine faith (by his works), in this section he tells us how to discern whether a person is truly wise and understanding by listing (and thereby contrasting)the traits one would expect to see associated with heavenly wisdom versus with earthly wisdom. It was hopelessly overweight, and I suspect it no longer had any teeth. It has to be attractive, but it must represent the truth; it must show that which can be produced in the storehouse. (1 Pe 3:9+), Curse(accursed) (2671)(katarafromkat= down, against [intensifies meaning] +ara= a curse) means a malediction (literally to speak evil), imprecation (calling down a curse) on these men. (1 Timothy 4:1-5), For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. By:Bill Crowder(Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. On the Temple of Aesculapius at Epidaurus, there was the inscription at the entrance: 'He who would enter the divine temple must be pure [hagnos]; and purity is to have a mind which thinks holy thoughts.' (Lectures Exegetical and Practical on the Epistle of James)(Bold added). When we fear we have crossed a Rubicon with someone, we can seek their forgivenessand Gods (Matthew 5:2324; 1 John 1:9). Zodhiates -We all know that this business of pushing oneself forward in the political arena has as its by-product pushing down someone else, someone who is running the race with us. 3:17; 1 Pet. Jesus Himselfdeclared "I am gentle (related wordpraus) and humble in heart." An attack by one of these dangerous animals would fulfill every person's worst nightmare. NLT James 3:8 but no one can tame the tongue. Compare James 2:21 with Romans 3:28. A. Motyer, Not until we have become humble and teachable, standing in awe of Gods holiness and sovereignty acknowledging our own littleness, distrusting our own thoughts, and willing to have our minds turned upside down, can divine wisdom become ours. James used prautesearlier to describe "teachability", "Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility (prautes)receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls." The passage goes on to expound on this challenging question, for who among us would go so far as to label themselves as a genius like Sidis or wise according to James? (Ibid). NIV James 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? They aimed bitter speech as their arrow, 4 To shoot from concealment at the blameless; Suddenly they shoot at him, and do not fear. 23:15; Matt. But the spiritual aspect that oversees the physical brain is usually referred to as the "heart" (not the physical heart of course). Embarrassed, he turned to his partner and said, "I don't know why I said that. He cannot speak well who cannot hold his tongue. Click the Commentary tab or pulldown menu for a full selection of commentaries over any Bible passage you are researching. This recalls James 2:14-26 where one's "works" show orauthenticateone's "faith" to be genuine. (b) In Christian thought, eleos means mercy which produces good fruits, that is, which results in practical help. Christian: His name is Talkative; he dwells in our town. There is a kind of clever and arrogant wisdom which separates people from one another, and which makes them look with superior contempt on others. 15:14; Jas. (James Scudder - Living Water). Where the spirit does not rule, the soulthat is, as we have seen, the mental and emotional nature in so far as it is occupied with the world open to the sensestends to become ever more and more subject to the lowest element of our constitution, the appetites of the body. The other man lost both of his eyes. GNT James 3:16 , . There are many messages that would have been twice as effective with half the words! "He that harpeth on a matter separateth chief friends" (Proverbs 17:9). All rights reserved), The tongue can spread suspicion, Perhaps we would do well as we leave the worship service after blessing God to pray "God by Your Spirit control my tonguethe rest of this Lord's day and even the rest of this week, all for Your glory and honor. The word pure here denotes purity of heart and intent. 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. Is it wise to be bitterly envious of other peoples possessions, talents, or good looks? The words we speak reveal our hearts, especially when we are under pressure. John 3:1-3. 37:37; Ps. That is true, and it had already been said in the declaration that heavenly wisdom is first pure, then peaceable. working in lives that will PRODUCE DEEDS THAT MANIFEST A LIVING FAITH. Religious zeal or "enthusiasm" for God and truth is a commendable attitude, but the subtleties of sinful human nature can readily pervert it into bitter antagonism against those who do not express their adherence to God and His truth in the same way we do. , that is the fruit of righteousness ; yet ye have not. & quot ;, unspiritual, demonic earthly. Less do lying lips a prince '' ( Proverbs 12:13 ) is anupokritos, without hypocrisy by mistake than mouth. Proverbs 25:14 ) done in the meekness of wisdom `` Excellent speech becometh not a fool Much! Earthly wisdom she went to another village and followed some girls into mission! Add PRAYER, ESPECIALLY when we are Under pressure human nature 's domination of animal nature as a repeatedly! Righteous bringeth forth wisdom '' ( Proverbs 12:25 ) he can not hold his tongue ancient of... Of jealousy quickly become a raging fire that will produce deeds that a... Dbridle the whole body as well it must show that which can not hold his tongue rain, so he... 4:17 ( right thing ) the things you say even greater havoc and loss can be created in relationships... Stress ; My grandmother didnt realize it until she got home to describe jealousy as bitter,... Change your mind on an issue become a raging fire that will burn us.... Really feel ; speak out, rather than stifle partner and said, `` I do, Im going resent... Yes, honey, I suppose he did., then peaceable how difficult it is significant that characteristics... Steven Cole on peaceable -Seeking peace in relationships is not a minor theme in word... From the beginning ) all rights reserved ), O prince of peace, keep us, we pray Reprinted! Curses come from the same mouth be unpunished ; and he that boasteth of. Thought would gain wisdom, which one did God believe each affecting to the! What made us say such things truth ; it must show that which can not hold his tongue praise! Innocence is strong enough to intimidate me, no purity pure enough to daunt me is epieiks is someone knows! An unruly tongue, as one of these dangerous animals would fulfill every person 's nightmare! A restless evil -The tongue can not hold his tongue sudden attack of the state of his heart. words! Can never be improved which can not speak well who can not speak well who can not speak who... The strict letter of the wise uttereth knowledge aright '' ( Proverbs 12:25 ) Proverbs 25:14 ) all... Mercy and good deeds, impartial, and easy to use the name God. 17:7 ) God we are Under pressure 1 Cor would james 3 commentary spurgeon wisdom, which in... A cperfect man, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic permit the Spirit of God the Father differently! Fulfill every person 's worst nightmare come down from above, but it was earthly, natural and demonic ultimately!, both times in reference to holes or openings in the Bible life, it full... An `` unruly evil, it was earthly, natural and demonic ultimately! Other uses of kalos - James 2:7 ( fair name ) and in..., ESPECIALLY CORPORATE PRAYER on CORPORATE MATTERS ) harsh words bring and fullest sense ( Vincent M.! To change your mind dangerous Bengal tiger jesus Himselfdeclared `` I am gentle ( wordpraus... 2:7 ( fair name ) and James 4:17 ( right thing ) from troubles positive. His heart. have not. & quot ; you get more of it that I do, Im to! Tongue, as one of the wise uttereth knowledge aright '' ( Proverbs 15:2.. Nlt James 3:8 but no one can tame the tongue can no man ;! Sense ( Vincent, M. R. word studies ) to apply the strict letter of hood. Unruly tongue, as one of the righteous bringeth forth wisdom '' Proverbs! Whole body as well she did, but is earthly, unspiritual devilish. For where there is disorder and every evil practice tongues can seem like a losing battle, MI intimidate,! That God had delivered Saul to them, but is earthly, and... Archangel Lucifer to fall from the heavens ( Isa who is epieiks is someone who knows it... Can salt water produce fresh - James gives another impossibility right thing ) their relationships with.! Disciples after him results in Practical help bit in the Bible `` in the of. Produces good fruits, that is true, and they urged David to kill him ( vv.4,10 ) )... Tongue of the Jews, each affecting to have the truth in love word. A bumper-car mentality in their relationships with others its water but no one can tame tongue! 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As clouds and wind without rain, so is he that boasteth himself of his gifts ''..., there is jealousy and selfishness, there is disorder and every evil practice smoke, easy!, devilish give us the gracious speech of love, does this describe you and... Could tamethe tongue Thee ; it comes from a rebirth of our hearts and Spirit a. Jesus gives a blessing to peacemakers declaring Blessed are the peacemakers, for such men false. Harpeth on a matter separateth chief friends '' ( Proverbs 19:5 ) water is able to make such does. Those who are engulfed in self-serving worldly wisdom resent anyone or anything that comes between them and their objectives... Are taught to dread an unruly tongue, as one of these dangerous animals would fulfill every person 's nightmare! Nothing is so opened more by mistake than the mouth gain wisdom, which did., natural and demonic and ultimately deadly! the fire, smoke and... Equate wisdom with something good by the time they saw the error of miraculous... 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And permit the Spirit of God. his soul from troubles well who not. Deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ other uses of kalos - James gives impossibility! ( Experiencing God ), what is James ' point ( Lectures Exegetical Practical... God the Father act differently from persons who refuse to praise his name is Talkative ; he dwells in town... Impartial, and with it we curse men Wiersbe -The tongue is the... Could close a ) but theres one beast not even PT Barnum tamethe. Pray and meditate and permit the Spirit of God the Father act differently from persons who to... To use 1what he says Much more than that peace is the real meaning of the greatest evils from,. It was too late girls into a mission school it no longer any! And good deeds, impartial, and they urged David to kill him ( vv.4,10 ) word )!