James 3:1

My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able to bridle his whole body... Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindles. And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. So is the tongue among our members, that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire of hell. (James 3:1–6)

A small member with enormous power—and a calling so weighty it carries a stricter judgment.

A Word Spoken to Deadly Effect

The story is told that on a snowy January day at the turn of the last century, a crowded passenger train steamed from Chicago to St. Louis. At one stop, a traveler noticed a young mother boarding with two small children. "Please, sir, I need to get off at the city of Beaumont," she said to the conductor. Seeing the conductor so overworked, the passenger approached her: "He's busy. He'll forget. I've ridden this train hundreds of times—I'll make sure you get off at the right place."

Several hours later the train slowed, and the man said, "This is the spot." Thanking him, she gathered her children and stepped out into the blizzard. A half hour passed before the conductor called, "Where is the woman who wanted to get off at Beaumont? It's coming up in five minutes." Horrified, the man said, "Beaumont was the last stop." "No, sir," said the conductor. "The last stop was a water tank in the middle of nowhere." Both men instantly realized the woman and her children had been sent off to their deaths.

The Greater Judgment

James says, "My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation." I have to be honest—I have a hard time with James 3. Not because I disagree with it or fail to understand it, but because there are heavy things here. Years ago, when I first taught the junior high group and chose the book of James, this verse struck me freshly: "knowing that you shall receive the greater judgment." When you begin to teach God's Word, verses take on new weight and speak more loudly.

One thing I've wondered as I've meditated on this passage is: from whom does this greater judgment come? You can make a strong case that it is a judgment from God. You can make a strong case that it is a condemnation from other believers. And you can make a case for a self-judgment. The passage truly speaks on many levels. If you place yourself in a position to direct others—especially in the Word of God—there is an inherent possibility that you will lead someone astray, perhaps through a misunderstanding of a passage. It is not beyond possibility that a pastor can misinterpret something. God understands the sincerity of a teacher's heart, but the desire is that we preach His Word powerfully, not boringly, and in a way that influences us to follow the Lord.

When Teachers Teach Falsely

Some might conclude no one should become a teacher. Not so. James is helping us recognize the reverence due to the office of teaching God's Word. This becomes clear in Acts 15—the book we left to study James, since James fits chronologically before Acts 15.

And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. (Acts 15:1)

Paul and Barnabas were ministering among Gentile believers in Antioch. Teachers came down from Judea carrying a certain air of authority, and the people listened. These teachers said, in effect, "It's wonderful that you believe in Jesus—but unless you are circumcised after the manner of Moses, you cannot be saved." They added to the simplicity of the gospel. Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension with them, and the matter went up to Jerusalem.

This teaching was false. It was not the gracious gospel God intended. Some of these believing Pharisees apparently went into the churches of Galatia and seduced believers away from the simplicity that is in Christ into a works-salvation, which is why Paul had to write the letter to the Galatians.

Jesus said in Matthew 18:6 that whoever offends one of the least of these who believe in Him would be better off having a millstone hung around his neck and being drowned in the depth of the sea. The word "offend" means to lay a stumbling block, to cause someone to fall away. Both Jesus and James want us to recognize that teaching God's Word is a reverent thing.

A Reverent Task, Not a Reverent Man

I don't say that so you'll call me reverend. In fact, I don't want to be called reverend—I view only God as occupying that position. The point is that the office of teaching God's Word is reverent. Whoever does it—Josh, Eric, Richard, or me—is handling the words of eternal life, the gospel of our salvation, the revelation of God. This isn't math or PE class.

Jesus said in Matthew 12:36 that for every idle word men speak, they shall give account in the day of judgment. "Idle" means free from labor. The teacher of God's Word ought not to shun the often intensive labor of study.

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)

Notice Paul does not say "approved unto men," but "approved unto God." At the end of the day, it doesn't matter if you like my message; it matters whether God approves what is spoken. Paul warned Timothy that in the last days people would heap up teachers to tickle their ears. Many preachers today speak primarily to please men. I want to be approved before God, because I will give an account before Him one day. Every one of us will give account of every idle word, but the teacher receives a stricter judgment.

Faithful in the Little Things

Many believers, after being discipled, rightly desire to teach. Paul told Timothy that to desire the office of an elder is a good thing. People come to me and say, "I want to teach"—and that is wonderful. But someone who has not first been a good learner will not be a good teacher.

So we encourage people to step out and help with the cleaning crew, the children's ministry, or setting up for men's ministry. Sometimes that weeds people out, because they say, "I don't want to do that—I want to teach." But if you cannot serve God in what seems trivial, you will not serve Him well in His Word. Being faithful in small things opens doors.

When I began serving here in high school, my service was folding bulletins, helping with the website, and wiring the phones and network for this building—though I had no idea how. When we poured the footings during an El Niño year, my task was kneeling in the footings with sponges to soak up the water. It looked trivial. But faithfulness in the little things is how God opens doors. There's nothing reverent about the one teaching—it's God's Word that is reverent.

Judged by Those Who Hear

There is a second sense of judgment here: the judgment of others. As a teacher, I come under a stricter judgment before you. A pastor speaks a great many words—three services on Sunday, the Bible College, Wednesday night, home fellowships. As I speak God's Word, you sit in the seat of judgment, testing whether my life lives up to what I say.

Last week in James 1 we saw that we are to be doers of the Word and not hearers only. The question you ask as judge is, "Is Pastor Miles a doer of the very things he tells us to do?"

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. (James 1:22)

The hearer who is not a doer deceives himself—often no one else. Everyone else sees the hypocrisy, just as the Pharisees were whitewashed tombs, beautiful outwardly but full of dead men's bones. As Jesus quoted from Isaiah in Mark 7:6, "This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." People can see when your life fails to measure up to your speech.

My Own Worst Critic

And then, thirdly, there is the judgment of myself. I am my worst critic—ask my wife. I love this quote from Charles Spurgeon:

"So precious is Jesus to believers that they cannot speak well enough of him... I make free confession that I never preached a sermon about my Lord which came anywhere near my ideal of his merits. I am always dissatisfied when I have done my very best. I have often wished that I could rush back to the pulpit and try to preach him better... He is so glorious as to be glory itself... Our thoughts of the Lord Jesus Christ are far, far below his worth... When thou findest Christ, take all in that thou canst and pray for an enlarged capacity, for he will never cloy."

There are many times I walk away from teaching and say, "Lord, I don't know if I said anything that made sense." Praise God you still come, because half the time I wonder. I'm thankful that God speaks through earthen vessels. We have this treasure in earthen vessels—but the earthen vessel is not reverend; it's the treasure within it.

Years ago Donovan started preaching in Washington Park and came to me feeling like a failure. I told him, "It would do you well just to stand up and read the book—read John 1, then say, 'Let's pray. In Jesus' name, Amen,' and you're done." Better to give the Word of God than to give your own thoughts if you don't know what to say. There are Sunday mornings where I read a passage and give no commentary, because I'd rather let the Word speak for itself. Each week of teaching makes me more thankful for the grace of God, because I am nothing.

Authority Found Only in His Word

Many Jews coveted the title of rabbi or master as a position of authority. Some today desire the office of pastor or teacher as a place of power. Such a position does imply authority, but it must be an authority based on qualification, not on power. We are not to lord over people. Jesus said, "All authority is given to me," and then sent His disciples to make disciples. Whatever authority the preacher has is found only in God's Word—not in the human person, but in the person of God.

In Many Things We All Offend

For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able to bridle his whole body. (James 3:2)

I appreciate that James lumps himself in: "we offend all." We stumble, make mistakes, sin, and fall. How many of you have stumbled this week? I'll raise both my hands.

The "perfect man" here is not sinless perfection but maturity, the same word as in James 1:4, where patience has its "perfect work" so we may be complete, lacking nothing. That maturity comes from the testing of our faith. God's desire is that we press on toward maturity in Christ. The author of Hebrews rebukes this:

For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. (Hebrews 5:12)

A baby drinking formula at ten months is wonderful; a twenty-year-old drinking formula is a problem. Sadly, many believers across the nation remain unskilled in the word of truth because they have not exercised themselves toward godliness.

Bridling the Tongue, Bridling the Body

In James 1:26, James said that if anyone seems religious but bridles not his tongue, he deceives his own heart, and his religion is vain. Now he applies that bridling to the whole body. If you can bridle your tongue, you can bridle your body—because the tongue is the most unruly member, the hardest to tame. I'm not saying bridling the rest of the flesh becomes easy, but it becomes less difficult than the tongue, which simply flies off; sometimes you don't even know what you just said.

Has anyone ever gotten into trouble with their tongue? Everyone raises their hand—especially if you're married. We can offend without trying and without even realizing it. Someone may come to you a month later, deeply angry over something you said, and you had no idea. Taming the tongue is clearly an issue of maturity in Christ.

Jesus said in Matthew 15:18 that the words proceeding from our mouths come from the heart, and those are the things that defile a man. The heart of man is desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9), but as disciples of Christ we have received a new heart. Jesus told Nicodemus he must be born again—not a new teaching, for Ezekiel 36 promised God's people a new heart by His Spirit. When I became a believer, He gave me a new heart that desires to obey Him. Yet we still carry this flesh. Because words come from the heart, by the power of Christ we can speak things that build up and bless. When we tear down or are a poor witness, it is because we did not yield this member to His government.

Bits, Rudders, and Sparks

Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships... yet are they turned about with a very small helm... Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth. (James 3:3–5)

A small bit turns about a powerful horse, bringing it into submission. A small rudder governs an enormous ship—those massive tankers that make you wonder how they float. In the same way, by the power of God's Spirit we are able to bridle our tongues, even though this small member boasts great things.

The tongue is also a fire. We see this illustration right now as the Station Fire burns in Los Angeles—over 155,000 acres, reportedly started by something small. This little member kindles a great blaze. God created all we see by a word; Jesus cast out demons, healed the sick, and raised the dead by a word; our salvation came by the word—and yet Satan deceived Eve by a word. Fire can be used for good or evil, depending on containment. In your fireplace it's wonderful; in your living room it's a disaster. Contained and tamed by the Spirit of God, the tongue works great things; uncontained, it destroys lives.

Wisdom from the Book of Proverbs

The book of Proverbs has much to say about the tongue, because words are closely connected to wisdom:

In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise. (Proverbs 10:19)

"Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad" (Proverbs 12:25). "A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger" (Proverbs 15:1). "Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones" (Proverbs 16:24). "Death and life are in the power of the tongue" (Proverbs 18:21). "Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles" (Proverbs 21:23).

One of my favorites is Proverbs 17:28: "Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise." Years ago I heard Pastor Chuck say it is better to keep your mouth shut and let everyone think you're a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.

We Cannot Tame It Ourselves

But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. (James 3:8)

It is difficult to admit, but we have no power in ourselves to tame our tongues, because out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. We can mask things—some people have a silver tongue—but spend enough time with them and the heart shows. It's amazing how many public officials get into trouble with their tongues, sounding great in front of everyone, then igniting fires when they think the microphone is off. The tongue is merely the tap of the well of the heart. But if your heart is converted and you yield your tongue as an instrument of righteousness to God, you gain an ability that fallen man does not have.

Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. (James 3:9–10)

We can bless God on Sunday morning and curse men on Sunday afternoon—or even pulling out of the parking lot. "These things ought not so to be." And that "ought not" implies we have the ability, by His Spirit and the new heart, to speak what blesses and builds up. A wicked heart is exposed in words; so is a heart made new—it becomes a witness to Him.

Earthly Wisdom Versus Heavenly Wisdom

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. (James 3:13)

The word "wise"—sophos—was a title the Jews applied to a scribe or rabbi. You may consider yourself wise and full of knowledge; many people study and come across as wise. But James says: let it show in your good conduct. Don't be excellent only in word, but in deed. We live in a nation that bows to people who speak well, but we must ask whether their conduct supports their words.

But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. (James 3:14–15)

What does it matter if someone speaks well while his heart is filled with envy and strife? Don't pull a mask over your face and excuse it. I remember a president in the late 1990s saying his public life and private life didn't need to be consistent. It grieved me when, in a more recent campaign, a candidate said the same thing—"My private life and public life don't need to meld; I'm a good leader." This is earthly wisdom: focused on the temporal, sensual (belonging to the breath, to the earth), and demonic. It is the wisdom of Eve in Genesis 3:6, who saw the tree was good for food, pleasant to the eyes, and able to make one wise.

The Marks of the Wisdom from Above

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. (James 3:17)

This wisdom is pure—free from carnality and the desires of this world. It is peaceable—seeking to live at peace with others, for our God is a God of peace; as Paul says, "As much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men." It is gentle, and easy to be entreated—willing to yield, not stubborn or obstinate. Think of two lanes merging onto the freeway: are you willing to yield, or do you slam the gas to beat the other driver?

It is full of mercy, as God is, ready to pass by a transgression and grant forgiveness (Exodus 34:6). It is full of good fruits—the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance—fruits that witness to Him, that men may see our good works and glorify our Father (Matthew 5:16). It is without partiality, the very thing James condemned earlier when believers favored the rich man over the poor; God's counsel is clear, with no ambiguity, even when our world insists everything is gray and truth changes from Tuesday to Thursday.

Without Hypocrisy

Finally, the wisdom from God is without hypocrisy. One filled with heavenly wisdom is not an actor; they have integrity and are the same wherever they go—not one person at church, another at work, another at home. This doesn't mean we don't contextualize the gospel. Paul became as a Greek to the Greeks and as a Jew to the Jews; in Athens he framed the gospel so they could understand it culturally. But his character never changed. That is not hypocrisy.

The word "hypocrite" refers to the actors of Greek tragedies, who held large masks before their faces to change their appearance. Some people are like chameleons, completely different wherever they go. On nationwide news today, the mask that once worked in one community no longer works—yet one filled with heavenly wisdom recognizes, "I'm just a wretch, whether at church or at work; I'm nothing without God." God desires truth in the inward parts. The Pharisees were hypocrites, and Jesus said "woe" to them repeatedly in Matthew 23. May we never be modern-day Pharisees.

And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. (James 3:18)

How we desire to have the fruit of righteousness in abundance in our lives, that when the Lord looks at us He may say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant." The person walking in hypocrisy is self-deceived—deceiving no one else. May we walk, talk, and live in truth, because God has given us strength by His Spirit and a new heart to bridle our tongues and to speak the things that bless and build up.

Closing Prayer

Father, I thank You for this passage of Scripture. Though it is a challenge and an exhortation, I pray that we would be able, by Your Spirit, to apply it. When we are tempted to let our tongues loose, would You remind us by the gentle nudge of Your Spirit to bring every thought captive to Your obedience, to confess whatever sin we have done, and to recognize that You hold forgiveness for us, yet also desire to sanctify and cleanse us. Thank You, Lord, for Your cleansing Word. Help us not to soon forget it as we go from here. We ask in Jesus' name, Amen.