The Use and Misuse of the Tongue

Reading

James 3: 1-12.

Laying the Foundations

I would like to begin by taking a look at the wider setting of the use of the tongue by looking at it in the context of the history of redemption. In the story of the creation, fall and redemption of man, we have the creation, fall and redemption of his tongue.

Turn to Genesis 3.

In the Beginning…

In the beginning God created the universe and all that He created was good. The climax of this work was the creation of the being called man. Man was the most special of all his creatures because man, unlike the plants and animals, was created in the image of God. All of those attributes of God that could be communicated to another being were found in man. One of these attributes was love.

God in His three persons was able to love Himself from all eternity. God is infinite, eternal and unchangeable in all His and this includes love. For God is love (1 John 4:8), that is love is intrinsic to God and God is the source and standard of all love. Man created in the image of God was also blessed with this attribute of God and so in the beginning man was created to love even as a God loved. Man was created perfect or good, even as God is good – but there was something missing…

Then the LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make a helper corresponding to him.” (Genesis 2:18) Man needed to relate to one of his own kind. This is the will of God. Man loved his wife and she in turn loved him – and it was good.

Thus man was created to relate to others of his own kind, but more than that. Man was created as an intelligent, relational being (again in the image of God) to relate intelligently with three entities:

1. the living and true God

2. the rest of mankind, and

3. the rest of creation.

There are four ways in which man relates:

1. by his feelings

2. by his thoughts

3. by his words, and

4. by his actions.

In all of these areas and with God, mankind and creation, he related in love. Tonight we will be looking at the third area – his words, or the use of his tongue. In the beginning, man was created to worship God with his tongue, to love his wife (and the rest of mankind) with his tongue and to relate to creation with his tongue in a loving manner (e.g. he didn’t say, “Burn that forest down!”). So in the beginning, the tongue was to be a tool of love – in the beginning…

Note: do we speak with a motive of love? Read 1 Corinthians 13, especially vv. 4-8a.

The Fall of the Tongue

The serpent came along and spoilt things. He had wee word in the woman’s ear: “Indeed, has God said…?” “…any tree…?” “You surely shall not die.” “…you will be like God…” God and man communicated love, purity and truth. The devil communicated doubt, deceit, suggestion, innuendo, pride, rebellion and downright lies. However, the woman listened despite the filth. She should have shunned him immediately, but she listened.

Note: it matters what we listen to as well as what we say. Let us shun the communications of the world, the flesh and the Devil.

She not only listened to the Devil, she believed what he said. She believed his slander and judged God. She treated God as unfaithful and the Devil as her friend. She had no reason not to believe the word of God. He was faithful and He would continue to be faithful.

Note: do we listen to slander, rumour, gossip and suspicion? Do we believe such things without good reason? “[Love] believes all things, hopes all things…” (1 Corinthians 13: 7) Worse than that, do we communicate such things to others?

Note: those who slander others and abuse others using their tongue with the excuse of looking after our interest, actually act in our worst interest.

Believing the devil, instead of the Faithful One, she ate the forbidden fruit and fell from the state of purity and perfection, into a state of sin and misery. The first effect of this fall in her nature was to cause her to use her tongue to rebel against God, and deceive the man and thus kill him. Adam was swayed by his wife’s words.

Note: those dear to us can cause us to disobey God by seducing us with their tongues.

The man and his wife were now rebels against God. They tried to hide their sin, but God uncovered their nakedness in His sight. What did the man do? Did he confess his sin and repent? No, he blamed his wife with his tongue. Instead of using his tongue to protect his wife in love, he condemned her to die.

Note: are we unfaithful to our friends in the use of our tongue? Our do we use our tongue to protect and love them? Are we prepared to say we’re wrong, or do we try to deny the truth?

Man had fallen, he now use his tongue with hatred. He, and his wife, tempted, lied, slandered and assaulted one another with their tongues. Instead of worshipping God by confessing the truth, they made God a liar.

The tongue was originally an instrument of righteousness, but they had made it an instrument of unrighteousness.

The Redemption of the Tongue

God in his love and mercy did not leave “mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery.” In his abundant grace, He sent His only begotten Son to deliver His people from their sins. He came to buy us back, not just our souls, but our bodies as well. He came to restore the image of God in us. To restore us to love and to heal the broken relationships of man with God, with his neighbour and with creation. God created man in His own image, He now re-created the man so that he may bare His image in all its perfection again and, indeed with a greater glory (1 Corinthians 13: 35-49; 2 Corinthians 5: 17).

The Devil had worked to destroy man, but Christ came to destroy the works of the Devil. How does he accomplish this with regard to our tongue? He has sent His Spirit to sanctify us and set us aside as holy. His Spirit is at work in us now, purifying our hearts and thus purifying our tongues. He uses His word to sanctify also. When we die our souls shall be freed from sin and on the last day he shall raise up our bodies, including our tongues, and so the whole man, body and spirit, shall be redeemed.

But what has he redeemed our tongues for? He has redeemed our tongues that we may love our God and our neighbour. He came to remove the abuses of our tongue and to give it back its proper use. No longer should we use our tongues to communicate the wickedness of our hearts to God and to man. Now it should be used to worship God and glorify him in the sight of men, and it should be used for the physical, emotional and spiritual good of our neighbour.

Some Warnings

The Tongue is an Indicator

The tongue indicates the state of our religion.

‘If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless.’ (James 1: 26)

If we are living a godly life, we will increasingly use our tongue for good and cease to use it for evil. Are we bridling our tongue?

The tongue indicates the state of our heart.

‘“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. “You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. “The good man out of his good treasure brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings forth what is evil. “And I say to you, that every careless word that men shall speak, they shall render account for it in the day of judgement. “For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned.”’ (Matthew 12:33-37)

E.g., if our hearts are full of love we will not rejoice in unrighteousness, but will rejoice in the truth. (1 Corinthians 13: 6) If we would have a change of tongue, we must have a change of heart. The tongue mere reflects the affections of the heart.

The Tongue is Powerful

Now if we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they may obey us, we direct their entire body as well. Behold, the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a small rudder, wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. Behold, how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed, and has been tamed by the human race. But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. (James 3: 3-8)

Let us be watchful of our tongues and seek to bridle it for, if let loose, it will surely seek to overthrow us. It can set our life on fire and damn us to hell.

Questions for Discussion

These questions are for all of us to discuss. They are not there for me to give you all the answers – I don’t have them all!

1. In what ways can we use our tongues in love?

2. In what ways can we abuse our tongues?

3. Is joking wrong?

4. What is gossip (as opposed to good news)?

5. What should we say about others?

6. What rules should we apply to the use of our tongue?

7. In what manner should we use our tongue?

8. How may we bridle our tongue?

Some Notes

· It is important what we listen to, as well as what we say.

· It important how we respond to what others say.

· What can be said about the tongue can equally be applied to our use of the pen.

· For a change in our speech we need a change in our heart.

Bibliography

1. Thomas Watson, The Tongue, a World of Iniquity, in A Plea for the Godly and Other Sermons by Thomas Watson, Soli Deo Gloria.

2. Simo Ralevic, The Tongue – Our Measure, Banner of Truth.

3. Ralph Venning, The Sinfulness of Sin, Section Four: 4. (4) 2, Banner of Truth.

4. I. D. E. Thomas, A Puritan Golden Treasury, Article: “Tongue”, Banner of Truth.

5. Matthew Henry, A Topical Index of Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, Article: “Tongue”, Evangelical Press.

6. Gordon J. Keddie, The Practical Christian (James), Welwyn Commentary Series, Evangelical Press.

7. Stephen Voorwinde, Wisdom for Today’s Issues: A Topical Arrangement of The Proverbs, Presbyterian and Reformed.

8. D. B. Knox, Not By Bread Alone, Banner of Truth.