1. The first characteristic of a test-failing tongue is that it is condemning. (1-2)
2. The second characteristic of a test-failing tongue is that it is controlling (3-5a)
3. The third characteristic of a test-failing tongue is that it is consuming (5b-6)
4. The fourth characteristic of a test-failing tongue is that it is corrupting (7-8)
5. The fifth characteristic of a test-failing tongue is that it is compromising (9-12)
JAMES 3:8
At 29:45 past 5 AM on July 16, 1945, something spectacular happened. In northern New Mexico, the still dark early morning sky became as bright as the noonday sun. In that one blinding flash, the Atomic Age had begun. The atomic fireball shot upwards at 360 feet per second. First pulsating orange, then bright red, then dark red, then black and rolling. The characteristic mushroom cloud formed at 30,000 feet. All that remained on the ground at the blast site were chunks of green radioactive glass that had been created by the incredible heat of the explosion. What power. What awesome, unbelievably destructive power was unleashed that day. Just 21 days later, that horribly destructive power was brought to bear on our enemy as one of our B29 Superfortress bombers dropped an atomic bomb named “Little Boy” on Hiroshima, Japan. As he looked down at the explosion, Robert Lewis, the co-pilot of the Enola Gay said, “What have we done?” On December 20, 1951, something else spectacular happened. In Arco, Idaho, the still dark sky was brightened with light as well. Not nearly as bright as the New Mexico sky was 6 years before. But it was brightened just the same. It was brightened by light bulbs powered by the first electricity produced from nuclear energy. Today, 1/5 of America’s electricity comes from nuclear energy. Electricity that powers homes, businesses, schools, hospitals and churches. The uranium that is used in the nuclear reactor that produces that electricity, is the same uranium that is used in the atomic bomb. The exact same science is used in the reactor and the bomb. The exact same atoms and electrons and reactions and physics are used in each. So what’s the difference? It’s how they’re used. When used one way, atomic energy produces tremendous good. But when used another way, it produces the most terrible destruction imaginable. In our passage this morning, James talks about another extremely powerful object—the tongue. Like atomic energy, the tongue is capable of wonderfully beneficial things. But it is also capable of some of the most destructive things you can imagine. That’s why it is such an accurate test of our faith. An object as powerful as the tongue can only be controlled by the most powerful being in the universe—the Holy Spirit of God. When left to our control, the results can only be disastrous. On more than one occasion, Jesus said that what is in a person’s heart inevitably comes out of his mouth. Just like water flowing from a well, the words that come out of your mouth accurately reveal the purity of the source. If the source is the Holy Spirit, the words will be pure. If the source is a sinful heart—they will be impure. Understanding that, it only makes sense that James would make the “tongue test” one of his tests of true faith. Over the last few weeks, we have seen that if your faith is genuine, you will pass the Bible test, the preference test, and the works test. This fourth test is one of the most challenging. But it’s also one of the most revealing. This morning, I want each of us to display genuine faith by passing the tongue test. I want us to allow the Holy Spirit to harness the tremendous power of our tongues. Like the other tests James lists, we can’t pass this one alone. The only way we can pass the tongue test is by our active submission to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. And the only way that happens is by God’s grace through our faith. In order for us to display genuine faith by passing the tongue test, James shows us the opposite. He shows us what a test-failing tongue looks like. He shows us five characteristics of a test-failing tongue. The first characteristic of a test-failing tongue is that it is condemning. Look with me at verses 1-2:
JAMES 3:1-2
A test-failing tongue is condemning. A lot of people like to pull out this verse when the nominating committee is going around looking for new Sunday School teachers. It is true that when James uses the word masters here, he’s talking about teachers. But is he really saying that we should shy away from being teachers? If you pull the verse out of its context, you might think that. But that’s the only way that interpretation would make sense. In its context, what James is saying is that by nature, our tongue condemns us—all of us. I want you to picture a teacher in your mind. What does that picture look like? My picture looks like Miss Mayfield—my 6th grade teacher. She immediately comes to mind as the prototype of what a teacher is supposed to be. But who did I learn more from, Miss Mayfield or my parents? Miss Mayfield or my grandparents? Miss Mayfield or the boys I hung around with? Miss Mayfield or Pastor Jerry Polk or my Sunday School teachers or the parents and kids of Boyd Avenue Baptist Church where I publicly professed faith in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior? The point is, Miss Mayfield carried the title “teacher”. And in sixth grade, if you had asked me who my teacher was, I would’ve said, “Miss Mayfield.” But there were a whole lot more teachers in my life than just her. And there were a whole lot more influential teachers in my life than just her. Only a very few teachers actually carry the title of teacher. Whether you like it or not—you’re a teacher. Somebody in life is paying attention to the way you live yours. Somebody is paying attention to the words you use. A little boy was leaving church one Sunday morning when he slipped a dollar bill into the pastor’s hand. The pastor looked at him confused and asked him, “What’s that for?” The little boy looked up at him and said, “Cuz I felt sorry for you and want to help you out.” That confused him even more, so he asked, “Why do you feel you need to help me out?” Then the boy said, “Cuz my daddy says you’re the poorest preacher he’s ever heard.” Most of us would be surprised at the lessons we teach with our tongues. Are the lessons you teach uplifting and encouraging? Or are they offensive and condemning? James says that because we teach with our tongues, we’re responsible for those lessons. And when those lessons are offensive—we will receive greater condemnation. The greater the influence, the greater the condemnation. If by the words you use, people are not pointed to Christ, they will be pointed to condemnation. That’s the test. Does your tongue lead people to Christ or to condemnation? There’s really no in between. A test-passing tongue leads people to Christ. A test-failing tongue is condemning. But not only is a test-failing tongue condemning, it is also controlling. Look at verses 3-5a:
JAMES 3:3-5a
A test-failing tongue is controlling. Here goes James the great teaching preacher. What vivid, wonderful illustrations he uses to get his point across. A 5 lb. bit and bridle controlling a 1500 lb. animal. A small piece of wood controlling a large ship driven by the huge winds of nature. Then he compares the tongue to those small things that control huge things. Is that really true of the tongue? The average weight of the human tongue is less than 3 ounces. But what can it control? What did Adolph Hitler’s tongue control? What does Osama Bin Laden’s tongue control? Yes, that little 3 ounce piece of meat can control unbelievable things. But is that what it’s for? Did God give us the gift of speech to control others? To manipulate people? To answer that, maybe we need to figure out what it means to manipulate someone. Manipulation is different than leading or teaching or even guiding. Manipulation is rooted in selfishness. Manipulation is doing what it takes to get people to do what you want them to do. Sometimes it involves playing on their emotions. “If you loved me you would…” Sometimes it involves bribery. Sometimes it involves intimidation. Sometimes it even goes to the extent of emotional blackmail. “If you don’t do what I want, I’m going to leave you, or run away, or kill myself…” That’s manipulation. That’s using your tongue as an instrument of control. Using your tongue for manipulation reduces people to chess pieces to be controlled instead of seeing them as people to be cared for. So, if I can’t use my tongue to manipulate, how can I get people to do what I want them to? That’s the point. Life isn’t about getting our way. God didn’t put us here to try to control each other. He put us here to allow Him to control us. If I try to manipulate your emotions to get you to follow God, that’s wrong. It’s the Holy Spirit’s job to draw you. It’s our job to preach and teach and live the Word of God. Romans 10:17 says, “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” Faith doesn’t come by manipulating people’s emotions. Faith doesn’t come by playing on their fears. Faith doesn’t come by bribing people. It comes by the faithful teaching, preaching, and living out of God’s Word in our lives. Is your tongue under God’s control? Or do you use your tongue to put people under your control? A test-passing tongue points people to God’s control. A test-failing tongue is controlling. A test-failing tongue is condemning, controlling and consuming. Look at verses 5b-6.
JAMES 3:5b-6
A test-failing tongue is consuming. When we were first married, I was a volunteer fire-fighter for a while. The real firefighters didn’t have much confidence in us. About the only things they would let us do was service the trucks and fight brushfires. Structure fires and flightline fires were strictly off-limits. One time they sent us out to put out a small little brushfire. We were way out from any water source, so they put these water backpacks on us. They were like the kids use as super soakers now. But here we were with these water backpacks, going out to fight this little bitty brushfire. Overkill, right? Wrong. It is a scary thing when you are facing a small fire with little more than a water pistol and the wind shifts. That happened to me. The wind shifted and within seconds, I was surrounded by fire. It had gone from a little bitty brush fire to the entire field in just seconds. Fortunately I used my little water pistol to cut a path back to the main road and get out of there. But once that fire had gotten to that point, all we could do was let it burn. And when it finally burned itself out, all that was left was a smoldering path of destruction. That’s what James compares the tongue to. So, how is the tongue like that? “Hey, did you hear about so-and-so?” Spark. “No, what did you hear?” Kindling. “Well, so-and-so said that….” Fire. It might be a little fire, but what does verse 5 say? “Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!” I have seen lives destroyed by idle talk. I have seen homes destroyed by idle talk. I have seen churches destroyed by idle talk. And so have you. How do you prevent it? Extinguish the spark. “Did you hear about so-and-so?” When you hear that, ask yourself four questions. Is the subject verified as being true or is it just a rumor? Does the person being talked about know they’re being talked about? Is your conversation for their benefit or just your curiosity? Does continuing the conversation glorify Christ or does it just tickle your ears? A test-passing tongue puts out fires rather than starts them. A test-failing tongue is consuming just like a wildfire is consuming. Not only is at test-failing tongue consuming, it is also corrupting. Look at verses 7-8:
JAMES 3:7-8
A test-failing tongue is corrupting. Have you ever spent time around people who use foul language a lot? It’s amazing how that can seep into your head. The first thing that happens is you start to become numb to it. I remember years ago when I built antennas and installed communication systems, we had some pretty rough guys on our teams. I don’t know what it is about dirt and heavy equipment that makes men feel like they need to use foul language. But that was the case with our guys. And being around that all the time makes you numb to it. Not only does it make you numb to it. It begins to creep into your thoughts. And it can even leak out during emotional moments. It corrupts. What happens if you screw a rusty nut onto a new bolt? The corruption of rust spreads to the bolt. Then both of them are corrupt. And when the rust sets in, you can’t tell the two of them apart. That’s one way that the tongue can be corrupting. But it’s not the worst way. Even though foul language is corrupting, it’s not the most corrupting language. The most corrupting language is the kind of language that bites. The kind of language that hurts. The kind that rips open the heart of the one it is aimed at. James says it’s poison. The Psalmist described this kind of corrupting speech like this. In Psalm 52:2-4, he wrote, “Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah. Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue.” Words that devour. Words that cut like a sharp razor. Do you ever use words like those? Does your sarcasm bite like a serpent? Does your cynicism bore its fangs into your prey? Do you inject the poison of criticism into your spouse? Into your kids? Into your family? Into your friends? Into your church? Is having a corrupting tongue really that big of a deal? I mean, it might be something I need to work on, but is it really that bad? Listen to what the Psalmist went on to say. In verse 5 he follows up by saying, “God shall likewise destroy thee for ever. He shall take thee away and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place and root the out of the land of the living.” Is it a big deal? God thinks so. He compares a corrupting tongue to deadly poison and He won’t put up with it. A test-passing tongue loves and heals and speaks kindly. It teaches and exhorts and encourages. It spreads blessing—not corruption. A test-failing tongue is corrupting. It is condemning, controlling, consuming, and corrupting. A test-failing tongue is also compromising. Look at verses 9-12:
JAMES 3:9-12
A test-failing tongue is compromising. A lady asked the man working in the grocery store produce department if she could buy a half a head of lettuce. He looked at her like she was crazy. “Half a head—God grows them as whole heads. That’s how we sell them.” But she insisted, so he went to ask the manager. When he got to where the manager was, he said, “You won’t believe what happened. Back in produce there is this crazy old battleaxe who wants to buy half a head of lettuce.” The manager flushed and pointed to the lady who had apparently followed him and was standing behind him. Without missing a beat, the produce man said, “And this nice lady wants to know if she can have the other half.” I don’t know what it is about us, but most of us are politicians or salesmen at heart. We always want to word things so that we come out looking the best. It’s been that way since the fall. Do you remember what Adam did when God asked him if he had eaten the forbidden fruit? He deflected. As a matter of fact, he double deflected. He said, “It was that woman. It’s all her fault.” But that wasn’t good enough for Adam. Because he knew that God had made him responsible for her. So he deflected again. He said, “It was that woman that YOU gave me.” If you’d have never made that woman, I would have never eaten that fruit.” What was he doing? He was being a politician. He was trying to word things in such a way as to make him look the best. But what happens when you do that? You end up bringing others down to make yourself look good. Instead of protecting her and loving her like he should have, Adam brought his wife down to make him look better. And instead of repenting before a holy God, he tried to cast blame on Him. He tried to make it out to be God’s fault in order to make himself look better. Adam compromised his responsibility for his wife by blaming her. And he compromised the integrity of God by blaming Him. All to make himself look better. So why do blessings and cursings both come from the same mouth? Why would a person bow their head for grace at the restaurant and then turn right around and cuss the waiter for messing up your order? Why? Because you think it makes you look good. I’ll look good before God if I say nice things about Him or act like I’m praying to Him. That’ll make me look good and maybe it’ll get me some bennies later on. But I can’t have that waiter making me look bad. I’ll show him a thing or two—I’ll show him who’s boss. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Can the same mouth sing, “We are one in the bond of love.” And an hour later run the Sunday school teacher or the deacon or the AWANA worker or the committee member through the wringer for offending you? My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Can the same mouth pray, “God send us revival.” And then rant and rave about the style or the format or the facilities or the timing or the whatever? A test-passing tongue doesn’t compromise your relationship with other people. A test-passing tongue doesn’t compromise the integrity of God. It doesn’t word things to always make you look best. It words things in such a way as to show love to other people and give glory to God. A test-failing tongue is compromising.
James started our passage off by indicating that we are all teachers whether we want to be or not. What lessons are you teaching with your tongue? Are you condemning with your tongue? Are you teaching people the ways of God with your tongue or are you pointing them to condemnation? Do you use your tongue to try to control people? Are you a manipulator? Trying to move people around like chess pieces around instead of moving people toward God. Is your tongue a consuming fire? Do you light the fires of gossip, slander and idle talk? Or do you just fan the flames? Is your tongue corrupting like poison? Does your language glorify God or sound like the sewer? Does it poison those around you with criticism and cynicism and cutting words? Do you have a compromising tongue? Do you try to have praises for God and cursings for people come out of the same mouth? Does your speech compromise God and others in order to make you look good? Those are the questions on this test of faith. And they’re hard questions. But God’s grace is sufficient. Struggle in an area doesn’t mean you’ve failed the test. It means that by God’s grace you’re allowing Him to work on you. But if you’re not struggling—then you’ve got a problem. Have you come to a place in your life this morning when you think you’ve failed the tongue test and you’ve quit struggling? This morning, you need to get back into the battle. Recommit yourself to honoring the Lord in every area of your life—including your tongue. Maybe this tongue test has shown you that you never have really trusted Jesus as your Lord and Savior at all. Maybe you thought you could have Him as your Savior without Him being your Lord. But these tests in James have shown you that’s not possible. Jesus won’t be your Savior without being your Lord. The good news is, He’ll be both for you today. All you have to do is ask Him. Trust Him. Believe Him. What’s the first step to passing the tongue test? Romans 10:9 tells us: “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Take that first step today.
