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All right, you can turn to the 
book of James, James chapter 1. This is technically part two 
of our study in the ninth commandment, which is Exodus chapter 20 and 
verse 16, you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. Thought we'd focus on James 1 
26 though and put this commandment in a practical sort of a church 
context. So I'll read the chapter and 
then we'll focus in on verse 26 in light of the ninth commandment. So beginning in verse one, James, 
a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. To the 12 
tribes which are scattered abroad, greetings. My brethren, count 
it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that 
the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have 
its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking 
nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let 
him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, 
and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith with 
no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven 
and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose 
that he will receive anything from the Lord. He is a double-minded 
man, unstable in all his ways. Let the lowly brother glory in 
his exaltation, but the rich in his humiliation, because as 
a flower of the field he will pass away. For no sooner has 
the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass. 
Its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich 
man also will fade away in his pursuits. Blessed is the man 
who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will 
receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those 
who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, 
I am tempted by God. For God cannot be tempted by 
evil, nor does he himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted 
when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, 
when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin. And sin, 
when it is full grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, 
my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect 
gift is from above, and comes from or comes down from the Father 
of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. 
Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that 
we might be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. So then, my 
beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, 
slow to wrath, for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness 
of God. Therefore, lay aside all filthiness 
and overflow of wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted 
word which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word 
and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is 
a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing 
his natural face in a mirror. For he observes himself, goes 
away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But 
he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues 
in it, and is not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, 
this one will be blessed in what he does. If anyone among you 
thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue, but deceives 
his own heart, this one's religion is useless. Pure and undefiled 
religion before God and the Father is this. to visit orphans and 
widows in their trouble and to keep oneself unspotted from the 
world. Amen. So remember, the second 
table of the law is summarized in Leviticus 19, 18. It says 
you shall love your neighbor as yourself. And in the second 
table, you have a commandment that protects the life of the 
individual, protects marriage, protects property. And then it 
moves from those actions to words and then to thoughts. So the 
ninth commandment deals with our tongue. and the 10th commandment 
deals with our minds. The last two move from action 
to word and thought and forbid false witness and covetousness. So last time we looked at the 
prohibition of the command and there are several things that 
are condemned or prohibited by the command. First of all, the 
act of perjury. Second, lying in general. Third 
was backbiting and slander. Fourth, gossip and tailbearing. 
And then the last one was the twofold manner of committing 
these sins. So it's not only a matter of using the tongue 
improperly, but listening to others who use the tongue improperly 
as well. Just like we wouldn't witness 
them commit the act of adultery, we shouldn't witness them commit 
the act of gossip or slander or backbiting or that sort of 
a thing. So tonight, as I said, we'll 
locate this particular command or this prohibition or this general 
idea in the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ in something that 
does tend to affect all of us. We don't have perfect control 
over our tongues. And so James 1.26 is a wonderful 
corrective. And in this particular section, 
In James, he highlights the necessity to receive the Word of God in 
verses 21 to 25. That involves obedience, verse 
22. It's illustrated by the man who 
forgets what he looks like in verses 23 and 24, and by the 
man who continues in the perfect law of liberty in verse 25. And 
then verses 26 and 27 give a demonstration of a doer of the word, one who 
receives that one word, one who's affected by it, one who internalizes 
it, and then one who lives in light of it. One man says that 
1.26 and 27 is a succinct threefold characterization of authentic 
religion. Such religion involves measured 
speech, requires social action, and entails separation from the 
world. It is the antithesis of sham 
religion that fails to control the tongue, shuns unfortunates, 
and assimilates itself to the world." Now, the three things 
indicated in 26 and 27 do not exhaust the scope of Christian 
ethics. Rather, they are simply demonstrative 
of what a doer of the word looks like. He bridles his tongue. 
He's about the widows and orphans, and he's about keeping himself 
unspotted from the world. So it's a representative list 
of what it looks like to be a doer of the Word. So let's focus in 
on verse 26. Notice in the first place the 
description of the person. It says, if anyone among you, 
so the among you indicates that it's somebody in the context 
of the local church. He's not dealing with a pagan. 
He's not dealing with a heathen. He's not dealing with those outside 
of the church. He is dealing with one that is 
in the context of the local church. So if anyone among you, then 
notice thinks he is religious. So again, this is somebody who 
professes faith in Christ. He professes the true religion. And we know that there is a connection 
between the tongue and the heart, for Jesus tells us as much. He 
says in Matthew 12 at verse 34, for out of the abundance of the 
heart, the mouth speaks. And that is also emphasized in 
Matthew chapter 15. So this, if anyone among you 
thinks he is religious, so there's this concept that this person 
has about him or herself, and as well, they profess the faith 
in the true and living God. And with reference to these sins 
of the tongue, Calvin makes the obvious observation. He says, 
it was indeed needful that this vice should be condemned. when the subject was the keeping 
of the law. For they who have put off the 
grosser vices are especially subject to this disease. He who 
is neither an adulterer, nor a thief, nor a drunkard, but 
on the contrary, seems brilliant with some outward show of sanctity, 
will set himself off by defaming others, and this under the pretense 
of zeal, but really through the lust of slandering. So you may 
cross the T's and dot the I's when it comes to adultery, when 
it comes to murder, when it comes to those second table offenses 
that we would shun and have nothing to do with. But there are precious 
few who can say, I have managed successfully to tame the tongue. 
James deals with that here in James chapter 1. He'll deal with 
it at length in James chapter 3 as well. It is certainly something 
that plagues the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, and it's something 
that we ought to give attention to. There is a tendency to prioritize 
sin. We think of adultery, we think 
of murder, and we think, oh no, we would never engage in that. But we don't have that same sort 
of a horrific recoil when it comes to the sins of the tongue, 
or when it comes to the sins of the ear that listen to the 
sins of the tongue of somebody else. We prioritize sin. There's 
some acceptable sins, as Jerry Bridges wrote in a book several 
years ago. I think the name of the book 
is that, Acceptable Sins. Again, we are horrified at the 
thought of adultery, but gossip goes on unchecked in the churches, 
slander goes on unchecked in the churches. There's this mindset 
that that's not quite as bad. The tendency to recognize, or 
rather ignore, danger when only gossip and slander are engaged 
in. Well, you know, everybody does 
that. Everybody's challenged by that. It's not that big of 
a deal. Well, it is enough of a big of 
a deal to call upon God to issue a particular commandment to regulate 
the sins of the tongue. And then we have, as we looked 
at last week, many examples in the Old Testament of sins prohibited 
in the Ninth Commandment. And then the fact that James 
deals with this, Paul deals with this, Peter deals with this, 
Jesus in his earthly ministry deals with this. The obvious 
implication is that we need to deal with this as well. We need 
to take this seriously. So the description of the person, 
he is a professing Christian, he professes the true religion, 
he's in the context of the local church. Now notice the specific 
identification of his problem. It says, if anyone among you 
thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue, but deceives 
his own heart, this one's religion is useless. Notice the metaphor, 
he needs to bridle his tongue. Turn over to James chapter 3. 
James 3, verse 1, My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, 
knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. For we all 
stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in 
word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. 
Indeed, we put bits in horses' mouths, that they may obey us, 
and we turn their whole body. The same metaphor is employed 
in the Psalms, in Psalm 32 at verse nine, and then Psalm 39, 
verses one to two. So the obvious point is this, 
if you think you are, or you say you are religious, you need 
to have in your mindset, not only a desire to stay away from 
the adulterous's bed, not only to stay away from murdering your 
neighbor because he upset you, but you need to stay away from 
the sins of the tongue. You need to bridle the tongue. 
There is an emphasis on that throughout this particular epistle. 
Alec Motier says, James does not call us to a silenced tongue. See, that would be the obvious 
answer. I'll just never open my mouth again. I don't think 
that's possible, but that might be the tendency that some would 
employ. If the tongue is so difficult 
to tame, if it's an unruly evil that no man can tame, well, then 
I'll just shut my mouth and I'll conduct myself in silence until 
I go to heaven. Motier says, Pretty powerful imagery that 
is employed by James. If this wasn't that big of a 
deal, it doesn't seem to be the case with James. He treats it 
as if it is a big deal. And if you think about the context 
of James, what is James about in terms of his main concern? He is dealing with people that 
have professed faith in Jesus Christ, but they're not living 
in light of that profession. James has been understood as 
teaching faith plus works, specifically with reference to chapter 2 and 
verse 26. But James is not teaching faith 
plus works in order to be saved. James is teaching salvation by 
grace alone, look at 118, of His own will. He brought us forth 
by the word of truth. By faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, 
chapter 2, verse 1, my brethren do not hold the faith of our 
Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. He affirms 
with Paul grace through faith in Christ, salvation, or justification. But what James is doing is what 
Paul does in Ephesians 2, 10. So in verses 8 and 9, he highlights 
that salvation is by grace, it's not by works, it's a gift from 
God. And then he says, for we are 
His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God 
prepared beforehand that we should walk in that. So the Apostle 
Paul emphasizes salvation by grace and then consequent to 
that there will be works, there will be activity, there will 
be conduct that is consonant with a profession of faith in 
Jesus Christ. That's what James is doing in 
James chapter 2. Look at James 2 specifically 
at verse 14. What does it profit, my brethren, 
if someone says he has faith, but does not have works? When 
he says, can faith save him? It's probably best to understand 
that statement as, can that faith save him? What does it profit, 
my brethren, if someone says he has faith, but does not have 
works? Can that faith save him? Well, 
no, because it's not a true, genuine faith. In Confession 
of Faith, Chapter 11, Paragraph 2, the instrument for justification 
is faith alone. But faith does not remain alone, 
but it's always accompanied by every other saving grace. And 
then notice in verse 18, he says, show me your faith without your 
works, and I will show you my faith by my works. And then over 
at verse 22, do you see that faith was working? And then verse 
24, you see that a man is justified by works. He is not talking about 
faith plus works in order to be saved. He is dealing with 
a people that have professed faith in Jesus Christ, but they 
have no demonstrable fruit. And so when we go back to James 
1 at verse 26, and when we continue in James 3, we'll see that one 
of the identifying marks of the genuinely converted sinner is 
that he controls his tongue, is that he tames his tongue. 
He's not given to lying. He's not given to perjury. He's 
not given. to gossip and to slander and to whispering. It's not given 
to those sorts of things. Is there remaining corruption? 
Absolutely. There's always remaining corruption. 
None of us are perfect. James says as much in verse 2 
of chapter 3, for we all stumble in many things. If anyone does 
not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, also able to bridle the 
whole body. James knows that's not the case. 
There are those, all of us, that have that remaining corruption. 
The point is, it ought not to be reigning corruption. So if 
anyone among you thinks he is religious and does not bridle 
his tongue. Now the particular focus there 
is on the bridling of his tongue. His job isn't to bridle the tongue 
of everybody around him. This guy actually might be the 
bridler of other tongues. He might not bridle his own tongue, 
but he's so fastidious, and he's so godly, and he's so wonderful, 
he's going to bridle your tongue. He's gonna call you into check. 
He's gonna make sure that you're under control. But see, that's 
not the emphasis in the text. We're supposed to bridle our 
own tongue. Your job isn't to bridle the 
tongue of other people. You have a full-time job bridling 
the tongue that God gave you. Now, you can certainly encourage 
your friends and your wife and your spouse, your husband, you 
know, honey, perhaps you shouldn't say those vicious, vile, reprehensible 
things. There's nothing wrong with that. 
But the primary focus is what Solomon brings out in Proverbs 
4. Keep your heart with all diligence. Our job isn't to keep the heart 
of everybody in the church. Our job is to keep our own heart 
with all diligence. And James says, and he does not 
bridle his tongue. But then notice, in terms of 
the bridling of the tongue, we saw this last week, perjury and 
lying, backbiting and slandering, gossiping and tail-bearing, hypocrisy, 
which is often demonstrable in the way that we use our tongue. 
Notice that there's an aggravation involved. He not only doesn't 
bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart. Ultimately, that's 
what's at play. If a man thinks he's religious, 
but he doesn't bridle his tongue. If a man thinks he's religious, 
but he engages in adultery. The man thinks he's religious, 
but he engages in murder. It's the same sort of a thing. 
We can't just sort of pick and choose out of the Ten Commandments 
and say, you know, these couple are very serious. These ones 
aren't so serious. And obviously, with reference 
to the Ninth Commandment, we would see the seriousness of 
not going into a courtroom and perjuring ourselves. But we don't 
always see the seriousness when we're chatting with somebody 
in the back of the church and we engage in gossip or slander. 
James says don't do that. If anyone among you thinks he 
is religious, but does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his 
own heart, notice what he says in terms of his own assessment. 
He says this one's religion is useless. It is absolutely useless. There's no value, there's no 
merit, there's no warrant, there's no validity to this kind of a 
mindset. Now, this particular word is 
used often in the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament, 
and it's used in several places with reference to the vanity 
of idolatry. So this idea of uselessness, 
you could see how it would be applied to a useless idol, but 
it's an interesting usage here by James. This one's religion 
is useless. Douglas Moos says the word translates 
a Greek word that is often used in scripture to characterize 
idolatry as vain or meaningless. The religion that people who 
do not control their speech have is no better, James suggests, 
than idolatry. Again, brethren, this is very 
important because in the church we triage. Adultery is bad and 
somebody should be excommunicated for that. Murder is bad and somebody 
should be excommunicated for that. But a perpetual gossip 
a perpetual slanderer. I've never heard of anybody being 
cast out of a church for that. I have never heard of anybody 
being excommunicated or disciplined or having the witnesses come 
and bear upon that sort of an activity. But that's a very prevalent 
thing in the church today, are persons who do not bridle their 
own tongue. Now notice the particulars in 
James chapter 3 in terms of the tongue. He says the tongue directs 
us according to chapter 3 verses 3 to 5. We already read that. Indeed we put bits in horses 
mouths that they may obey us and we turn their whole body. 
Look also at ships, although they are so large and are driven 
by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever 
the pilot desires. Even so, the tongue is a little 
member and boasts great things. It has great potential for great 
harm, and we don't always appreciate that. Notice the tongue defiles 
the whole according to verse 6. The tongue is a fire, a world 
of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our 
members that it defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course 
of nature and it is set on fire by hell. Notice that he says 
the Tang is an unruly evil in verses 7 and 8. Verse 7, for 
every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the 
sea is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. We've seen it. We've 
seen it on TV. We've seen it at the circus. 
We've seen it at the carnival. You see men who are able to subdue 
animals and teach them to do various tricks. But he says we 
can't do that with the tongue. Verse 8, no man can tame the 
tongue. It is an unruly evil full of 
deadly poison. Now we might take that as a discouragement 
to even attempt to try and tame it. That's not how James gives 
it. James is not telling you don't 
even try because it's a fool's errand. Don't even try because 
it's a losing proposition. He's saying it's so difficult 
that you need to be dependent upon God and you need the presence 
and the power of the Holy Spirit in order to do this. You can 
use a whip with the bear or the lion. You can't use the whip 
with the tongue. You need the Holy Spirit to promote 
in you restraint and self-control. Before we continue, look back 
at Galatians chapter 5. Galatians chapter 5. We'll get 
back to James and his description of the tongue, but look at Galatians 
chapter 5. the fruits of the Spirit. That's 
why I mentioned we need the fruit of the Spirit when it comes to 
taming the tongue. Verse 22, the fruit of the Spirit 
is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 
gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Have you ever pondered that last 
fruit of the Spirit, self-control? We need the Holy Spirit to control 
ourselves absolutely positively. Without the Holy Spirit, there's 
not gonna be self-control. I think we would always say, 
oh yeah, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 
gentleness, those are all obvious fruits of the Spirit. But self-control, 
yes. Self-control is a fruit of the 
Spirit, and James 3, 8, he is casting us upon the Spirit Himself 
so that we can have that aid to control our tongue. So no 
man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil full of 
deadly poison. Then he goes on to mention that 
the tongue is a two-edged sword in verses 9 to 12. Notice he 
says, "...with it we bless our God and Father, and with it we 
curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out 
of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these 
things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh 
water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, 
bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both 
saltwater and fresh." And then if you drop down to chapter 4, 
verses 11 and 12, the tongue asserts itself as a rival lawmaker. Notice verse 11, Do not speak 
evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother 
and judges his brother speaks evil of the law and judges the 
law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, 
but a judge. There is one lawgiver who is 
able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another? 
So when James describes the power of the tongue in chapters 3 and 
4, we ought to reflect back on chapter 1 and verse 26. If anyone 
among you thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue, 
but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless. Again, 
it's not the case that we do this perfectly. It's not the 
case that we master it. It's not the case that we have 
it fully subdued, fully controlled, and we only ever use it unto 
edification. But that ought to be the goal, 
that ought to be the mindset, and that ought to be the pursuit 
with reference to the children of God. Now, I have a lot of 
concluding thoughts here that's going to take us a little bit 
of time, and then we'll close. First of all, the practical helps. I've preached this before when 
I preach through James, oftentimes when I deal with the sins of 
the tongue. How do we fix it? How do we help it? Obviously, 
James 3.8, Galatians chapter 5, we cry out to God for the 
presence and the power of the Holy Spirit to help us to restrain 
our tongues. We don't always need to say everything 
that comes into our mind. We don't always need to say the 
first thing that comes to our thoughts. We need to restrain 
ourselves. We need to guard our hearts. 
First of all, we need to be justified by grace alone, through faith 
alone, in Christ alone. The problem in chapter 1 verse 
26 is that this man had a useless religion. He had a vain religion. He was not blood-bought. He was 
not born again. Persons that do not have grace 
in their hearts are not persons that restrain their tongues. 
Now, they may do so in some sort of courtesy or outward decency. Not all non-Christians are the 
worst specimens of human beings. There are some decent pagans 
out there, and they might exercise control of their tongue from 
time to time. Praise God that they do that, but this is for 
the Christian. We need to be children of God. Secondly, the fear of God. The 
fear of God is a wonderful corrective for most of our issues. When 
we understand that God is nigh and that He's a consuming fire, 
that should promote in us a carefulness. In another sort of a context, 
But a similar emphasis, turn to Proverbs 5. I'm sure we looked 
at this when we were at the seventh commandment. We're not gonna 
get into that, but I did wanna bring out one of those things 
that I think is analogous to our study tonight. In Proverbs 
5, three R's to sexual purity, and the third R is remember, 
and that's in Proverbs 5 at verse 21. For the ways of man are before 
the eyes of the Lord, and he ponders all his paths. So Solomon 
tells his son, remove your way far from her. Do not go near 
the door of her house. Solomon tells his sons, rejoice 
with the wife of your youth. And Solomon tells his sons, remember 
that God is sovereign. God is omniscient. God is omnipresent. The ways of man are before the 
eyes of the Lord and he ponders all his paths. That was supposed 
to be a corrective to his sons so they would not go down the 
path to the strange woman. Well, the same thing holds true 
with reference to the fear of God when it comes to the regulation 
of other conduct. It's not just Seventh Commandment 
violations that the fear of God is a helpful corrective, but 
it's all of the violations. The fear of God is a wonderful 
help to us in order to restrain the tongue. Thirdly, the importance 
of self-examination. Now, self-examination as practiced 
in some churches is destructive. But there needs to be some degree 
of self-examination on the part of the people of God. As I mentioned, 
I think, last week or the week before, when you hear a sermon, 
don't immediately think, oh good, I'm glad my husband's here, I'm 
glad my wife's here, because they certainly need to hear this. 
Or, I'm so glad brother so-and-so made it today, because he desperately 
needs to hear this. We need to hear it too. There 
needs to be a healthy degree of self-examination when we look 
at the law of God. If we are reckless with our tongues, 
if we are gossipy, if we are slandery, then we need to repent. We need to forsake that and we 
need to correct that. Fourth, the necessity of prayer 
and scripture. The spiritual life, the life 
of godliness and holiness, it's not magic and it's not puzzling 
or esoteric or, you know, just the select few get this sort 
of access. Everybody who prays and everybody 
who reads their Bible and everybody who attends the corporate means 
ought to be growing in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord 
and Savior, Jesus Christ. So prayer and scripture. Fifth, 
the necessity of dependence upon God. Again, that comes directly 
from James 3.8. No man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil full of 
deadly poison. James is casting us into the 
lap of sovereign grace. Call upon God. Ask for His aid. Call upon Him to fill you with 
the Holy Spirit so that you don't engage in these sins. And then 
six, the recognition of the tongue's potential for evil. Turn back 
to the book of Proverbs. Proverbs gives us many emphases 
on the use of the tongue, whether for good or ill. So we need to 
understand its potential for evil. We looked at some of these 
passages last week. Let's just rehearse a few others. 
Proverbs 11.9. The hypocrite with his mouth 
destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge, the righteous will 
be delivered. See, look at that. The hypocrite 
with his mouth destroys his neighbor. Solomon uses very powerful language 
in conjunction with the sins of the tongue. It's not a secondary 
issue. I would argue that in the church 
today, it is a primary issue, and we need to get a hold of 
that. Proverbs 12, verses 17 and following. Notice, 17, he 
who speaks truth declares righteousness, but a false witness deceit. There 
is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, but the tongue of 
the wise promotes health. The truthful lip shall be established 
forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment. Deceit is in 
the heart of those who devise evil, but counselors of peace 
have joy. No grave trouble will overtake 
the righteous, but the wicked shall be filled with evil. Look 
at Proverbs 15, 1 and 2, passages that I hope we are committing 
to memory. Proverbs 15, 1 and 2 is right 
up there with 1 John 1, 9 in terms of a text that Christians 
should constantly have in their minds. A soft answer turns away 
wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. I mean, how many times 
have we proven Solomon right on that one? A soft answer turns 
away wrath. Have you ever thought, man, if 
I would have taken just a little bit of a different tact, wouldn't 
it be nice if you could get a mulligan, you know, the mulligan and golf 
with your words? You could just tell somebody, 
nope, I want to pull that one right. You can't. There's no 
delete. There's no, you know, edit. Once 
you send that word out there, It's done. Now that doesn't mean 
you're done. There is forgiveness with thee 
that thou mayest be feared. But a soft answer turns away 
wrath, a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise 
uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness. Look at 17.9, Proverbs 17.9. He who covers a transgression 
seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates friends. Now 
this covering transgression, if your neighbor comes or your 
brother comes and says, I just cut somebody's head off, that's 
not what's in view here, or I just robbed a liquor store, that's 
not what's in view here. It's the kind of thing that you 
can cover. It's the kind of thing that you don't have to press 
for discipline on. It's the kind of thing that's 
probably not that serious and it's not repetitious. Sometimes 
people ask, especially in a married context, at what point do I say 
or what point do I bring it up? Well, if it's a grave offense 
or if it's a repetitive offense. I think those are at least two 
things that should get us in the ballpark. But he who covers 
a transgression seeks love. But he who repeats a matter separates 
friends. Gossip doesn't help friendships. Gossip doesn't help churches. 
Gossip doesn't promote the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. It's 
on Proverbs 17, 9 that Bridges makes the comment, which by the 
way, if I haven't commended it recently, Bridges on Proverbs 
is gold. A bit moralistic at times, but 
full of just great sage wisdom. He says, a disciplined tongue 
is a gracious mercy to the church. A disciplined tongue is a gracious 
mercy to the church. Look at Proverbs 18. Proverbs 
18. So again, the recognition of 
the tongue's potential for evil. So Proverbs 18 at verse 21. Death and life are in the power 
of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 
25, verse 18. A man who bears false witness 
against his neighbor is like a club, a sword, and a sharp 
arrow. So this adage that, you know, 
sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt 
me, not according to God's word, The words that men speak against 
us, especially slanderous, gossipy things, can destroy us, and that's 
the emphasis. A man who bears false witness 
against his neighbor is like a club, a sword, and a sharp 
arrow. None of us want to be clubbed 
on the head. We don't want to be poked with a sword or with 
a sharp arrow. Those are unpleasant things. 
So what is Solomon saying? Solomon is saying that it's a 
very unpleasant thing for a man to bear false witness against 
his neighbor. and then 26, 28. 26, 28. A lying 
tongue hates. A lying tongue hates those who 
are crushed by it, and a flattering mouth works ruin." So these statements 
show us the potential for evil that is in the tongue of each 
and every one of us, and James is telling the church that we 
need to live in light of what Solomon says, we need to live 
in light of what our Lord commands, we need to live in light of the 
Decalogue, and we need to restrain that unruly evil. Seventh, the 
recognition of the tongue's potential for good. Turn to Proverbs 12. 
If we can tear people down or destroy people or decimate people 
with our tongue, we can certainly use it for good. Notice in Proverbs 
12, 25, anxiety in the heart of a man causes depression, but 
a good word makes it glad. Somebody's downcast, give them 
a good word. Seek to encourage them. Don't, 
you know, dance on their depression grave. Proverbs 16, verse 24. Pleasant words are like a honeycomb. Sweetness to the soul and health 
to the bones. Proverbs 25, verses 11 and 12. 
Proverbs 25, verses 11 and 12. A word fitly spoken is like apples 
of gold and settings of silver, like an earring of gold and an 
ornament of fine gold is a wise rebuker to an obedient ear. And then over in 31, Proverbs 
31, we saw this on Sunday in the reading, 31.26, with reference 
to that virtuous woman, that godly woman in Proverbs 31.26, 
she opens her mouth with wisdom And on her tongue is the law 
of kindness. Not surprising. The virtuous 
woman is a woman who engages in the restraint of her tongue. 
When it comes to James 1.26, it's not the case that she says 
that, but then doesn't operate according to it. She does restrain 
the tongue. That's what characterizes her 
as a virtuous woman. Now, eighth, the necessity to 
bridle your own tongue. I mentioned this previously. 
It's amazing how many of us think we've mastered this so well that 
we're the police for others and can help them master their own 
tongue. Manton, Thomas Manton says, gracious 
hearts reflect most upon themselves. They do not seek what to reprove 
in others, but what to lament in themselves. It's a good observation. Again, I'm not suggesting we're 
not there for brethren. We're not there for husbands 
and wives and to encourage one another along the pilgrim way. 
But I'm suggesting that the emphasis is first upon our own restraint 
of our own tongue so that we don't engage in the violations 
associated with the Ninth Commandment. Ninth, the recognition of the 
close connection between the heart and the tongue. I mentioned 
this earlier in Matthew chapter 12. The Lord Jesus underscores 
this with the religious leaders of His day. Matthew 12, 33, either 
make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad 
and its fruit bad. For a tree is known by its fruit. 
Brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? And then he says, for out of 
the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. The same lesson 
is reiterated in chapter 15, when the religious leaders are 
upset that Jesus' disciples are eating with unwashed hands. Jesus 
uses the opportunity to instruct them. Notice in chapter 15 at 
verse 12. Well, let's go back. Verse 10. When he had called the multitude 
to himself, he said to them, hear and understand, not what 
goes into the mouth defiles a man, but what comes out of the mouth, 
this defiles a man. Then his disciples came and said 
to him, do you know that the Pharisees were offended when 
they heard this saying? But he answered and said, every 
plant which my heavenly father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind 
leaders of the blind, and if the blind leads the blind, both 
will fall into a ditch. Christ doesn't care that they're 
triggered. Christ does not care that they're 
offended. Christ does not care that they're 
unhappy. Christ is not going to be canceled 
because persons don't like what it is that he has to say. The 
disciples say, do you know the Pharisees don't like what you're 
saying? He says, essentially, I don't care. Every plant which 
my Heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. He goes to 
God's sovereignty. Let them alone. They are blind 
leaders of the blind." Then notice this, and if the blind leads 
the blind, both will fall into a ditch. We tend to think that 
the leader is the alone one that is responsible. Followers of 
bad leaders fall into ditches too. That's why when people say, 
oh, you know, it's just that they were in a bad church. Well, 
they should have found a good church. They should have found 
a good teacher. They should have found a good 
preacher. They should have found a good pastor. That is a responsibility 
upon the sheep of Christ. If you are a sheep, you go to 
where there's food. If the food is not right, if 
the food makes you sick, if the food brings out the worst in 
you, go find other food. I don't know how sheep do that 
process, but I'm sure there's a way. With reference to the 
church, we let the followers off the hook. I mean Benny Hinn 
is where he's at because there's a multitude of morons that are 
listening to him. Stephen Furtick is where he's 
at because there's a multitude of morons that are listening 
to him. We have to take responsibility 
with reference to verse 14. If the blind leads the blind, 
both will fall into a ditch. Now notice he goes on. Peter 
answered and said to him, explain this parable to us. So Jesus 
said, are you also still without understanding? What's Jesus' 
point? This isn't that hard, Peter. 
You should be able to get this. Do you not yet understand that 
whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? 
But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the 
heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed 
evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, 
blasphemies. These are the things which defile 
a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man. So the recognition of the close 
connection between the heart and the tongue. And then tenthly 
and finally, you can go back to Matthew chapter 12, the recognition 
that we will give an account of the way in which we use our 
tongues. Notice in chapter 12 at verse 
35, a good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings 
forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure 
brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every 
idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the 
day of judgment. For by your words you will be 
justified, and by your words you will be condemned." Again, 
the larger context of biblical revelation does not indicate 
that it's based on what we say whether or not we're saved. No, 
what we say demonstrates the condition of our hearts. just 
like James 1.26. If anyone among you thinks he 
is religious but does not bridle his own tongue, deceives himself, 
this man's religion is useless. So Jesus says the same thing. 
For by your words you will be justified, and by your words 
you will be condemned. The words that you use give evidence 
to the condition of your heart. If your words are foul and polluted, 
it indicates that your heart is foul and polluted. If your 
words are edifying and decent and good, then that indicates 
that the heart is right with God. That's the emphasis in verse 
37, but 36 really should terrify us. I say to you that for every 
idle word, not every blasphemous word, Not every lie, not every 
act of perjury, but every idle word men shall give an account. So if men shall give an account 
for every idle word, then what of the perjury? What of the blasphemy? What of the gossip? What of the 
slander? Certainly we'll have to give 
an account for those words as well. Gill makes the observation 
here. He says, our Lord's meaning is 
that not only works and actions, but words of all sorts will come 
into account in the day of judgment, and will be evidences for or 
against a man to acquit or condemn him. Ryle says, our words are 
the evidence of the state of our hearts, as surely as the 
taste of the water is an evidence of the state of the spring. Out 
of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. The lips only 
utter what the mind conceives. And then Calvin, he says, first, 
let us speak of the sacred mysteries of God with the utmost reverence 
and sobriety. Secondly, let us abstain from 
talkativeness, buffoonery, and vain jests, and much more from 
slanderous attacks. And lastly, let us endeavor to 
have our speech seasoned with salt. Colossians chapter four 
and verse six. So some practical helps with 
reference to the emphasis of James in bridling the tongue, 
taming the tongue, and that in light of the ninth commandment. James isn't spitballing. He's 
not off the reservation. He is operating in the context 
of biblical law. And so many commentators have 
seen and appreciated that James as a whole is somewhat proverbial. In other words, his book reads 
a bit like Proverbs. James is speaking to the church 
of God, practical wisdom founded on the law of God for the regulation 
of conduct by the blood-bought children of God. So he's not 
saying, this is what you do in order to be saved. He is saying, 
of his own will, he brought us forth by the word of truth. He 
emphasizes faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, so he is at equal 
playing field with the Apostle Paul in those areas. And with 
Paul, he is pressing practical religion in light of justification 
by faith alone. The consequences of saving faith 
is that you'll guard the tongue. The consequences of saving faith 
is that you'll have respect for the ninth commandment. You'll 
avoid the perjury. You'll avoid the lying in general. 
You'll avoid the gossiping and the slandering and the backbiting. 
You'll avoid those things, and you will seek, by God's grace, 
to tame the tongue, to exercise self-control, and to use the 
tongue in a positive way. And that's the last text we'll 
look at, and then we'll close in prayer. Ephesians chapter 
4. Ephesians chapter 4. Now Paul in verse 29 is probably 
not dealing with four-letter words, those sorts of words that 
we know as cuss words. That's likely not what he's dealing 
with. Corrupt word, I think, is answered 
for us in the rest of the verse. Let no corrupt word proceed out 
of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification. So 
a corrupt word is that which is not calculated for necessary 
edification. Certainly could include those 
cuss words, but it could be a whole host of ways that persons tear 
one another down. So let no corrupt word proceed 
out of your mouth. Again, it's not just a prohibition 
against four-letter words. It's against any word that is 
designed to tear a brother down. The aim of the use of the tongue 
with reference to Christian brotherhood, let no corrupt word proceed out 
of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification that 
it may impart grace to the hearers. That ought to be the goal. when 
it comes to our conversations with the people of God in the 
Church of God. Well, let us pray. Our Father 
in heaven, we thank you for your law. We thank you for its clarity, 
its beauty, the fact that it reflects who you are. And God, 
we know we're not saved based on law keeping, but we know that 
once we're saved by grace, through faith in our Lord Jesus, Jesus 
does point us to that law. And through the power of the 
Holy Spirit, we have the ability to comply with it. So grant us 
help and strength and grace in this area of the ninth commandment, 
help our church, help churches in general with reference to 
these things that we may not entertain, the sorts of things 
that often pass along unchecked or unrebuked. Help us, God, to 
glorify you, not only in our actions and in our thoughts, 
but as well with our words. And we pray through Jesus Christ, 
our Lord. Amen. Well, any questions or comments 
on any of that? The use of the tongue is Proverbs 
17, 27, and 28. He who has knowledge spares his 
words. And a man of understanding is 
of a calm spirit. Even a fool is counted wise when 
he holds his peace. When he shuts his lips, he is 
considered perceptive. Good words, really good words. Proverbs 17, 27, and 28. You can look like the smartest 
person in the room if you just shut your mouth with wonderful 
things.