Saturday, September 16, 2017, 6:00 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “Oh, To Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer.”
Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read James 3 (ESV).
We Who Teach
(vv. 1-5a)
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers,
for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For we
all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is
a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the
mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well.
Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong
winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot
directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.
Not many Christians should
become teachers of the Word of God. This is not something we should do lightly,
or just because someone asked us to do it, or because we just like to hear
ourselves talk. We should also not become teachers just because we have biblical
knowledge, or because we might be gifted with words, in the natural, or because
we think the position will gain us some kind of prominence or popularity. We
should only become teachers of the Word because we are called of God to teach,
and because we are trusting in him to give us the words he wants us to say. In
other words, teaching the Word of God should be a calling of God, and led of
the Spirit, and it should be practiced in complete submission to the Spirit of
God.
Even at that, i.e. even when
we are called of God and submitted to his purposes, we are still humans living
in flesh bodies, and we will stumble, at times, for we are not yet perfect, although
we are being perfected (made holy), and we are being conformed into the image
of Christ (See: Phil. 3:12-16). Yet, this should never be used as an excuse for
continued and willful sin against God. Many professing Christians continue to live
as though they have never been delivered from slavery (addiction) to sin, and
then they excuse it away with “I am not perfect.” May that never be! May we
always strive toward maturity in Christ Jesus, holiness, and godliness, in the
power of God’s Spirit now at work in our hearts and lives, and for the glory of
God!
If we do stumble (sin),
particularly in our speech, we should humble ourselves before God and others,
admit our wrong, and then seek God’s guidance in turning away from that wrong,
and doing what is right.
Tongue a Fire
(vv. 5b-12)
How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!
And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among
our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of
life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and
sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being
can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we
bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the
likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers,
these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening
both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a
grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
I think all of us can attest
to the truths presented to us in this passage of scripture, with regard to our
tongues (our speech). Yet, the tongue, itself, is not the real culprit, for the
Bible teaches us that it is out of our hearts that our mouths speak (See: Matt.
15:18-19). In other words, if we want to tame our tongues, we must first deal
with what is in our hearts. If in our hearts we are storing up hatred, envy,
strife, murder, jealousy, unforgiveness, malice and bitterness of spirit, these
are what will come out of our mouths, particularly when we are put under
pressure. So, we must willingly yield these things over to God, let go of all
wrong attitudes, and replace them with godly thinking and attitudes, and with love
for our fellow humans.
Yet, I believe it goes back
even one more step further, and this has to do with what we are willfully and
knowingly allowing or are taking into our hearts and minds on a daily basis.
You have heard the saying, “Garbage in; garbage out,” most probably. It is
true. If what we are consuming on a daily basis is rage, pornography, nudity,
disrespect towards others, devaluing of people, murder, envy, strife, mocking
of others, humor at others’ expense, immorality, sexual perversion, adultery, cheating,
and lying, etc., this is what our minds will think on, and this is what will
influence our heart attitudes, and this is what will spew forth from our
mouths, too.
So, we need to make certain
that daily we are taking into our minds and hearts what is godly, holy,
righteous, and pure, etc., and that we are applying these right thoughts and
attitudes and behaviors to our daily lives. And, we need to put off (or out of
our lives) all that is ungodly, unholy, impure and unrighteous, including what
we take into our minds via outside influences, as well as any wrong attitudes
which we willingly dwell upon. And, we need to let go of all that is evil, and
allow God to fill our minds and lives with his peace, holiness and
righteousness. Then, our tongues should follow suit.
Who is Wise?
(vv. 13-18)
Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good
conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter
jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the
truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly,
unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will
be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure,
then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits,
impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those
who make peace.
Do we think we are wise and
understanding, and that we have much knowledge, especially with regards to
Biblical knowledge and understanding? Then, we need to show it by our good
conduct in all meekness and gentleness of spirit. Words can be cheap if they are
not followed up with or supported by our actions. If we say we love God, or
that we have fellowship with him, but we continue in willful sin against him,
we are liars, not truth tellers. If we claim to love God, and to worship him,
but we don’t do what he says, in daily practice, we don’t really love him or
know him, the Bible says. So, true knowledge and wisdom is not in what we know,
in our heads, but it is in what we do with what we know, because it is now applied
to our hearts.
We also need to be people who
live by the truth, and who are not hypocritical. We should never pretend to be
more than we are, or act as though we are living beyond where we are living. We
should not make an appearance (act) of godliness while we deny its power in our
lives via willful sins against God. We should always be truth tellers, but to
speak the truth in love, not in brashness and rudeness and in order to willfully
bring hurt to others unnecessarily. In other words, I recognize that sometimes
the truth hurts, and we can’t avoid all that, for it is often necessary for
true healing to take place. The gospel is truth, but it offends many people,
because they do not want to conform their lives to Christ or to his gospel.
Yet, we must share the truth of the gospel, because it means salvation for many
lost souls.
Thus, wisdom can be godly and
it can be earthly. It can be of God, or it can be of the devil. Truth can be
for our good, or it be to cause harm. If we preach one thing, but practice
another, we do more harm than good. So, we must test our hearts, our attitudes,
and our behaviors against the truth of God’s Word, get rid of all which defiles
us, and cling to what is good. Make sure, in our teaching, that our motives are
pure and godly, and that we are not being hypocritical in our teaching because
we profess one thing while we secretly are engaged in willful and continued (addictive)
sins against God. If God puts his finger on areas of our lives where we need to
repent of sin and follow him in obedience, then we need to obey, and not resist
him.
Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer
Thomas O. Chisholm / W. J. Kirkpatrick
Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s
treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.
Oh, to be like Thee! full of
compassion,
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the
fainting,
Seeking the wandering sinner to find.
O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,
Holy and harmless, patient and brave;
Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,
Willing to suffer others to save.
O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,
Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy
love;
Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,
Fit me for life and Heaven above.
Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like
Thee,
Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy
fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
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