PROVEN: The Letter of James

No. 14 | Taming the Tongue, Pt. 1

By Nate Hatting, May 18, 2025

Review:

James writes, in the early years of the church, to help believers understand the dynamics of a proven faith—a faith that’s practical, prudent, and patient in and through all of one’s life, which includes:

  1. Responding to Trials (James 1:2-15)
  2. Responding to the Word (James 1:16-27)
  3. Holding faith in Jesus Christ in a way that’s consistent with true faith (James 2:1-26)
  • Not showing partiality (James 2:1-13)
  • Not diminishing works (James 2:14-26)
  1. Showing faith by works…
  • …by taming the tongue (James 3:1-12)

Introduction:

How can I know my claim to (have) faith is real?

How important are works to my claim to (have) faith?

Showing Faith by Works… …by Taming the Tongue, pt. 1 (James 3:1-5a)

  1. A Caution for Teachers:
  • “Not many of you should become teachers…” (3:1)
  • “…judged with greater strictness” (3:1)
  1. James’ Main Encouragement:
  • “For we all stumble in many ways.” (3:2)
  • “And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.” (3:2)

“Those who reach a point in their life where they rarely stumble in their speech are mature indeed, because it is the epitome of maturity to have self-control even over that most difficult aspect of life to control. Thus, the point is not that a person who controls the tongue is totally and perfectly blameless, or that such a one has achieved total moral perfection. That would either contradict the previous clause (“we all stumble”) or be purely hypothetical (which does us no good). James’s meaning is that such a person has truly ‘grown up’ in faith, behaving in accordance with adulthood, in distinction from children, or childish adults who have yet to achieve self-mastery.” ~ Dan G. McCartney

  1. Illustrations:
  • “…bits into the mouths of horses” (3:3)
  • “Look at the ships also:” (3:4)
  • “So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.” (3:5)

Spiritual maturity develops through right response to trials, is enhanced by right response to the Word, and is evidenced by the right use of the tongue.