I. Every Christian needs to guard one’s tongue (words) because:
A. Tongue is one of the most vital parts of a person.
i. Tongue can control a person as a bit controls a horse (3:3).
ii. Tongue can steer the direction of a person’s life as a rudder steers the direction of a ship (3:4).
iii. Tongue can bring either immense blessing or disaster upon one self as a spark of fire can result in a forester fire (3:5).
B. Tongue demonstrates the identity of a person.
i. Person’s words demonstrate the identity of a person just as a fruit of a tree identifies the type of a tree (3:12).
ii. Christian tongue cannot not be used to speak evil words and godly words just as both fresh water and salt water cannot come out from the same spring (3:11).
II. Every Christian needs to be perfect in terms of guarding one’s tongue.
A. Challenge: no man can guard his tongue completely (3:8).
B. Perfection does not refer to sinless-ness or complete taming of one’s tongue because that is impossible.
C. Perfection refers to ongoing yearning, striving and struggling for godliness in every aspect, specifically one's tongue.
D. Hence it is possible and desirable for Christians to be perfect (Matthew 5:48).
III. Application
A. Use one’s tongue to praise God: praising God does not only refer to singing praise songs, but it refers to verbally expressing who God is and his mighty works. This includes preaching, leading bible studies, evangelizing, singing praise songs and etc. Thus, all Christians are to praise God in all that we say.
B. Use one’s tongue to encourage others: biblical encouragement is not making empty promises or speaking mere positive words. It is listening, speaking and interacting with others (fellow believers first) based on genuine friendship.
Awesome, thank you Julian!
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