Use Your Bible

Dan S. Shipley

THE UNBRIDLED TONGUE (Jas. 3:1-12

I. Dangers Of An Unbridled Tongue

A. Renders one's religion as vain (Jas. 1:26)

B. A source of great trouble (Prov. 21:23)

C. Such tongue an instrument of sin (Ps. 39:1)

Ii. Kinds Of Unbridled Tongues

A. The hasty tongue

1. Jas. 1:19,20 "slow to speak" 2. Prov. 29:11,20; Eccl. 5:2 (the rash mouth)

B. The lying tongue

1. Def. "A false statement or action, esp. one made with intent to deceive." 2. "Thou shalt not bear false-witness..." (Ex. 20:16) Has always been wrong. 3. Unbecoming Christians, Eph. 4:25; Col. 3:9 4. Fate of liars, Rev. 21:8 5. Implying ALL kinds (suppressing truth, "mental reservations", white lies, etc.)

C. The gossiping, tale-bearing tongue

1. Definition "To indulge in idle talk or rumors about others". 2. Promotes strife, Prov. 26:20; 1 Tim. 5:13 3. Separates friends, Prov. 16:28; 17:9 4. Wounds, Prov. 18:8 (Who has not inflicted or suffered such wounds?) 5. Gossip is not dignified because it is the truth. ALL gossip, even the untrue, is equally damaging.

D. The evil-speaking tongue

1. An easy & popular sin 2. Inexcusable, Jas. 4:11; 1 Pet. 2:1; Eph. 4:31

E. The swearing, cursing tongue

1. Whether taking God's name in vain (Ex. 20:7) or more "dignified" 2. Speech to be "yea" & "nay", Jas. 5:12 3. "Second-hand cussing", euphuism, dirty jokes are all filthiness and foolish talking which are not befitting God's people (Eph. 5:4)

F. The murmuring tongue

1. Definition "giving audible expression to unwarranted dissatisfaction" 2. 1 Cor. 10:10; Phil. 2:14

Iii. Applying The Bridle

A. "I will keep my mouth with a bridle" (Ps. 39:1)

B. Keeping the tongue caged

1. "...the tongue can no man tame...". We read of beasts appearing to be tamed that suddenly make unprovoked attacks. The tongue is something like that and, therefore, needs always to be kept caged!

C. "If wisdom's ways you widely seek, five things observe with care: Of whom you speak; to whom you speak; and how, and when, and where."

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