James Ch3
A letter from James, a very long letter. Chapter 3 is starting to be shorter.
Lots of illustration.
James 3 -ASV
1. Be not many of you teachers, my brethren, knowing that we shall receive heavier judgment.
Do not just look for one position. There are many glorious tasks and position.
Responsibility increase with overseeing position. This is but natural.
2. For in many things we all stumble. If any stumbleth not in word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also.
Christians are far from sinless and absolute lawfulness.
Words are less expressive than deeds. Guarding words after guarding all actions is guarding all outward signs/expression; bringing all under control.
The source is controlling the rest that spring from the source.
3. Now if we put the horses' bridles into their mouths that they may obey us, we turn about their whole body also.
Another illustration.
Explanation is needed in our teaching and admonition. We compare in order to understand and remember. We catelogue matters.
4. Behold, the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by rough winds, are yet turned about by a very small rudder, whither the impulse of the steersman willeth.
More illustration came to mind. Not just a single revelation.
This illustration is by no means telling us that the small part, such as the small rudder is everything. It is small yet effective.
5. So the tongue also is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how much wood is kindled by how small a fire!
Little member can have great effects. it is not size that matters, but position.
More illustration.
6. And the tongue is a fire: the world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the wheel of nature, and is set on fire by hell.
The normal tongue is active. It consumes.
Ho kosmos |2889| - the world. Not just a world to itself. It is a very serious matter.
Words from the tongue is greater than deeds/actions. Words can move mountains. Words can hurt, separate as well as heal.
The evil from hell affects the tongue, even controlling it.
The tongue becomes the channel of evil. It expresses bad things, impurity.
7. For every kind of beasts and birds, of creeping things and things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed by mankind.
In general.
Illustration is not to be absolutely exhaustive.
No body set out to tame the tongue. Not enough attention is paid to this member of the body.
8. But the tongue can no man tame; it is a restless evil, it is full of deadly poison.
No one is sinless, faultless.
All have sinned with the tongue. All have been evil with this restless evil.
9. Therewith bless we the Lord and Father; and therewith curse we men, who are made after the likeness of God:
The tongue causes injustice. It even turn against godly things.
Originally not as gods.
10. out of the same mouth cometh forth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
There is a better way.
Good things ought to come out from christians.
Examine your hearts, examine your fountain of truths. Let godly things flow out through the tongue.
11. Doth the fountain send forth from the same opening sweet water and bitter?
Judge your hearts. You know the answer.
Have Christ as your living water, you fountain of life.
You were not made with the answers. The answers were given to you, and placed by the almighty in you. Some even prophesy, speaking the messages of/from God.
People are not all sufficient gods.
12. Can a fig tree, my brethren, yield olives, or a vine figs? Neither can salt water yield sweet.
Let your structure be right.
13. Who is wise and understanding among you? let him show by his good life his works in meekness of wisdom.
Yet non-believers try to show their works for pride, glory and aim to defeat believers with their deeds.
14. But if ye have bitter jealousy and faction in your heart, glory not and lie not against the truth.
The heart is targetted, faced, focused upon.
The world may come to an end; but the source may live on.
Get your source right.
15. This wisdom is not a wisdom that cometh down from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
There are different wisdom. People are wise in different ways and sense.
Earthly wisdom is not spiritually pure, godly, God-centred, whole/complete/peaceful, loving and righteous.
16. For where jealousy and faction are, there is confusion and every vile deed.
See what denominations we have today. See how some big organisation are confusing issues and christians. It is right here.
See how people are fooled into believing extra-biblical stuff/ideals/scenario/pattern.
17. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without variance, without hypocrisy.
Mercy against murder.
There is no variance in wholeness/peace.
Purity and honesty do not host hypocrisy.
18. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for them that make peace.
Make peace, and not war. Christians confront evil. They do not destroy the evil one. This is left to the righteous judgement of God.
Righteousness in healing and making whole. Not from discipation.
It is not sown in factions and compromise. Hypocrisy from compromise opposes righteousness.
Denominations do not represent righteousness or the whole truth.
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