Desiring God Part 1

I know this may seem a little long, but please take some time and read...You'll be glad you did...

Desiring God Conference
· You cannot escape the necessity of thinking. God just calls us to do it well. --Dr. John Piper
Minneapolis, MN September 26, 2008

Dr. Sinclair Ferguson, Pastor First Presbyterian Church Columbia, South Carolina
An Exposition of James 3:1-12
· The purpose of scripture is to make you spiritually mature. – Ferguson
I. 4 Truths James Teaches in these 12 Verses
1. The Difficulty of Taming the Tongue vs. 1-2
- We all stumble.
- Master your tongue so you can have a greater impact one’s life.
- One who can control their tongue can control their whole body.
- Be able to control the amount of your words and be able to be silent.
- It is a moment by moment battle of the heart to bridle your tongue.
2. The Disproportionate Power of the Tongue vs. 3-5
- Our words carry the breath of our souls to the world.
- You cannot help to breathe what is within.
- Dr. Ferguson then tells the story of standing on the elevator with a woman who had obviously been smoking. She didn’t realize it, but the whole elevator was covered in the smell of smoke she had previously inhaled. This is what we should be like spiritually. We should so breathe in so deep the word, that when we exhale we have no choice but to reveal what is in us…THE WORD!! We should allow the Word and the Holy Spirit to so flavor our souls that when we speak, people are asking about the aroma (spiritually speaking) we are giving off. The tongue is that powerful.
3. The Destruction caused by the Tongue vs. 6-8
- The tongue is set on fire by hell. It is one of the most useful instruments of Satan to cause destruction.
- Wickedness can live in the tongue.
- One single wrong word spoken can crumble all other words ever spoken.
- Satan causes restlessness in the heart that causes restlessness in the tongue. If you aren’t staying close to Jesus…You WILL have a reckless tongue.
4. The Deadly Inconsistencies of the Tongue vs. 9-12
- We bless God then curse man that was created in His image.
- Our tongue reveals our hearts.
- If it is spoken on the tongue it is in our heart.



II. The Context of James 3:12 in the Gospel
1. We are polluted and James reminds us by talking of the tongue that we are all hopeless.
2. We are not the mature person we ought to be, but we are also not the old man we used to be because of the work of Christ. Isaiah 50, 53
3. Jesus was falsely accused but stayed silent, not sinning, as he took our very words from our mouths and placed them in his to be the atonement for that very sin. As a Lamb to the slaughter…He was quiet. Why?? He was paying for the sins of our tongue.

Resolutions from James on the Tongue
1. I resolve to ask God for wisdom to speak out of a single-minded devotion to him. (1:5)
2. I resolve to boast only in the exultation I receive in Jesus Christ and also in the humiliation I receive for Jesus Christ. (1:9-10)
3. I resolve to set a watch over my mouth. (1:13)
4. I resolve to be constantly quick to hear and slow to speak. (1:19)
5. I resolve to learn the gospel way of speaking to both rich and poor. (2:1-4)
6. I resolve to speak in the present consciousness of my final judgment. (2:12)
7. I resolve never to stand on anyone’s face with the words I employ. (2:16)
8. I resolve never to claim as reality in my life what I do not truly experience. (3:14)
9. I resolve to resist quarrelsome words as evidence of a bad heart that needs to be mortified. (4:1)
10. I resolve never to speak decided evil against another out of a heart of antagonism. (4:11)
11. I resolve never to boast in anything but what I will accomplish. (4:13)
12. I resolve to speak as one subject to the providences of God. (4:15)
13. I resolve never to grumble. The judge is at the door. (5:9)
14. I resolve never to allow anything but total integrity in everything I say. (5:12)
15. I resolve to speak to God in prayer whenever I suffer. (5:13)
16. I resolve to sing praises to God whenever I’m cheerful. (5:14)
17. I resolve to ask for the prayers of others when I’m in need. (5:14)
18. I resolve to confess it whenever I have failed. (5:15)
19. I resolve to pray with others for one another whenever I am together with them. (5:15)
20. I resolve to speak words of restoration when I see another wander. (5:19)