James 3: 2,8-10 (NKJV) For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body….. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.
The key to bridling our tongue and getting a grip on our lip is by living the Christian life from the inside out. It is the personification of the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus that helps us to stand up to the temptation and the lure of the flesh to lash out at others. We will remain carnal Christians succumbing to the flesh and will continue to reap what we have sown to the flesh if we allow it to dominate our reactions even when we have grown spiritually.
Colossians 4:5-6(NKJV) Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
What really sets us apart as believers is our conduct and our words as the world gets darker by the day. Every day is closer to the day of Jesus’ return like a thief in the night. The church which is the body of Christ shows forth Christ’s love to the world in a darkened world. The marketplace is vicious and cruel and many of us have been victims of company politics. We have witnessed two- faced people , colleagues backstabbing one another to climb up the corporate ladder and bosses belittling their subordinates. If we are not careful and do not learn to bridle our tongues, then we too will become one of those people who forget that our words can destroy a person. Therefore, we need to tame our tongues and season our words with salt especially when the world is watching the lives of the believers. We are witnesses for Him as the salt and light of this world. Jesus said that people will know that we are His disciples if we are to love one another, therefore we must set ourselves apart from the world through our speech and conduct. We are to walk in love which is the hallmark of Christ’s followers. God would be unjust if He demanded that we do something that we are unable to. We are not expected to do all this with our own strength. We have been empowered to walk in the Spirit. The same Holy Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in us. He gives strength to our inner man to overcome the lure and dictation of the flesh.
James mentioned in James 3:4-5 that the tongue is like a small rudder which can set the course of a large ship or like a small fire which can set a forest on fire. Therefore, let us watch what we say, how we say things, to whom we say things to, when we say certain things and learn to tame our tongues with the help of the Holy Spirit in us.
Sermon Series: Ouch! It Hurts! (Part 2)
未训服的舌头
雅各书3:2,8-10原来我们在许多事上都有过失；若有人在话语上没有过失，他就是完全人，也能勒住自己的全身…..惟独舌头没有人能制伏，是不止息的恶物，满了害死人的毒气。我们用舌头颂赞那为主、为父的，又用舌头咒诅那照着神形像被造的人。颂赞和咒诅从一个口里出来！我的弟兄们，这是不应当的。
要勒住我们的舌头，管住我们的嘴，关键是要由内而外地过基督徒的生活。这是在基督耶稣里赐生命圣灵的律的化身，帮助我们抵挡肉体的诱惑去抨击他人。如果我们允许它支配我们的反应，那么即使我们在灵性上已经成长，我们仍将是属肉体的基督徒，屈从于肉体，也将继续收获我们从肉体而结出的果子。
歌罗西书4:5-6你们要爱惜光阴，用智慧与外人交往。你们的言语要常常带着和气，好像用盐调和，就可知道该怎样回答各人。
作为信徒，真正让我们与众不同的是我们在世界变得越来越黑暗时的言行。耶稣再来的日子一天比一天近，就像夜间的小偷一样，我们不知道祂来的时间。教会是基督的身体，在黑暗的世界里向世人显明基督的爱。职场是邪恶和残酷的，我们许多人都是公司政治的受害者。我们目睹了两面派，同事们为了往上爬而互相背后中伤，老板们贬低自己的下属。如果我们不小心，不学会控制我们的舌头，那么我们也将成为那些忘记我们的语言可以毁灭一个人的人之一。因此，我们需要驯服我们的舌头，用盐来调和我们的话语，尤其是当这个世界关注着信徒的生活的时候。我们要为祂作见证，如同世上的盐与光。耶稣说，如果我们彼此相爱，人们就会知道我们是祂的门徒，因此我们必须通过我们的言语和行为使自己与世界分别。我们要在爱中行走，这是基督追随者的标志。如果上帝要求我们做我们能力之外的事情，那祂就是不公平的。不要指望我们凭自己的力量做这一切。我们已被赋能靠着圣灵行事。叫基督从死里复活的圣灵，也住在我们里面。祂给予我们内在的力量来战胜肉体的诱惑和命令。
雅各在《雅各书》3:4-5中提到，舌头就像小舵，可以使大船前进;舌头就像小火，可以使森林起火。所以我们当留意说什么话，怎样说话，向谁说话，何时说话，并要藉著我们里面圣灵的帮助，学着驯服自己的舌头。
讲章系列: 哎哟!很伤人哪!(第2部分)