aged open discussion for those who wanted to speak their minds. The early Christians carried this practice over into their own church services. Sometimes confusion reigned as a result (I Cor. 14:26). Too often there are those who want to lecture when they should be quiet and listening. With un worthy motives there were those with selfish pride who aspired to the office of a teacher. James warns against taking such positions too hastily. He reminds status seek ers that God will reckon with pride and selfishness at the judgment seat of Christ. James is not trying to discour age the layman who wants to teach, but he is pointing out first the necessity of learning. Unqual ified and unprepared teachers are likely to propagate error. The words in verse 2, "we of fend a ll," simply say, "we all stumble." No one is entirely guilt less of some inconsistency before the Lord. We have all offended others by our speech. In some way we all have slipped up whether we like to think about it or not. People, as they get older, failing to allow the grace of God to take over their lives, have a tendency to be criti cal and cynical. We should all be careful of this. Some folks are al ways down in the mouth, and they certainly let you know about it. Somewhere along the line we ought to have an optimistic, posi tive spirit for the Lord. The tongue is the barometer of Christian maturity. We can mea sure our spiritual state of develop ment in Christ by the kind of dis cipline which is imposed on our tongues. If a man can master this most unruly member of our body
Tying Up a Loose End Certain chapters in the Bible seem to distill God's complete rev elation on certain subjects. I Cor. 13 deals with love, while Heb. 11 concerns itself with faith. James 3:1-12 encompasses the area of how dangerous the tongue can be, unless properly controlled by the Holy Spirit. As a matter of fact this portion shows us that it is much easier to control our works than it is to govern our words. Bishop J. C. Ryle tells how a man named Latimer was called upon to preach for King Henry VIII. The godly Latimer addressed himself, “ Latimer, dost thou remember thou art going to talk before the high and mighty King? He has the pow er to command thee to be sent to prison if it please him. Wilt thou take care to say nothing that will offend royal ears?" After a pause of contemplation, he answered his own question. “ Latimer, do you not remember that you are able to speak before the King of kings, and the Lord of lords? Someday Henry VIII is going to stand and give an account before Him. Be faithful to the Lord and declare all of God's Word." If Christians would always speak as though they were in the very presence of the Lord they might save themselves the condemnation about which James is talking in this important chapter. There must be a tremendous element of discipline exercised over this little member, the tongue. Verse one reveals the problem that many believers were striving for places of prominence and lead ership of the church when they were not really qualified. The Jew ish synogogue in that day encour
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