Redeeming the Tongue

23nd Sunday after Pentecost (Series B, Proper 27)
James 3:1-12

James begins this chapter of his epistle with another warning to pastors, as he has done several times in previous chapters. He first warns that not everyone should seek to be a pastor, because preaching and teaching come with great responsibilities. The Bible clearly teaches that the only way to salvation is by Grace, through faith, because of Jesus, and this is true of all people, including pastors. However, the Bible also warns that, even though their sins are forgiven, pastors will have to face an examination on the last day regarding whether what they have taught was true or false doctrine and whether they faithfully led their congregations according to Jesus’ teachings. This is why James warns the people that not many of them should become pastors, because they will have to bear this added accountability.

For the same reason, he also warns pastors to be careful what they say. If they speak without thinking or respond wrongly in a heated situation, a pastor’s words can cause great offense and spark huge problems in a congregation. More importantly, though, if when he preaches and teaches, his words teach things that are not Biblical, he can cause far greater damage, not just to the congregation, but to the eternal souls of those who hear him. Jesus, Paul, John, and the other authors of the Bible all give strong warnings about false doctrine. They warn congregations not to accept preachers who teach doctrines which are different than what they had learned from the Apostles. They also warn Christians not to harbor or listen to teachers of these false doctrines. If a pastor has a difficult personality, an annoying voice, poor fashion sense, or even a lack of personal hygiene, it will, no doubt, negatively impact his effectiveness in ministry, but they would not cause any eternal harm. On the other hand, if a preacher teaches false doctrine, it can result in people being led away from Jesus and trusting in someone or something else in His place. If this occurs, the preacher’s tongue has not only harmed the congregation, but it has led souls away from eternal life, and to the loss of their salvation and eternal punishment as a result.

This warning about careful speech applies to all Christians too. Many people have formed negative opinions of Christianity because of thoughtless or ignorant words spoken by Christians, and this has become a barrier to their trusting Jesus and being saved.

James compares the tongue to other small structures which have a large impact. A rudder is a relatively small part of a ship, but it determines the direction the ship will go. A bit placed into a horse’s mouth is extremely small compared to the size of the animal, yet it can be used, even by a child, to steer the horse where the rider desires. Likewise, the tongue, even though it is a very small part of the human body, can change the direction of lives, relationships, communities, nations, and churches. The tongue can be used for good to bless, praise, and inspire; but when misused, it can cause destruction that takes ages to repair.

This is so important that one of the ten commandments is devoted to exactly this sin of misusing the tongue. The eighth commandment says, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” When Martin Luther explains this commandment, he teaches us that this commandment does not only prohibit us from lying about other people. This commandment forbids us from using our tongues and our words in any way which harms our neighbor and his reputation. It even forbids us from telling other people true things about others if it would cause harm to their reputation. We call this sin gossip, and it is one of the most commonly committed sins, as well as one of the most frequently overlooked and ignored by those who commit it.

James compares the Christian who praises God on Sunday morning, but gossips about his neighbor on Monday afternoon to a well that produces salt water or a plant that produces the wrong fruit. When Christians use their tongue to praise God and also to harm their neighbors, they are not bearing the fruit which should come from a follower of Jesus.

However, God has graciously ordained that this most dangerous part of the body which is so often misused to be used for the greatest good. Just as he redeems our sinful lives to give glory to Him, He also redeems our venomous tongues to speak of His grace.

Romans 10:14 asks, “How are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?”

Jesus has called these pastors who Paul warns of the dangers of the tongue to use that same tongue to speak words which proclaim the message of Jesus, crucified for the forgiveness of the sins of the world, and risen from the grave to give evidence that He has defeated death. He transforms those venomous tongues to instead disperse the sweet medicine of the Gospel of Jesus. He still calls pastors today to use their tongues publicly proclaim the message of Jesus through the preaching of the Church. God gives His forgiveness as those tongues are used to speak absolution in the Divine Service “as a called and ordained servant of Christ.” He uses those tongues to forgive the sins of adults and children in the waters of Holy Baptism, “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” and Jesus uses words spoken by human tongues to make His own Body and Blood present upon this altar “given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.”

He uses the redeemed and restored tongues, not just of pastors, but of all Christians to take the message of Jesus to the whole world. One tongue speaks from the pulpit, but dozens go out from there into factories, garages, farms, elevators, restaurants, and all manner of places where ears need to hear about Jesus.

Thanks be to God for His forgiveness for tongues misused, and we ask that He would continue to redeem and renew ours to speak His message in all places.

Amen.