Progression of the Tongue

James 3: 2
“For in many things we offend all. If any man offendeth not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body”
By words of our mouth we offend. Notice it says;
“If any man offendeth not in word, the same is a perfect man”
If you have control over your tongue not to offend, you are a perfect man. Anyone who controls the tongue can control the whole body. We see this in the next few verses.
“Behold, we put bits in a horses’, mouth, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold, also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever, the governor listeth”.
The entire course of your life is determined by something as small as your tongue. The tongue has power unlike any other member of the body. I am focusing on the negative force of the tongue here to help teach the destructive power of it. I will write about the positive force you tongue has one day.
Now, let us look at the five progressions of the human tongue (negatively speaking) and how fast it can bring about destruction.
“Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth. And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue amongst our members that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell”>
The tongue starts small and if it is uncontrolled, can be a destructive force that can demolish anything in its path.
Here is what we have:
1. Little Member
2. Little Fire
3. A Fire
4. World of Iniquity
5. Fire of Hell
Scripture goes on to say that every creature can be tamed save the tongue.
By the way, when it says, “that it defileth the whole body” it is meant in the sense of physical sickness and disease. If Scripture was referring to sin it would have said ‘spirit’ and not ‘body’. As far as sickness and disease coming about through what we speak, I will write on that sometime later.
Now that we know what James has to say about the tongue let’s look at Ephesians 6, the armor of God.
“Stand therefore having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. “
“And above all”
If you’re reading from the NIV it says “in addition to”. Scripture really says “above all”.
Why?
Because like I just wrote, the tongue controls the whole body. You have to get the tongue under control in order to control the rest of the body. Proverbs 18:21 says:
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof”.
“Above all, taking the shield of faith, where with ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked”,
It doesn’t matter if you have all the other pieces of armor, if you get knocked down with a fiery dart, nothing else will protect you.
Someone tells you that you are incapable of fulfilling your dream and if you don’t have the shield of faith and block it
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”
Even though you have the helmet of salvation on, those thoughts are still going to get through your head, and eventually you will start telling yourself the same lie the enemy is telling you.
“I can’t do it”.
Make note that the end of the verse says, “of the wicked”.
NIV says “of the evil one”. That leads one to believe that Satan is the one who attacks you with fiery darts. Fiery darts are the words from the tongue. Satan doesn’t have a tongue. He can’t speak to you, he must speak through others. So these darts are the destructive words that people speak to you. And not just other people, yourself as well.
Again, you have life and death on your tongue, you shall eat the fruit you love. Be careful not to bring yourself down with the words of others. Be careful not to bring others down with your own words.