James 3 - Introduction

1. Outline:

1. The Use And Misuse Of The Tongue: James 3:1-12

2. Earthly And Heavenly Wisdom: James 3:13-18

1. Introductory Comments:

From this chapter we will learn that words also fit into the category of works. In fact, evil words can at times wreck more havoc than some evil deeds. Barclay notes, "A man can ward off. blow with the hand, for the striker must be in his presence to strike him. But. man can drop. malicious word, or repeat. scandalous and untrue story, about someone whom he does not even know, and about someone who stays hundreds of miles away, and can cause infinite damage and harm. The very range the tongue can reach is the tongue's greatest peril….Once. word is spoken there is no getting it back. There is nothing which it is so impossible to kill as. rumor; there is nothing which it is so impossible to obliterate as an idle and. malignant story. Let. man, before he speaks, remember that once. word is spoken it is gone from his control" (p. 100).