Do we sometimes think that we have arrived at perfection? If we are not perfect, at least we are better than we used to be. Certainly we are better than others, or so we think. But we are not good enough for God in ourselves. God’s grace forgives and removes our sin and it is still amazing. It should cause us to shake our heads at how much sin remains and make us bow our heads in humility and gratitude to God for his love and mercy every day. If we ever needed reminding that we are sinners, just look at the way we talk. It is no good to pass off our verbal sins, saying, "It does not matter. Everyone sins in what they say." It mattered enough for Jesus to die for your sin and mine.

Not many should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. (3:1). Teachers refers to those teach with authority—pastors, elders and teachers. The biblical understanding of a teacher is not someone who has a command of certain truths. It also includes those truths having a certain command of the teacher. Those who teach are held to a stricter standard. Those who would talk the talk should walk the walk. If they don’t walk the walk, then why should others listen to what they are saying?

Verse 6 compares the tongue to a fire—a dangerous fire. It is a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire and is itself set on fire by hell. When you think of the part of the body that gets us into trouble, what do you think of? We think of our appetites and lusts that get us into trouble. We think of how our fists can get us in trouble. Some people have greater problems with those than others. But who does not have a problem with the tongue? Who has not hurt himself by the things he has said?

We say unloving things to those we love. We snap back with unloving words and tone of voice. What good did we think it would do? Or did we think at all? The trouble of the tongue is really the trouble with the heart. Sinfulness remains in our hearts. We need God’s forgiveness. We need the Holy Spirit to build in us the new life that we have been promised in Jesus. The process seems painfully slow.

Verses 9-12 point out how incongruous this is. With our tongue we praise God our Maker and Redeemer. And from our tongues we curse and scorn those made in God’s image. How can both come from the same mouth? As humans we are used to being contradictory. We are used to our sinfulness. It does not surprise us—but maybe it should.

Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? No. Either the spring gives good water, or it gives bad water. If your well would alternate sweet water and poison, you would not use it. You would be wary because you don’t know what is coming next. James is giving us that warning about our tongues. What comes out may be sweet blessing or poison curses. We should be wary of what we say. And we should not accept so easily the harmfulness that comes out. It should disturb us as much as a spring that alternates good and bitter water would.

My brothers, can a fig free bear olives or a grapevine figs? Here is where the Word of God is speaking to our hearts. The problem with our language is not that our tongues somehow get us in trouble. What we say comes from our hearts expressing who we are. A heart full of bitterness will speak ill.

The last line of this passage is subtle, but very powerful. Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. If your heart is full of sin and bitterness, which is evidenced by the words that come out, then you will not be able to produce real words of blessing and praise to God. A salt spring cannot produce fresh water. If your heart is a salt spring, no good water will come out.

Jesus spoke of those who thought they were following him but were not. Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, I never knew you. Depart from me, you evil doers. They were never born again. The sin that gripped them from their earliest time gripped them to the end.

If that doesn’t shake us up from our complacency, what will? Has my heart really been changed? Have I been born again? Am I alive in Christ? Or am I hanging fake fruit on my tree? Have I been granted the gift of true repentance? Is repentance, forgiveness and restoration woven into the warp and weft of the tapestry of my life? Is it what I seek?

Even if we are born again, we have lingering sin that needs rooted out. The Holy Spirit is on a mop-up operation in our hearts. Even those who truly follow Jesus find themselves doing and saying things that are harmful. How do we know if the Spirit of God is truly in our hearts?

Are we seeking repentance daily? Is our heart bowed before the King of kings? Are we looking to our Lord Jesus for our direction? Do we find it in his Word? The answer for those who know Jesus and those who do not is really the same—come to Jesus. Seek him while he may be found. Those who know him will know him more. Those who really don’t know him will find him the true lover of their souls. How do we control our tongues? By letting the Lord Jesus control our hearts.