The Bible Study Podcast, episode 71. This is the third episode in a study on the book of James.

Welcome to the Bible Study podcast. I'm your host, Chris Christensen. Today we continue on with the book of James. James is a shorter letter, so it should only take us about five weeks, and jumping into James III, Taming the Tongue. Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways,

if anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.

When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal,

or take ships as an example, although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder, wherever the pilot wants to go.

Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.

Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.

The tongue also is a fire, 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. The first part here I'd love to just skip over

here, which is not many should presume to be teachers, because you know that those who teach will be judged more strictly.

But it's a scripture that I'm painfully aware of.

As someone who teaches, there is the opportunity to spread falsehood as well as the opportunity to spread truth.

And obviously a lot of damage can be done or a lot of good can be done through teaching.

And so it's something that I just am constantly aware of as I'm talking is to be careful with the words, to be careful with

what I say. I tend to be in general someone who is careful with what he says always. I found that

in my marriage, for instance, that it's just so easy with your wife or with your kids to let that word out that didn't get thought through first,

to say something that shouldn't have been said.

And words have power, and words can hurt.

Words can also heal and words can help but this is

what james is saying is the tongue is a very powerful thing

and he also says that like a bit

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