How is it possible to remain unspotted (through sin) or unsullied from the world? Keeping our tongues in check is absolutely huge in this department. As we discussed previously, it’s not simply what we audibly say, but what we actually think to ourselves because as we noted, we often say what is on our hearts and minds. That’s where the sin starts. Saying it aloud simply involves others in that sin for which we may find ourselves having to apologize if we’ve said things in haste, without thinking, born of selfishness.

James doesn’t just spend a few verses in chapter one talking about the tongue. He revisits the subject again in chapter 4. Taming the tongue (guarding our tongue by guarding our minds) is to James, the epitome of walking with Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us from the moment we receive salvation. Christians who say whatever comes into their heads, regardless of how unpalatable or even evil it may be are not guarding their tongues. They are not walking in the Spirit.

I have said this before, but I have a quick wit, which often prompts me to reply with sarcasm. This is a form of arrogance whether people believe that or not. Sarcasm is used to put people down, to make them feel less than and inferior. Did Jesus ever use sarcasm? Jesus called the situation as He saw it and in every case, He judged correctly. He became angry when righteous anger was called for and yet His words were perfectly fitted to each situation. Yes, He called religious leaders a few names, but as God the Son, the Author of all Creation, He had the right to do so. He wanted to make them see their error and at times, this called for righteous anger because of how they were abusing their positions of authority over the average Jewish person of Israel. They needed to be called out and God in the flesh was doing just that.

But Jesus did not enter the sarcasm zone because He was attempting to open people’s eyes, not make them feel inferior. When I’ve gotten sarcastic, it was designed to cause people to be shocked into silence, to force them to realize what? That they are not as smart as I am, so they’d be better to simply stop talking. This is not a good thing to do and believe me when I say that the Lord has been and continues to work on this within me. I’m learning to at least try to patiently address things with which I disagree. In that sense, that is how God is working to help me guard my tongue, but I have a long way to go and I’m well aware of it.

Notice in James 1:26, James comes right to the heart of the matter when he says, “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.” Wow, really? Anyone who actually believes himself to be religious but has no control over his tongue is kidding himself. For him, James says, his religion is worthless. Worthless, meaning, it’s not real or authentic. It’s a sham, a game. Those people are claiming to be Christian...