Many very intelligent men and women are void of wisdom, because wisdom comes from the Word of God which they reject.

James, whose name we learned is the same as Jacob in the Hebrew tongue, and who has written this timely letter of instruction and admonition to the dispersed tribes of Israel in these latter days, has gone to great lengths to explain to us in detail and by using commonly known Biblical examples that the idea many Christians have that all you need after you have been saved is to have "faith" without any works, is erroneous to say the least!

In fact, it is a "deadly" false doctrine because after a while one who has no good works shows that he really doesn't have Christ, and if you don't have Him, you're dead!

So don't listen to the ignorance of those who speak with unbridled tongues (vs. 1:26).

Do your homework and listen to the Word of God which simply and very clearly says, "Faith without works is dead." (James 2:20)

So the idea that just having "faith" without works is sufficient, should forever be erased from the mature Christian's mind, and along with doing your own homework and not listening to those who speak with unbridled, undisciplined tongues, make SURE that you aren't one of those who is doing the unbridled speaking!

In fact, this is of such enormous importance that James is going to take this next chapter in his book and teach us all about the little waggly tongue.

He will also give us some simple picturesque analogies to give us perspective and make it easy for us to be able to SEE just how powerful the devilish little thing really is.

Why?

Well, surprisingly, many Christians seem to be totally unaware of the severe judgment placed on those who intentionally or even unintentionally through ignorance, mislead God's children.

Teachers who greatly err in bringing forth His Word, which is the reason for the great famine we now find ourselves amidst (Amos 8:11), will "receive the greater condemnation" all right, because our Father doesn't like His children being deceived and led astray with the traditions of men.

Each week many good hearted Christians volunteer to teach their Sunday school classes and they earnestly, though ignorantly, follow the lesson plans of their own or even perhaps some other church system and they blindly (being led by the blind themselves) teach things like "Eve ate an apple" and "Christ died on Good Friday" and "Sinners burn for eternity" and "Christ will return at any moment and Rapture His church" and "the law of God was nailed to the cross" and other such unscriptural nonsense set forth by ignorant unbridled tongues.

Our Father doesn't like it!

Go ahead and teach that works are not necessary for Christians once they are saved (yes, works have nothing to do with initial salvation) and declare that "all you need is to have faith".

But be forewarned there can be real danger if one teaches without knowledge and wisdom.

Look at this this way.

Suppose someone who is unskilled in "swordsmanship" picks up a very sharp twoedged sword and in his enthusiasm begins to wield it about uncontrollably everywhere he goes!

He or she could end up slaying many innocent bystanders.

The point is, be careful how you handle the Word of God for it is described in Rev. 1:16 as a sharp twoedged sword and Paul tells us just how powerful it is in Hebrews chapter 4.

Otherwise you could severely hurt both them and yourself.

However, if a person doesn't err in what he teaches then he shows a character that is mature, i.e. disciplined with a bridled tongue, and he is able to control the whole body, even the whole body of believers.

So take heed, do not err (sin) with your tongue and always keep your mouth bridled.

David understood.

It can be compared to the small rudder on a big ship.

Well, the tongue is a little thing too, like the rudder in comparison to the great ship, and when the tongue "talks big", which is like the helmsman letting go of the wheel, it can run the ship amuck or send it on a course of collision ending in great destruction.

The point is that a great forest can be set ablaze with just a little flame and the little tongue is as dangerous as any fire because it can quickly turn your life and the lives of our members and loved ones into a living hell!

In fact, wise up, it can even send you and others there!

"The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity among our members, that defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of nature, and it is set ablaze with the fire of hell itself*.

Picture yourself standing in the midst of a vast forest and suddenly in a fit of anger you open your mouth and a nasty little spark flies off the end of your tongue and falls into a bed of dry leaves, and the next thing you know, all hell has broken loose and you are now trapped in a raging inferno, even gehenna*.

Don't be a fire breathing dragon or dragonette, learn how to bridle and tame the tongue with the Word of God.

Man can tame the wildest of beasts yet he can't tame that little waggly tongue.

We use it to bless God and then we turn around five minutes later and use it to curse one of His children.

What a hypocritical little monster, blowing both hot and cold from the same mouth!

If you are one of the "my brethren" James refers to in the next verse, then your tongue ought not be so unruly and unbridled.

"A double minded man is unstable in all his ways (James 1:8)."

A hypocritical Christian speaks with a forked tongue.

Both common sense and nature itself teach that no fountain can issue forth both salt water and fresh water and no "tree" can bring forth fruit inconsistent with its type, i.e. its nature.

You see, if a man speaks with a poisoned tongue and then later speaks goodly words, the latter must be only seemingly so, words spoken in hypocrisy which contradict his type, his still unchanged character.

So you are either a sweet water fountain or a bitter one, and that depends on what spiritual stream of water feeds your mind.

And whatever kind of tree you are, i.e. whatever your true nature is, the fruit you bring forth will naturally be according to its kind.

Matthew, like James, used similar examples from nature to illustrate the same point.

"Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? (Mat. 7:16)."

The answer is obvious once again, "No, you cannot!"

Does that mean someone who is really intelligent?

No, wisdom and intelligence are not synonymous terms.

Just look to Washington, D.C., and you will find many very intelligent men and women who are void of wisdom, because wisdom comes from the Word of God which they now reject.

It was not so in the days of our founding fathers.

So if you have that wisdom and knowledge from His Word, and you drink daily from the living water of life, then good conversation (conduct), good works, and humility will flow forth from your fountain and you will be a blessing to others.

You are like a thistle trying to bear grapes.

It "ain't gonna happen"!

Your works and deeds do declare what kind of tree you really are.

For you see, if you harbor these things in your heart and you have a doubleminded spirit, you cannot serve God.

Who are you trying to kid?

The Babylon of these end times is and will continue to be "religious confusion".

However, the straight on, pure truth from His Word allows for no confusion or envying, or strife, or division.

We as Christians are to be one body easily moved about by the will of our Governor, the Captain of our salvation, because we are bridled by the pure word of His truth.

Everyone would like to think of themselves as being a wise person.

Then notice wisdom's order of priorities in verse 17.

Number one on the list is "purity", i.e. the purified truth.

Remember this chapter started out talking about being cautious in your eagerness to become a teacher.

Without the wisdom contained in the unerring knowledge of the pure truth, casting aside the traditions of men, your teaching could be as "deadly" as faith without works is "deadly".

Should that discourage someone from becoming a teacher?

Not at all, if they are truly led by the spirit and diligently seek knowledge and wisdom from His Word.

Peace then is number two on the list and it must not be sought at the expense of truth, for then it will not be a lasting peace.

However, peace and the fruits of righteousness will follow after the purification of truth which sometimes requires the application of His rod of iron.

It is sown by the peacemakers who hold fast the purity of His Word.

They are followers of the Prince of Peace.