b003b-ENG-The tongue also is a fire（2026）James3:1-18 (NIV)

   • b003a-舌頭就是火（2026）雅各書3:1-18   The more I read Chapter 3 of James, the more meaningful it becomes. James seems to emphasize that works must match faith—that faith requires practical action to be genuine, backing this up with many concrete examples. The irony, however, is that unless read through the Holy Spirit, it can feel as dead and devoid of life as the Law itself. Just like those who do not yet know Jesus, reading the Bible through the lens of ethics and human intellect leads them to think these are merely things they already know—viewing them as nothing more than cliché moral maxims for self-cultivation. For instance, in Chapter 3, he presents many negative examples, seemingly instructing us to refrain from certain actions or reminding us what not to do. Yet he actually makes it very clear: no human can tame the tongue. If we could tame it by our own strength, we would be perfect individuals—but no such person exists, which is why we must rely on the Holy Spirit. If our takeaway here is merely, "Bridling the tongue is crucial, so we must do this and that," we have succumbed to the very first verse of this chapter: "Let not many of you become teachers(KJV)." Once again, we attempt to rely on our own willpower to act as moral guardians for ourselves and others. I dare not say such wisdom is necessarily earthly, unspiritual, or demonic, but it certainly does not look like wisdom from above. In truth, how we conduct ourselves often depends merely on our mood. When we happen to show a bit more respect or courtesy to someone, it is usually just because we haven't encountered any bad luck that day—not because we truly recognize that the person before us is made in the image of God. Peacemakers yield a harvest of righteousness only when sown in peace. Without God’s preserving grace, all we have left is jealousy, selfish ambition, disorder, and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere. There is a passage here that says: "All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind." I keep pondering this, realizing that God originally bestowed this authority upon humanity, and it was meant to be exercised through the power of speech. Today, however, humanity chooses to act out of fleshly impulse, complicating everything. Yet he goes on to say, "and have been tamed by mankind." Humans, relying on themselves, seem to turn the impossible into possible; nevertheless, "no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison." No matter how powerful humans are, even if they can master all creation, they still cannot control their own tongue. Only when we allow the Holy Spirit to become our true Teacher, and only when praising God becomes our very life, can our tongue live out a real, fire-like power. It becomes like Acts Chapter 2—filling people with wonder and amazement, speaking words that build others up, igniting the fire within human hearts, and setting on fire the entire course of life, even from hell itself. James appears to use many negative examples, but I believe he is actually telling us that the tongue can boast of great things—not to speak grandiose falsehoods, but to harness the power that steers a ship in wild winds or sets a huge forest ablaze. It functions like using the keys of the kingdom of heaven, releasing on earth whatever has been bound. ACTS 2 1. When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Matthew 16 19. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” #James #Acts #Matthew #Faith #Tongue #Fire