Taming the Tongue: The Sum of the Perfect Man (Review James 3:2 with your class.) What is the definition of a perfect man? Contrary to popularly held cultural or even religious ideals, it may not be what one expects. Perfection in the Bible is defined not by a plethora of good works, education, wealth, recognition, or by abstaining from harmful prac - tices or excess. According to James, the embodiment of “perfection,” at least in this context, is an individual who has complete mastery over his or her speech. “And if anyone does not offend in speech [never says the wrong things], he is a fully developed character and a perfect man, able to control his whole body and to curb his entire nature” (vs. 2, Amplified). James’s assertion begs a vital sof questions: What exactly is meant by “perfect”; and, consequently, how does not offending in speech lead to becoming a mature, fully developed individual? In light of these questions, let’s delve into the origins of the word per - fect as used in this verse. The word rendered “perfect” here has its roots in the Greek word teleios, meaning to be complete or mature in one’s growth, work, or moral character. Here, James reveals that the key to attaining such mastery or perfection resides in the tongue. By this image, he means, metaphorically, our power of choice over the words we use. Think of it. Every individual is endowed with this astounding power to choose, which includes the wondrous, even radical, potential to combine words in verbal and written arrangements with life-altering capabilities: to heal wounds or cause them; to destroy or grow relationships; to inspire or discourage minds. All this potential resides in the freedom to choose our words. Implicit in such choices are not merely the words we say but the ones we refrain from saying. But to conclude with this observation is to fail to grasp the full importance of the transformational effect on our lives that comes from controlling our speech. Thus, we must dig deeper into this verse to get at its meat. We begin by noting that James establishes a connection between perfection, or controlling one’s tongue, and controlling the entire body, or physical nature, with all its appetites, passions, desires, and cravings. Implicit in this connection is a very powerful promise for character growth and spiritual victory: control the tongue and control the nature. The result? Attaining full maturity as an individual—what James calls perfection. The connection between speech and maturity is so pivotal because the promise here goes far beyond simply gaining victory over saying the wrong thing. It promises us that if we control our words, we can gain control over every other facet of our lives, both our bodies and our entire natures. Why? Words are an indicator of the state of the heart. “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matt.12:34, NKJV). If the heart is pure, the speech will be. What an incredible admission, which, in turn, leads to the issue of our accountability to use this power wisely. For, as we are told elsewhere in Scripture, we will have to give an account in the judgment for every word used, whether for good or evil.
Posted on: Fri, 14 Nov 2014 11:25:30 +0000