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Freedom of Speech

James 3:1 to 18

We have seen in this epistle that our faith is proved in many different ways. Here it is proved by what we say.

We have already been told: "So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty" (James 2:12), and this portion of the letter focuses on how to speak under the law of liberty.

Much importance is given, nowadays, to freedom of speech and freedom of the media. The world understands it to encompass freedom to blaspheme, to make fun of those who maintain moral standards, to use vile language, and so on.

The abuse of freedom of speech is not only out in the world, but it can happen within a church also. The abuse in the church may take the form of false teaching, lies and gossip.

It has been estimated that the average person speaks about thirty thousand words every day. In an average lifetime, any person could fill a library with the words he has said.

Yet the Lord Jesus taught "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgement. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." (Matthew 12:36-37).

To the believer, freedom of speech under the "law of liberty" means to speak "as the oracles of God" (1 Peter 4:11), meaning "as God would speak". He may speak his mind, so long as it has been cleansed by the Word of God, but he must be prudent so as to speak at the right time and in the right way.

This subject is introduced by means of a warning against the hasty desire to be a teacher of the word of God. A teacher takes a great responsibility upon him, because he can be in a serious danger of teaching the wrong thing, and leading others into error.

It is so easy for a preacher or teacher to become presumptuous and to teach all kinds of vagaries of his own, to give the wrong interpretation of Scripture or to teach his own ideas without reference to Scripture. If he dilutes or explains away the clear meaning of Scripture, he hinders the growth of his students. If he condones sin in any form, he fosters lives of ungodliness. He is in particular peril of abusing the "law of liberty".

It is sobering to realise that God will judge us for the way in which we teach His Word, and we will be under His condemnation if our teaching is wrong. The more opportunity we have to give out the Word of God, the greater is our responsibility to God Himself.

Moving away from the specific subject of teaching to freedom of speech generally, it is stated that we are all prone to stumble in many ways. Five metaphors are given to illustrate how speech can affect our lives, and that of others:

1. As a bridle leads a horse by the mouth, so that it obeys the commands of the person holding the reins in his hand, a man who is able to control his speech so as to avoid the various sins of speech has also sufficient self-control to conduct his behaviour in a worthy manner in other areas of life. This thoroughly disciplined man has reached spiritual maturity (perfect man).

2. The rudder of ships is comparatively very small (so much so that in the mammoth ships of today few people ever see them). A ship may face a fierce storm, but the pilot can steer it with just that little rudder. The tongue is also very small but we must not misjudge it by its size: it can perform great things, good and evil, it can change the course of our lives, and people can be ruined because of things recklessly said.

3. Fire can be useful or destructive: when under control, it warms our bodies, cooks our food, and generates power; when out of control it can destroy homes, cities, forests. Only a small match is needed. The tongue also has vast possibilities of iniquity in it: it can corrupt the whole personality if used to slander, abuse, lie, blaspheme and use filthy language. It not only pollutes a man's personal life, but also pollutes all his activities (the course of nature). It is set on fire of hell (gehenna), which speaks of eternal punishment.

4. The tongue is like a wild, untameable creature, whereas every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed or has been tamed by mankind. There is no reason to believe that man cannot control any living species on earth. Human nature, however, is incapable of controlling the tongue: it is wild and outside man's dominion. Only God can give us the power to control it.

The tongue is also like an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. A highly venomous serpent can kill with a drop or two of venom; so the tongue can poison minds and murder characters. Gossip about others can maliciously belittle them, criticise them, downgrade them. The consequences are difficult to contain: the bitterness, the ruined reputations, the shame and remorse, and so on.

Freedom of speech allows people to do good and evil, for example to bless our God and Father and inconsistently to curse men who have been made in the similitude of God. It is a source of both blessing and cursing.
Believers should not use it in this way. This is where the need for control and discipline comes in. All that we say should be subject to the test: is it true? Is it noble? Is it just? Is it pure? Is it lovely? Is it of good report? Has it any virtue? Is there anything praiseworthy? (Philippians 4:8). Our tongues are part of our body, which is to be presented a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is our reasonable service (Romans 12:1).

No spring will produce both fresh and salt water. Believers must be consistent with their faith, and just like a tree only produces fruit of its kind, they ought to produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit in which they were born again, which is in all goodness and righteousness and truth (Ephesians 5:9). Their speech should be uniformly good, righteous, and true.

If anyone considers himself to be wise and endued with knowledge, let him prove it by his good conduct: actions speak better than words. By speaking we confess our faith and give testimony concerning God, but our actions will bear out whether we are sincere. The true wisdom of God is revealed by deeds done in humility. The Lord Jesus set us the example, being meek and lowly in heart (Matthew 11:29).

Strife and bitterness are characteristics of the worldly-wise man, moved by selfish ambition. He is proud of and boasts of his wisdom that has brought him success, but such boasting is empty because it is false. This kind of wisdom is earthly (not from Heaven), sensual (belonging to man's lower nature), demonic (like actions of demons).

Envying and strife lead to confusion (disharmony) and every other kind of evil. Such is what we see the world today, because men reject true Wisdom and do what they think is clever.

The wisdom which comes from God is first pure, in thought, word and deed. It is not mingled or mixed with man's philosophies and rules. It is also peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. Anything that causes divisions and strife is not of the Lord.

Peace comes from God through the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who proclaim His gospel are the peacemakers, and the fruit of the Gospel is righteousness before God.

This is the most important proclamation our lips can ever make under the "law of liberty".

 

R David Jones

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgement.

2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.

3 Indeed, we put bits in horses' mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body.

4 Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires.

5 Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!

6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.

7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind.

8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.

10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.

11 Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?

12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.

14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.

15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.

16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.

17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.