James 3:1-12

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.  For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.  If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well.  Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs.  So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.
How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!  And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.  For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind,  but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.  With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.  From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.  Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water?  Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.

James 3:1-12

This chapter begins with something very interesting.  There is a warning that most should not be teachers.  I feel like this isn't a popular thing to say.  I would argue that many people want to be teachers.  I want to be a teacher.  But, for most of us, we actually shouldn't become teachers.  Perhaps we should stop and ask what he means by teacher.  I don't think this is limited to a pastor.  This probably isn't limited to a school teacher or a motivational speaker.  Perhaps things like these are the main target, but I think it's much larger than this.  When I see someone walking into traffic, am I not teaching them when I warn them about the danger of not looking both ways before crossing the road?  What about when my mom tells me that I should eat butter instead of margarine?  I guess we are all teachers every now and then.  But when it comes to this passage, perhaps the idea is somewhere in the middle.  Sure, pastors are definitely included.  However, when people take strongly to imparting some "wisdom" to others are become proponents of a given message, then maybe this would also be included in what James is talking about.  In any case, becoming a teacher is a serious thing that not many people should become.  The reason for this is because they will be judged with greater strictness.

Though teachers are judged with greater strictness and not many should become them, it is still a good thing to be a teacher.  James is just warning about the seriousness.  Looking to 1 Timothy, we see some good things about being a teacher: "Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching".  So, before you get scared away from being a teacher, remember that there are still some that should be teachers and it is something that is even to be worthy of double honor.

To add more seriousness to this, James reminds his readers that "we all stumble in many ways".  There is a gravity to what you teach, especially considering the fact that everyone makes mistakes.  There are many ways in which people can screw up.  People who don't make mistakes are those who are perfect.  Question: is anyone perfect?  Answer: God is perfect.  For everyone else, we're not perfect.  Therefore, we will all make mistakes.  Does this mean that no one should be teachers?  No, James only said that not many should become teachers.  Instead, he is pointing to the seriousness of this.  Take seriously the responsibility of a teacher.  Sure, we all make mistakes, but teachers need to teach with the weight and seriousness of teaching in mind.  Carefully consider the words that come out of your mouth.

There are a few illustrations that James provides.  The first is of a horse.  A horse is a relatively large animal.  Yet, this large animal is guided by a small bit that is placed in its mouth.  Similarly, large ships can be guided by a small rudder.  These illustrations are used to point to the tongue.  A person's tongue is small, yet it can guide and direct the whole course of a person.  Just because it is small doesn't mean that it can't make a big difference.

Moving on, James talks about the destructive capability and power of a tongue.  A forest can be set ablaze by a tiny fire.  The tongue is like that fire.  As James puts it: "The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell".  The tongue is like that fire, staining the whole body and even affecting the entire course of life.

There is one thing that is interesting that James mentions.  He adds at the end of verse 6: "and set on fire by hell".  The source of this fire or what begins this fire is hell.  This shows that the horrible things that come out of ones mouth and the destructive results come from hell itself.  Now, this doesn't excuse a person from the responsibility of their actions, but it does warn us to remain on guard.

Can anyone tame the tongue?  According to James, no one can.  Does that mean we should give up?  No, we need to work at it and fight sin, as we read about in Romans 8:13.  Now, one person made an interesting point about those who are more quiet by nature.  Some people seem to have a good handle and a tight reign on their tongues.  When we think about these people, it seems as if there are exceptions to what James says here.  What about people who are mute and cannot talk?  These people obviously can tame their tongue because they can't say anything.  Perhaps taming your tongue is more than just what you say.  Perhaps it is about your outward expression to others.  A mute person may use sign language or write.  Someone who doesn't talk much still has body language.  Even when you don't say something, you are expressing yourself, are you not?  To not speak up in the fact of injustice is wrong, is it not?  Then again, this goes a bit beyond what James is talking about here, isn't it?  Still, you can shut your mouth and still have a problem with "taming your tongue".  Your expressions of hate or disgust may not come out from your mouth, but can come out in different ways.  Perhaps this is why Jesus explained that out of the mouth proceeds from the heart.

But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.
Matthew 15:18-19

Perhaps the issue is really about ones own heart, though James is addressing people's tongues.  I remember hearing an illustration from a pastor.  This guy described an illustration about a person carrying a cup of bitter water.  Unfortunately, someone came by and bumped them and caused them to spill the bitter water out of the cup.  So, the holder of the cup complained in anger, saying: "You caused me to spill all this bitter water out of my cup".  However, the real issue was the fact that they were carrying the bitter water in the first place.

In any case, the issue at hand is taming the tongue and it is something I need to work on.  Even if I'm quiet, this issue arguably goes beyond the tongue to my heart.  Looking ahead at the last examples, we see James use the illustration of a spring, a tree and a pond.  He asks, "Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water".  The answer is no.  A spring can't produce both salt water and fresh water.  It is either one or the other.  Similarly, he asks, "Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs".  The answer is no.  A fig tree produces figs, not olives.  A grapevine produces grapes, not figs.  Lastly, the illustration of a pond is similar to the illustration of a spring.  A salt pond can't produce fresh water.

These illustrations are all to support his point.  He is arguing that it doesn't make sense for one to use their mouth for both blessing and cursing.  People may bless God but turn and curse people.  James even makes notes that these people that are being cursed are "made in the likeness of God".  How can you bless God but curse things made in the likeness of God?  Just like a spring or a tree, it doesn't make sense for both blessing and cursing to come out of our mouths.  We need to work at taming our tongue.

Maybe one of the reasons why James is so hard is because he is so "cut and dry".  He is to the point and doesn't really explain "how".  How are we to tame our tongue?  He doesn't help us in that regard.  It is still important that he addresses this and points his readers to this problem.  We need to tame our tongues.

Jude 1:5-7

Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.  And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day—  just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.

Jude 1:5-7

Having gone over the first few verses, we know that in this book the author is appealing to his readers to "contend for the faith".  The reason for this is because of false teachers who have creeped in.  As we move on, next we see the author call his readers to remember "that Jesus... afterward destroyed those who did not believe".  There is a seriousness about this, which is shown by the punishment.  What's interesting is that this is something that they once knew, which we can see by what the author says: "although you once fully knew it".  I guess they had forgotten, which is why the author says it like he does and reminds them of this fact.

In calling his readers to reminder, the author also mentions that Jesus "saved a people out of the land of Egypt".  First of all, it is Jesus who is specifically mentioned as the one who saved those people.  These people who are saved are the Israelites who were saved out of slavery back in the Old Testament.  Jesus wasn't born of the Virgin Mary yet, but that doesn't mean that Jesus didn't exist yet.  We know from Colossians 1 that Jesus existed before all things.  Also, he even says in Revelation 22:13: "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end".  So, not only is this a warning about the punishment, but these people who were "afterward destroyed" are part of those who were first saved out of Egypt.  If they were first saved and then destroyed, does this mean that you can lose your salvation?  I don't think the scripture goes that far, but it is certainly something to be wary of.  By that I mean that some people live in false security thinking that they're saved when they aren't.  So, people should beware lest they be deceived.

So, out of those Israelites who were saved out of Egypt, some were "afterward destroyed".  Those who were afterward destroyed were those who "did not believe".  Really?  Yes, really.  If you follow along in the story, you'll find that there were a number of occasions where the Israelites were less than grateful and many of them were punished as a result.  We read here in Jude that they did not believe.  You could probably say that they did not believe and trust in this same God who parted the Red Sea and defeated their enemies before their eyes.  In any case, they didn't believe and were punished.

There are three examples here and the first one was the Israelites who were saved out of Egypt.  The second example is about angels.  There were apparently some angels who "left their proper dwelling" and now receive punishment of "eternal chains under gloomy darkness".  Perhaps this is in reference to the angels who fell with with Satan (1/3 of them apparently ref: Rev 12).  In any case, there is a punishment of angels that the author is calling attention to.

The third example is of Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities.  Their problem was "sexual immorality" and "unnatural desire".  Their punishment was "eternal fire".  Putting them all together, there is the disbelief of the Israelites who were punished with death; the angels who "left their proper dwelling" and were punished with "eternal chains"; and lastly there is Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities who "indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire" and were punished with "eternal fire".  The author is bringing these to the attention of his readers.  He wants them to "contend for the faith" and be warned for themselves and others about these three examples of punishment.  The author will go on to talk about them more, but at the very least we now see the pattern and the idea for this all together.

This brings me to why I decided to read and study the book of Jude.  I will continue to read Jude, but what I was looking for is now clear.  I had heard someone arguing that the story of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Old Testament was not dealing with the sin of homosexuality (contrary to popular belief).  This person referred to something they had heard arguing that the people at the time were in the wrong because they were dominating people and not treating strangers with hospitality.  Now, there may be a lot to say to answer such opinions, but I think the bible itself makes it very clear what the problem was at that time.  Jude clearly points out that the error that was being punished was that they "indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire".  With that being said, I find it hard to deny that the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah was homosexuality.

Now, lest I run head-first into some zealous rage hell-bent on sin, I pray that the word of God penetrate my heart to lead me how I am to act with wisdom , gentleness and love.

So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

2 Timothy 2:22-26

Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

Colossians 4:5-6

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3

Jude 1:1-4

Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James,
To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ:
May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.
Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Jude 1:1-4

I recognize that I have a bunch of books that I haven't finished yet, but I wanted to get started on Jude.  I don't know this book very well, so it'll be good to study a book I'm not familiar with.  However, the real reason why I decided to study this book is because I heard someone make mention of Sodom and Gomorrah.  Afterward, I did a quick search on biblegateway and found an interesting mention of Sodom and Gomorrah in the book of Jude.  So, to avoid just taking a verse out of context, I should study the whole book.

In any case, I started with some initial research.  No, actually that's not true.  I started by reading the book of Jude a few times.  Fortunately, it's very short so that's easy to do.  However, I am not an expert in the historical context of the book of Jude, which is why looking for help in this area is useful.  The author is one of the half-brothers of Jesus.  As you know from the gospels, Jesus' brothers did not believe in him at the time.  However, we know that his brother, James, did end up believing.  The author of Jude is similar as he didn't believe at first but did end up believing in the end.

There were many false teachers during the time that this book was written and that is what the author addresses.  I think this topic is very important to us because there are many false teachers around nowadays.  Interestingly, I think that there are more false teachers then most realize.  I'll bet that there are some around you that are false teachers but you wouldn't even suspect.  Maybe you yourself are one?  Beware, because it is a very dangerous thing.  Don't be so foolish as to think that you couldn't be in the wrong here.

In any case, looking to the text we see Jude.  As mentioned earlier, he is the brother of James and half-brother of Jesus.  He mentions that he is "a servant of Jesus Christ", which is important.  Though formerly he did not believe or follow Jesus just like his siblings, he eventually came around.  I wonder why he didn't mention that he was the brother of Jesus but mentioned being a brother of James.  Perhaps he didn't want that to interfere or be confused with the fact that he was a servant of Jesus.

Moving on, we see who this is written to.  It is written to believers.  Specifically, it is "those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ".  In this alone we can already see language of predestination.  These readers are ones who are "called" and "kept".

The introduction is ended with a "general" greeting, as was common at the time.  So, the structure of this letter was not unfamiliar to the original readers.

So, now we move on to the meat of this book/letter.  We see the reason or the purpose for his writing.  Specifically, he is "appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints".  What does this mean?  NLT uses the word "defend" when talking about the faith in this verse and AMP uses the word "fight".  There is a battle that believers need to engage in, but who or what is the fight against?  Moving on we read about the adversary or the enemy the author has in mind.

For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ
Jude 1:4

Actually, I'm not sure how to quote Jude since there really is only one chapter.  Do you just write the verse number or is it wrong to include the chapter number?

Anyways...

The battle is against these people who have "crept in unnoticed".  This is very serious.  First of all, they are unnoticed, which is scary.  Perhaps the danger that one is aware about is actually not so bad.  However, it's the danger that one doesn't know about that is probably the worse.  If you don't know about it you aren't prepared for it and it can creep in and surprise you.  Not only that, but what they did is quite serious as well.  These people "pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ".  To pervert the grace is to twist the gospel.  These people are false teachers.  How they twist the grace isn't mentioned, but this is still a serious thing.  Certainly something one needs to be aware of and important enough for the author to write about.

Psalm 23:4-6

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.
 You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

Psalm 23:4-6

On our trip a few years ago, I remember learning about the shepherd and their staff.  The staff had a hook on the end and was used to draw the sheep in.  Perhaps there were disobedient sheep that needed discipline, but it wasn't used for smacking them.  Instead, they were drawn in close and corrected in a loving and close way.  This is in contrast to it being used as a weapon to fend off predators such as wolves.  I'm not entirely sure, but I guess this is in reference to his protecting of his sheep and his disciplining in love of the sheep.  In any case, it is supposed to be comforting and God's protection and discipline is comforting.  Sure, we may not always want or desire discipline at first, but we must recognize that it is a good thing for us.  Just look at what it says in Hebrews 12.

Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.  In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.  And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?
“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
    nor be weary when reproved by him.
 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
    and chastises every son whom he receives.”
 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?  If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.  Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?  For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.  For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Hebrews 12:3-11

Discipline is a good thing.

Moving on, a table is prepared before the psalmist.  More interesting is the fact that this is in the presence of his enemies.  God is doing a good thing to the psalmist for all his enemies to see.  You can imagine that his enemies do not delight in this, but God does it anyway.  Anyway, this psalm ends on a high note with a lot of really good things happening for the psalmist.  This is in contrast to the valley of the shadow of death earlier.  In any case, it is a well known psalm and one that can bring comfort in times of need.