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We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check. [James 3:2 NIV]
James has been speaking about teachers in the first verse of chapter 3 - not school teachers but those in the church who have responsibilty to teach others. Those of us who teach are judged more severely. But in verse 2, he broadens his comments to 'all of us.' James is telling us that all of us are prone to stumble in many ways. The word 'stumble' means 'to offend God or to sin against God.' So James is stating what was taught in the Old Testament. Here are some examples:
How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. [Psalms 19:12 NLT]
Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart; I am pure and free from sin? [Proverbs 20:9 NLT]
It is important to emphasise this point as we begin to study this verse because some Christians have taught what was known as 'sinless perfection.' They have claimed that it is possible for us to attain such a level of holiness that we have overcome sin. John's letter would clearly contradict this.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. [1 John 1:8 NIV]
But James goes on to talk about being perfect. He seems to be suggesting that it is possible for a Christian to attain perfection. The verses quoted above (and many others) make it clear that we are deluding ourselves if we make such a claim. However, this is not to imply that we settle for something second best. We should never come to the point where we begin to imagine that it is acceptable to tolerate sin in our lives. This is not the standard of holiness God requires from His people. So what does James mean when he uses the word 'perfect.' One commentator defines perfect as 'mature, complete and thoroughly disciplined.' [MacDonald, William. Believer's Bible Commentary (p. 3285). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition]. Scot McKnight applies this verse to the Bible teacher of verse 1 but here is what he says: 'This person is a fully developed follower of Jesus’ own teachings of the Torah as the Torah of loving God and loving others. The perfect teacher is one whose love shapes how he or she teaches and speaks of others. Indeed, the term speaks of maturity and completeness or, even better, of having arrived at the destined goal designed by God.'
This leads us to challenge ourselves with some questions and, not just for someone engaged in any form of Bible teaching.
Are there signs of spiritual maturity in my life?
Have I allowed God to develop my Christian character and to reach the goals He has planned in my life?
Do I demonstrate a deep love for God and a love for others?
As a Bible teacher, is my teaching shaped and influenced by this love for God and love for others?
But we need to look at the rest of the verse. James deals with a subject that is close to his heart - verbal sins or sinning by what we say. He sets the bar very high by speaking of a person 'who is never at fault in what they say.' I would like to be honest with my dear friends who read this blog either casually or regularly - I cannot claim to have reached this standard. But James is saying that it is such a challenge to control our talk whether formally or informally that if we are disciplined enough to guard our tongue, we would find it possible to control our whole body.
This emphasis on human speech causing us to sin is found in Old Testament passages such as these
Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; their heart is filled with malice. Their throat is an open grave; with their tongues they tell lies. [Psalms 5:9 NIV]
keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. [Psalms 34:13 NIV]
For your hands are stained with blood, your fingers with guilt. Your lips have spoken falsely, and your tongue mutters wicked things. [Isaiah 59:3 NIV]
When we studied the Book of Proverbs, we came across similar verses [See Day Share entitled, "Too many words (25/06/2022)]
Yet again, there is a striking similarity with the teaching of Jesus.
You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.[Matthew 5:21-22 NIV]
The subject of the tongue will be covered in future Day Share blogs. I am more and more convinced that this is a message we need to learn today. Churches can be hotbeds for gossip and slander. Sadly, times of Christian 'fellowship', can quickly degenerate into gossip sessions. This is destructive and harmful to the unity of the church. Satan uses our tongues to wreak havoc and spread 'muck' as we say in Scotland. Although it is necessary for the farmer to spread manure on his or her fields, it is not necessary for Christians to pollute the fragrance of the church with malicious talk.
So, as we bring this blog to an end, I feel led to ask both the writer and the readers another challenging question:
Do I spread harmful gossip in my church or among my acquaintances?
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