Dr. “Joey” Alan Le, Ph.D.

Jun 29, 2025

This is true whether you are teaching from the pulpit, behind the piano, in Sunday school, in children’s class, youth group, or a Bible study. 

This is true of any scenario in which you are teaching something to someone else.

This is especially true when it comes to the spread of information, such as in journalism, news, or social media. Spreading news is also a form of teaching because you’re telling someone things they didn’t know that you think they should know.

What you say or write can lead people to the truth or mislead them.

That is why the ability to control our tongues is, above all, a spiritual matter. 

Do you use your words to lead people to God (the truth) or away from God (the lies)?

To be accurate, the Letter of James is written to the early Christian church about individuals seeking to become teachers within the church. That is the historical context. 

However, it is permissible to extend this warning to all teaching and speaking anywhere.

Not many of you should become teachers 

In Jewish law, the rabbi (“teacher”) was so highly respected that if an enemy captured both your father and your rabbi, it was your duty to ransom your rabbi first, before your father (Ellsworth, 104).

The logic was that your parents bring you into this world, whereas your rabbi brings you into the World to Come.

Teachers in the Early Church

Teachers were also highly respected in the early church. Teachers were the third most prominent role in the church, after the apostle and prophet (Baker, 72).

In James’ day, written documents were extremely rare and largely inaccessible to the masses. The primary method of transmitting ideas was to speak them aloud, orally. Teachers bore a huge responsibility of conveying the essence of the Christian religion accurately (Walters, 113-114).

So, given the high status and prestige that being a teacher gives, it starts to make sense why James’ church had a huge influx of would-be teachers (Osborne, 67).

We who teach will be judged with greater strictness.

Who is going to judge the teacher?

Lack of Fact Verification

Many people are tempted to pass on interesting rumors without thoroughly verifying the facts. Especially in this age of the Internet, social media, and artificial intelligence, it is all too easy to mix misinformation, half-truths, and personal opinions, making them appear genuinely true (Blomberg and Kamell, 165).

Misinformation, Disinformation, Malinformation

There are people in our society who have no qualms with spreading misinformation, disinformation, or malinformation.

Praise God While Attacking Others

All too often, people give praise to God while bombing others with names or nukes. It’d be better if they just left God’s name out of it, you know what I’m saying?

What St. James is saying is that all people will be judged. And anyone who takes it upon themselves to teach, and inform, and influence, and lead others…God will judge those people with greater strictness.

Temptation of Arrogance

Anyone in a position of authority must have the right character, the right motives, and the right training to lead.

James 3:9

9 With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God (NRSV).

The best way we can use our tongues is to praise God. The worst way we can use our tongues is to curse a fellow human being. We do both all the time, sometimes with barely a breath in between (Baker, 80).

One minute, we say we love God. And the next minute, we say we hate another person whom God loves (Walters, 122).

“Cursing” here isn’t limited to calling down problems and evil on another person using the power of God’s name (Utley, 25), though that would also be included.

James is warning us about how we use our voices, our words, our speech, to hurt others.

Delusional Christian

Picture a person who goes to church every Sunday, puts money into the offering box, who perhaps leads in prayer when they are asked, and who may even be a deacon or ministry board member.

• But they fail to control their tongue.

• Perhaps they frequently repeat unfounded gossip.

• Perhaps they are harsh and judgmental of others.

• Perhaps they often lose their temper.

• Perhaps they occasionally lie, brag, or complain.

• Perhaps they teach falsity or manipulate others.

Such a person may fool themselves into thinking they are a good Christian. But when they let their tongue run wild, they show that in truth their religion is worthless (James 1:26) (Redford, 259).

Reflection

Our words have a profound impact on the people and the world around us.

• Are you expressing the generous grace and love of God in your words?

• Are you building people up or tearing them down?

• If you are seeking a position of influence, do you have the right character, the right motives, and the right training to teach and lead?

Our tongue is a reliable gauge of our spirituality.

• How would you rate your spiritual well-being, given how you speak to God, to others, and to yourself?

• Will you use your tongue to heal, to encourage, to sharpen others?

Each of you are teaching someone, influencing, and leading someone.

The opportunity to make a person better, to show them that God loves them, is an enormous privilege and is a rewarding vocation (Blomberg, 164).

Works Cited

Baker, William R., and Paul K. Carrier. James-Jude: Unlocking the Scriptures for You. Standard Bible Studies. Cincinnati, OH: Standard, 1990.

Blomberg, Craig L., and Mariam J. Kamell. James. Vol. 16. Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Academic, 2009.

Ellsworth, Roger. Opening up James. Opening up Commentary. Leominster: Day One, 2009.

Hughes, R. Kent. James: Faith That Works. Preaching the Word. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1991.

Keller, Timothy, and Sam Allberry. 90 Days in John 14-17, Romans & James. Explore by the Book: The Good Book Company, 2017.

Osborne, Grant R., and M. Robert Mulholland, Jr. James, 1–2 Peter, Jude, Revelation. Edited by Philip W. Comfort. Cornerstone Biblical Commentary. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2011.

Redford, Doug. The New Testament Church: Acts-Revelation. Vol. 2. Standard Reference Library: New Testament. Cincinnati, OH: Standard, 2007.

Utley, Robert James Dr. Jesus’ Half-Brothers Speak: James and Jude. Vol. Volume 11. Marshall, TX: Bible Lessons International, 2000.

Walters, J. Michael. James. A Bible Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. Indianapolis, IN: Wesleyan Publishing House, 1997.