From the recording James the Letter An Intimate Review
Lyrics
Letter of Apostle James
An Intimate Review
Pt 6
By Lawrence DeMetrius
In [Jam 3:3-12] Apostle James expounds upon the characteristics of an EVIL TONGUE, which he likens to a LITTLE FIRE that can kindle great destruction in one’s life. He writes,
And the TONGUE is a FIRE, a world of iniquity: so is the TONGUE among our members, and that it DEFILETH the whole body, and setteth on FIRE the course of nature; and it is set on FIRE of HELL.
[Jam 3:6]
*tongue Gk #1100 glossa (gloce-sah) it is literally the tongue and specifically a naturally unacquired language
*fire Gk #4442 pur (poor) it is literally and figuratively a fire and specifically lightning, which is a brilliant electric spark discharged in the atmosphere
*world Gk #2889 kosmos (kos-mos) it is a decoration, orderly arrangement and the world in a wide or narrow sense, including its inhabitants
*iniquity Gk #93 adikia (ad-ee-kee-ah) it is the act and quality of injustice and moral wrongfulness of character, life and act
Jude mentions that people can be likened to clouds. False Teachers, like all who go in the way of Cain, Balaam and Core are likened to clouds without rain, which is water the source of life for all earthly creatures. Their TONGUES are EVIL FIRE and LIGHTNING that render lying persuasions. They are noted from the time of Enoch. [Jude vs 4, 8-19] Per this discourse, TONGUE is GLOSSA, which is a LANGUAGE unnaturally acquired. Thus, it is a foreign thing taught or given by another. [Gen 2:9, 17; 3:1-6; Isa 6:5-8; Mk 16:17; II Cor 4:1-7; 5:17, 20; 10:4, 5] The evil TONGUE DEFILETH the WHOLE BODY.
*defileth Gk #4695 spilos (spee-los) it means to stain and soil
*body Gk #4983 soma (so-mah) it is the body as a sound whole [I Thes 5:23]
The TONGUE SETTETH ON FIRE the COURSE of NATURE.
*setteth on fire Gk #5394 phlogizo (flog-id-zo) it means to cause a blaze, ignite and inflame with passion
*course Gk #5164 trochos (trokh-os) it is a…
• wheel as a runner
o wheel is…
a circular frame or disk arranged to revolve on an axis
any machine, apparatus or instrument shaped like this
a wheel used to steer, which is to…
guide or guide the course of something in motion by a rudder, helm or wheel
follow, pursue or direct a particular course
o runner is a messenger or person, animal or thing that runs
• a circuit of physical effects
*nature Gk #1078 genesis (ghen-is-sis) it means nativity, nature and generation
• nativity means birth, which is…
o an act or instance of being born
o the act or process of bearing or bringing forth offspring
o lineage or extraction
• nature is the…
o material world, especially as surrounding humankind and existing independently of human activities
o natural world as it exists without human beings or civilization
o elements of the natural world, as mountains, trees, animals or rivers
• generation is…
o a single step in natural descent
o a form, type or class of objects existing at the same time and having many similarities from a common ancestor
o the offspring of a certain parent
o the act and process of generating
o procreation and state of being generated
o evolution and production by natural or artificial processes
This idea is key as by Yahweh’s WORD all creation was made and is sustained. [Gen 1:1; St Jn 1:1-5] The TONGUE itself is set on the FIRE of HELL.
*hell Gk #1067 geenna (gheh-eh-nah) it is the valley of the son of Hinnom, Ge-hanna or Ge-Hinnom, which is a valley in Jerusalem and name figuratively used for the place or state of everlasting punishment
Apostle James writes,
For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is TAMED, and hath been TAMED of mankind.
But the tongue can no man TAME; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
[Jam 3:7, 8]
The TONGUE cannot be TAMED by any mortal.
*tame Gk #1150 damazo (dam-ad-zo) it means to tame, which is to…
• make tame, domesticate and deprive of courage, ardor and zest
• deprive of interest, excitement and attractiveness
• make dull, soften and tone down
• harness, control and render useful, as a source of power
• cultivate as land or plants
The TONGUE is an UNRULY EVIL.
*unruly Gk #183 akataschetos (ak-at-as-khet-os) it means unrestrainable
*evil Gk #2556 kakos (kak-os) it is an intrinsically worthless thing
It is FULL of DEADLY POISON.
*full Gk #3324 mestos (mes-tos) it means replete, which is being abundantly supplied and provided, filled, stuffed and gorged with something and complete
*deadly Gk #2287 thanatephoros (than-at-ay-for-os) it means death-bearing and fatal
*poison Gk #2447 ios (ee-os) it is rust as if emitted by metals and the venom emitted by serpents
Per these definitions, no mortal can change the innate nature of the EVIL TONGUE OF FIRE. Unfortunately, all mortals have inherited it as an element of their carnal nature due to Adam’s transgression. It is an unholy gift given by Lucifer that is SET to cause their destruction. In order to be delivered from the lie and lying TONGUE that mankind was cursed with per Adam’s transgression, one must come to Christ the Word to be liberated therefrom. There is no other Way. Those who inherit The Second Death with Lucifer are mortals who chose to remain victims of his lie and lying TONGUE. As a result, they forfeit eternal salvation on The Day of Judgement. [Mt 11:28-30; Lk 4:18, 19; St Jn 3:16-21, 36; 8:12, 24, 31, 32, 36, 38, 42-44; 10:10; 14:6; Rm 5:18; Heb 7:25; I Jn 3:8-10; 5:21] Apostle James teaches in this lesson that by nature the EVIL TONGUE OF FIRE is WORTHLESS, UNRESTRAINABLE and FILLED with POISON that kills, steals and destroys one’s holistic well-being. It was truly the means of communicating worthless mysteries by which mortals were taught all blows of death. [Jude vs 6; Eno 69] In [Jam 3:9-13] Apostle James admonishes born-again believers to guard themselves from being DOUBLE-TONGUED, as it is not fitting for those who are become oracles of divine insight. Through Christ, Yahweh purifies them and their TONGUE to herald HIS WORD. [Pro 18:21; Isa 6:1-9; 50:4; Mk 16:17c; II Cor 4:3-7; Acts 1:8; 2:3, 4; Eph 4:29] He writes,
Who is a WISE man and ENDUED with KNOWLEDGE among you? Let him shew out of a GOOD CONVERSATION his WORKS with MEEKNESS OF WISDOM.
[Jam 3:13; Rm 10:14, 15; II Tim 2:24-26]
*wise Gk #4680 sophos (sof-os) in the most general sense it means…
• having the power of judging and discerning properly as to what is true or right
• possessing discernment, judgment and discretion and being characterized by such power
• judicious, prudent and learned
• possessed of or characterized by scholarly knowledge and learning
*endued Gk #1990 epistemon (ep-ee-stay-mone) it means to be intelligent, which is….
• having good understanding and high mental capacity
• quick to comprehend and display understanding
• characterized by quickness of understanding, sound thought and good judgment
• having the faculty of reasoning and understanding
• possessing intelligence, which is…
o capacity for learning, reasoning and understanding
o aptitude in grasping truths, relationships, facts and meanings
o manifestation of high mental capacity and faculty of understanding
o knowledge of events and circumstances received or imparted
o news, information, gathering or distribution of information, especially secret information
*good Gk #2570 kalos (kal-os) it means beautiful, valuable and virtuous for appearance and use
*conversation Gk #391 anastrophe (an-as-trof-ay) it is behavior, which is manner of behaving and acting
*work Gk #2041 ergon (er-gon) it is an act or toil as an effort and occupation
*meekness Gk #4240 prautes (prah-oo-tace) it is mildness and humility
*wisdom Gk #4678 sophia (sof-ee-ah) it wisdom of both the higher/spiritual and lower/worldly quality
Apostle James notes that a HEART that is affected by negativity can influence the quality of one’s SPEECH. He writes,
But if ye have BITTER ENVYING and STRIFE in your HEARTS, GLORY not, and LIE not against the TRUTH.
[Jam 3:14]
*bitter Gk #4089 pikros (pik-ros) it means sharp, pungent and acrid meaning…
• sharp and biting to the taste or smell
• bitterly pungent and irritating to the eyes and nose
• extremely stinging and bitter
• exceedingly caustic, meaning capable of burning, corroding or destroying living tissue, severely critical and sarcastic
This is the quality of HEART children of disobedience nurture. [Eph 2:1,2; Mt 12:35]
*envying Gk #2205 zelos (dzay-los) it is heat, zeal in a favorable sense and jealousy or malice in the unfavorable sense
*strife Gk #2052 erithea (er-ith-i-ah) it is intrigue, faction and dissension
• intrigue is…
o the use of underhanded machinations or deceitful stratagems
o a secret or illicit love affair
o the series of complications forming the plot of a play
• faction is…
o a group or clique within a larger group, party, government or organization
o party strife and intrigue
• dissension is…
o strong disagreement, contention and a quarrel
o discord, disagreement and indifference in sentiment or opinion
Per King Solomon, Yahweh loathes STRIFE and one who sows it among GOOD alliances. [Pro 6:16-19]
*heart Gk #2588 kardia (kar-dee-ah) it is the heart and figurative of thought, feeling, mind and middle [Heb 4:12; Pro 20:27]
*glory Gk #2620 katakauchaomai (kat-ak-ow-khah-om-ahee) it is to exult against or over, meaning to show or feel lively or triumphant joy, rejoice exceedingly and highly elate, jubilant or with leaping
*lie Gk #5574 pseudomai (psyoo-dom-ahee) it means to utter an untruth or attempt to deceive by falsehood
*truth Gk #225 aletheia (al-ay-thi-a) it is truth, which is…
• the true and actual state of a matter
• conformity with fact and reality
• a verified or indisputable fact, proposition or principle
• the state and character of being true
• actuality and actual existence
• an obvious and accepted fact
• honesty, integrity and truthfulness
Children of Light are not to rejoice over that which destroys a person’s wellbeing. They are to in no way be supportive of lies. In [Jam 3:15, 16] Apostle James warns that any WISDOM that invokes BITTER ENVY and STRIFE is not from above but is from the EARTH, SENSUAL and DEVLISH. Wherever such is taught there is CONFUSION and every EVIL WORK.
*earthly Gk #1919 epigeios (ep-ig-i-os) it means terrestrial, of the earth, worldly and physical
*sensual Gk #5591 psuchikos (psoo-khee-kos) it means sensitive and animate
*devilish Gk #1141 daimoniodes (dahee-mon-ee-o-dace) it means demon-like
*confusion Gk #181 akatastasia (ak-as-tah-see-ah) it is instability, disorder, commotion and tumult
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