Confusion In The Contradiction Of The Tongue

James 3:8-12

“But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.” (James 3:8-12). The natural, sinful, depraved, original and carnal man cannot tame the tongue. Remember that the tongue is connected with the heart; if the heart is uncircumcised, uncontrolled, and carnal, then the tongue will be uncircumcised, unchecked, and fleshly.

The contradictions of the tongue. When the tongue speaks good, and at the same moment speaks bad. When the tongue uplifts, and at the same moment it downgrades people. When the tongue encourages and at the next sentence discourages. It is the confusion of the tongue.

1. THE CONTRADICTIONS OF THE UNSTABLE TONGUE IN UNCONVERTED HEARTS

James 3:8-12

Please always understand that the tongue is what speaks what is in the heart of a man. When the tongue speaks bad, then the heart is bad. It is the heart that determines and directs everything that the tongue and other parts of our body do.

“But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.” (James 3:8-12). Blessing people and praising God, and yet that same tongue will curse men. It will show affection on the other hand, and then anger on the other side. And when this exists in the same tongue, there is a contradiction.

Tongues condemned for contradictions:

(i) Blessing and Cursing – James 3:9-10. “Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.” (James 3:9-10). You can see the contradiction here, there is something pleasant coming out, and something painful coming out.

(ii) Sweet and Bitter – James 3:11. “Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?” (James 3:11). This is not natural, that the same source of water bring forth bitter and sweet water at the same time, it is not right.

(iii) Figs And Berries – James 3:12a. “Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs?” (James 1:12a). It is not right and unnatural that you go to the farm and see the same tree bringing out oranges and pineapple fruits at the same time. That is a contradiction, and cannot be. The same thing that the heart that controls the tongue is bringing out different kinds of fruits that are contradictory. It should not be so.

(iv) Fresh And Salty – James 3:12b. “so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.” (James 3:12b).

(v) Tenderness And Threatening – Exodus 10:17,24. Some people are tender and, at the same time, threatening. It is a contradiction in the mouth and heart of an unconverted man like Pharoah. He was tender when he saw the judgement of God but then later on threatened Moses, and he was furious against Moses. “Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and intreat the LORD your God, that he may take away from me this death only. And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said, Go ye, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let your little ones also go with you.” (Exodus 10:17,24).

(vi) Confession And Covetousness – Numbers 22:32-33. This was the example of Balaam, at first, he said that he would not go, but after Balak sent another powerful team to entice him, he went with them and met an angel on the way. “And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me: And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive.”