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The Tongue — Part 2
“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” (James 3:8-10).
The tongue is untamable by nature. Every kind of creature has been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly, uncontrollable evil, full of malicious and deadly poison. With the tongue things are said that poison the minds of others and even turn believers against one another. The tongue can be thoroughly inconsistent, for, while capable of blessing God, it can also curse man made in the likeness of God.
Christians are in speech and acts to be consistent with God’s ways. The tongue, when used by grace and restrained by the Spirit of God, can be used in great blessing and with great benefit. Nothing but the power of the Spirit filling the heart with the grace of Christ can restrain the tongue. When the heart is enjoying the grace and love of Christ, the tongue will speak in grace out of the abundance of the heart.
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