Lesson 50
Study of
First Peter Chapter 3
Continue rabbit trail
in Jas 3
3:7-8 The untameableness of the Tongue
For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the
sea is tamed,
and has been tamed by the human race
- Its rather ironic
that man can subdue the animal kingdom but is not able to subdue that small
part of his body - the tongue.
3:8 Continues
But no
one can tame the tongue;
- that
is no one has inherently within them self, from their own resources the ability
to subdue the tongue.
*** What is hopeless
for anyone when the sin nature rules can become a reality when God's grace
provisions and power are utilized in life.
James paints two very vivid pictures
of this untamed, uncontrolled tongue when he says it is a restless evil and
full of deadly poison.
The adjective restless (avkata,statoj)
implies a caged animal, one who
is not subdued and ever pacing uneasily back and forth.
and full of deadly
poison - adj qanathfo,roj = death bearing
- poison = ivo,j great term for the
destructive force of the tongue which is seen very clearly in a gossip and
maligning others
Summary 3:7-8
1. Man displays an
amazing and often ingenious ability to dominate and subdue the animal world and
yet under his own power is unable to tame his own tongue.
2. It is also a part
of the POG for man to be subdued - domesticated - that is, to live under His
authority.
3. Man has no
inherent ability to control his tongue which as James notes is a major source
of evil.
4. The only sure
control of the tongue comes from the exercise of wisdom one acquires from BD -
from above. [see
this coming up in vs:13ff]
5. Just as animals
are trained by a higher being, so man must also be aided by a higher being,
God, if he is to rise above the
natural trends & influences of the
sin nature.
6. We must recognize
that there are many situations - conditions of life that that we'll never
control without God's assistance.
7. God has the
inherent power and resources to help anyone with any problem.
8. James pictures
here the tongue that is restless, unstable, unreliable and constantly prone to
break out in vicious speech.
9. Its impact on
those around you is like a deadly poison. (destructive
to others)
Ps 140:3; Rom
10. By itself the
tongue is only able to produce dead works.
11. The cure for
S/O/T is:
a. to have God's viewpoint - His
wisdom and to use it; God's way of aiding us.
b. If one sin's against you - object
of S/O/T - what to do?
Mt 18:15-17 gives some guidelines
12. There is great blessing
for the one who utilizes the grace resources and controls the tongue. Ps 34:12-13
Back to 1 Peter 3
Observations
1. Our objective, our motivation in f2 is to stand before Jesus Christ at the JSC irreprehensible, that is bringing max glory to God through
our life.
2. To desire to love life and see beneficial days is not
an emphasis on long life but on whatever time is allotted to you by God to be
productive and meaningful in the plan of God.
3. The believer whose life is productive and meaningful is
the one whose priorities are established by doctrine and therefore consistently
producing DG. Prov 3:13-14
4. So what Peter is doing here is to give us some guidelines in areas
where believers are easily side tracked from the objective in life occupation
with Christ and obedience to the will of God.
5. The 5 characteristics of vs:8
when evidenced will keep you from evil and speaking deceitfully.
6. Review: Several commands or royal imperatives that
we've covered so far in the context.
a. don't get into revenge tactics, let God handle them
Rem: Vengeance is mine I will repay says the Lord.
b. Do not return insult for insult (verbal abuse).
- very destructive as is all S/T.
c. Stop the tongue from the source of evil by maintaining
your walk by the spirit.
He must
turn away from evil and do good;
- here
the focus is on making decisions consistent with truth so that you properly
evaluate a situation and separate from what is evil or sinful; primary focus
here is on some s/o/t
- the good here is that which is morally good and constructive, that is divine good.
This is followed by a third
& fourth command - he must seek peace and pursue it.
- this peace is the result of application of BD in the various
circumstances in life but especially here
when we're under pressure from verbal assault
- fulfillment of these commands is a characteristic of the one
who desires to love life and see beneficial days.
For the
eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous
This indicates more than
just seeing, its
reminding us that He observes and is looking out for the good of the righteous
believer.
This
would speak of experiential righteousness that is living out the truth known
and using it in the various situations of persecution experienced.
And His ears attend to their
prayer, (de,hsij) a request, petitionary prayer with the
emphasis on having a need
Now the other side of the
coin "But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."
- those who do, keep on doing, evil - this
speaks of continually living and functioning under the sin nature's rulership