How to Talk Like a Christian Should

(James 3:1-12)

Brief Review

• This is our tenth installment in this series of lessons concerning “How To” Christianity taken from the book of James.

• In this series we have already learned how to survive trying times, obtain wisdom, survive temptation, address our anger, secure salvation, become a doer of the word, embrace pure religion, stop showing partiality, and develop real faith.

How to Talk Like a Christian Should

• The six word-pictures in our text

• The twenty sins of the tongue

• The four solutions needed in order to talk like a Christian should

Six Word-Pictures

DIRECTION• A bit in a horse’s mouth (vs. 3)• A rudder of a ship (vs. 4)

DANGER• A fire (vs. 5,6)• A dangerous animal (vs. 7)

DECISION• A spring (vs. 9-11)• Fruit (vs. 12)

Twenty Sins of the Tongue

• Backbiting (II Cor. 12:20)

• Blasphemy (I Tim. 1:20)

• Boasting (James 4:16)

• Deceit (Romans 1:30)

• Disputing (Philippians 2:14)

• Filthiness and Foolish Talking (Ephesians 5:4)

• Flattery (Jude 16)• Foolish Disputes

(Titus 3:4)• Foul Language

(Colossians 3:8)• Gossip (Talebearing)

(Proverbs 26:20)

Twenty Sins of the Tongue

• Heresies (II Peter 2:1)

• Idle Words (Matthew 12:36)

• Lying (Ephesians 4:25)

• Mocking (Jude 18)• Murmurings (I Cor.

10:10)

• Reviling (I Cor. 5:11)• Scoffing (II Peter

3:3,4)• Slander (Ephesians

4:31)• Vain Babblings

(I Tim. 6:20)• Whisperings (II Cor.

12:20)

Four Solutions

• If we are going to learn to talk as a Christian should, then we need to:

1. Heal our Hearts (Luke 6:45; Prov. 4:23).2. Be Slow to Speak (Proverbs 29:20)3. Speak Less (Proverbs 10:19;

21:23)4. Speak every word as if Jesus was listening to us.