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All right James chapter number three and look down at your Bibles at verse number one before we start reading just want to give you a just a synopsis of the first two chapters that we've gone over in the book of James now I hope you see like a reoccurring theme and we're actually going to this entire chapter has to do with the reoccurring theme that I'm going to mention in just a bit but in chapter one you see we're talking about first and foremost being a doer of the word and not a hearer only those who hear the word but not they don't do it or they don't obey the commandments the Bible says that they're deceiving their own selves right and then in chapter two we see that put into play because it talks about having faith with works right making sure that your faith is also accompanied with works not for salvation but to be justified in the eyes of other men we're justified before God by faith but we're justified before man by our works okay and in chapter three it's basically a continuation of that look at verse number one it says my brethren be not many masters knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation now when it talks about here be not many masters in other words it's saying don't be masters over many things don't try to do not necessarily too much but be a master or try to master many tasks or many deeds or many works simply for the fact that to whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required and what happens if you're a master of many things well you have a greater opportunity you know a greater temptation in a sense to fall into condemnation because you don't do it well better to do a few things well than try to do many things and not do it well at all you know that's one of the reasons why we don't have a whole lot of ministries at our church you know the main ministry that we emphasize at our church the main ministry that we have is the ministry of reconciliation that's one thing that we want to do well right it's one thing that we emphasize at our church it's a ministry that everyone can be a part of and in fact it's a ministry that God commands all of us to be included in right to participate in it's the ministry of reconciliation and that's something that we want to do well now it says in the ecclesia you don't have to turn to ecclesiastes 7 16 be not righteous over much neither make thyself over wise why should a style destroy thyself you see when you try to master many things outside of what you're capable of doing you have a greater potential to destroy yourself to fall into condemnation because of it and so as i mentioned better to me a master of few things than many things look at verse number two it says for in all things excuse me for many things we offend all if any man offend not in word the same is a perfect man and able also to bridle the whole body so here we see that if there's a man who doesn't offend in word the bible says that that man's perfect okay and not only that but he's able to bridle the whole body now if you remember in chapter one we see that the perfect man is someone who what is lets patients have her perfect work right in chapter number one we see let patients have her perfect work and when that takes place we can be perfect ourselves which means entire wanting nothing so what happens when we go through a trial it matures us it causes us to be complete it causes us to be patient so we can ask god for wisdom and become more complete of a christian okay that's what we saw in chapter one but in chapter two we see that the excuse me chapter three the perfect man is characterized by his tongue so he says there if any man offend not in word the same is a perfect man and able also to bridle the whole body now why is that well because he's characterized by his tongue and how well what he says matches with what he does see that's a complete man isn't it when what the person says actually matches up with what he does you know be warmed and filled but you don't give anything to help your brother out you don't show brotherly kindness that's not a complete faith that is not a perfect man why because he's saying one thing but he's actually doing something completely opposite what do chapter what does chapter one say be doers of the word and not hearers only right you're incomplete so a theme do we a reoccurring thing we see in chapter one two and three is this matter of becoming perfect complete how do you do in chapter one but but not only being a here but also a doer of the word be complete how do we do it in chapter two that when we see be warmed and filled you actually give those things which are necess which are necessary for the body right you bless your brother and you actually physically help them out whatever way you can and in chapter three it says by also just doing what you said you're gonna do what you say matches up with what you do it says if any man offend not in word the same as a perfect man and able also to bridle the whole body now let me mention this because sometimes people get confused regarding this word perfect okay you know people often take this word to mean sinless you know I've heard this said many times when I go out soul winning and maybe someone believes in a lordship type salvation where you have to stop sinning you have to repent of your sins and they'll often quote the Bible where it talks about be perfect as your father which is in heaven perfect right and automatically they think well because God is sinless and he's perfect therefore the command is for us to be perfect as well haven't you ever heard that before okay I've heard that used many times but that's just simply a misunderstanding of what the word perfect means now what does it mean well we mentioned in chapter one chapter two it simply means to be complete to be entire to be perfect that's what that's referring to there now go to Matthew chapter five because we're gonna look at this real quick Matthew chapter five look obviously it's impossible to be sinless okay now our spirit is sinless amen when we got saved our spirit is the part of our being that got saved it was forgiven of all sins past present and future we no longer have to suffer the consequences and a penalty of our sin in a place called hell because our sins have been separated as far as eases from west the Bible tells us and thank God for that and the Bible also tells us if we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves right and the truth is not in us so then why do people think that you know why do they go to a verse like this look at verse number 48 be therefore perfect even as your father which is in heaven is perfect and one of the people that I've heard actually uses is Ray Comfort okay which obviously Ray Comfort is a damnable heretic he teaches the Lord except salvation he's taking a lot of people to hell with him right and I remember watching a clip of him and they're talking about sinless perfection he was basically talking out of both sides of his mouth saying oh you know we're not saying you can't you know that that you're you're just sinless but the Bible does say be therefore perfect as your father which is in heaven perfect well you're confusing the listener you confusing the people who are actually hearing you out and thinking that you're preaching a right gospel into thinking well I guess that does mean sinless right but here's the thing he completely ignores the verses prior to it you see remember this folks you always got to read everything in context hey what is what is expository preaching what are we doing tonight reading everything in context you know why people get confused about James chapter 2 because they don't read it in context you know why people get confused about Matthew chapter 7 because they don't read it in context context is so important let's start back to 43 verse 43 we're gonna see what that means there ye have heard that it hath been said thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy but I say unto you love your enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you that you may be the children of your father which is in heaven for he maketh his son to rise on the evil and on the just and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust now what is verse 45 saying it's basically showing that God's love is not partial right he loves everyone in a sense of he loves the world he was willing to give his son for the entire world to the point that he was willing to allow the sun to rise on the evil and on the good he sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust what does that mean he's not partial for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten sin but God commanded his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us you see we don't serve a Calvinistic God they love certain people and then hates them from the foundation of the world at one point God just starts off by loving everyone right verse 46 for if you love them which love you what reward have ye do not even the publicans the same what is he teaching if your love is partial it's easy for us to love each other right it's another thing to love a sinner who we don't know when we're out there preaching the gospel because we don't know them but you know what a complete love is what is the love that loves not only your brethren but the lost people who are out there as well that's what this is referring to look at verse 47 and if you salute your brethren only what do you more than others do not even the public and so be therefore perfect even as your father which is in heaven perfect so even as God has that complete love without partiality without hypocrisy even so should we have that same love that we would love our brethren love our sisters in Christ but also love the lost we never want to have this holier-than-thou attitude where we have the truth and us for no more and you know we're not out we can't reach the we don't want to be like the Amish right or they have their own compound and they only love each other and they inbreed each other and like they never want to go out and preach the gospel to anybody else you know they feel like they're better than everyone else they're so holy they're so holy and separated they're separated from civilization period they're never trying to reach lost sinners all across the world you know that's not the kind of attitude we should have what is that that's being a hypocrite because they claim to have the love of God but are they really spreading the love of God in their city are they really spreading the love of God all around the world no you see we need to make sure that we're perfect even as our father which is in heaven perfect how by having that complete love just as God allows the Sun to rise on the evil and on the good he sends rain on the just and on the unjust he's not partial okay we ought to be the same that's what that perfect that word perfect is referring to Romans 12 verse 9 says this let love go to Romans chapter 12 let's read it Romans chapter 12 verse number 9 so when the Bible tells us hey be perfect this man is perfect it's not referring to sinless okay it's referring to someone who is complete entire wanting nothing that's a good Bible definition right there amen Romans 12 verse 9 let love be without dissimulation what does that mean without hypocrisy now here's the thing though we are to love everyone by default amen just by default people who come through our doors we love them no matter what right as long as we know hey they're they're they're regular sinners we just love them right but that does not mean that hatred is just completely absent from every equation in our life because here's the thing verse 9 just doesn't end right there let love be without the simulation abhor that which is evil cleave to that which is good so in order for us to have a complete love we have to actually compare it to something don't we you see in order to have to know what even love is you have to compare it to what hatred how do we know that God loves us because he sent his son to die on the cross for us you know because there's a hell that exists will we escape by the blood of Christ right hell which is also referred to as the wrath of God shows us what great love he has to us because he was willing to save us amen so he says here let love be without dissimulation abhor that which is evil so dissimulation is just a little word for hypocrisy exactly what we see in James chapter 2 right exactly what we see in James chapter 1 and it's exactly what we see in James chapter 3 and I wasn't trying to rhyme that okay it's a matter of not only saying that we love people but our works actually match up with that don't just say it but your works don't match up okay go to first John chapter 4 you see the perfect man is the one who has complete love it's love without partiality look at first John chapter 4 verse 16 and we have known and believed the love that God hath to us God is love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him herein is our love made perfect that we may have boldness in the day of judgment because as he is so are we in this world there is no fear in love but perfect love casteth without fear because fear hath torment he that feareth is not made perfect in love we love him because he first loved us if a man say I love God and hateth his brother he is a liar you know what he's also saying he's a hypocrite if you say you love your you love God but you hate your brother you're a liar you're being partial you're being a hypocrite you're not perfect which in context we're talking about perfect love amen he says there if a man say I love God and hateth his brother he is a liar for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen and this commandment have we from him that he who loveth God love his brother also what is that referring to the perfect love so you know what this goes to show me someone who just claims that he's well I love God or really so how's your love for your brothers if you say you love God love God is not just with words you know Jesus said if you love me keep my commandments and one of the commandments is to love your brethren right one of the commandments is to love the world by giving them the gospel amen being a good testimony giving them the gospel seeing them saved providing for their needs if they need something this is that perfect love it's love without partiality you say well how do you balance that with hatred you know because we believe that God does hate certain people and as thus so do we amen now here's the interesting thing in the Bible we just saw a bunch of verses that talked about that perfect love right well you know in the Bible you also have a phrase that's called the perfect hatred as well perfect hatred you know it's David who said I hate them with perfect hatred what is that it's a complete hatred so a well-balanced view of love and hate is not that we just love all the time with no hate but guess what we're not supposed to hate all the time and not love at all this they're both have their place that's why Ecclesiastes chapter 3 says there's a time to love and a time to hate there's a time for both you can't suppress one over the other you can't say you hate everything you claim to love something you can't say that you love something claim to hate everything you gotta have both you need to have both and the Bible clearly states perfect love and also perfect hatred what does that mean me you just hate something just perfectly no just completely okay what does that mean well look at my sermon the doctrine of perfect hatred and I'll tell you what that means it's basically saying hate the things that God hates you know don't just you know hey don't just hate the sodomites hate sin as well hate adultery hate divorce hate the things that God hate hate worldliness have a perfect hatred it's easy no I hate the rapper mates filthy sodomites but yet you're involved in other sins you should have a perfect hatred a perfect hatred is to hate to let your love be without dissimulation and abhor that which is evil the Bible says okay you say well still how do you balance that though if we're if we're to love our enemies but you're talking about the perfect hatred how does that work well here's the thing we're not commanded to love those who hate the Lord you see recommended to love our enemies for sure you know and that is a command that's clear in the Bible we're to love them to pray for them who despitefully use us and persecute us and say all manner of evil against us we're to we're we're to love them right but the Bible never commands us to love them who hates the Lord not who hate us there's people there's a second and it's not everyone and here's the here's where you have to be careful because sometimes you think well you know everyone's a reprobate no no not everyone's a reprobate and we need to grow out of that just completely suspecting every single person is being a reprobate if they don't fall in line with if they're not tailor-made exactly the way you are that they're just automatically a reprobate no that's wrong and you need to grow up if that's your if that's your mentality but that's not to say that there aren't people out there that are reprobates that God hates and they hate God look and look and to say that doesn't exist it's just to completely ignore Romans chapter one well one of the characteristics of a reprobate is that they're haters of God they hate the Lord now if this were true that we just have to love everyone and we don't we're not supposed to hate anybody then does that mean that we have to love the devil love his demons do I have to love Hitler you know how about Jeffrey Dahmer how about Obama come on Republicans now I'm just kidding you know obviously logically that doesn't even make any sense now so not only is that commandment never found in Scripture but actually the opposite is true and we say this naturally you will hate someone not everyone you will hate someone who actually takes advantage of the innocent pedophiles for example you know you you can't expect me like if God forbid if something were to ever happen to my children and they were violently raped and murdered that I'm just gonna have love for that person any woman any mother would say no way I hate that person why because they took the life or they violated they took the innocence of an innocent child right you have to be a very wicked person to do that so not only is it is that commandment never found in Scripture but actually the opposite is true there is an austere punishment listen to me there is an austere punishment for those who actually love them to hate the Lord think about that not only is the commandment not found to just love everyone but there's actually an austere a very strict punishment from God mind you for those who hate the Lord go to second Chronicles chapter 19 this is why it's important that we understand this because we don't want to fall into this trap amen look I want God's blessing on my life but in order to have God's blessing on my life I'm to love the things that God loves but I'm also to hate the things that God hates okay now look at second Chronicles 19 most of you are familiar with this story this is a story of two kings one was righteous one was not one was a hater of the Lord one was not and the righteous king decided to help and love the ungodly king you know he just was just kind of you know being a compromiser and just trying to play it on the safe side and help Ahab and you know fight the same war with him and you know what he thought he was being noble by doing this but you know what the opposite was true he does this and of course Ahab dies rightfully so he comes back and the prophet Jehu comes to this king and basically rebukes him verse number two says and Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him and said to king Jehoshaphat shouldest thou help the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord now look what it says therefore what does that mean because they help the ungodly and because they love them to hate the Lord therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord you know what that's called an austere punishment for loving those who hate the Lord he says because you're doing these things wrath is on you why because we're not to love those that hate the Lord now don't go out there and think that everyone hates the Lord right because they don't even the person who's like the rudest to you at the door when you're out soul winning yeah we should never hear like if someone's rude to you you're like oh yeah that person's reprobate no maybe they just don't like you you ever thought about that maybe they just don't like the way you look or talk or whatever or maybe they're just having a bad day yeah that's true i mean don't you have bad days too you know so hey if you have a bad day let the people out there have bad days too so just because even if they cuss you out they're not reprobate i mean think about this think about paul he went pretty far wouldn't you say blasphemer injurious i mean he was involved i mean he was arrested christian i think maybe maybe some people today would say that he was a reprobate you know just because of all the things that he did you can actually get pretty far before you become a reprobate but just know this the reprobates the true reprobates the ones who hate the Lord those merit our hatred those merit the hatred of God because you have to go pretty far for God to say i will love them no more and that's actually what he says in the Bible okay in the book of Oza he says i will love them no more and so you say so how do you balance it out well we love everyone by default until they're proven otherwise so by default when people walk in through these doors you don't just suspect them of being a reprobate even if they come tattered head to toe piercings all over the place maybe their hair is a different color you don't just like oh it's a fag he's a fag for sure no just you know there's people there's also people who are effeminate right an effeminate person is not a homo right he's just a guy who just like spends too much time with his mom right or just has too much soy in his system you laugh but it's true right you know they too much soy they're a little soft around the edges they're a little light on their toes they're just effeminate you know and when they come they need the love of God amen so they can learn not to be that way but you don't just write them off as being a reprobate they're innocent until they're proven guilty okay go to psalm 139 so this this concept of being perfect is not in reference to being sinless this concept the word perfect simply means complete have a complete love without partiality okay look at psalm 139 verse 19 it says surely thou will slay the wicked by the way we this is a great song right here all right this is this has gone viral okay the song has gone viral all the churches want the song now eric we got to produce it okay he did a good job man it's it's the top 10 it hit the top 10 of new ifb records surely thou will slay the wicked oh god depart from me therefore you bloody men for they speak against thee wickedly and thine enemies take thy name in vain do not i hate them oh lord that hate thee and and that i grieve with those that rise up against thee i hate them with perfect hatred i count them mine enemies i mean case closed folks right there now look you say well that's old testament yeah but here's the thing in the new testament it says we're supposed to sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs so if this doctrine doesn't exist we've got a problem because like well are we like sinning if we sing this song no it's actually the bible tells us that we're spirit filled right when we sing these songs so we love everyone by default until they're proven guilty you understand and look it better to err on this right here why is that because of the fact that if we don't we can have god's wrath on our lives you know god is no respecter of people and look he does not mind bringing down the hammer on one of his children he'll do it he will chastise his children in order for us to learn i rather just learn by reading the bible and just taking it out of taking him at his word amen go to proverbs chapter 18 so i just want to spend some time in that talk about being perfect it's not talking about hatred or excuse me it's not talking about um being sinless it's talking about being complete and we compare that with matthew chapter number five when the bible tells us to be perfect as our father as our father in heaven is perfect it's referring to the fact be a person without partiality have perfect love have a complete love don't be partial don't be a hypocrite that's what that's referring to and in fact the rest of the chapter in james chapter 3 is highlighting that as well now we're talking about the tongue here look at proverbs 18 verse 19 a brother offended is harder to be one than a strong city and their contentions are like the bars of a castle a man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled death and life are in the power of the tongue and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof this goes to show you how dangerous our tongue is death and life are in the power of the tongue the bible says and look that's good both ways why is that because we can give life but you know what we can give death to sin we can give death to to wickedness by our mouths why is that because we could preach against sin we can make uh proclaim the word of god with boldness and cause people to just stray away from sin and come back to the lord right to get right with god so if a person is able to keep their tongue they watch their mouths the bible says that you're a perfect mature complete man let me see here go to proverbs chapter 29 verse 11 now this is important too because of the fact that you know your your tongue can cause a lot of damage okay what you say being a tattler in a busy body being a gossiper a chismosa that can cause a lot of problems now you say what's the remedy if i have that problem with some remedy just keep your mouth shut there you go just zip it look what proverbs 29 verse 11 says a fool uttereth all his mind but a wise man keepeth it until afterwards you know what this means that the fool you'll know the fool because he as soon as he opens his mouth and he just tells you everything that's on his mind okay that's the fool don't say everything that comes to your mind that includes judgments right because it says right there a fool uttereth all his mind there's people who say you know what i want to be wise so i'm going to keep some of it in until afterwards until i get all the details until i find the facts i'm not just going to jump to conclusions that's what this is referring to the bible tells us in proverbs 10 verse 19 in the multitude of words there wanteth not sin but he that reframeth his lips is wise so when there's a lot of words being said you know what you're not going to lack any sin at all because eventually you're going to sin with your mouth if you're just constantly yapping yapping yapping yapping giving your opinion here giving your opinion there you're eventually going to sin because you're uttering all your mind okay so if a person is able not to offend in word if they're capable of not doing that then they're able to bridle the whole body and the application to this is that basically you know you can apply this to say you know if a person is able to discipline themselves himself or herself to not utter their whole mind that probably shows that this person is a person of character okay they're able to bridle their whole body they probably have character in other areas of life as well but what i believe this is the primary interpretation of what we see in james chapter 3 is what it's stating here is that a perfect man is a person whose actions actually match with what they do and what they say okay so their actions meet up with what they say they're not being a hypocrite now go back to james chapter 3 let's read a couple things here it says in verse number three behold we put bits in the horse's mouths that they may obey us and we turn about their whole body behold also the ships which though they be so great are driven of fierce winds yet are they turned about with a very small helm with us whoever the governor listeth even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth and the tongue is a fire a world of iniquity so is the tongue among our memory members that it defileth the whole body and set it on fire the course of nature and it said on fire of hell whoa so it's saying look the helm though it's little it can just turn a ship the the the bits in the horse's mouth though it's small it's able to turn the whole body of a horse how much more can your tongue do it just can destroy lives or it can give life right and it even says that it's on set on fire of hell now why does it say that well let me read to you from matthew chapter 5 verse 21 says you have heard that it had been said of them of all time thou shall not kill and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment but i say unto you that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment and whosoever shall say to his brother raca shall be in danger of the council but whosoever shall say thou fool shall be in danger of hell fire what is this talking about when you just open your mouth without thinking and just say whatever comes to mind hell on earth because hell a synonym for hell in the bible is what destruction you can cause a lot of destruction with your tongue point in case okay case in point sorry the person we threw out a couple weeks ago you knew i was gonna go there i saw your faces like i know who you're talking about you know what she caused a lot of problems she caused she was a toddler and a busy body and look when we threw her out like i was i found members over i met with members over in portland oregon when i was doing the wedding a couple weeks ago and um and i said hey i just want to let you know that this person was thrown out just so it doesn't come as a surprise to you and they're like oh thank god they're like that person was just calling me night and day just railing on you and saying all manner of evil against everything she's like she would not leave me alone other people were just like i remember like someone came to my wife right and said yeah we're gonna go sony here and i think so-and-so is also gonna go and my wife was like well well actually they were thrown out of the church they've been excommunicated she's oh thank god they're like she drove me crazy she's just like i've had people tell me like literally they literally said i want i was this close to just apologizing to our visitors because of that lady because that lady would the visitors would come and she'd just go straight to them and just you know calling her husband a reprobate just crazy stuff and by the way guys let me family time here whenever that happens just tell me about it like hey this little person's saying some crazy stuff i don't know if we need to address this or what because it happened after the game after the situation took place and she was excommunicated like all kinds of stories are coming out okay we're talking about debbie debbie shorter or whatever the last name is you know what i'm talking about debbie mckenzie thrown out and right after that people are like she just would go on and on criticizing people all the time you know being a tattler and a busybody you say you don't tolerate tattlers or busybodies no why because they cause destruction you're like you literally kicked them out we literally gave them the boot nine and a half right here now we didn't physically you know what i'm saying is like she's not welcome here anymore why because why would you want something like that in your church we want unity we don't want drama hey we don't want novellas here for for those of you who are white soap operas okay we don't want that yeah okay no all right no calling out the novellas okay we don't need examples of novellas here okay carnal people you know we don't want that therefore it was out and you know what this verse right here fits perfectly with that cause destruction you know cause a lot of destruction and a lot of people were just trying to be nice and just didn't say anything because they're just trying to be nice like man this person's overwhelming me you know you know even miss philip perry you know miss philip perry has been sick she hasn't been doing very well continue to pray for her that made her worse you know and that's wrong you know we need to make sure that that we control our tongues if you take thumper's advice amen you know if you don't have nothing nice to say don't say nothing at all okay and look she went as far it's funny because she claimed that her husband was a reprobate by the way most ladies sometimes not most but sometimes ladies when they don't like their husbands they just automatically write them off as a reprobate oh he's reprobate you know he's just and then she would say this but if you met him you know he he he's actually acts really nice but that's just the front you know he's just really nice he'll probably even listen to you preach the gospel to him and everything hear the word he's just really nice but that's not really him and it's like okay you know well maybe it just means that he's just really nice you know maybe it just means that he's actually the opposite of what you claim that he was you understand so what we're saying here is that and go to proverbs chapter 26 you know in order to make sure that fires aren't breaking out in our church we got to remove the wood amen look at proverbs 26 verse 20 where no wood is the fire goeth out so where there is no tale bearer the stripe ceaseth it's like hey if you don't want fires in your church remove that which is flammable remove the cause of the problem right as coals are to burning coals and wood to fire so is a contentious man or woman to kindle strife the words of a tail burrow are his wounds and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly burning lips and a wicked heart are like a portrait covered with silver dross he that hateth dissemblies with his lips and layeth up deceit within him when he speaketh fair believe him not for there are seven abominations in his heart what is this talking about a person who comes to you and just speaks fair they just have a lot of flattery just mark it down they're lying we're not talking about compliments talk about flattery right speak affairs referring to flattery verse 26 who so hateth is covered by deceit his wickedness shall be showed before the whole congregation man who so digget the pitch up father in and he that rolled the stone will return upon him and let me say this anybody who wants to roll a stone upon our church and criticize people within our church that stone will roll immediately back on that person verse 28 lion tongue hated those that are afflicted by it and a flattering mouth worketh ruin go back to james chapter number three so hey bridle your tongue bridle your body and look bridle the tongue we can bridle the body right here right the church we keep everyone in check and making make sure that you're not just blabbering and uttering all your mind and saying stupidity you know we can make sure that we can keep the congregation pure and clean and we can all get along amen look at verse 7 for every kind of beast and of birds and of serpents and of things in the sea is tamed and has been tamed of mankind but the tongue can no man tame it is an unruly evil full of deadly poison verse 9 so here's where the hypocrisy lies look what it says therewith we bless god bless we god this is referring to the tongue even the father and therewith curse we men which are made after the similitude of god out of the same mouth proceeded blessings and cursings my brethren these things ought not so to be he said what is this saying here what this is referring to is someone who says one thing and then they turn around and be double tongue and say something else they say oh brother me here that's a great sermon and then they call someone in our church and say who does he think he is it's true story i'll tell again true story you know literally that's being double tongued so what is the chapter teaching us it's teaching us i see like am i tripping out did i just see a ball like okay i'm like man maybe i need some a nap or something i'm like what this is referring to is the fact that we bless god even the father and therewith are made at the similitude of god this is talking about the fact that of people who are double tongue that's what this is referring to you know they say one thing when they're in front of you but then when they're behind you they're just tearing you down criticizing you behind your back you know that these things ought not to be amen be the same person here as you are at church talk the way you talk about me here the same way you do at home amen talk about the brethren here the same way you would talk about them at home why because of the fact that if you don't then you're just a hypocrite look at verse 11 and by the way if if you do have ought against a brother you say well it was true what i was saying well this is what you do you go to the brother and say hey man you offended me the other day because you said something about x y and z you know you said i was i was fat and i don't know i don't appreciate that and you know i'm doing my best to lose weight and like you don't obviously you're not noticing it and i'm pretty mad at you for that you know and at that point you apologize and you go buy him a coke and he or you know a diet coke whatever and you and you get it right you get it right but you don't go and gossip you do not go and gossip to other people criticizing other people behind their backs face it like a man go to your brother like a man or like a woman right woman too by the way you know ladies go to the ladies and and and confront them if something happened that's that's the way you deal with things you don't just say god bless you and then you're just like i hate that person and they annoy me i can't stand this person you know okay bye we'll see you later you know that's a hypocrite you're blessing god and they're with your cursing men as well verse 11 does the 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 now look this verse number 13 is proving what i'm saying right here okay that the person who is saying one thing but they're actually doing the opposite this is what this chapter is highlighting look at verse 13 who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom now when the bible uses the word conversation it's actually the word conduct same thing we often we use conversation today as as a dialogue right but this is actually a word that's also used to reference conduct so that's why it's talking about let him show out of a good conversation or conduct his works with meekness of wisdom what is the lesson hey make sure that what you're saying matches up with what you're doing make sure that the words that are coming out of your mouth are matching up with where your feet are going what your hands are doing where your body's taking you okay make sure you're the person that speaks and you want is able to bridle the body as well you bridle your tongue to praise god to to love your enemies right but also brighter your body to do the same don't be a hypocrite this is what this is teaching here now remember chapter one you know it tells us go to chapter one look at verse number five so a lot of hypocrisy is being like mentioned here being partial because look at chapter one verse number five if any of you lack wisdom let him ask of god to give it to all men liberally and a braideth knot and it shall be given him but let him ask in faith nothing wavering for he that waver is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed for let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the lord a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways now what does double-minded mean well look at verse 21 wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness and receive with meekness the engrafted word which is able to save your souls but be doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving your own self so a double-minded man is someone who thinks that they're hearing the word of god will just make them right with god whereas he's saying no you're actually deceiving yourself because you're not laying apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness okay in other words what is he saying don't be a hypocrite a double-minded person is a hypocrite oh i'm in church and you know i'm listening to the preaching i'm right with god but are you laying apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness if you're not you're deceiving yourself worst yet you're a hypocrite okay look at james chapter 2 verse 14 what does the prophet my brethren though a man say he hath faith and hath not works can faith save him if a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food and one of you saying to them depart in peace be warmed and filled notwithstanding give them not those things which are needful to the body what doth the prophet even so faith if it hath not works is dead being alone yea may say thou has faith and i have works show me thy faith without thy works and i will show thee my faith by my works what is he saying don't be a hypocrite if you say you love your brethren be warmed and filled give them a blanket and take them to arts someone's hungry i'm just kidding you know give them a meal provide for them don't just say be warmed and filled and you don't give them a blanket and some food to eat right that's what it's stating there don't be a hypocrite look at james chapter 4 and verse number 8 draw nigh to god and he will draw nigh to you cleanse your hands ye sinners and purify your hearts ye double minded the same phrase that we see in chapter 1 of being double-minded is someone who is drawing nigh to god supposedly but they're not cleansing their hands they have a dirty heart they're not cleansing their hands they're not putting away all filthiness of the flesh go back to chapter 3 look at verse 14 it says in verse 14 but if you have bitter envings and strife in your hearts glory not lie not against the truth this wisdom descendeth not from above but it's earthly sensual devilish now what wisdom is referring to i believe he's just kind of being like facetious here because obviously this isn't wisdom right this is the wisdom that doesn't descend from above it's not necessarily wisdom he's talking about just wickedness is what he's referring to someone who is earthly sensual devilish is someone who's a hypocrite now why is that well remember in chapter one if you lack wisdom let him ask of god right who give it to all men liberally but the wisdom that is earthly sensual and devilish is hypocrisy because of the fact that the bible tells us that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits doctrines of devils speaking lies in hypocrisy so what do devils teach you to do to be a hypocrite to say one thing and completely do the opposite look at matthew 23 matthew chapter 23 a prime example of hypocrisy is who pharisees biggest hypocrites the world has never known right look at matthew 23 verse 1 then spake jesus to the multitude and to his disciples saying the scribe saying the scribes and the pharisees sit in moses seat all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe that observe and do he said look if they're telling you to obey moses do it right it's in the bible but do not ye after their works for they say and do not for they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be born and lay them on men's shoulders but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers read the rest of matthew 23 i mean he's just like you hypocrites you hypocrites you hypocrites you hypocrites why because they're guilty of this very thing and is it any coincidence that he calls them children of the devil is it any coincidence that he says that the proselytes that they make he make they make them twofold more a child of hell than themselves why because their wisdom is earthly sensual and devilish hypocrisy is what this is referring to go back to james chapter three so at the end of the day here's here's the lesson to be to be learned from james chapter three you know just don't be a hypocrite make sure that what you say matches up with what you do obviously look we're not we're not like these perfect christians in a sense of we're just going to get everything right all the time but look we should be striving to do better right we should strive not to be hypocrites we should strive to make sure that our words match up with our actions we should strive for that but the worst thing you could do is act like you're actually striving for it you say one thing but you're actually doing the complete opposite okay look at verse 16 for where envy and the strife is there is confusion and every evil work but the wisdom that is from above is first pure then peaceable gentle easy to be entreated hey are you easily entreated can someone ask you for something very easy whether it's an answer to a question or a need that they have you know this is the kind of wisdom that God wants to have full of mercy and good fruits look what it says without partiality without hypocrisy and the fruit of the righteous is sown in peace of them that make peace so you see how these three chapters kind of go together chapter one chapter two and chapter three is really trying to help us to avoid hypocrisy making sure that we're not double-minded making sure that we are perfect perfect through trials perfect through our works in chapter two and perfect in a sense of making sure that our words match up our actions as well amen that's pretty much it let's pray father we thank you so much for this day thank you for james chapter three i pray god that you would help us in this area lord continue to give us wisdom the wisdom necessary for the daily decisions that we have lord and help us to be perfect men and women not sinless of course that would be impossible this side of eternity but perfect in a sense of that we're complete that we have complete love we love by default but also that we have perfect hatred as well that's in the bible and i pray that you'd help our words to match our actions lord that we would not just blatantly offend people left and right that we would be able to bridle our tongue and by that as well bridle our bodies that they would both match up and i pray god that you'd give us wisdom and fill us with your spirit to do so and in jesus name we pray amen