The Tongue is a Fire: Sins of the Tongue in the Letter of James

57 minutes (1 CD / MP3)

Christians everywhere agree: sin is a problem. Untold damage is done to human society by the plague of murder, violence, abortion, euthanasia, sexual immorality, pornography, theft, extortion, corruption -- to name just a few.

But what about those other sins -- the ones that people everywhere, including some Christians, don't seem to take too seriously? What about the sins of the tongue? Why does the letter of James say that "the tongue is a fire," a "restless evil, full of deadly poison" and "set on fire by hell" (James 3:6-7)? How can we avoid sinning with our lips?

In this Bible study, Dr. Brant Pitre focuses our attention on what the letter of James has to teach about the often-overlooked sins of the tongue. In it, he covers:

• What are the sins of the tongue? Sure, lying is a sin. But what about slander? Coarse jokes? Swearing? False witness?

• Why does James say that the tongue is so powerful that "not many" Christians should become teachers?

• What exactly is a "lie"? How does lying "do violence" to another person?

• Why does James refer to the tongue as "a world of evil"? Is it really that bad?

• Why does the Catechism teach that even rash judgment, detraction, and calumny are sins?

• How does James say believers should speak? What kind of words should come out of our mouths?

If you've ever struggled with sins of the tongue -- and who hasn't? -- then you need to hear this powerful and important presentation. For too long many Christians have treated sins of the tongue as if they weren't a big deal. And if you've ever wanted to know what Scripture teaches about what kind of speech should come out of the mouth of a disciple of Jesus, then this is the Bible study for you.