James says in James 3:5-6 (GNT), “So it is with the tongue: small as it is, it can boast about great things. Just think how large a forest can be set on fire by a tiny flame! And the tongue is like a fire. It is a world of wrong, occupying its place in our bodies and spreading evil through our whole being. It sets on fire the entire course of our existence with the fire that comes to it from hell itself.”
We have power over our thoughts and our tongue
Everything we say comes from our thoughts, and our thoughts are influenced by the sinful desires that are actively at work in our human nature (James 1:14). If we are not watchful, we can easily start gossiping or speaking evil. Our tongue can easily become a power that corrupts our whole body and influences our whole life. Then our tongue itself is set on fire by hell itself.
Where do we start to overcome this hell? It must begin in our thought life. We cannot avoid being tempted, but we can steer our thoughts away from the sinful desires in our nature. Impossible, you say. No, it is possible, for Jesus says, “Why are you thinking these things?” Mark 2:8 (NCV). This shows that we can be blamed for giving in to sinful thoughts. It is these sinful, evil thoughts that steer our tongue, and by our tongue these evil thoughts get sent out in every direction so that “great forests are set on fire”, meaning that all those who listen will experience their corrupting influence.
Proverbs 12:18 says that there are many who speak thoughtless words that stab like the sword. And Proverbs 12:23 (CEV) states that “…fools spread foolishness everywhere.”
Our mind decides if thoughts are good or evil, whether they come from a pure or a bad source. Everything that comes from a good source should be allowed into our hearts because it will have a good effect. But we must stop the sinful, evil thoughts.
We have received power to say “No” to what is evil and “Yes” to what is good; and therefore we have also received power over our thoughts and our tongue. We do not have to think or speak evil. This applies to areas where we know the difference between what is good and what is evil. This is where we need to be awake.
Work hard to overcome!
James writes, “No one can tame the tongue ... Blessing and cursing come from the same mouth.” But then he says, “My brothers and sisters, it just shouldn't be this way! Both fresh water and salt water don't come from the same spring, do they?” James 3:8-11 (CEB). This shows that you can stop evil thoughts from coming into your mind. Here you and I must be watchful. We can keep our tongue from speaking evil when we have stopped the evil in our thoughts.
Speaking evil and writing evil is the same thing since in both cases a person has allowed evil to come into his mind, the mind that was supposed to be serving God (Romans 7:25) .
If we have been thinking or speaking evil, we have to admit it and firmly say No to any more such thoughts, and if we have caused others harm by it, we must ask them for forgiveness. In such cases we have a good opportunity to train ourselves to live a godly life (1 Timothy 4:7).
Think that we can work and train ourselves in such a way that we overcome in thought, word, and deed. And if we should stumble during this training, we should keep going until we have completely overcome!