Bible Studies

What Type Of Tongue Have You Today? Part 1

by Doug Laird 
07/16/26
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We all have “a” tongue. The question is what type, as it is a reflection of what is (or what is not) going on in the soul of the one who possesses it.

Although not being the largest human organ, it is a powerful one. Like a relatively small rudder on a large ship, it sets the course for its own destination (James 3: 4/Rom. 10: 9), and affects others in its wake.

The tongue can produce great good, communicating the unadulterated Gospel Message (John 3: 16. 18) to those in the need (John 3: 7) of salvation, and communicating accurate Bible doctrine for the promotion of discipleship in the lives of the ones who have been born-again.

The tongue can also wreak much havoc and destruction, being likened to a proverbial fire-breathing dragon whose flames are fueled by Hell itself (James 3: 6).

Matt. 5: 29, 30 and Matt. 18: 8, 9, speaking in hyperbole format (and not to be interpreted or applied litterally), speaks of gouging out an eye or cutting off a hand, rather than allow one’s bodily parts to facilitate sin and open the door for its consequences.

God is NOT speaking about a glossectomy or the physical removal of any other bodily part to address sin. God is speaking about submitting their usage to the control of, and for the glory of, God.

The advancing disciple understands that his or her physical body is a temple of God (1Cor. 3: 16). Each part serves a divine purpose in the plan of God. Satan and our own fallen nature would have us use our eyes to look at things we shouldn’t look at; ears to hear things we shouldn’t listen to; hands to steal; private parts to practice sexual immorality.

These are daily choices that we have to make as we go through the various stages of life.

“God has given me the tongue of disciples….(Isa. 50: 4 NASB2020).”

“But no one among mankind can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil, full of deadly (spiritual) poison (James 3:8 NASB2020 parenthesis mine).”

We have no control over the tongues of others, but what we CAN control is what we allow to become a part of our thought processes, which inevitably determines what is going to be OUR speech and overt behaviors.

A clenched fist can inflict painful physical injury, but the wounds inflicted by a tongue can penetrate even deeper, going deep down into the very core of our being, from which some will never fully recover from, on this side of Heaven.

There will come a time, be it in this life or in the next, that we will regret the hurt and the pain that our words brought to others.

“…I tell you that for every careless word that people speak, they WILL give an account of it on the day of judgement (Matt. 12: 36 NASB2020).”

Every verbal “bully” will have his day!

Sad to say, but many folks are totally ignorant of the damage they have caused from the words that have come out of their mouths. Again, we have little or no control over what others will say to us, but we have full control over how we choose to respond or to react to it.

We are taught in Biology 101 that whatever does not kill us can make us stronger. The same principle can apply to the spiritual realm.

By what we choose to expose ourselves to on a daily basis, one’s soul structure can become like a pressure cooker with the inevitable need to express what has been stored up there, be it good or evil, over time.

Paul experienced a driving force of compulsion (1Cor. 9: 16), as will all advancing disciples, to speak up for Christ when the opportunity presents itself. As with Paul, it will not be because we “have” to, but because we “want” to.

Those who have made a lifestyle out of the sins of the tongue are “bursting at the seams” waiting for the next opportunity to hear or to make the latest dirt known. That is, until it is their own dirt that the wagging tongues are talking about.

The best way to address a gossiper, is to tell them that, “I didn’t need to know that. The details of the failures of others is of no interest to me.”

Keep in mind that it takes two sinners to engage in gossip, as one is the willing speaker and the other is a willing listener.

If whatever is being said wouldn’t be said if the person being spoken about was standing there, it’s a good indication that you have crossed the line!

If an advancing disciple has an issue with someone that is actually worth addressing, he or she will take it up with them, and not with a 3rd party who has no business hearing about it.

If such “idol” (meaningless, unproductive) conversations were to be eliminated, the cell phone companies who charge by the minutes would go bankrupt!

Many “Christians” wouldn’t know what to talk about if they were to do ALL things without complaining (Phil. 2: 14). The need to vent for hours on end, going on and on about the same things over and over again, only goes to show the many UNRESOLVED issues that they need to ADDRESS, if they are to LEARN from the past, and THEN move FORWARD in the plan of God.

End of Part One