Pastor Chris’ Corona Quarantine Epistles to the Flock of AIC Ngong Road, in Dispersion and Isolation. 53rd. Edition.
Beloved,
The first half of James 3 takes us back to a theme we encountered earlier (1:19, 26). He begins this new section by discouraging us from being too eager to teach (vv. 1-2). Demand for Strictness (v. 1). When one purports to be a teacher, one takes on the responsibility for what one teaches. If one misleads the learners, one should expect God’s judgment. Jesus made this clear when he warned about the cost of making those who believe in him sin (Matthew 18:6-7). In recent years, teachers have proliferated, who even claim divine revelation.
Recently, some such prophet came up with the 5G mobile phone network as the cause of the COVID-19 pandemic and assured us that there was no virus. He also told us that the vaccine that would be developed would be used to put a chip in people’s arms so that they can be tracked. Whether he is right or not, he has told people not to accept vaccination. If a vaccine is put out and millions of people refuse to be vaccinated, who will be to blame, when they get infected and die? Maybe no one will prosecute him, but God’s court needs no prosecutor. Every falsehood and misleading statement a teacher makes, whether intentionally or not, is the teacher’s responsibility before God.
Danger of Stumbling (v. 2). We should all be alert to the reality that speaking carelessly or out of turn is more likely than we are willing to admit and if we are honest, there are many things we regret having said. Anyone who doesn’t stumble in speech is “perfect” (mature), in full control of himself. This suggests that control of the tongue (speech) is part of a much broader, self-control regime. If we are not alert to the danger of causing damage with our words, we will do it. If we do it as teachers, how great is that damage likely to be!
So think twice before you speak. Think twice yet again, before you purport to teach
Your loving Pastor Chris