Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.
Genesis 1:26
God created us in his image and likeness
The definition of “image” is “An image (from the Latin imago) is a visual representation, which manifests the visual appearance of a real or imaginary object.” And the definition of “likeness” is “A set of characteristics that makes two or more things or people look alike”.
God gave us a body that is made up of many parts and each one has its function. Each part can be used for good and for evil, for example: the eye can be used to admire beautiful things or to see pornography in the occult, hands can be used to help people or to steal, we can use our feet to run to evil or flee from it.
Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.
Santiago 3:5-6
See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.
Dangerous member
But curiously according to the word of God he tells us that we have a dangerous member in James 3: 5-6.
Let’s analyze what these verses say about the language:
- Little member that boasts of great things.
- A small fire that lights a large forest.
- A world of iniquity.
- Defiles the whole body.
- Sets on fire the course of nature.
- Inflamed by hell itself.
Little member that boasts of great things.
The tongue is one of the small limbs, but it is the one that can cause the most damage with just opening the mouth, it can change the mood to anyone who listens to it for better or for worse, it can damage the reputation of anyone together with a heart full of evil.
A small fire that lights a large forest.
The best way to explain this point is. When we decide to talk about a person with good intentions or with bad intentions, it is very likely that what is said will not stay in the group of listeners. Yes dear readers we talk about gossip. Gossip is like a virus that spreads and there is no one who can stop it.
A world of iniquity.
The tongue can be so uncontrollable that the bible says it is its own world. So much evil can be in the tongue that it is possible to kill the character of any person.
Many years ago on a television show, a psychiatrist spoke with a child of 6-8 years of age and the child said “I am dumb and stupid”. The psychiatrist asked “why do you say that” and the child answered “because my mom tells me every day”. The tongue was destroying the character of the child, but what if the mother said positive words?
Defiles the whole body.
When we speak of defiling, we talk about something harmful that enters innocently without anyone noticing it, and little by little it damages everything that it sees in its path. How then can the tongue be harmful?
When we say something negative about ourselves such as “I am worthless” or tell the children “you are useless” you create a negative feeling inside the person who hears it mainly when it comes out of the mouth of someone who must protect it of evil.
Little by little the self-esteem is falling and degrading the human being perhaps to the point of taking him to a depression.
Sets on fire the course of nature.
The “wheel of creation” refers to living beings in the world, by the tongue discussions and lawsuits are formed, that can be consequently harmful to living beings. The cause of a war where human lives are lost is because someone opened his mouth to declare it.
Inflamed by hell itself.
This phrase is one of which as Christians we should be aware, because it leads us to understand that demons have influence over what comes out of our mouths.
But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.
Matthew 15:18-19
Matthew 15: 18-19 says that what we speak comes out to pollute the body and gives a series of negative influences that do not come from God, and if they do not come from God there are only two other options, us or satan. Satan does not really know what we think, but he can influence our thoughts and by influencing our thoughts he knows that he is going to come out of our mouths.
Sins of the tongue
- False testimony: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. Exodus 20:16.
- Taking the name of the Lord our God in vain: You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain. Exodus 20:7
- Using lies: Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds. Colossians 3:9.
- Profane and idle words: But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. 2 Timothy 2:16.
- Gossiping: And besides they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not. 1 Timothy 5:13.
