September 6, 2026
"Third Commandment: Be Careful, Little Tongue, What You Say" (James 5:12)
Preacher: Luis Muñoz Series: Heidelberg Catechism Scripture: James 5:12
First, let's hear from Matthew 5 again. You have heard that it was said of those of old, you shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn. But I say to you, do not take an oath at all. Either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.
Let what you say be simply yes or no. Anything more than this comes from evil. And James chapter 5, verse 12 says, but above all, my brothers, do not swear either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath. But. But let your yes be yes and your no be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.
This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. You may be seated. And as we see, let's turn to the Lord in prayer.
Our gracious God and heavenly Father, your word is truth.
And so we now ask that by your spirit you would open up our eyes that we may behold wondrous things from your word. So, Lord, may the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable and pleasing in your sight. O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. We ask this in Christ's name. Amen.
Well, recently I had the privilege of speaking with our fellow brother and friend. As a matter of fact, he led us in worship this evening. Doug Van Til. And in that conversation, we talked about his Uncle Case.
I know him better as Cornelius Van Til, but maybe some of you guys know him as Uncle Case. And as I work through my apologetics courses in seminary, I am naturally reading a lot of what Uncle Case wrote. A lot of it is great, and a lot of it is hard. And one thing, though, that has lingered with me in our conversation together is when Doug said, you know, the most distinctive theological truth claim that my uncle held near to his heart was the truth found in the lyrics. Jesus loves me.
This I know, for the Bible tells me so.
When he said it, I just kind of let it pass and just thought like, hmm, that's interesting. But that phrase continued to linger with me for the rest of the week. It made me think how thankful I am for these songs that I learned as a child. But it gives us good theology in the simplest of terms. And this evening, as we consider Lord's Day 36 and 37, we are met with another one of those lyrics.
So in light of what we learned from Uncle Case, let our sermon title this evening be called, oh, be careful, little tongue, what you say. Because this warning that is found in the third commandment is so crucial. Matthew Henry, who is known for his commentary on the whole Bible, says this about the third commandment. He says, this sin has of all sins the least temptation to it in it is no gain, no pleasure, no reputation that can move men to commit it. But it is a deliberateness in sinning, a needless showing of enmity toward God.
The third commandment isn't merely reduced to don't use the word God incorrectly. Rather, it requires us to honor God's name in our speech and in our life. And and James and Jesus shows us one important implication of this command, that God's people must not use their words. They must not misuse their words, but they must be people whose words can be trusted. Thus, this evening, as we consider these things, I'd like us to see James, chapter 5, verse 12 in four parts.
First, in guarding our speech, second, in abandoning verbal swearing, third, in practicing simple integrity, and finally, remembering divine judgment. So James begins by encouraging us to guard our speech. We see it here in the first five words or so. But above all, my brothers, as he begins this short section, he makes an emphatic exhortation. With these words, James gives his command particular urgency.
And this concern should not surprise us this evening because James has been warning us as readers about our mouths throughout his entire letter. It actually pinpoints the importance of our speech. In chapter one, true religion requires bridling the tongue. In chapter two, we are commanded to speak as those who will be judged. In chapter three, James calls the tongue of fire a restless evil that no human can tame.
In chapter four, our mouths boast arrogantly. Now here in chapter five, suffering believers are warned against grumbling, and in verse 12, swearing.
The Westminster Larger Catechism tells us that the third commandment forbids not only blasphemy, but also perjury, sinful oaths and vows, murmuring, misusing God's word, hypocritical profession, and even living in a way that disgraces the name that we profess. Indeed, the third commandment calls us to examine our speech and examine it carefully. So let us examine ourselves, brothers and sisters. How do we speak towards our spouse or our children, our families, our co workers, or one another? Moreover, how would our speech be altered if we remembered that God hears every single word that we say?
Yet this phrase, above all my brothers, doesn't just point our attention to the whole book, but it also points to the preceding verses. It leads directly to what James was just mentioning concerning patience and suffering. More particularly, he urges the tongue or our words. In this particular moment concerning chapters three through five is where we see this mentioning of the tongue in suffering. We may be tempted to cut people down with our words, or tempted to scheme with our words, or grumble against one another.
And here in this present passage, it somewhat crescendos, taking the Lord's name in vain through oaths and vows. Let us examine how we speak in the midst of suffering. Do we find ourselves quick to grumble, complain, or speak in rashful tones? If so, James warning for us tonight is beware of such things, don't fall into such a temptation. And if we look a little further in the book, we will see that James will encourage at the end of his book with what we are to do with our mouths in all seasons of life, but specifically in times of suffering, our mouths must and should be filled with singing, with praying, with confessing.
This verse indeed is the linking passage that suffering saints must guard their speech from grumbling and swearing and commit their mouths to confession and adoration in the midst of many trials. The last thing we can see in this phrase of above all my brothers is why such special attention is given to our words. Herein lies the very heart of the commandment. John Calvin is helpful when he comments that whatever our minds conceive of God, whatever our tongues utter, it should savor God's excellence, it should match the loftiness of his sacred name, and it should serve to glorify his greatness.
Friends, in order to do this we need the spirit of God. James says this much that no human being can tame his tongue. And John Calvin articulates an appeal for a God saturated mouth and the only way to obtain that is from God alone. His standard isn't that we merely avoid obvious lies, but rather that our hearts and our mouths are are entrenched with God. This type of honesty of heart and mouth is not possible apart from God's grace.
And we need the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ, to tame our sinful tongues.
So James then moves on to give us a command abandoned verbal swearing. He says, do not swear either by heaven, by earth, or by any oath.
So yet another question arises. What is swearing? Indeed, Scripture attests to us that swearing oaths is not always wrong. Consider with me some scriptural instances. Abraham and Abimelech swear an oath with each other.
Abraham and his servant swears an oath not to have Isaac take a wife from the Canaanites. Isaac and Abimelech swear an oath with each other. Paul uses God as a witness while writing to the Corinthians, and he also tells the Galatians that before God I do not lie or consider yourself the vows that you take in marriage or the vows that you take in membership to a church. Indeed, the command is not an absolute prohibition of lawful oaths, vows, and swearings. Rather, the third commandment prohibits careless, deceptive, manipulative oath taking.
This is laid out for us succinctly in the questions that we read, specifically question 99, and more exhaustively in question 113 in the larger catechism. But Scripture also laid it out for us in our officer reading this evening by Brad he read for us. If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. Herein lies the way in which we swear falsely. Jeremiah tells us in Jeremiah 5.
2 the though they say, as the Lord lives, surely they swear falsely. And as we read, Jesus says in Matthew 5:37, let your yes be yes, and your no be no, for whatever is more than this is from the evil one.
But what can we use as collateral when we swear that we are able to give up? And let's take it a step further. What can we use as collateral when we swear that doesn't belong to God? The answer is not a single thing. And James, directly quoting the words of Jesus in Matthew, makes this very claim explicitly.
Don't swear by heaven or by earth, for heaven is the throne of God, and the earth is his footstool. Much if not all things are encapsulated and what we cannot swear to and in relation to just heaven and earth. But just in case for us slick sinners, James states, or by any other oath, and Jesus goes even further and do not take an oath by your head. Don't even swear on yourself, for you cannot make one hair white or black.
Do certain words and phrases creep into our conversations? Do we find ourselves saying I swear to this, to that, or the other? Or even with manipulative talk? Do we exaggerate our stories to gain sympathy or to arouse shared anger or joy over something? Do we share the truth selectively?
Or, if I can be honest, do we do what used to be one of my favorite things? Do we give creative truths?
Are our mouths full of excuses, of slander, of gossip, of grumbling saints? If so, James tells us and Jesus tells us refrain from this passage from this practice for James moves us forward to give us a simple practice of speech integrity. He says here, but let your yes be yes and your no be no. The simplicity is refreshing. In a youth retreat where I met my wife, we counselors had a simple chant that we would say to the students during the dining times.
We would yell out, take all you want, but eat all you take. James gives us that same simplicity. Say what you mean, mean what you say. It's an appeal that instead of making elaborate oaths and vows and swearing, just keep your word. Elsewhere, he Elsewhere in the book, he talks about plans.
He says, today or tomorrow, we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and. And make profit. And his response is, how do you know what life will bring you tomorrow? Instead say, if the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that, Beloved. The same admonition is found in this statement.
We have no right to swear on our head or our land or the sky, so let us rely on the Lord's providence, not just in what we do, but in what we say. One commentator writes, in light of all that we have seen about our tongue in James, he is saying that a faith that perseveres is trustworthy in speech. The words from our mouths should be so consistent and dependable that they guarantee reliability for the Christian. For those of us that are married, we can practice the simple integrity of speech in our marriages. Do we often let our yes be yes in marriage?
If I tell my wife, Alyssa, before you come home, I promise I will unload the dishwasher. Actually doing what I say is a practice of this integrity. And for some, I would guess, the unmarried folk here, you may gawk and say, that's such a small thing. Who cares about what you say about the dishwasher? I assure you, Alyssa cares.
Yet more than this failure to practice simple integrity and even the smallest of things can give us a good idea of how we might practice this when it is a far greater importance. My like times of suffering, and this is just the beginning. We can and we should practice this at our workplaces. Oh, how delightful a testimony would it be if our employers knew us, as Christians, to be the most honest and trustworthy of all of their employees? We can and should practice this online.
When on social media, we exaggerate our practices or our commitments or our achievements, we misrepresent ourselves differently from reality. I urge you, saints, as the Spirit has convicted me all this week as I prepared for this sermon, let your yes be yes and your no be no. Because if we fail to do that, James tells us, remember the impending judgment that has come coming. He says here in the end, so that you may not fall under condemnation.
Jesus will tell us why it is deserving of condemnation in Matthew when he says, because anything more than this comes from the evil one.
Friends, perhaps this whole Exhortation from James 5:12 has left you feeling a lot like how I felt this past week. Convicted of your sinful tongue.
Indeed, when we look upon the law of God, we truly begin to see exactly what is meant when it says, I would not have known sin except through the law. Saints, God takes our words seriously. Jesus tells us In Matthew chapter 12, verses 36, I tell you, on the day of judgment, people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned. And this shouldn't surprise us, for just before this he says, out of the overflow or out of the abundance of your heart, your mouth speaks. Our God is holy.
Our mouths are our words, our hearts. They deserve judgment. We can echo the same lament as Isaiah, woe is me, for I am undone, for I am a man of unclean lips.
But thanks be to God that we have a high priest who can sympathize with our weaknesses. I have been comforted this week by our Savior, who, as I mentioned before, he did not come to abolish the third commandment, but rather he came to fulfill it. Christ perfectly honored the Father's name. He says, I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. Christ's word was perfectly trustworthy.
Indeed, Paul tells us that all of the promises of God find find their yes in Christ. Christ perfectly represents the Father's name. He says, whoever has seen me has seen the Father in the midst of suffering. Jesus didn't grumble or swear, but said, father, glorify your name, but most precious of all, since I am in Christ, if you are in Christ. He bore the judgment of our violation of the third commandment.
Jesus endured mockery for the sake of our mocking mouths. Jesus was falsely accused because of our sinful mouths that dispenses false accusations, gossip, slandering and the rest. He stood condemned in our place so that those who trust in him might be justified before God. Saints, let's look to Jesus and reflect his truthfulness. The answer to an unclean tongue is not first that we try harder to clean up our vocabulary.
The answer is that the man of unclean lips needs the Savior. Of perfectly clean lips, the perfectly truthful one stood silent before false accusers and bore the condemnation deserved by liars, slanderers, gossips, grumblers, blasphemers. And if you are in Christ, the judgment that James warns about here has fallen upon him instead of you. Consider our simple hymns for Cornelius Van Til, although I am very tempted to always refer to him now as Uncle Cate. But for Cornelius Van Til, that phrase Jesus loves me.
This I know, for the Bible tells me so. I ultimately don't think that was the line in the lyric that drew him. It was the line that came after Little ones to him belong they are weak, but he is strong. For the name of the title that we have this evening oh, be careful little tongues, what you say the true gospel lies in the next for the Father up above is looking down with love. Oh be careful little tongues, what you say or with tears tender love or there's multiple different lyrics for it.
Knowing this is what gives us a heart of gratitude for the Law of God. Because we are grateful to the God of the law. He knew that we would break the third commandment, so he sent his Son to fulfill it and live it out perfectly. And now it creates in us a deep desire to also live out the third commandment. Because we love the God of the law.
Hear this final plea, friends. Because we bear the name of a truthful God, we must speak with simple integrity, knowing that God judges every careless word and trusting in Christ, whose perfect words and atoning death cleanse the unclean lips of his people. Amen. Let's bow our heads in prayer.
Father, we thank you for your word.
We confess that our words have not always honored your name. Our tongues have been careless, our promises have been broken, our speech has often failed to reflect your truthful name, which we bear as your sons and your daughter.
And so we thank you for your son, Jesus Christ, the perfectly truthful one, who honored your name and all that he has said and has done, and who bore the judgment deserved by sinners like us by your spirit. Tame our tongues, shape our hearts, and teach us to speak in such a way that your name would be glorified through us. We ask this in Jesus name. Amen.
other sermons in this series
Oct 4
2026
"Love Your Neighbor" (Matthew 5:21-26)
Preacher: Rev. Jacob Gerber Scripture: Matthew 5:21–26 Series: Heidelberg Catechism
Sep 27
2026
"The Home Law" (Ephesians 6:1-4; Proverbs 22:6)
Preacher: Wybren Oord Scripture: Ephesians 6:1–4, Proverbs 22:6 Series: Heidelberg Catechism
Sep 20
2026
"Doing Good on the Sabbath" (Matthew 12:9-14)
Preacher: Rev. Jacob Gerber Scripture: Matthew 12:9–14 Series: Heidelberg Catechism