Jesus - Lord of Our Lips

"But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus, no spring yields both salt water and fresh." - James 3:8-12

"A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." - Luke 6:45

I have known many people, men in particular, who identify with being a Christian but speak and behave as if they are not. In James and Luke, as well as other places in the Bible, the point is that what comes out of a person is a reflection of the source of who they are - lost or saved - carnal or spiritual. If you say Jesus is Lord and yet it is salt water that comes from your spring and not fresh, then the conclusion is that the well does not hold fresh water. There are some men and women today that say they identify as being a different gender. The thing is, in spite of surgeries they might undergo, their DNA - their chromosomes that they had when they were formed in their mother's wombs cannot be altered. They can say what they want. Behave as they like. Be affirmed by the culture. Protected by the laws of the land. But biologically it changes nothing.  And so, it is with many who identify as Christians. They can say what they want, but spiritually it changes nothing. If you immediately want to go to the idea that maybe they are Christians but are carnal - why would being carnal be, OK?

The product of salvation is repentance and faith. The proof of repentance is a changed life. 

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ" - 2 Corinthians 5:17-18

When I would preach in churches in Haiti, I would often use the example of Mango trees. Mango trees grow everywhere along the roads. The fruit is free for the taking. There are also many sour orange trees in Haiti which are used to tenderize meat. I would say to the congregation, "If you tell me you are a mango tree and I come to you to pick a mango from your branches but only find sour oranges, I realize that you are not a mango tree at all - otherwise you would bear mangos. You are a sour orange tree" The same goes for spiritual fruit and carnal fruit. Read Galatians chapter 5.

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman called "The Change" that speaks to this question. 

"Well, I got myself this T-shirt that says what I believe. I got letters on my bracelet to serve as my ID 

I got the necklace and the keychain and almost everything a good Christian needs 

I got the little Bible magnets on my refrigerator door and a welcome mat to greet you before you walk across my floor

I got a Jesus bumper sticker and the outline of a fish stuck on my car 

And even though this stuff's all well and good I cannot help but ask myself

What about the change? What about the difference? What about the grace? What about forgiveness? What about a life that's showing I'm undergoing the change" End of Song .....

Well - what about it Christian? The bottom line is that if Jesus is not Lord of our lips, then He is not Lord of our hearts. If He is not Lord of our hearts, then He is not Lord at all.

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone