For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. - James 3:2
If a man offend not in word, the same is a perfect [mature] man.
James warns us not to rush eagerly and aspire to be teachers of the scriptures, for teachers and preachers shall be judged with greater severity than others. Then he says, “We all, without exception (teachers, pupils, preachers), fall and offend in many ways.” The ones who teach and the ones who are taught have many infirmities, and the tongue is usually the major source of offense. If a person can learn to control his tongue, he is a mature believer. If a person can learn when to speak, what to speak, and how to speak for the glory of God and the good of the church, that person manifests spiritual maturity!
The tongue is a small member of the body; but, like the small bit in a horse's mouth, the small rudder on a ship, and the small match, it can produce amazing, astounding, sometimes disastrous, sometimes marvelous results.
Men have succeeded in taming beasts, birds, serpents, and even the fish of the sea; but they have not had much success with their tongues. No human can tame the tongue, but God can. The grace of God can not only subdue it and tame it, but can make it an instrument for God's glory and the good of his church. When the grace of God acts on the heart, it begins to subdue the tongue.
About Henry Mahan
Henry T. Mahan was born in Birmingham, Alabama in August 1926. He joined the United States Navy in 1944 and served as a signalman on an L.S.T. in the Pacific during World War II. In 1946, he married his wife Doris, and the Lord blessed them with four children.
At the age of 21, he entered the pastoral ministry and gained broad experience as a pastor, teacher, conference speaker, and evangelist. In 1950, through the preaching of evangelist Rolfe Barnard, God was pleased to establish Henry in sovereign free grace teaching. At that time, he was serving as an assistant pastor at Pollard Baptist Church (off of Blackburn ave.) in Ashland, Kentucky.
In 1955, Thirteenth Street Baptist Church was formed in Ashland, Kentucky, and Henry was called to be its pastor. He faithfully served that congregation for more than 50 years, continuing in the same message throughout his ministry. His preaching was centered on the Lord Jesus Christ and Him crucified, in full accord with the Scriptures. He consistently proclaimed God’s sovereign purpose in salvation and the glory of Christ in redeeming sinners through His blood and righteousness.
Henry T. Mahan also traveled widely, preaching in conferences and churches across the United States and beyond. His ministry was marked by a clear and unwavering emphasis on Christ, not the preacher, but the One preached. Those who heard him recognized that his sermons honored the Savior and exalted the name of the Lord Jesus Christ above all.
Henry T. Mahan served as pastor and teacher of Thirteenth Street Baptist Church in Ashland, Kentucky for over half a century. His life and ministry were devoted to proclaiming the sovereign grace of God and directing sinners to the finished work of Christ. He entered into the presence of the Lord in 2019, leaving behind a lasting testimony to the gospel he faithfully preached.
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