This is the perpetual delight to sin. The scripture says, “fools make a mockery of sin” Prov. 14:9. Apostle writing to the Romans about “Righteousness by faith” (Roms 3,4 and 5) said that Abraham and his descedants’ promise of the inheritance of the world did not come through the law but through righteousness of faith (Roms 4:13); he went further to explain what he meant by righteousness through faith:
“Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on the law shall live by it, but the righteousness based on faith says ….. the word is near you, on your lips and in your heart, if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” Rom 10:5-9 (Read and study prayerfully Roms 3,4, and 5). Relate these chapters to my earlier explanation of sin of circumstance. Apostle Paul writes: “How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein?”. (Rom 6:2). This is an absolute reference to the sin of consciousness which I write here. The sin of consciousness which I write here refers to that ‘free desire to sin’, ‘pleasure in sinning’ or ‘the propensity to unrighteousness”. Christians ought not to sin’. This is what St John refers to when he says:
“No one who abides in him sins, no one who sins has either seen him or known him; … He who commits sin is of the devil…..No one born of God commits sin, for God’s nature abides in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God” 1 Jn 3:4-9. St John did not contradict himself when he had earlier written: “if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us….If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us” 1 Jn 1:8,9. The explanation of these verses relate to the classification of sin which I have earlier Mentioned in this chapter. Briefly, explained it means, by nature man is a sinner but Christ has cleansed us with his blood of our sins
1Jn 1:7) and we ought not to walk in darkness, “for if we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not live according to the truth” 1 Jn 1:6. I am sure it is very clear now that the writer talks about the sin of consciousness which he condemns in very conspicuous, and unspeakable terms. The effect of sin of consciousness is death, Roms 6:23. This means spiritual death -separation from God. This is what the prophet, Isaiah meant when he prophesied: “Behold the Lords hand is not shortened that he cannot save or his ear dull that He cannot hear, but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God” Isa. 59:1,2. Believers are seriously cautioned against the sin of consciousness. (Ref. Gal. 2:17-20, Rom 6:1-4; 12-21; Heb 3:13; 1 Jn 1:6; 3:8,9)-

The TONGUE: What is it?
The tongue is a speech organ situated in the mouth. (Ref. Psalms 137:6). The Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines the tongue as a “moveable organ in the mouth used in talking, tasting, licking etc”. I am looking at the tongue as a speech organ – “moveable organ … used in talking”, although it performs other vital functions: but I consider it more vital as a speech organ with specific reference to the topic under discussion. The book of James describes the tongue as a little member “Jam 3:5 which of course can set a whole “forest” ablaze if wrongly used (Jam 3:5). It further describes the tongue as “a fire” which again can lead man to eternal damnation and stain the whole body, if wrongly applied. (James 3:6-8). James went further to give credit to the tongue – that the ability of a Christian to tame his tongue, to watch what he says and to make no mistakes with his tongue makes such a person a perfect person, James 3:2. “If any one makes no mistake in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body”. But “no human being can tame the tongue -a restless evil, full of deadly poison” James 3:8. James simply expressed dismay at the inability of man to tame his tongue but even if men cannot tame their tongues, an impossibility which the scripture expresses; man can exercise restraint and control over the use of the tongue.
It simply means that one time of the other, we could make little mistakes with the tongue but not all the time. This makes the whole difference between the man who exercises restraint over his tongue and the man who leaves his tongue loose.
But can the tongue be absolutely or hundred percent tamed? without a single mistake with it? This is where St. James expresses his doubts (James 3:8). Now let us look at the P0WER OF THE TONGUE. I have several times exercised the power of the tongue and it has just been exactly that way. This is why the tongue ought to be well reserved. The power of the tongue can be seen in this verse of the scripture and I write it boldly: “DEATH AND LIFE are in the power of the tongue” Prov. 18:21.
This means, with the tongue you can pronounce death and you can ask for life. In subsequent paragraphs, we shall see how this has been clearly vindicated. The scripture gives more spiritual attributes to the tongue. For “the tongue of the righteous is a choice silver” Prov 10:20. This expresses the preciousness of the tongues of the righteous in the sight of the Lord, no wonder the scripture says that the prayers of a righteous man have great effect (James 5:16) Watch again the power of the tongue expressed in these verses; “a soft tongue breaketh a bone” Prov 25:15, this means if you apply a gentle tongue, you can always have persuasive victory. “The tongue of the wise can heal” Prov. 12:18. You see that the “wise men” can use his tongue to heal through the words of his mouth. Take note that the “wise man” referred to in the scripture does not mean a man who has acquired knowledge of any sort but the man who feareth the Lord”. The scriptures says, that “the fear of the lord is the beginning of wisdom” Prov 9:10, Ps 111:10. So the wiseman referred to in the early passage is the God fearing man – the righteous man – the child of God. So the child of God can utter words of healing from his tongue and it would be so. (Prov. 12:18, Jn 14:14); the tongue of the wise dispenses knowledge (Prov 15:2). A gentle tongue sustains life; it brings peace and jo,y hence it is described as the tree of life. Prov.1 This means that the way we use the tongue can make a whole difference in our life between joy and sadness Watch the tongue therefore because God can even use it to speak, for he can speak through the tongue of man (Prov 16:1) as evident in prophesy and tongues (Ref: Jn 1:10, Amos 3:8, Isa 50:1-4, 2 Pet 1:21 Acts 19:6)
But note that the Lord will not use a flippant tongue or lieing tongue for such is an abomination to God. For the scripture says: “These six things doth the Lord hate: yea seven are abomination unto him; a proud look; a lieing tongue….the hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that desireth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief; a false witness that speaketh lies and he that soweth DISCORD among brethren “Prov 6:17-19. The power of the tongue is expressed in this verse also: “with our tongue we will prevail” Ps. 12:4. You shall speak the word of God with the righteous tongue and your enemies shall quiver; the devil and his emissaries shall flee; speak the word of God with a righteous tongue, the impossible becomes possible for with God “all things are possible”. Mk. 10:27. So keep your tongue reserved and holy that you retain its spiritual content of power. Prayers that move mountains come only from righteous tongues, for the ear of the Lord is close to the righteous. (1 Peter 3:12).
Thirdly, let us see the IDEAL PURPOSE OF TONGUE:
What we are supposed to use it for and things to avoid so as to retain its full spiritual content and power:
1. The tongue should be reserved from all evil talks. Ps 34:13, 39:1. 1 Peter 3:10. Do not participate in any evil discussions, otherwise the tongue be defiled and it will lose its spiritual content;
2. Do not use the tongue to boast of wordly things. The scripture says: “the Lord shall cut off all flattering lips and the tongue that speaketh proud things” Ps.12:3. Your boastings can defile your tongue and result in unanswered prayers. If you must boast then boast in the Lord to give him glory and praises. You can tell the devil for example, “You can’t do me anything for the power of Jesus in me will conquer your threats”. This is boasting in the Lord. You have not said “I can do it”, but ‘the Lord can”. Hence the scripture permits us to do this kind of boasting that will give glory to God. “In God we boast all the day long and praise thy name forever, selah” Ps. 44:8.
3. Your tongue is not for gossiping or backbiting; neither is it for slander. Psalm 15:3. Oh child of God avoid using your tongue to frame deceit, lies or for false witnessing, or backbiting and causing conflict among yourselves or backbiting and causing conflict in the church. You must seriously avoid using your tongue to destroy the love of God through backbiting or slander. Your tongue was not created by God for destructive purposes. Desist from this for its an abomination in the sight of God. Watch this! Hear what the scripture says about this:
“There are six things which the Lord hates, seven which are abomination to him, haughty eyes, a lieing tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies and a man who sows discord among brethren” Prov. 6:16-19. Oh brother, Sister, don’t repeat if you were once found in this act that, you refrain from God taboos. Oh! my God does not like deceit from the tongue Ps. 52:2, 50:19. Avoid backbiting which kills the love of God in the church. For the scripture warns that if “ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.” Gal 5:15. Backbiting, lieing, deceit are impurities which are signs of the work of the flesh” Gal 5:19-20. And all those who do such shall not inherit the kingdom of God, Gal. 5:12. You sees! Be careful of your tongue. It can take you to eternal damnation. How do you use your God- created tongue or shall I say God-given tongue. Oh child of God? For good, talk Ps 37:30; such things that befit the child of God. Avoid vain discussions, and disputations “charge them before the Lord to avoid disputing about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers” II Tim 2:14, Tit 3:9. use your tongue also to sing praises always to God, Ps. 126:2, Ps 35:28. Indeed praise singing is good for the believer, it makes his heart cheerful and free. A new convert confessed to me sometime that always, since he had received Christ, he kept spiritual songs on his lips and this made him glad, forgetting his old self. This is a real testimony. The emphasis in praise singing is seen in the words of Apostle Paul: “Be filled with the spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart always” Eph. 5:19. Form the habit of praise-singing, you will observe how full of joy your mind will become and tension will be eased; and burden lightened. This was why Apostle Paul wrote to the Colosians to “sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,” with thanksgiving in their hearts. Col.3:16.