One Lawgiver to Save and Destroy James 4:12

As James continued to exhort the people within the “twelve tribes scattered abroad”, he told them not to “speak evil of one another” because if they did, they not only spoke “evil of the law” but also became “judges of the law” rather than “doers” of it. In chapter four and verse twelve of his letter, James shared how there is “one lawgiver who is able to save” and “destroy” where we read:

There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who are you that judges another?

The verse begins, “There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy:” James began with the phrase, “There is one” or “there is only one singular” “lawgiver” which means “one who makes law or a legislator”, “who is able” or “capable or has the power whether by virtue of one's own ability, resources or state of mind” “to save” which means “keep safe and sound, rescue from danger, destruction, peril or injury” “and destroy” or “put out of the way entirely, abolish, put and end to, ruin, render useless, kill and perish”. James declared there to be only “one singular legislator” of God's law, and that is God Himself, and He alone has the right to “save” or “destroy” when applying it.

The verse goes on to say, “who are you that judges another?” James continued, “who are you” which means “whom or what position do you hold” “that judges” or “separates, puts asunder, picks out, selects, chooses, approves, esteems and prefers” “another” which refers to “a person other than oneself”. As a question that solicited a response, James wondered what position his readers held in comparison to God that would entitle them to “judge” one another.

When we consider these words of James, we understand that only God made His law, and we have no right or position to “legislate” laws contrary to His. God is the ultimate “lawgiver”, and the sooner we realize that fact, the easier it is to understand when He “saves” or when He “destroys”. Ultimately, God is sovereign, and there is none wiser to manage whatever comes our way. As we align ourselves with Jesus Christ, we put ourselves in the best position to allow God to rule our circumstances. May we understand who God is, and allow Him to be the “judge” of others with whom we have to do.

Next time James shares about those who say, “today or tomorrow”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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