“But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters.”
But let none of you suffer
The subject of Christian suffering is the theme of first Peter. We can suffer for good or evil. We can suffer as a thief or as someone with vibrant testimony.
as a murderer,
Peter here lists four sins, whereby Christians are vulnerable to persecution because of their own actions. The first three deal with the violation of the laws of the land. Peter now throws out a caution — suffering is no justification for anarchy.
First, we cannot justify murder even though people may have killed your loved one. Murder was the sixth commandment (Ex 20:13). When people treat us brutally, that is no excuse for being vicious in return. We cannot play God with someone else’s life. The potential for murder lies within every Christian. We have the possibility of committing any heinous crime.
PRINCIPLE:
The potential for any sin lies within any Christian.
APPLICATION:
Murder is the worst sin that we can imagine. Peter saw the possibility that some Christians might go to this extent. If driven far enough, the best people might commit murder. The best of people need a warning against the worst of sins.
