“But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.” (I Pet. 4:15)

On the surface, we would think that this was written to unbelievers because it describes the lifestyle of many who make no profession of godliness. But note the words carefully: “but let none of you.” Who are the “you” to whom he is addressing these words? The answer is found in I Peter 1:2:

“Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.” (I Pet. 1:2)

Peter was writing this to believers. It is a solemn reminder that outwardly there is no way to tell a believer out of fellowship with God from an unbeliever. Note some of the sins that have caused the suffering against which Peter warns:

1. Murder

   The word occurs seven times in the original language and is always translated “murder” in our King James Version. But do we have any Biblical records of a believer committing murder?

   
   
   1. David

      David was an adulterer, a fickle friend and a murderer because he put his loyal friend Uriah in the thick of battle to be sure he would be killed in order that David might cover his sin with Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba.
      
      

   2. Believers among the “twelve tribes scattered abroad” to whom James wrote:

      “Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you. Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.” (James 5:6-7)

      Note these words are addressed to rich people among the “brethren” and they are called “brothers” numerous times in the context.
      
      

   3. Believers Today

      We must never forget that our Lord taught that one who harbors hatred in his heart is a murderer. There is nothing to indicate that this has changed in our dispensation.

      We need to face the fact today that much of the suffering that comes our way in this life can be traced to disobedience of God’s revealed will. How many times have we seen good Christians suffer in their later years as a direct result of failing to care for our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit? Harming these bodies, whether through alcohol, tobacco or over-indulgence in food brings on much of our suffering.

      We must be careful, however, not to set ourselves up as judges and try to analyze why a fellow-believer may be suffering. These bodies come into the world as mortal bodies—dying bodies. Many of God’s choice saints who have never taken harmful things into their bodies have lengthy times of suffering. Romans 8 tells us that the “whole creation groans and travails in pain.” Then Paul adds,

      “And not only, they, but ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves” as we await the redemption of our bodies.” (Rom. 8:23)