Peter's Pen 1 Peter 4:15-16

1st Peter 4:15-16

But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.   ESV


I find it interesting that the Spirit moved Peter to admonish us to not suffer as, muderers, theives, evildoers or meddlers.  What's the difference?  Actually, none.

Let me wax weird for a moment.  Murder is taking the life of another human being outside the context which God has provided.  Theft - now it gets interesting - is another form of taking life - isn't it?  I work hard for 12 hours to earn the money to buy say an iPad.  You steal my iPad.  Have you not also stolen 12 hours of my life?  I know that's weird but remember, money is "coined life."  Money we earn represents so much of our time and energy (life).  If you take what we earn you have stolen that time and energy.

Then Peter says we are not suffer as "evildoers."  Now that's kind of vague - isn't it?  No, not if you spend anytime in the Bible at all.  Sin is evil - evil is sin.  God determines what sin - hence what evil - is.

Now here's he hard part.  Culture/society may define as evil what God calles good - it certainly calls good what God calls evil.  Uhhhhhhhhhh......  OK, it's not hard - we are to obey God and not man (when man is in opposition to God).  We have a belief in "sin."  We have accepted God's criteria for goodness, holiness, rightness....etc.  Our culture wants to redefine many sinful things as, if not good, at least OK.

Now culture/society will do what it wants.  We can't - at least not and claim any degree of faithfulness.

Now let me address "meddlers."  This is a person who, with little or no regard for their own affairs, takes (note: takes) supervision over the affairs of others.  There is a flavor to this word that indicates one has the perspective of an enemy.  there is an element of hostility in this meddling.

Huh?  Well, we are not to address anyone's affairs outside the context of the Gospel.  If they are not believers then their affairs, however they are conducted, are not our affairs.  We may not demand or expect Christlike behavior form those who not Christ's.  No matter how weird, perverse, offensive, evil or sinful someone's behavior is we have no place or right for comment or recourse concerning it outside the laws of the land and the context of the Gospel.  We are not to be involved outside of these boundaries.

Here's the definition of the word from Kittles Thoelogical Dictionary:
Since it is not found outside the NT, we must deduce its meaning from the context. The context, however, allows of various possibilities: a. 'one who has his eye on the possessions of others'; b. 'an unfaithful guardian of goods committed to him'; c. 'one who meddles in things that do not concern him,' and d. 'a calumniator or informer.'
TDNTA

So it's a broad term - almost like "covet" or the result of coveting.

But the main point ot this assage is that if we suffer at all (legitimately) it must be bcassue we serve the King of Kings and lord of Lords.  It is our walk in and towards His righteousness for which we are to be persecuted.  We should not rejoice in suffering we incite through cruelty, unkindness, gracelessness, mercilessness or any other sin.  Rather we are to rejoice in only that that suffering that results from righteousness - that is we rejoice in the sufering that comes from our being faithful to Him.