The Way of Cain

The Way of Cain

1 Jn. 3:11,12; Jude 11

Intro.

A. The exchange between God and Cain is the second exchange recorded. First - Adam and Eve

(Gen. 3:8-13) after man’s struggle with Satan; Second - Cain’s with God (Gen. 4:1-11) after man’s struggle with man.  Adam and Eve were evasive but humble, Cain was hardened and sarcastic. His answer showed contempt for God.

B. What lessons can we learn from Cain’s attitude toward his brother and our attitude toward spiritual brethren?

Body:

A. The way of Cain was envy (1 Jn. 3:11,12).

1. “Envy, is the feeling of displeasure produced by witnessing or hearing of the advantage or prosperity of others...envy desires to deprive another of what he has, jealousy desires to have the same or the same sort of thing for itself” (Vine).

2. Envy is a sin of disposition that shrivels the soul. “A sound heart is life to the body, But envy is rottenness to the bones” (Prov. 14:30). “Envy, like a canker, eats away a man’s life and strength; it tells on his physical as well as his moral condition” (Pulpit).

3. Pilate “knew that because of envy they had delivered Him” (Mt. 27:18; Mk. 15:10).

4. Rom. 1:29; 1 Pet. 2:1 “Therefore laying aside all malice, all guile, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking.”

B. It is the way of selfishness.

1. He was too self-centered to consider the welfare of his brother. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Am I supposed to watch out for him all the time?

2. Attitude - anything that gets in my way must be removed (Gen. 4:6,7).

3. Walter Scott: “Sordid selfishness doth contract and narrow our benevolence, and cause us, like serpents, to enfold ourselves within ourselves, and to turn our stings to all the world besides.”

4. “Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being” (1 Cor. 10:24).

5. Phil. 2:1-4

C. The way of anger and murder (Gen. 4:5-8; 1 Jn. 3:11,12).

1. Is there significance to the fact that the first murder was over a religious dispute?

a. The same has resulted in the death of millions - including the Lord Himself.

b. The person who does not have a sound argument is first angry - Cain! 

c. Heb. 11:4 - his blood spoke for vengeance (Gen. 4:10). It said, in the ear of God,  “you are not your brother’s keeper...but his destroyer.” In contrast, the blood of Jesus speaks for mercy (Heb. 12:24). Or, it speaks as an example of faith - the first of many martyrs (he was a righteous man).

2. What a man does talks for or against him:

a. Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac - “now I know that you fear God” (Gen. 22:12).

b. Saul’s life of persecution of Christians - caused disciples to fear him (Acts 9:26).

c. The works of Jesus spoke volumes (Jn. 3:2).

d. What do our works say? We may be guilty of the sin of Cain without shedding a drop of blood (1 Jn. 3:15).

D. What is our attitude toward the brotherhood? (1 Pet. 1:22; 2:17)

1. Christians are called the household of God (Eph. 2:19; Gal. 6:10 - “household of faith”).

a. The church is the house of God (1 Tim. 3:15).

b. All are brethren (Mt. 23:8-12).

2.  The Jewish Rabbi’s distinguished between brother (Israelites) and neighbor (proselytes); Gentiles were neither.

3. Christ and the apostles:

a. Brother - all Christians (Gal. 3:26-29,7).

1) 1 Cor. 5:9-13

2) 2 Thess. 3:6-15

b. Neighbor - anyone in need (Rom. 13:10; 15:2; Jas. 2:8 “If you really fulfill the royal law

according to Scripture, You shall love your neighbor as yourself, you do well.”)

c. Lk. 10:25-37

Concl.

Those live “the way of Cain” live in envy, selfishness, anger and murder. Those who are brethren of Christ (Rom. 8:17,18) must live as neighbors to everyone (the brotherhood and those not in it.