The Way of Cain

"But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core."

Who was "Cain"? What is the "way of Cain"? Besides being the first human ever born into the world, Cain also became the first murderer in the Bible. The expression "raising Cain" is used to describe acts of violence, or criminal activity, or any other mischievous deeds. Thus, "Raising Cain" is all the same as raising incorrigibles, as rearing rebellious and wicked boys.

Certainly Cain came into the world with "Great Expectations," Eve believing that Cain was perhaps the fulfillment of Lord God's promise of a Redeemer, the "seed" of Eve (See Genesis 3: 15). Thus, when Cain is born, Eve says "I have gotten a man, the Lord." But, rather than being the Christ promised, Cain turned out to be the first Anti-Christ.

"And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear." (Genesis 4: 1-13)

What is "going on" here in this story? Why does Lord God accept Abel and his offering and reject Cain and his offering? What is wrong with the character and attitude of Cain? Why was he different from his brother Abel?

"By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh." (Hebrews 11: 4)

"For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous. " (I John 3: 11, 12)

How were they different? Abel was righteous and Cain was unrighteous. Abel had faith and trust in Lord God, and Cain had none, being the first infidel. Abel had spiritual understanding on how to approach Lord God and how to find forgiveness with him, but Cain was spiritually blind and ignorant. Abel offered a proper and acceptable sacrifice, because it was a blood sacrifice, and because his offering did not represent his own works, as did Cain's offering.

"For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?" (I Corinthians 4: 7)

Abel gave all the glory, and credit, and praise to Lord God for his being righteous and a believer, and one "wise unto salvation." He realized, as does every saved person who walks with Lord God, that he was "different" because Lord God made him so.

The truly saved person never credits self or confesses to be spiritually "self-made." He sees his faith and salvation as something graciously given and not as what he has earned, what Lord God owes to him. He confesses:

"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3: 5-7)

Abel brought a "blood sacrifice," as did, certainly, Adam and Eve. Cain however, refused this kind of religion, and wanted a "bloodless" religion. Instead of being saved by another, by the substitution of an innocent victim in his place, he rather sought to find acceptance and pardon with Lord God by his own efforts and good deeds. All who seek righteousness with Lord God by this method will suffer the fate of Cain.

Every Christian has come by faith and repentance "to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel." (Hebrews 12: 24)

Friend, are you trying to "come to God" and "find acceptance" and "peace" with him by your own good deeds? Do you think that Lord God will overlook your transgressions, pardon your sins, while doing violence to his law, justice, and holiness? Only in Jesus Christ and his atoning death on the cross, pictured in the offering of Abel, and by faith in that sacrifice, can anyone find true pardon for his sins, and not at the expense of Lord God's justice or holiness. Will you come to Lord God in the "way of Cain" or in the "way of Abel"?