Cain’s lifestyle stands out in the Word of God as an example to the Church. It reveals that he did not understand the principle behind Titus 3:5, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us.” His way, full of human endeavor, has never been acceptable to God.
The reason for this unacceptance lies in Cain’s motive for his labor. First, we see that he brought the fruit of his labor to the altar (2).He placed such a high value on his labor that he thought it would justify him before God. Secondly, we see that Cain forsook the prescribed plan for righteousness, which only required him to slay a lamb. God had obviously communicated the necessity of a blood sacrifice to Adam who passed it onto his children. But Cain looked for another way to be just before God.
Much of Christianity today has a similar complex. The majority of people cannot accept the blood of Jesus as the only way to have right standing with God and to enter into divine blessing (3); (4). They are always apt to tell you what they have done for God (5). They believe that their labors dictate righteousness, but God calls them evil (6).
We must recognize Cain’s sin and the attitude behind it. We need to understand that “without shedding of blood is no remission” of sins (7).Only then can we rest in the fact that we are saved by grace and not works (8).
- Atmospheric Cycles - January 30, 2018
- A Walk That Defeats the Enemy - July 14, 2017
- Don’t Be an Abstract Christian - March 18, 2017
