First Principles

Lesson 10

Lesson Text—Genesis 4:1-4

Genesis 4:1-41 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

Lesson Text—Genesis 4:1-4

3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.4 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:

Lesson Text—Genesis 4:5-8

Genesis 4:5-85 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?

Lesson Text—Genesis 4:5-8

7 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.8 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.

Lesson Text—Genesis 4:9-12

Genesis 4:9-129 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? and he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.

Lesson Text—Genesis 4:9-12

11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand;12 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.

Lesson Text—Genesis 4:13

Genesis 4:13And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear.

Focus Verse—James 1:15

James 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Focus Thought

Sin is progressive, beginning in the heart and ultimately

manifesting itself outwardly. Grace calls regularly at the heart of

mankind offering the opportunity for repentance, which interrupts

the progression of sin.

I. Begins in the HeartCulture Connection

Cancer is a frightening disease that has touched nearly every North American family in one way or another. It is a terrible disorder that involves the mutation and multiplication of diseased cells within the human body until they manage to eat away at the healthy cells, leaving widespread destruction in their path.

I. Begins in the HeartIn a way not dissimilar to cancer, sin

is eating away at modern culture. It progressively destroys more and more of that which is good in the culture, leaving behind twisted morals, confused behaviors, and perverted values. It attacks one generation and multiplies its dastardly destruction within succeeding generations, slowly eating away at everything good.

There is only one way to stop the progressive destruction of sin; it must be cut completely from our lives.

I. Begins in the HeartAs long as any amount of sin remains, it will multiply. Only when sin is destroyed can we be freed from its devastation.

The only thing that can destroy sin is repentance—confessing sins and turning away from them. There are no spiritual equivalents to radiation or chemotherapy that will successfully stop sin’s growth. Rather, we are spared sin’s destruction only by excising it completely from our lives.

I. Begins in the HeartMay the sharp sword of God’s Word

convict and enlighten us, initiating repentance. Then and only then may the sharp edges of His Word cut that sin from our lives completely.

I. Begins in the HeartContemplating The

Topic

James wrote, “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death” (James 1:15). Intervention in this progression of sin can occur at any point, preventing the horrible outcome of eternal death. The moment Satan drops the seed of sin in a person’s mind, that individual has the option to dismiss it.

I. Begins in the HeartThis is what Jesus did during His great temptation. (See Matthew 4:1-11.) However, even after sin has begun its devastating work in a person’s life, he can repent and reverse the process. The Lord is ready to deliver grace that will help in the time of need. Paul declared, “Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Romans 5:20). The grace of God hovers nearby, waiting for the opportunity to act.

I. Begins in the HeartSin is insidious as it traipses along

following an individual all the way to the grave, continually nagging at his carnal nature. “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed” (James 1:14). The problem is not that sin is in the world, or that there is a devil, or that society is morally corrupt. The problem is in the heart of mankind, whose propensity is toward sin.

I. Begins in the HeartSadly, some people live in a perpetual state of moral failure. They beg God for deliverance as though their propensity to sin could be cast out. But we cannot cast out human nature—we can only crucify it. “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5).

I. Begins in the HeartBegins in the Heart

A. The Origin of Sin

Although sin found its entrance into the human race in the Garden of Eden, it did not originate in the Garden. Rather, it originated in the heart of mankind. The prophet Jeremiah declared, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).

I. Begins in the HeartBeginning immediately after the Fall, mankind attempted to shift the blame for sin to someone else. The conversation that occurred in the Garden resembles the conversation between a parent and a child. (See Genesis 3:11-13.)

Genesis 3:11-13 “And he said, Who told thee that

thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said,

The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat” (Genesis 3:11-13).

I. Begins in the HeartThis process of attempting to blame

others for our personal moral failures continues into the present day. Further, mankind continues to look in vain to science and medicine for answers to the sin problem. The cover of Newsweek magazine for March 3, 2008, reads: “The Hunt for an Addiction Vaccine.” Redefining a behavior as an illness attempts to shift responsibility from the individual to something else. Instead of confronting the sin problem within the human nature, mankind continually looks

outside himself for some other cause and solution.

I. Begins in the HeartHe believes that if he could find the

gene that causes people to crave alcohol or drugs, or commit shoplifting or pedophilia, mankind could fix the problem. But such is not the case. Mankind did not end up on this earth as a result of evolution or some random accident of nature. God created mankind in His own image. (See Psalm 139:14.) We will never discover answers to mankind’s behavioral problems outside the Word of God.

B. Without ExcuseB. Without Excuse

Although mankind has been making excuses since the beginning of time, he is yet without excuse. God granted Adam and Eve the privilege of eating from every tree in the Garden except one. (See Genesis 3:2-3.) They could not complain that they were lacking anything good, because they had everything within reach for which anyone could ever wish. Until Satan put forth the advertisement suggesting that they consider partaking of the forbidden fruit, it appears they

had not seriously considered it.

I. Begins in the HeartWhat could the world offer that is of

greater value than love, joy, or peace? What could Satan offer a child of God that could compare with a clean conscience? (See Hebrews 9:14.) In truth, sin has nothing to offer that could possibly supersede the blessings of God. Yet, people continue succumbing to Satan’s advertisements, accepting his tinsel and fool’s gold, and committing sin.

In our text, Cain had every opportunity to serve God and avoid the pitfalls of his parents, yet he chose to

perpetuate sin.

I. Begins in the HeartEven when he began down the path toward death, the grace of God knocked on his door: “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it” (Genesis 4:7, NIV). At that moment, he had the opportunity to fall on his knees and ask forgiveness. Instead, he allowed animosity toward his righteous brother to grow in his heart with an eye toward killing him.

I. Begins in the HeartEvery step he took toward the murder of his brother was a step closer to his own death. With God knocking on his door offering grace, Cain was without excuse. Likewise, we are without excuse when we resist the grace of God and stubbornly continue down the path of sin.

C. Not Tempted by GodC. Not Tempted by God

Some people might attempt to explain the cause of their sin as failure to stand when God tempts them. In his letter to the church, James laid this notion to rest: “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man” (James 1:13). God may allow Satan to tempt us, as He did Job, but He does not tempt us to sin in order to see if we will stand or fall.

I. Begins in the HeartOthers confuse Peter’s fiery trials with temptations (I Peter 4:12-13). Although God allowed Satan to test Job, He had faith that Job would not fail. It was truly a test or a trial in the sense that things were taken away, but God was not encouraging Job to sin. To do so would be contrary to the very nature of God.

Our lesson today has to do with mankind’s progression toward sin, not struggling under the weight of a trial.

I. Begins in the HeartAlthough both could result in sin, and it is likely that Satan would be present during any trial, James declared that temptation is the result of our own desires: “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed” (James 1:14).

Instead of tempting people to sin, God is always present, encouraging them toward righteousness. God’s grace visits us before every temptation, encouraging us to make the right choices.

I. Begins in the HeartCain did not deserve a visit from the Lord in his sullen state, but grace—the unmerited favor of God—urged Cain to make the right choice and repent. (See Genesis 4:7.)

Perhaps we could all think about a time when we were knowingly on our way to sin. The lust within was leading us to the video store to rent or purchase DVDs that we knew would not be pleasing to God. Perhaps as we neared the store, another Christian brother just happened to cross our path.

I. Begins in the HeartAs our eyes met, it was as though we were looking into the eyes of Jesus. On another occasion, maybe lust suggested that we click the mouse on the computer to enter a pornographic site or erotic chat room. Before we could click the mouse, the phone rang and the pastor was on the line. He just felt led of the Lord to give us a call.

I. Begins in the HeartWas it simply an accident that the

Christian brother crossed our path or that the pastor just happened to give us a call? Absolutely not! When incidents such as these happen, we should fall on our knees and thank the Lord for sending grace our way.

II. Manifests OutwardlyManifests OutwardlyJesus taught that what is in the heart

of a person would eventually manifest itself outwardly. (See Matthew 7:17-18.) Often, before a person gets very far down the slippery slope of sin, the manifestation of that sin begins to show in his life. Long before God cast Cain out from His presence and cut him off, and long before Cain took his brother’s life, sin began to manifest itself in his worship and prayer life—through the careless attitude with which he

sacrificed toward God.

A. In WorshipA. In Worship

Considering what we know from the rest of the Scriptures, there is little doubt that the type of offering Cain was to bring was important. (See Leviticus 17:11.) However, it is noteworthy that God not only was concerned about the type of sacrifice, but also the person who offered the sacrifice (Genesis 4:4-5). So Abel’s success and Cain’s failure with God went beyond the sacrifice itself to the heart of the individual.

I. Begins in the HeartAll the sacrifices in the world are of little value if the person’s heart is not right with God. (See Psalm 66:18.) Before sin is revealed in the life of a backslider, his worship often suffers. Nearly five hundred years ago, John Calvin, in his book Genesis, raised a question concerning worship from one who is living in sin: “For if he, who is polluted in his soul, by his mere touch contaminates, with his own impurities, things otherwise pure and clean, how can that but be impure which proceeds from himself?”

I. Begins in the HeartIt is likely that even if Cain had produced the proper type of sacrifice, it still would not have been acceptable to God because his heart was not pure.

Cain’s worship was not much different from many people today who believe it matters little how one worships God. Apparently, Cain did not believe doctrine was important. Like many people today, he put greater weight on his own opinion than on God’s. Jude referred to this as the “way of Cain” (Jude 11).

I. Begins in the HeartHe failed to recognize that his offering was an expression of his reverence toward and his faith in a holy God.

Paul wrote that Abraham was justified by faith (Romans 4), and Cain could have been justified by faith also. That was the crux of the matter. To him, worship had become mechanical—simply a duty.

This is such a critical matter. Mankind is born spiritually dead. It is important for every Christian to realize that sins of commission often begin with sins of omission.

I. Begins in the HeartCain’s sin of murder—commission—began with a lack of reverence for God—omission. It is critical that each Christian take inventory of his spiritual state. It is essential for one to allow the Spirit of God to do a sweeping examination of his heart and accept the report when it comes back.

The psalmist declared, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24).

I. Begins in the HeartPastors become concerned when church members are careless in their church attendance, unfaithful in paying their tithes, and no longer linger in prayer at the altar. The child of God should be grateful when grace comes to him through a pastor who has the concern and courage to point out dangerous indicators in his life, which make him more susceptible to sin.

B. In PrayerB. In Prayer

Although prayer is only one aspect of our worship, it is the intimate part of worship. We could manifest our worship by attending church services, paying our tithes, fasting, living a holy life, raising our hands toward God, praising God aloud, shouting unto God, and even dancing before Him. On the other hand, prayer is personal communication with God.

I. Begins in the HeartPrayer includes adoration: “Our

Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name” (Matthew 6:9). Humility and submission also characterize prayer: “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). Prayer leads to a relationship where we might discuss any matter with God on a very intimate level: “Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:11-13).

I. Begins in the HeartPrayer is the breath of life to the

child of God. Without it, one loses vision and insight into the things of God. Without prayer, the kingdom of God loses its luster and the world becomes brighter. Even the chilly winds of doubt begin to blow across the once flourishing fields of faith. Without prayer, Satan finds a foothold to climb to the summit of an individual’s life and plant the flag of carnality, claiming the child of God for the kingdom of this world.

I. Begins in the HeartWe assume that Adam and Eve, who

found the righteousness of God by a blood covering of animal skins, instructed their children in the ways of God. Abel learned the lesson well: “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous” (Hebrews 11:4). But Cain failed to maintain a relationship with God. He forgot the principle of God concerning righteousness: “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags”

(Isaiah 64:6).

I. Begins in the HeartPerhaps we could ask, “How could a

person go from intimacy with God to the killing of a brother?” Certainly, it does not happen to the one who maintains a prayer life. The Lord’s communion with Cain was not because of his coming to God, but because of God’s coming to him (Genesis 4:6, 9). How different the story would have been if Cain had called upon the Lord rather than the Lord having to call upon him.

I. Begins in the HeartFurther, when God called upon him, things would have been different if he had only recognized the voice of God’s grace and had responded with repentance.

The Scriptures instruct us about preventing this downward spiral of sin: “Pray without ceasing” (I Thessalonians 5:17); “Neither give place to the devil” (Ephesians 4:27); “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).

I. Begins in the HeartSatan will never be able to scale the mountain of a person’s heart and plant his flag at the summit if the individual maintains his prayer life. By so doing, he provides no foothold for the devil, humbly submits himself to God, and is able to resist the devil.

III. Results in DeathResults in Death

“But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of

it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die”

(Genesis 2:17).

I. Begins in the HeartThe haunting words of Genesis 2:17 have echoed through the centuries, even to those of us studying this lesson. It is likely that Adam and Eve talked of their past and grieved over the paradise they lost. Perhaps they lamented, “If only we had listened to God. How did we become distracted by evil when we had the bounty of God at our fingertips?”

I. Begins in the HeartAs children growing up in the household of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel must have received instruction in the importance of avoiding sin. (See Romans 11:22.) We should remain aware that sin always ends in death; therefore, we should avoid it at all costs.

A. Spiritual DeathA. Spiritual Death

One can only imagine the reality of God’s words settling upon Adam and Eve: “Thou shalt surely die” (Genesis 2:17). Having never experienced guilt and shame, for the first time they were aware of their nakedness, which was evidence of their sin and spiritual death. (See Romans 6:23.) Never before had they hidden from God, nor had they ever felt the emotion of fear.

I. Begins in the HeartThey had never experienced the urge to cover up their behaviors, nor had they ever made excuses for their behaviors. Suddenly, a sense of deadness settled over them, something they had never experienced.

Just as darkness has to flee from light, spiritual death causes individuals to flee from the presence of God. For the first time in their lives, Adam and Eve ran from the light and looked for a dark corner in which to hide (Genesis 3:8).

I. Begins in the HeartWhen an individual dies spiritually, there is a tendency for him to want to hide. The pastor’s phone calls go unanswered and unreturned. The individual avoids contact with church members. When spiritual death occurs, the child of light suddenly becomes a creature of darkness.

I. Begins in the HeartSpiritual death leads people to be

dishonest and to blame others for their behaviors. (See Genesis 3:11-13.) If we find ourselves being dishonest or making excuses for our behavior, it is likely we will also hear God’s words: “Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?” (Genesis 3:11). At that moment, we should repent and allow the grace of God to be our covering instead of withdrawing into spiritual hiding.

B. The Death of the RighteousB. The Death of the Righteous

Not only does sin result in the death of righteousness within the child of God, but backsliding also causes one to attack anything righteous. The next step in Cain’s progression of sin was to attack and kill his righteous brother. The oldest manuscripts of the Book of Genesis indicate that Abel did not just happen to be in the field working with Cain, but Cain invited his brother to go to the field with the intent of killing him: “Now Cain said to his brother Abel, ‘

Let’s go out to the field.’

I. Begins in the HeartAnd while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him” (Genesis 4:8, NIV). As long as Abel lived, his righteous life was like a mirror held up before Cain reminding him of his unrighteousness.

Like fallen Lucifer, sinners will work overtime to destroy anyone who reminds them of God. The apostle Paul described those like Cain in our day. Although they once knew God, they rejected His sovereign rule in their lives and went about working destruction in the lives of others. (See Romans 1:28-

32.)

C. Eternal DeathC. Eternal Death

The Scriptures are replete with descriptions of the final judgment of the wicked. Jesus described it as a place “where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:48). On another occasion, He described it as a place where “there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 24:51). Cain’s words foreshadow the words of the eternally lost: “And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than

I can bear” (Genesis 4:13).

I. Begins in the HeartHell is not a popular subject today and has been discounted by some people. However, human resolve will never eliminate the reality of eternal death. Hell is real, and the Bible describes it as a place of eternal punishment and separation from God.

C. Eternal DeathInternalizing The Message

Unless interrupted and covered by grace, sin always leads to death. Interrupting the progression of sin is so important that Jesus spoke of the possibility of a person’s cutting off a hand or a foot or plucking out an eye, rather than allowing sin to continue in his life (Matthew 18:8-9).

Death was the stated consequence of sin, and only death could satisfy the requirement of a holy God and His law.

I. Begins in the HeartThe death of the sinless One satisfied those requirements: “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (I John 2:2). Therefore, to continue down the path toward death is unnecessary. We are without excuse, for Jesus paid the price for the redemption of every person who ever lived upon the earth. There is nothing more that mankind could do in the way of sacrifice. However, it is up to each individual to die with Christ—to bring his will into compliance with the will of

God. (See Romans 8:13.)

Romans 8:13

“For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the

Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live”

(Romans 8:13).