The Cain Game

If you read the Bible from the beginning [Genesis] you will see that the first murder [in the physical sense] happens in Genesis 4. A man named Cain, murders his brother Abel, then he hides his body in the ground, where he thinks no one will be able to find it...out of sight...out of mind.

One problem...the God who created Cain...and all men...is all-seeing...all-knowing.

God comes to Cain with a question that was intended to work a sense of sorrow for sin, and also to work out a confession for that sin in the life of Cain.God asks Cain..."where is your brother?"

Even though Cain knew very well where his brother was...this is because he killed him and buried his cold body in the ground...he denied before God that he knew of his whereabouts.

Cain murdered...then he acted as if God did not know about his murder by trying to hide his murder under the dirt.

Christians today play this same foolish game. They deceive themselves into thinking that God cannot see the murder that they have buried deep inside the dirt!
Yes, God is all-seeing...but surely He can't see through dirt, they seem to assume!

Where is the dirt that they try and hide their murders? Deep inside their own hearts!

Remember, when God first created man, He made him out of the dirt...and when we die we go back to that original state [ashes to ashes, dust to dust].

When we hide murder in our hearts...we are trying to accomplish the same "fools errand" that Cain did. What does our murder look like? Let's let God speak on this one;

"In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest:Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another." [1 John 3:10-11]

Did you catch that? God is telling us that the family traits in God's family are manifest...or obvious. 1.The first family trait is a changed heart. When the Holy Spirit comes into a person's life...He brings Spiritual life and health. He begins to give the Christian new desires...new holy motives for living...and the power to begin overcoming sin and temptations in your own life. The Apostle John is saying that if you merely hold Jesus on your lips...but Jesus has not become the great love and Lord of your life...then your family membership is not obvious at all. 2. When the Holy Spirit gives a person a new heart...this new life causes the person to have a new love for God...but also a new love for all of God's adopted children. This means that Christians have NO excuses...they must love their fellow Christians. We are also called to love our neighbors...and yes...even our enemies. NO Excuses!!

As we continue on in the same passage...notice the example that the Holy Spirit gives us [through the Apostle John];

"Not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother's righteous. Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him." [1 John 3:12-15]

When we go back into Genesis we discover that Abel offered a sacrifice to God that was pleasing to Him. Cain also offered a sacrifice...but his sacrifice was not pleasing to God. Instead of discovering why his sacrifice was not acceptable to God and then offering an acceptable sacrifice...Cain began to harbor hatred in his heart.

This hatred began to overflow onto his face [a bitter, angry countenance].

God in mercy warns Cain about the hatred He sees in his heart...and tells him that he must master it...it must cast it out!

Cain rejects God's all-wise counsel...and instead begins to secretly plan to destroy his brother.

Christian's must not think that they can hold the Lordship of Jesus on their lips and then freely give their hearts to Satan, the Great Red Dragon!

Jesus came to destroy the works of the Dragon. He did so first and foremost on Calvary's cross! This victory was clearly announced from the cross when Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "It is finished!"

Jesus proclaimed to the world of angels and men that His work of the salvation of sinners was accomplished...the empty tomb three days later verified Jesus announcement from the cross!

Jesus work to destroy and undo the works of the dragon did NOT end 2000 years ago!

When mankind listened to and followed Satan's temptation in the garden of Eden...they fell into sin and corruption of their natures. This corruption of human nature is the dragon dwelling within us.

Jesus suffered and died, not only to pay for our sins...that we may be forgiven by God the Father...but also to undo and ultimately destroy the dragon within His people's hearts.

When a person is trusting in Christ, the Holy Spirit is dwelling within them...enabling them to do so. This same Holy Spirit is working in them they whole lives...fighting against the dragon...and the sin that dragon has brought with him.

One of these sins is hatred, bitterness and the unwillingness to forgive others.

If the Spirit of God is truly dwelling within a person...and that person is submitting to the Spirit's working...then the works of the dragon will eventually and ultimately be put down!

If a person holds Christ on the lips...and yet continues to follow their old master...the dragon...then they can go through numerous religious activities...but the nature of the dragon will continue to rule their hearts.

Christians can be a sneaky bunch. We know that hatred, bitterness and an unwillingness to forgive others is wrong Biblically...but some instead of crying out to God to uproot the dragon and destroy this hatred and murder in their hearts...hang on to their hatred like it was some kind of cherished treasure...and then hide it in the dirt.

The Book of Proverbs explains this type of person;

"He who hates, disguises it with his lips, and lays up deceit within himself." [Proverbs 26:24].

Notice, the person explained above really does hate someone...but when asked if they hate them...hides this hatred with a further sin of deception. They lie and say that they don't really hate them...deceiving others, deceiving themselves...but not God!

If you have ever prayed the Lord's prayer...it should make you tremble if you harbor hatred, bitterness and an unwillingness to forgive others. Why? Because in the Lord's prayer...you are asking God to treat you...as you treat others. You are asking God to forgive you...as you forgive others.

May we see hatred for the murder that it is...and cry out to Jesus to remove this work of the dragon from our hearts. If we refuse to cast off the nature and deeds of the dragon...we will surely partake of his future.

Some try and fool themselves by thinking that their lack of mercy and forgiveness towards those who have offended them really isn't an indication of their love towards God...but God tells us otherwise!

"If someone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from God: that he who loves God must love his brother also."