When Cain rose up and killed his brother, it was a premeditated act of rage finally surfacing. The choices he made in life preceding his brother’s murder could have only led to one outcome—sin. Whatever Cain’s impulse that led him to commit that great sin, he let it fester and eventually gave in to it. God saw this tendency and warned Cain of it, “So the LORD said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it’ ” (Genesis 4:6-7). Cain chose to allow himself to be ruled by Satan and it led to his downfall.
But Cain wasn’t born a killer. That desire was begotten by years of rejecting God. Jude warns God’s chosen to “…contend earnestly for the faith…” (Jude 3) because it can easily be lost if we reject any part of God’s Truth. Jude continues listing character traits with this sinful mindset, “Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries… But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves. Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain…” (Jude 8,10-11). Cain rejected God and followed after his own base desires, desires influenced by Satan.
The same faith that Jude warns us to hold fast was part of Abel’s character. “By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain…” (Hebrews 11:4). God didn’t reject Cain’s sacrifice because He disliked fruit. God disapproved of Cain’s attitude and the influence that was leading his actions.
John clearly states who Cain showed love for, “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, 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” (1 John 3:10-12).
Is it any wonder why this world is enamored with violence and murder—especially in these end times? The father of murder is raging against all godliness. Our sacrifice and our separation from this world delight God while causing Satan to seethe with anger. And like a hungry lion, Satan is ready to tear us apart from the promise of eternal life. Godly faith requires vigilance and an understanding when Satan’s influence is creeping into our life. Satan’s has readied himself to deter us from our Godly path. Are we prepared to prove our faith to God?
