The Way of Cain – 23 June 2023, Anno Domini (In the Year of our Lord)

 

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UT these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. 11 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. (Jude 1:10-11)

 

            It may be coincidental Cain was the first man conceived on earth, and was a liar and a murderer, or, knowing that all things occur at the will of God, his coming may have been a result of Eve’s sin at the Tree. Cain was a nefarious creature who murdered his own brother out of envy. Since forgiveness of sin only comes by the shedding of blood, his brother Abel brought an acceptable sacrifice of his flock while Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground – a cursed source. Unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life. (Genesis 3:17) Out of immoderate jealousy, Cain murdered his brother and lied to God about his sin. Cain refused to confess his sins. He tried to justify himself before God Am I my brother’s keeper? He chose his own way over that of Godly contrition and faced egregious despair over obedience. Mine iniquity is greater than I can bear. Finally, Cain chose separation from God over Communion with Him.

 

            Jude tells us the unfaithful have gone the way of Cain. The way of Cain was not the Way of God. It was his own way and by his own reason. He took lightly the commandment of God to bring an acceptable sacrifice. He reasoned the fruit of his own works should suffice for a sacrifice. He did not follow the counsel of God, but his own sense and reason. Are we not guilty of the same thing when we reason that, under some circumstances, a white lie will benefit more than the truth. Or, perhaps, we may believe we do so many good works we will be accepted by God in lieu of faith and obedience to His Commandments.

 

            Cain enjoyed many privileges, for example, he had believing parents, a wise and faithful brother, and was subject to a gracious God. But there was a wicked stain in his blood that prevailed against those privileges that we normally assume to be sufficient to cause our sons and daughters to be righteous.

 

            The Way of God is the Way of His Son – the Way, the Truth, and the Life. But the way of Cain is the way of hatred, of self-righteousness, and of defiance to God. His theme song may well have been adopted from that of Frank Sinatra – I did it MY way. I wonder how Old Blue Eyes feels about that notion now? Separation from God is a very lonely way to go.

 

            The way of Cain was the way of doom, of despair, and of departure from the presence of God. He was cut off from family and home and made to be a vagabond upon the earth. Many Christians who live out their lives believing their works justify their salvation may likewise end in separation from God and His Way.

 

            The way of Cain is a very popular way in our day. In fact, the whole world has chosen the way of Cain and, unfortunately, most members of the professing Church. Instead of going into all the world teaching the nations, we have opened the floodgates of the world to come in amongst us in the Church.  We have adopted the way of the world, through compromise, instead of the Way, the Truth and the Life.

 

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O ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. (Matthew 28:19-20)

 

The mainline churches are trading off the counsel of God and His Holy Sacrifice in Christ for the logic and reasoning of the world. Biblical marriage no longer appeals – practically anything one can imagine has been accepted in the Church of today. Many protestant church have already embraced sexual perversions as an acceptable model of marriage. They remain silent, or blatantly support, the murder of innocents in their mother’s womb. Now, even the Roman pope has suggested the church should embrace the LBGQT community into the church.

 

There is no limit to the evil conceived in the godless imagination of mankind. If you wonder what could be next, simply imagine the most ungodly and ridiculous sin possible, and you will find that it develops in time – or one even worse.

 

Christ cleaned the Temple twice during His ministry, and He will do so a final and third time at His return. Let us pray that we will not be at the tables of commerce overturned by our Lord and king when He returns and finds little faith upon the earth.