"Sin’s Desire: Contrary to God and Your Best Interest"(Genesis 4:3-16)

Genesis 4:3-16

In Genesis 4, we read about how Cain becomes jealous when God accepted his brother’s, Abel’s, sacrifice and not Cain’s.

Yet, God had instructed both Cain and Abel what to give. By comparing scriptures from Leviticus and Exodus, we can see where Cain did not give the best or the first fruits of the harvest whereas Abel gave the firstborn as he would have been instructed.

Genesis 4:3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground,  

Leviticus2:12 As an offering of firstfruits you may bring them to the Lord…

Genesis 4:4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering,

Exodus 13:12b All the firstborn of your animals that are males shall be the Lord’s.

When God sees Cain’s jealousy, God is merciful and intervenes with a warning.

Genesis 4:6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”

God gives us the responsibility and dignity to make our choices. God also warns us through His word and His spirit about following the desires of sin. In order to give glory to God through our actions, we need to make the choices to follow God and not Sin. God will intervene, but that intervention may only be his word or spirit. If we entertain sin, it will eventually rule us.

Genesis 4:8 Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.

We are not given many details about how Cain killed Abel and, thankfully, we are spared the grotesque details that are involved in violent crimes. It is enough to know that Cain killed Abel. When God confronts Cain and punishes Cain, we understand this to be the result of Cain’s ego.

Genesis 4:13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”

Cain does not show any remorse over the death of his brother or the grief he has caused to his parents and God. Cain is concerned with his punishment only. There is no evidence of guilt.

Guilt has received a bad reputation, but it is needed. In fact, healthy guilt is needed to help correct our behaviors and seek forgiveness. Unhealthy guilt is that irrational guilt we have over things that are beyond our control. While guilt is concerned with our actions, shame is concerned with our being. Shame takes more time and effort to correct. The life Jesus gives us, allows us to overcome that shame and develop self-compassion, so we can love others.

The following verses may help understand these four types.

1.       No guilt. – Ephesians 4:31-32 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

2.       Healthy guilt – 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

3.       Unhealthy guilt – Psalm 139: 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!

4.       Shame – 2 Corinthians 5: 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

In the end, we need to be faithful and fight the desires of sin. Abel was faithful and he is still blessed because of his faithfulness. Let us strive to be like Abel.

Hebrews 11:4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.