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Pastor Wade Burleson




The Way of Cain

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Genesis 4:1-7 (KJV)
  1. 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.
  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:
  5. 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?
  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.

"The Way of Cain"

Genesis 4:1-7

IN our last study we saw there is only one way, called the way (3:24), to know God and possess eternal life. God placed cherubim at the entrance to the garden to guard the way, and God himself "dwelt between the Cherubim" so that to reach the tree of life one must come before God the right way. Jesus said, "I am the way . . . no man comes unto the Father except by me" (John 14:6). There are those who reject Christ, and Jude says of them, "they have gone the way of Cain." (Jude 11). There are only two ways to travel to God, the way of Cain or the way of Christ. You are on one of these two roads right now.

  1. The way of Cain is religion without rest.
    Both Cain and Abel were religious. They were both worshippers of God. They both were committed to their worship. Cain and Abel had several things in common:
    1. They both came at an ordained time . . . "and in the process of time" (v.3) is a phrase used to speak of an appointed time (such as in the harvesting of crops.
    2. They both came with an offering in hand . . . "an offering unto the Lord" (v.3).
    3. They both came with an objective in mind . . . "respect" in God's eyes (v.5). Why was Cain rejected? Many say it was because "his heart was not right." No, the Bible says Abel offered "a more excellent sacrifice" (Hebrews 11:4). God will only receive those who come to Him through faith in Jesus Christ's work. When you work for God's approval you can't rest; in Christ you may rest.
  2. The way of Cain is fear without faith.
    Cain obviously had a healthy fear or respect of God, but faith in God was absent. "By faith, Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice . . . by which he obtained a witness that he was righteous" (Hebrews 11:4). The Apostle Paul said "with the heart man believes unto righteousness" (Romans 10:10). Faith in what God has done through Jesus Christ brings a righteousness that is not your own but comes from God. Without this righteousness from God a religious person will find several things true:
    1. There is a spiritual arrogance . . . "his countenance fell" (v.5).
      The religious often compare themselves with others, and feel superior.
    2. There is an emotional anger . . . "he was very angry" (v.5).
      Rather than leaving others in the hands of God, the religious persecute.
    3. There is an eternal animosity . . . "thou art cursed" (v.11).
      The Bible is clear: "Kiss the Son lest he be angry" (Psalm 2:12).
  3. The way of Cain is conflict without Christ.
    God tells Cain "if thou doest well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him" (v.7). This is the same language used when God addressed Eve regarding her cursed relationship with Adam (3:16). The person without Christ shall find his life moves from conflict to conflict (because of sin), but there is a Savior from sin. "His name shall be called Jesus, for he shall save His people form their sins" (Matthew 1:21). Christ is your Balm of Gilead on earth.
    The way of Cain is broad; the way of Christ is narrow.
    The way of Cain is a burden; the way of Christ is light.
    The way of Cain is death; the way of Christ is life.



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Pastor Wade

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