SCRIPTURE: Genesis 4:1-16 "And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto unto the LORD. 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: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? 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. And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me. And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him. And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden."
PROPOSITION: to use this text and others to show what the religion of Cain is and to show that there are great multitudes who have this same religion today. to show that the religion of Able brought him into a relationship with God. And to show that all of us sinners can have the same relationship with God that Able had through "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world."
1.) What was the religion of Cain?
A. It was a religion of self effort,
"Cain was a tiller of the ground." There is nothing wrong with being a farmer, this is an honorable occupation. and you can imagine Cain giving his strength "in seed time and harvest" and God had told Adam "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread" and Cain was more than likely a hard worker. "And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD".
The problem with giving our works righteousness to God as a means of salvation is that God will not accept it. Anything by way of righteousness that has touched a man is dirty. Isaiah 64:6 "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags". God had cursed the ground and Cain brought to God that which he had cursed, which is a perfect picture of us offering our soiled righteousness to God in an attempt to counterbalance the egregiousness of our sin.
Genesis 3:17 "cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;"
B. It was a religion that was rejected, the scripture declares that "unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect". fruit of the ground is a beautiful thing and often we see it displayed around thanksgiving. Fruit is attractive and religion can be very beautiful with large decorative sanctuaries, and the religious costumes that make sinners apear very blameless. " they enlarge the borders of their garments" costumes make an impression upon the mind of any onlookers that the religionist is deeply spiritual and above reproach.
1 Samuel 16:7 "for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart".
C. His religion was peaceless, Cain was filled with malice and bitter envy, anger filled his heart. "Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell" when the scripture says "his countenance fell" it has the idea that he pouted like a little child who didn't get his way. Isaiah 57:20-21 "But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked."
D. His religion was contentious, an argumentative religion shows a love for the darkness of sin. When the scripture says "Cain talked with Abel his brother" it has the idea that his verbage was laced with hate and his brother became the object of his animosity.
Proverbs 29:22 "An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression."
Proverbs 17:19 "He loveth transgression that loveth strife: and he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction."
E. His religion was rebellious, the scripture indicates that he knew better than what he was doing. "the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door". After Adam and Eve had sinned God killed an innocent animal and there was sheding of blood. this knowledge of a blood sacrifice was undoubtedly passed on to both Cain and Abel but Cain would only do what was right in his own eyes. Genesis 3:21 "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them."
G. His religion was murderous. false religion always has the potential to be murderous, "and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him".
We hear at times people talking about certain religious that "have gone in the way of Cain" and they would have us believe that these religionists are peace-loving in spite of horrible acts of murder and terrorism, this is always Satans lie. It was a religious, rebellious mob who clamored for Christ's blood, and it was Cains religion that stoned Steven. Matthew 23:35 "That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar."
H. It was a religion that justified sin. we only have one of two options with sin we either justify it or we repent of it, "And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?". Cain in his pride thought he could hide sin from omniscience, but he was infinitely mistaken. Proverbs 15:3 "The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good."
Proverbs 28:13 "He that covereth (justifieth) his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy."
I. It was a religion that led to punishment and seperation, because it never dealt with sin internally. all those who refuse to repent will know what it is to be punished. "And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid;" those who die impenitent shall "go away into everlasting punishment". Our text tells us that "Cain went out from the presence of the LORD". What a dreadful day of despair it will be for stubborn sinners to hear the awful words "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels"
2.) What was the religion of Abel?
A. It was a religion that brought Abel into both a reconciliation to God and a relationship with God. The Almighty had promised Cain "If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?" Abel was "accepted in the beloved" not because of his worthiness, but because of the object of his faith. Hebrews 11:4 "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh."
B.It was a religion that recognized the need for an innocent substitutional sacrifice because of transgressions on his part. "Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain" every one of us has sinned and need a blood sacrifice because "without shedding of blood is no remission".
Abel offered to God the best of the best. "he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof" all these sacrifices in the Old Testament pointed to Jesus Christ who is "the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world". Because Abel's offering pointed to Jesus Christ "the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect". When Christ died on the cross he provided an irrefutable answer to all of Gods perfections by counterbalancing the aggravation of sin with a payment, and this payment was so thorough that it vindicated the great worth of God's glory and threw the prison doors open so the captives might be free.
CONCLUSION: The story of Cain and Abel is a commentary on all the religions of the world, in reality there are only two religions one is of grace and one is of works. Abel had a religion of grace and was brought into loving favor with God, he is mentioned in Hebrews chapter 11 as a man of faith. but Cain on the other hand fits the description of those found in Revelation chapter 21 verse 8 with all those who refused to repent and apropriate the blood sacrifice. Very sad!
Revelation 21:8 "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."
Hebrews 11:4 "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh."
