Russell Mance

Cain and Abel

by Wayne Blank

Cain and Abel were the first humans born in the usual way. Their parents, Adam and Eve, were created (see The Seven Days Of Creation) – Adam from the “red clay” of the earth, Eve from a part of Adam. Cain was the older of the two, although perhaps not by much. Some students of the Bible interpret the verse which describes their birth as meaning that they were twins. A number of other children were also born to Adam and Eve later.
Cain and Abel were born after their parents had been put out of the Garden of Eden. Cain became a worker of the soil, while Abel became a Shepherd. Back then, there were two choices for a career – you either worked with plants (growing and harvesting) or animals (raising or hunting). Millions of people today continue in these two vital professions – we could not survive without them.

When the day came to make an offering to God, Cain and Abel brought their tribute. Abel brought some of the very finest from his flocks, while Cain deliberately brought an average-quality offering from his crops. Cain could have done better, but he chose not to for some reason. Perhaps he thought that the all-knowing God would not notice.

God accepted Abel’s offering with favor, but He rejected Cain’s offering. It wasn’t due to a preference of meat over vegetables, but rather that Abel had brought the best that he possibly could, and had done it willingly. Cain knowingly brought not his best, and even then brought it grudgingly. The very same offering would have been accepted if it had been the best that he could do, and if he had offered it with the right attitude. Abel was cooperative and generous; Cain was selfish and miserly.

Even though the rejection was his own fault, the incident made Cain very jealous and angry with Abel, entirely without cause. Abel had merely done what God expected of him.

The rest of the tragedy is well known. Cain allowed his jealousy to turn to anger, and then his anger to hate. Instead of bringing himself up by doing better next time (as God plainly explained to him in Genesis 4:7), he chose to take Abel down – he committed the premeditated murder of his own righteous brother.

Abel is described as “righteous” in the New Testament. He didn’t live very long in this life, but he will more than make up for it in the next. With whatever he had to work with, he had simply made his best possible effort – exactly what God expects of us today.

“AM I MY BROTHER’S KEEPER?”

Genesis 4:9

INTRODUCTION

1. Perhaps one of the more thought-provoking questions in the Bible is
that one asked by Cain:
a. Cain had killed his brother because God had accepted Abel’s
offering, but not his own – Gen 4:3-8
b. When the Lord inquired concerning Abel, Cain’s response was:

“Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Gen 4:9)

2. This is a question we would do well to ask ourselves today…
a. Are we our brother’s keeper?
b. Do we have a responsibility to watch out for and care for one
another?

[When one turns to the New Testament, it becomes clear that the answer
is in the affirmative. In fact, there are many passages which
emphasize…]

I. OUR RESPONSIBILITIES TO ONE ANOTHER

A. WE ARE TO “LOVE ONE ANOTHER”…
1. As commanded by Jesus – Jn 13:34-35; 15:12,17
2. As taught by Paul – Ro 13:8; 1Th 4:9
3. As instructed by Peter – 1Pe 1:22
4. As stressed by John – 1Jn 3:11 (note v.12), 23; 4:7,11-12;
2Jn 5
— But how are we to express such love? Other passages can
provide the answer…

B. HOW WE SHOW OUR LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER…
1. We are to “receive one another” – Ro 15:7
2. We are to “edify another” – Ro 14:19
3. We are to “serve one another” – Ga 5:13
4. We are to “bear one another’s burdens” – Ga 6:1-2
5. We are to be “forgiving one another” – Ep 4:32
6. We are to be “submitting to one another” – Ep 5:21
7. We are to “exhort one another” – He 3:12-13
8. We are to “consider one another” – He 10:24-25
9. We are to be “hospitable to one another” – 1Pe 4:8-10

[In light of such “one another” passages, is there any doubt that we
are to be our brother’s keeper?

But how well are we doing? To stimulate our thinking and help us
re-examine how well we are fulfilling our obligations to one another,
consider the following questions…]

II. EVALUATING OUR ROLE AS OUR BROTHER’S KEEPER

A. WHEN ONE BECOMES A BROTHER…
1. Do we receive them into the family of God, or ignore them?
– Ro 15:7
a. Are they properly assimilated in the family life of the
congregation?
b. Do they remain on the fringe?
— If we do not even know their names, we can be sure that we
are failing as our brother’s keeper!
2. Do we edify them, or put stumblingblocks in their way?
– Ro 14:19
a. As individuals, are we “body-builders”, encouraging the
members of the body?
b. Or are we like a cancer, weakening the members of the body
of Christ?
1) By our own example
2) By our words, attitudes, etc.
— It was said of Philemon that he refreshed the hearts of the
brethren; do people say the same of us?
3. Do we submit to them, or arrogantly rule over them? – Ep 5:21
4. Do we serve them in love, or expect them to serve us?
– Ga 5:13
5. Do we demonstrate hospitality to them? – 1Pe 4:8-10
a. By visiting them in their need?
b. By inviting them into your home (or accepting invitations
to their home)?

B. WHEN A BROTHER IS OVERTAKEN IN A FAULT…
1. Do we even consider them? – He 10:24-25
a. Are we even aware of who they are?
b. Are we ignorant of their problems? If so, why?
1) Maybe it is because we don’t assemble enough ourselves
2) We may “wonder about them”, but that is not sufficient!
c. Do they drift away, with no one making an effort to reach
them?
2. Do we exhort them, lest they become hardened by sin? – He 3:
12-14
a. Or are we afraid to confront them, for fear of running them
away?
1) If we truly love them and approach them with humility,
they are not likely to run away
2) If they do, they are running away from God, not you!
b. Remember, such exhortation is to be daily! Perhaps we wait
too long…
3. Are we willing bear their burdens? – Ga 6:1-2
a. So as to help them overcome and become stronger
b. Or do we rather not be bothered?
4. Are we quick to forgive them when they repent? – Ep 4:32
a. Fear of not being forgiven and accepted back into the
family may keep some from repenting and returning to the
fold
b. Do we communicate a willingness to accept with open arms
and offer complete forgiveness?

CONCLUSION

1. How we answer such questions may reveal how well or poorly we are…
a. Fulfilling our responsibility to be our brother’s keeper
b. Living up to the one responsibility we have that includes all
others: to love one another as Christ loved us – Jn 13:34-35

2. If we have failed to be our brother’s keeper, we need to…
a. Repent of our lack of concern, our inactivity, or whatever has
hindered us
b. Confess our shortcomings in this area to God
c. Resolve to apply with zeal these “one another” passages!

Are you your brother’s keeper? Are you even identified with a
congregation whereby you can be a working member who cares for all humans,
not just those in the family or congregation?