Am I My Brother's Keeper? (Genesis 4:9)
Adam was formed from the dust of the earth and God breathed into him the breath of life. Eve was formed from Adam's rib. Cain was the first person on earth to actually be born the natural way babies are delivered. He was the eldest brother to Abel. Cain brought an offering of the fields that he worked to God, but God did not look upon his offering with favor. We aren't told what was wrong with Cain's offering, but we know that God implied it wasn't right.
"If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.” (Genesis 4:7)
Cain is angry and jealous of his brother Abel. Abel's offering of firstlings from the flock, of fatty portions, is favored by God. Cain murders Abel in the fields and Abel's blood cries out to God. God confronted Cain, knowing full well what had occurred.
Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”
He (Cain) said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?”
And the Lord said, “What have you done? (Genesis 4:9-10a)
"Am I my brother's keeper?" I've always thought that question has a weight to it that goes far beyond the story of the first sibling rivalry or the first murder. It implies our responsibility for one another. What is my responsibility for another person? Are we not all brothers and sisters in the human family? Do I have a responsibility for other humans?
Cain exhibits for us a self-centeredness that is lethal. In all likelihood his offering was representative of his selfishness. Instead of giving God the first and best of his harvest from the fields, Cain gave God the leftovers. Cain kept the firstfruits for himself. This "me first" posture toward life is what led to the first murder. In small ways, we are killing each other with such attitudes. And as we all know when we are not trustworthy in small matters, we cannot be trusted with weightier matters.
God warns Cain that sin is crouching, ready to pounce, at the door of his heart. Sin wants to own his heart, but Cain must learn to master sin. This is the first time sin (chatta'ath) is mentioned in the Bible. It doesn't appear again until the Sodom and Gomorrah story. (Genesis 18:20) Sin is implied in the garden story with Adam and Eve choosing to heed the temptation of the serpent to eat forbidden fruit, rather than to trust God's warning. Therefore sin is choosing not to obey God's wisdom. It is choosing your own will instead of God's will. Sin is selfish and foolish.
There are several definitions for sin in the New Testament. Sin is lawlessness, according to John. (1st John 3:4) Later he says all wrongdoing is sin (1st John 5:17) But one of the most striking definitions comes from Paul who says everything that doesn't come from faith is sin.
for whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. (Romans 14:23b)
And what is faith, but our trust in God? The writer of Hebrews gives a definition for faith as a certainty for things hoped for. (Hebrews 11:1) Our hope is in God to provide, even beyond the grave. Cain failed to trust in God's providence. His meager offering was the result of his fear that he won't have enough if he burns on the altar the first and best of the harvest.
God would have His people live from abundance within, an abundance that comes from faith, a full reliance upon God to provide. Christ came to us that we might have life and have it to the full! This full and abundant life is not measured by the balance in our checkbooks, but rather by the fullness of our hearts. As King David wrote...
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
my whole life long. (Psalm 23:5-6)
When we are certain that God will care for us, just as He does the birds of the air and the flowers of the field, then we are free to be generous in all our relationships. (See Matthew 6:25-34) Then we are fully equipped to be our brother's keeper.
Cain didn't have that trust in God's goodness and faithfulness. As a result he became a restless wanderer upon the earth. Sin owned his heart and Cain was estranged from the blessing of God.
Hear the apostle in light of Cain's sad story.
We must not be like Cain who was from the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. All who hate a brother or sister are murderers, and you know that murderers do not have eternal life abiding in them. We know love by this, that he (Christ) laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help? (1st John 3:12, 15-17)
May the abundant life that comes through faith be yours and may you love your brothers and sisters by lifting their burdens with whatever God has given you.
"If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.” (Genesis 4:7)
Cain is angry and jealous of his brother Abel. Abel's offering of firstlings from the flock, of fatty portions, is favored by God. Cain murders Abel in the fields and Abel's blood cries out to God. God confronted Cain, knowing full well what had occurred.
Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”
He (Cain) said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?”
And the Lord said, “What have you done? (Genesis 4:9-10a)
"Am I my brother's keeper?" I've always thought that question has a weight to it that goes far beyond the story of the first sibling rivalry or the first murder. It implies our responsibility for one another. What is my responsibility for another person? Are we not all brothers and sisters in the human family? Do I have a responsibility for other humans?
Cain exhibits for us a self-centeredness that is lethal. In all likelihood his offering was representative of his selfishness. Instead of giving God the first and best of his harvest from the fields, Cain gave God the leftovers. Cain kept the firstfruits for himself. This "me first" posture toward life is what led to the first murder. In small ways, we are killing each other with such attitudes. And as we all know when we are not trustworthy in small matters, we cannot be trusted with weightier matters.
God warns Cain that sin is crouching, ready to pounce, at the door of his heart. Sin wants to own his heart, but Cain must learn to master sin. This is the first time sin (chatta'ath) is mentioned in the Bible. It doesn't appear again until the Sodom and Gomorrah story. (Genesis 18:20) Sin is implied in the garden story with Adam and Eve choosing to heed the temptation of the serpent to eat forbidden fruit, rather than to trust God's warning. Therefore sin is choosing not to obey God's wisdom. It is choosing your own will instead of God's will. Sin is selfish and foolish.
There are several definitions for sin in the New Testament. Sin is lawlessness, according to John. (1st John 3:4) Later he says all wrongdoing is sin (1st John 5:17) But one of the most striking definitions comes from Paul who says everything that doesn't come from faith is sin.
for whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. (Romans 14:23b)
And what is faith, but our trust in God? The writer of Hebrews gives a definition for faith as a certainty for things hoped for. (Hebrews 11:1) Our hope is in God to provide, even beyond the grave. Cain failed to trust in God's providence. His meager offering was the result of his fear that he won't have enough if he burns on the altar the first and best of the harvest.
God would have His people live from abundance within, an abundance that comes from faith, a full reliance upon God to provide. Christ came to us that we might have life and have it to the full! This full and abundant life is not measured by the balance in our checkbooks, but rather by the fullness of our hearts. As King David wrote...
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
my whole life long. (Psalm 23:5-6)
When we are certain that God will care for us, just as He does the birds of the air and the flowers of the field, then we are free to be generous in all our relationships. (See Matthew 6:25-34) Then we are fully equipped to be our brother's keeper.
Cain didn't have that trust in God's goodness and faithfulness. As a result he became a restless wanderer upon the earth. Sin owned his heart and Cain was estranged from the blessing of God.
Hear the apostle in light of Cain's sad story.
We must not be like Cain who was from the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. All who hate a brother or sister are murderers, and you know that murderers do not have eternal life abiding in them. We know love by this, that he (Christ) laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help? (1st John 3:12, 15-17)
May the abundant life that comes through faith be yours and may you love your brothers and sisters by lifting their burdens with whatever God has given you.
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