Cain According To James

Webers_Home · Dec 8, 2019

.
● 1Pet 5:8-9 . . Be discreet, stay alert. Your adversary, the Devil, prowls
about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour; whom resist, steadfast
in the faith.

"the faith" isn't only a collection of beliefs, but includes a collection of
practices, since according to James; a person of faith without practices
might as well have no faith at all.

● Jas 2:17 . . Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

The demon world believes in the existence of a supreme being (Jas 2:19) but
the demon world lacks piety; i.e. they are not devout.

A devout Christian is someone who not only believes; but also behaves.

● John 14:15 . . If you love me, you will comply with what I command.

● John 14:21 . .Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one
who loves me.

● John 14:23-24 . . If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching . . He who
does not love me will not obey my teaching.

● John 15:14 . .You are my friends if you do what I command you.

Now, assuming for the moment that Cain's offering was correct; then why
didn't God accept it? Well; before God snubbed Cain's offering, He first
snubbed Cain.

● Gen 4:4-5 . .The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on
Cain and his offering he did not look with favor.

The reason given for Cain's rejection is an elephant in the middle of the
room that quite a few Bible students seem content to ignore.

● Gen 4:7 . . If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?

Cain believed in the existence of a supreme being; that much is pretty
obvious. But Cain's piety was flawed, i.e. his personal conduct didn't meet
God's standards of behavior, viz: Cain wasn't devout.

FAQ: How could Cain possibly know God's standards of behavior without a
written code to inform him?

A: Luke 11:49-51 says that Cain's kid brother Abel was a prophet.

FAQ: What does Cain's rejection have to do with me? I'm a Christian.

A: Cain's association with God was thwarted by his conduct. That principle is a
universal axiom; it governs everybody: Christians included; they are not
exempt. When Christians do what's right, they get along with God just fine;
but when they don't do what's right, they get the cold shoulder just the
same as if they were a demon.

● 1John 1:5-6 . .This is the message which we have heard from Him and
declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say
that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not
practice the truth.
_

Webers_Home · Dec 9, 2019

.
● Heb 11:4 . . By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did.

I'm going to edit the wording of that just a bit to bring out an important
point.

"By faith Abel offered God a sacrifice"

The missing word "better" is a modifier; which serves to show that both
men's offerings were sacrifices; only the quality of Abel's sacrifice was
superior to the quality of Cain's.

Sacrifices should never be assumed always lethal and/or bloody. Take for
example:

● Rom 12:1 . . I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your
bodies as living sacrifices

● Heb 13:15-17 . .Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of
praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. And do
not neglect doing good and sharing; for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Heb 11:4 also testifies that Abel's offerings were gifts. The very same Greek
word is used at Matt 2:11 to categorize the treasures that the wise men left
with baby Jesus.

Their gifts were not sin offerings; they were tributes: defined by Webster's
as (1) something given or contributed voluntarily as due or deserved
especially a gift or service showing respect, gratitude, or affection and (2)
something (such as material evidence or a formal attestation) that indicates
the worth, virtue, or effectiveness of the one in question

In other words "gifts" are acts of worship; which is the primary reason why
Jehovah's Witnesses don't celebrate birthdays.

NOTE: It's commonly assumed that Abel's sacrifice was slain; but there isn't
enough evidence to support it. Noah's sacrifices were obviously slain
because they're listed as incinerated on an altar (Gen 8:20). But Abel's
sacrifice is not said to end up the same way.

The Hebrew word for both men's offerings in Gen 4:4-5 is minchah (min
khaw') which means to apportion, i.e. bestow; a donation; euphemistically,
tribute; specifically a sacrificial offering (usually bloodless and voluntary).

When disinformation is repeated often, spread widely, and lent proper
respect; it sometimes becomes axiomatic in people's thinking. Caveat
Lector.
_

Webers_Home · Dec 10, 2019

.
I'm confident in my own mind that the Cain and Abel incident is unrelated to
the plan of salvation as per Christ on the cross rather, it's a lesson about
worship.

Take for example Isa 1:11-20. Moses' people were offering all the
covenanted sacrifices, they were praying up a storm, and observing all the
God-given feasts and holy days. He rejected all of it, even though He himself
required it, because the people's personal conduct was unbecoming.

● Prv 15:8 . .The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to Yhvh.

Perhaps the classic example is the one below.

● Ps 51:16 . .You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not
take pleasure in burnt offerings.

When David wrote that; he had only just committed the capital crimes of
adultery and premeditated murder. There was just no way that God was
going to accept his sacrifices and offerings on top of that; and David knew it
too.

The principle shows up again in Jesus' teachings.

● Matt 9:13 . . Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not
sacrifice.

Some folk honestly believe that Christ's statement, taken from Hosea 6:6,
practically repealed the entire God-given book of Leviticus. But that's not
what either Hosea or Jesus were saying. They meant that God much prefers
that people be civil to each other rather than religious to their fingertips.

In other words; an ungracious person's lack of things like sympathy,
patience, tolerance, lenience, helpfulness, pity, and common courtesy
causes God to reject their worship just as thoroughly and bluntly as He
rejected Cain's.

The principle didn't go away. It's still the Lord's way of doing business with
people; including Christians.

● 1John 1:5-7 . . God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that
we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the
truth: but if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one
with another.

It's likely a foregone conclusion that God is deeply insulted when people
whose conduct is unbecoming all during the week come to church on Sunday
actually thinking He's glad to see them show up for some quality time
together.
_

Ernest T. Bass · Dec 10, 2019

Webers_Home said:
.

The reason given for Cain's rejection is an elephant in the middle of the
room that quite a few Bible students seem content to ignore.

Also, faith comes by hearing the word of God, Romans 10:17.

Hebrews 11:14 "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain..."

Abel's offering was by faith which means he must have heard the word of God on what to offer for his offering to be acceptable. What Cain offered was not by faith, it was not according to God's word.

Doing as God said is called faith while some want to call it legalism.

DNB · Dec 10, 2019

I don't believe that God was pre-disposed to looking upon Abel with favour, or Cain with contempt, ...or due to anything prior to their offerings. I believe that you @Webers_Home , misunderstood the passage. God's indignation towards Cain, and approval of Abel, was directly due to the nature of their offering, for it reflected the faith that each one had, respectively. One's faith in God, that he is the bearer of all good things, compelled him to bring a worthy sacrifice. While the other, did not consider it of any significance whether or not he presented to his Creator, a tribute of honour.

God did not snubb Cain before the offering, he snubbed Cain because of the offering.
Gen 4:4-5 The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on
Cain and his offering he did not look with favor.

Giuliano · Dec 11, 2019

Perhaps we should also remember that Cain's offering was of the ground. . . which had been cursed. One Jewish opinion is that not only was it of the cursed ground but Cain offered the most stunted grains in his offering.

I see God as kindly disposed towards Cain, giving sound advice. Cain, to his credit, did want God's favor; but to his discredit, he was not willing to do what it would take to please God. We also see God urging Cain to curb his wrath lest his hot words take on a sinful form. I see God loving Cain and wishing him the best.

I see Cain's biggest error as failing to love God. He wanted God to love him; and while that was a good thing, Cain failed to keep the important commandment to love God. Then later he failed to obey the second.

Matthew 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

God's Love is further shown by the Divine Mercy granted to Cain.

Giuliano · Dec 11, 2019

Webers_Home said:
● Ps 51:16 . .You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not
take pleasure in burnt offerings.

When David wrote that; he had only just committed the capital crimes of
adultery and premeditated murder. There was just no way that God was
going to accept his sacrifices and offerings on top of that; and David knew it
too.

I would not say he had committed either adultery or murder. People say he did those things and then infer that the Bible says he did; but the Bible does not say he was guilty of either -- it just doesn't say that. I maintain he was not guilty of either.

Psalm 51 also indicates he was not guilty of either adultery or murder. His sin was against only God.

Psalm 51:3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

The confusion about this comes from not understanding parts of Jewish law.

Webers_Home · Dec 11, 2019

.
● Gen 4:7 . . If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?

FAQ: What do you suppose Cain would've had to do right in order for him to
be accepted?

A: Judging from Gen 4:8 and 1John 3:14-15, Cain would've, at the very
least, had to stop hating his kid brother.

● Matt 5:22-24 . . I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother
shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be liable to the
council, and whoever says "You fool" shall be liable to the hell of fire.

. . . So if you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that
your brother has something against you; leave your gift there before the
altar and go-- first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer
your gift.

NOTE: Dysfunctional families really ought to stay home on Sundays and
watch football or mow the lawn instead of coming to church till they resolve
their differences and can all put on an honest happy face when they're
together in public.

FAQ: Don't all families squabble to some degree?

A: We're not talking about squabbles; we're talking about hate; and not just
any hate, rather, a hatred that's gone beyond anger and congealed into a
lingering malice that's intense enough to want someone dead. (cf. Gen 37:4
20)
_

Webers_Home · Dec 12, 2019

.
● Jude 11 . . Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain.

Cain's way began with Gen 4:16, which says:

"Cain went out from The Lord's presence"

Apparently Cain's departure was permanent because he's never again shown
in contact with God for the remainder of the Bible. In other words; Cain's
rapport with God ended abruptly that very day and was never restored.

During an evening service in church many years ago, the minister asked
everyone to stand and promise God that they would make an effort to avoid
sin. Well, my sister and I made the promise but my brother did not. When
we got home I asked my brother why he didn't make the promise. He
replied: "There's some things I want to do."

God had put that very same choice on the table for Cain to think about when
He said:

"If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?" (Gen 4:7)

Well; neither my brother nor Cain were interested in doing what's right; they
had other ideas.

The "woe" in Jude 11 isn't just an expression of sympathy; no, it's a reality.
Here's the wording of it from Gen 4:7

"If you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to
have you, but you must master it."

Well; piety and self control were not Cain's highest priorities. He was
determined to do as he pleased; viz; Cain stepped out on the road to
depravity; and my brother did too.

Jude 3-4 warns that Christianity is infected with a number of people on
Cain's path-- some are pastors, priests, and ministers, some are officers on
church boards, some are deacons, some are elders, some are even Sunday
school and catechism teachers; so be careful out there.

NOTE: People like Cain, and Jacob's uncle Laban, are curiosities. Neither
man was an atheist, and both were privileged by personal encounters with
the one true God; yet the encounters failed to motivate either to change
his ways.
_

Search

Search

Cain According To James

Webers_Home

Well-Known Member

Webers_Home

Well-Known Member

Webers_Home

Well-Known Member

Ernest T. Bass

Well-Known Member

DNB

Well-Known Member

Giuliano

Well-Known Member

Giuliano

Well-Known Member

Webers_Home

Well-Known Member

Webers_Home

Well-Known Member

Similar threads