Loving your Brother...Cain and Abel

1 John 3:11-12  For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous

Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna, and Mikayla,

This is the heart of Jesus for each of us.  This is the message that we heard from the beginning...that we should love one another.  The word here for love is the Greek word "agapao".  This is an unselfish, self sacrificing love.  The kind of love Jesus had for us on the cross.  Go to the 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians.  Read verses 4-8 inserting Jesus' name where the word love is.  This is the kind of love that is required and it is impossible  outside of the Spirit of God.

In the next verse John points back to the first recorded instance of a man who did not love his brother.  Cain showed he was of the wicked one and not a believer because he killed his brother. The book of Hebrews says that Abel offered his sacrifice to God by faith and it was accepted.  Cain offered to God the work of his hands...the work of his own effort and it was rejected. This rejection caused Cain to develop a bitterness of heart toward his brother Abel.  So much so that Cain murdered him.

And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.  So the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?  If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it." 



People who do right expose those who do not.  This is what happened with Cain.  God gave Cain a chance to repent and do what was right but Cain chose to instead let his bitterness and sin rule.  He killed Abel not for any fault of Abel's but  the reverse.  He killed Abel because Abel was good.   If we live for God, the world will often hate us, because we make them painfully aware of their sin.  Be aware of any heart of bitterness that you might have toward a fellow believer...keep your heart with all diligence for out of it spring the issues of life. Repent and overcome your evil with good.  Remember what God said to Cain...if you do well, will you not be accepted...rule over your sin by surrendering in obedience to the Spirit who dwells within you.

Love
Mum