October 13, 2021 IF YOU DO WELL
Genesis 4:6-7 “Then the Lord said to Cane, ‘Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it,’”
Cain and Able were sons of Adam and Eve. Cain brought an offering to the Lord of the ‘fruit of the ground,’ and Abel brought an offering to the Lord of the ‘firstling of his flock.’ God had regard for Abel’s offering, but not for Cain’s offering. Abel’s offering involved slaying an innocent-I assume, lamb; blood was shed. Cain’s offering did not involve a blood sacrifice. It is likely that Cain had pride in what he had grown; it was the work of his own hands; but our work, our best, is not an acceptable sacrifice for sin. Abel’s offering was a picture of the sacrifice that God would one day make as He gave His Son to die for our sins. Our focus today is to see how God responded to Cain after He rejected Cain’s offering. First, we see that Cain became angry when God did not regard his offering. (Evidently, there was an on-going rivalry between the two brothers.) It’s important to note that God did not scold Cain; He did ask why his ‘countenance had fallen.’ It is simple, and it is refreshing to see the instruction that God gave Cain; God just said, ‘Do what is well,’-or do the right thing. Instead of Cain humbling himself and bringing another offering that involved the sacrifice of an animal, he pouted, and became angry; his countenance was fallen. When God gave instruction to Cain, at that very moment Cain had a decision to make; if he continued in his anger, sin would have its way with him. As we read on in this chapter, we see that Cain did not follow the instruction God gave him, but instead, he killed Adam. Sin was ‘crouching at the door,’ waiting for Cain to reject the council of God; and sadly, Cain did just that, and sin had its way. Sad story. Sin is always crouching at our door-wanting to see us turn from the ways of the Lord-so that it can have its desire for us. (Satan sees us a means or a tool to get back at God.) As believers, the good news for us is that all that is required of us in order for sin not have its desire for us, is to do the right thing; and the right thing is doing the things that are pleasing to the Lord. God is for us, and He gives us instruction. Just as God told Cain, we must master the sin that is crouching at the door. These passages drive the point home that we have the power of choice when it comes to mastering sin. (Of course it is the Holy Spirit in us that enables us to make right choices.) What sin is crouching at your door? At my door? Whatever it is, we must master it, or it will have its way with us and bring great harm.
Proverbs 8:33 “Listen to instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it.”
Psalm 32:8 “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will council you with My eye upon you.”
James 1:25 “But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it-not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it-they will be blessed in what they do.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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