The Sin Effect Day 2

One sin is always a disaster. Any one of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17) on it's own leads to destruction. Murder, adultery, stealing, lying or coveting will damage relationships, destroy security, and bring isolation and fear as a result. If you put any god before the LORD you are essentially putting your faith in something that has no authority and it leads to disillusion and disappointment. If your faith and security are in your job or ability to make money (or your spouse's ability) it will lead to obsession, and insecurity. Neglecting rest, fellowship, and time with the LORD on the Sabbath leads to exhaustion and self-importance. Death is not just the cost of sin, it's also the fruit of sin.
Of course sin rarely happens in isolation. One lie leads to another, coveting turns to stealing, adultery is compounded by lying. Sin is a path and each step down it leads to more sin and more destruction.
"Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of the evil. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way." Proverbs 4:14 & 15
Cain knew what God required in an offering, but he chose to go before the LORD with something else. Cain wanted acceptance on his own terms. He wanted God to affirm that he was good enough on his own, and his arrogance caused his offering to be rejected. Rather than acknowledging his wrong attitude and repenting, he took the rejection of his offering personally. He felt he had been rejected and Abel had been accepted. His hurt pride grew into anger and jealousy, which grew into hatred and murder. Cain walked straight down the path of sin. God himself, had reached out to him to encourage Cain to do what was right, and warn him of the path that he was on, yet Cain boldly continued down the path of destruction. But our God is compassionate, and gracious, slow to anger abounding in love and faithfulness.*
We tend to think of murder as the ultimate sin. To take another person's life seems far worse than lying or hatred, it seems unforgivable. Many of us would bristle at the idea of running into a murderer in Heaven, yet to God sin is sin.
When God went to Cain the second time, after he had killed his brother, God did not approach him in condemnation. God gave Cain the opportunity to confess his sins. When Cain again chose the path of sin and hardened his heart toward God, God chose to teach him a lesson instead of smiting him (like we would probably want to do).
Cain had been a farmer, his ability to grow fruits and vegetables had been a source of pride for him. God striped Cain of his gift, to show him that faith in anything but Him was futile. God alone should be his provision.
Faced with reality of his sin, and its painful consequences, Cain chose fear over faith. Sin had hardened his heart so much that he could not recognize God's love and mercy. He was consumed with self-pity.
"So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the [unbelievers] do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more." Ephesians4:17-19
Cain's mind had become polluted with sin, he could not see that God was offering him another chance to repent and be forgiven. Still God persisted in His love for Cain and addressed his fear, giving him yet another opportunity to have faith.
"But the LORD said to him, "Not so; if anyone kills Cain, he will suffer vengeance seven times over." Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him." Genesis 4:15 & 16.
God is so overwhelmingly patient. He does not desire to punish us, He wants us to repent. He wants us to place our trust in Him alone.
There are many ridiculous theories about the mark of Cain. That God gave him a tail or made his skin dark are two of the most dangerous and damaging (not to mention un-biblical). The Bible does not tell us what it was, but it was clearly another symbol of God's mercy and love. God alone should be his security. If Cain chose faith, and trusted that God would keep him safe then he could live out his days in peace. If he chose fear, no matter how long he lived or how many times God protected him from vengeance, Cain would never be at rest.** How totally God is that!
We don't know what choice Cain made in the end, but what we do know is that God, over and over again extended him grace and the opportunity to repent. Cain is often marginalized in sermons, and studies. He's famous for having murdered his brother, and continuing the spread of sin. Yet his story shows the passion and persistence of our God. A God who would not spare His own Son so that we could be with Him. God pursues those that He loves. Over and over again the Israelites, like Cain, turned their back on Him, yet He loved them and continued to give them opportunities to repent. He does the same for us today.
"No temptation has seized you accept what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." 1 Corinthians 10:13
Sin is the path that leads to destruction, but our God gives second chances, and third chances and fourths if we need it. His path is righteousness and it leads to our forgiveness not our destruction. Until the moment of our death, or when we see Jesus coming again, there is time to turn to God, and walk in His path.
"I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey our word. I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me. How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path." Psalm 119:101-104.

* Psalm 86:15
** Missler, Chuck. audio commentary on Genesis 4 (1990). http://www.blueletterbible.org/ (accessed 9-23-10)

The Sin Effect Day 1

You will need your Bible today
The analogy of sin being like a disease is a fairly good one, yet in some ways it is quite an underestimation. In 10 generations, mankind went from communing with God, to desiring only evil all the time. Sin reaps chaos not only in the individual but it also spreads to the family, the community, the nations, and the world. Genesis 4-6 demonstrate the devastating effect, and rampant growth of sin in the time following Adam and Eve's expulsion from the Garden. In many ways, these chapters are a painful reminder of how much was lost, yet true to His character, God's grace, mercy and love prevail. We could never really know how much we need Jesus if we don't first understand the depravity of sin.
Please read Genesis 4:1-16.
When I was a child the story of Cain and Abel really bothered me. I could not understand why God would refuse Cain's offering. He was a farmer, so it made sense that he would bring the fruits of his labor as an offering. Likewise Abel was a shepherd, so of course he would bring an animal. I could not see the difference between the offerings. God however doesn't look at the outward appearance, He looks at our heart and motivation.*
Many commentators stress that Abel's offering was accepted because it was a blood sacrifice, the only acceptable atonement for sin. Cain's offering on the other hand was not accepted because "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness."** Scripture however, does not specify that this was a sin offering. There are other types of offerings, beside the sin offering, where God would accept offerings from the soil.*** Though it is entirely possible that the issue of blood and forgiveness was part of the problem, it might not have been the only problem. The fact that the Bible doesn't say exactly why Cain's offering wasn't accepted, to me, indicates that God's issue was not so much about what was offered. God knows our motivations and I think it was Cain's heart that troubled the LORD.
Hebrews 11:4 says, "By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice then Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead." At the same time, Jude describes Cain as being rebellious, judgmental, hypocritical, arrogant, and self-serving.****
Cain brought to the LORD "some of the fruits of the soil." He did not bring his first fruits, the best of his crop, he brought what he wanted to bring. Cain offered his leftovers out of obligation, he wanted to be accepted by God on his own terms. Abel, on the other hand, brought the firstborn of his flock, the very best of what he had and gave it to the LORD in obedience and faith.
God is not interested in our leftovers, nor does He want to be an obligation. God desires, and really deserves our first fruits, the very best of what we have. Ultimately, though, He's not that interested in any of our outward offerings, He's after our hearts.
"You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." Psalm 51:16-17
It was clear from Abel's sacrifice that his heart was toward God, so God accepted it. Cain's heart was full of pride, he wanted to show God that he was good enough. When his offering was rejected, instead of turning toward God for forgiveness and acceptance, Cain felt personally rejected and let the seeds of bitterness take root. And still the LORD pursued him
"Then the LORD said to Cain, 'Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?'" Genesis 4:7a
God came to Cain! Even though his offering hadn't been accepted, God still loved Cain and wanted him to chose the right thing. He reminded Cain that all he had to do to be accepted was to do what he knew was right. God wanted to accept him, but God could not overlook his sin. All Cain needed to do was repent, to be sorry and to turn his heart toward God. Out of love and concern God warned him not to let his anger and bitterness take hold. He told Cain that sin would take him further from acceptance. If Cain didn't get hold of his desires they would control him.
Cain felt reject by God, but his anger was at his brother for making him look bad. If they had both been accepted or rejected Cain would have felt justified, but Abel's acceptance put a spotlight on his short comings. When the LORD came to Cain, rather then seeing a loving God, he felt further chastised. His anger became hatred, and his hatred became murderous.

"For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desires, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire had conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." James 1:13a-15

When I was young I felt so sorry for Cain. To my childish mind I thought God had rejected him, but it was Cain who had rejected God. God pursued him, reached out to him and warned him that evil was trying to take his mind. God loved Cain, but Cain hardened his heart against Him. Now it breaks my heart that Cain could turn his back on God.

"The acts of the sinful nature are obvious:...hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition...and the like...But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Galatians 5:19-23

* 1 Samuel 16:7
** Hebrews 9:22
*** Leviticus 6:14-23, 7:11-18
**** Jude 1: 11-16