THE METHOD OF CAIN
by Samuel N. Jones
12/09/2000
1/21/2005
Gen 4:1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.
Gen 4:2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
Gen 4:3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.
Gen 4:4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
Gen 4:5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
Gen 4:6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
Gen 4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
Gen 4:8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
Verse four shows clearly that there was a proper way of offering to God. so just WHY did Cain choose to bring the offering he did? (Please allow me a little "license" in describing this story as I believe it may well have transpired).
Cain was a "tiller of the ground", and very likely an excellent one. I believe Cain brought exceptional products of the fruit of the ground ......... very likely some exotic products, that others did not have, and the finest of products that others did have. Very likely this "offering" brought by Cain was of GREAT value, and was given at great expense and planning to himself. This is why he was so angry when his offering was rejected.
Here is where the problem with Cain came in: God had given instructions on how to worship Him. But Cain ------ even from his heart ------- with great and wonderful intentions, decided to add to, or change, or embellish even, the worship of God. Perhaps, even probably, Cain’s offering was GRANDER than what God had set up and commanded. Cain was deciding the correct way to worship God according to his own design! Cain was designing his own religion and method of worshipping God! He was doing what seemed right in his own mind! What was the result from deviating from what God had commanded and set up? MURDER! The unrighteous Cain actually murdered the one who was obediently and carefully carrying out the proper worship of the Creator.
Cain’s method overlooks what we might call today "the simplicity that is in Christ", and incorporates that which is not profitable, no matter how appealing, sacrificing, or righteous it might appear, because it does not come from the Almighty, and all-knowing, perfect God! We see that "method" still applied around us to this day. Look at all the requirements that have been added by the Jews, trying to insure their own righteousness in worship of God. Christ had harsh words for them in His day on the earth as a human. Today they have a whole code of Jewish law which is not from the inspired word of God, but from their own minds and reasoning. Just look at all the pomp and ceremony, rituals and chants that have been devised and implemented by the Catholic Church, claiming this is all necessary in the proper worship of God.
Most of "Christianity" today is immersed in the way and method of Cain. Look at all the excuses for Sunday keeping while acknowledging that the seventh day is the Sabbath. Look at all the convoluted reasoning for why it is good to take pagan observances and rituals such as Xmas, Easter, etc., all the while claiming this is being done to honor God! Mankind continues to take things that ARE beautiful and fun, sincerely trying to worship God, but they are designing their own religion. They following the way of Cain. While they may be doing good and wonderful things, they have changed the simple instructions of God into their own elaborate religion which God does not recognize, honor, or accept! The method of Cain causes people to think they know better than God. They try to improve on what God has designed, therefore not learning the lessons and gleaning the understanding that comes from obedience to God.
Satan is the author of Cain’s method or way. Satan saw the humility, service, and love displayed by the great Creator God ........ even Satan’s own creator ...... and decided there was a better way to operate as God, and attempted to replace his own creator! The scriptures tell us that the "invisible things of God are known by the things that are seen". In like manner, we are not able to see Satan, but we can sure see the result of his way. Throughout history we can see the way of Cain, (inspired by Satan), continuing to separate mankind from God. God did not then have "respect" to Cain’s offering, and as the "same yesterday and today", as the God that "changes" not", He does not have respect to the methods of Cain today.
The example of Korah shows that he tried to do something different from what God had set up. Korah appeared to be good! The very next day after God had caused the earth to open and swallow Korah and his cohorts, the Israelites accused Moses of killing the people of the Lord! Korah must have done many great things for the people. He may well have started out sincere and provided much help and many services for the Israelites, but he followed the way of Cain! Christ said, "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? (Mat.7:22) Yet in vs. 22, Christ tells them that He does not know them, and calls them workers of iniquity! In another place Christ said, "Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and don’t do the things I say?" Even though they may do good things ----- even though they may do good things in the name of Jesus ----- they refuse to follow the plain, simple and good instructions that God has given us ........ instructions that are for our good and teach us about God and His way. Instead they choose the method of Cain, and invented their own manner of worship and service, which of course, is inspired by the devil, who presents himself as "an angel of light". That tree of the knowledge of good and evil is a mix, and truth that is mixed with error can be very deceptive, allowing Satan to deceive people without the blessing of the Holy Spirit into thinking they are pleasing God when they are missing the mark.
The Sabbath day is so clearly named and spelled out in the scriptures, so how is it that most professing christians observe Sunday as a day of worship? The holy days or festivals that God gave to Israel are mentioned many times with instructions, so how is it that "christianity" ignores those days completely, yet keep Xmas, Easter, Valentines day, Halloween, and others which ALL along with their practices come from pure paganism? Even IF a professing christian claims all those days apply only to Israel of old, how in the world do they justify keeping days they admit have a pagan origin, including many of the practices still associated with those days? In Deut. 12:30 God plainly told Israel not to inquire as to how the heathen nations worshipped their gods, then say they, (the Israelites), would do likewise. Notice it indicates that they were not to use those practices in worship of the true God, because they were so abominable. Yet Israel and the rest of the world have continued to follow the method of Cain which brings about destruction.
Notice how that Cain, (the sinner), became angry with Able, (the righteous), to the point that he actually murdered him. Down through the ages the prophets and servants of God have been killed by those who followed Cain’s way and set up their own religious practices, even claiming to worship the same true God! The Jews killed Jesus. The Catholic Church saw to it that many true Christians were put to death along with Jews and others who would not submit to the authority of the Roman church. The carnal mind is "enmity" to God. Christ said that if they persecuted Him, they would also persecute His chosen people. There seems to be a guilt associated with those who have changed or added to God’s way in the face of those who uncompromisingly love and obey God. That is why there is constant pressure on us all to compromise and choose that method of Cain that can appear so righteous and good.
Recently I have notice that some in the cog’s, seem to think it might be good to participate in some limited way with those who follow their own religion as a type of witness to them. One minister, has said that some might consider attending Sunday church services in order to add something to the community and be a light to these "christians". There are some on computer forums, who suggest that Sunday keepers may well have the Holy Spirit, but they just don’t understand about the Sabbath. I see this kind of reasoning as applying the method of Cain. It may even look good! You bet many in the religious community do good things and are good citizens, wonderful serving people from the heart, good neighbors. Yet they have chosen the way of the world, applying the method of Cain in their worship which God says He does not accept! One cannot understand unless the Father has opened their minds. What a shame it is if one who has had his mind opened, through the subtlety of Satan, decides to apply the method of Cain and swerves away from proper worship of God "in spirit and in truth" into an embellished religion and acceptance of practices that God HATES!
God gives His Holy Spirit to those that obey Him, (Acts 5:32), not to those who create their own method of worship which is unprofitable. The world just doesn’t know the right way. God has called out a few to be ambassadors, witnesses for Him, and to preach the gospel. We must avoid being weak and puny witnesses by compromising with the world and through our own reasoning and desire for convenience, and apply the method of Cain to the worship of our Father and Savior! We have God’s Spirit and we should live as the very children of the perfect living God! Just as Cain hated his brother for his belief in God and simplicity in worshipping, we can expect the religionists of the world to despise and ultimately hate us, if we simply follow the will of God. We need to study the words of our Savior, both what is recorded that He spoke, and what He inspired to be written and preserved by those Christians who followed Him, to be sure we are true witnesses of Him. We must be sure and confident of God’s will in our lives, and not be deceived into participating in methods of worship that God has not endorsed ever, but actually hates because this directs us away from Him into the self-righteousness that is from the Devil.
Let us as Christians worship God in spirit and in truth.
THE METHOD OF CAIN
by Samuel N. Jones