“Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah” (Jude 11).
Cain, the first newborn baby on planet Earth, became humanity’s first full-fledged change agent once he grew into adulthood. Discontent with God’s authorized worship, he irreverently sought to worship the great I AM so to please himself, not Jehovah.
Though we do not know for sure all the specific instructions God gave to Cain and Abel about worshiping Him, we do know that He gave them some. (Since Abel’s worship was done by faith (Hebrews 11:4) and faith can only come by hearing and obeying God’s word (Romans 10:17), God must have told them what He wanted.)
Instead of the way of Cain, Abel lovingly submitted his will to God’s way, and the Lord respected him and his offering (Genesis 4:4).
The way of Cain was to reject God’s requirements and presumptuously substitute what he liked instead, and “God did not respect Cain and his offering” (Genesis 4:5).
The way of Cain was to become angry with God and His authority over him (Genesis 4:5-6) instead of repenting.
The way of Cain was to nurse his ravenous pride (Genesis 4:7) instead of humbly submitting to God’s right to command him.
The way of Cain was to wish evil upon his brother and become so enslaved to the bitterness produced by his wounded pride that he murdered his righteous brother (Genesis 4:8).
NOTE carefully: The way of Cain began with a rejection of God’s authorized worship.
BEWARE of the way of Cain.
Excellent, John. Our Bible class has been studying the principle upon which you have here written. May I print this in the local church bulletin? Thanks for all you do.