3. Do what is right

The next thing God does following the offerings by Cain and Abel is he confronts Cain.  In Genesis 4:7 it says, “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.”  I find it interesting how much God can say in 1 verse.  First, notice God comes to Cain.  He is actively perusing a relationship with Cain and wants things to be better despite Cain’s dismal offering.  Second, God shows Cain his mistake.  God doesn’t just sit back and expect us to decipher his desires.  God is continually teaching and guiding us toward him.  Last, God encourages Cain to fight temptation.  God describes sin as waiting for the opportune time to pounce much like a lion hunting in the Serengeti.  God explains the solution is to do what is right so you can master temptation.

4. God gives Mercy

If I had no other reason to believe in God the principle of mercy would be enough.  Mercy is when God doesn’t give you what you deserve.  In chapter 4 Cain deserves death.  Cain has given a lack luster offering to God, become jealous of Abel, lied, murdered his brother, and lied again.  Cain deserves death but God doesn’t give it to him.  God hands out a punishment sparing his life.  God even lightens his punishment.  I look back at my life and I deserve death.  I am one major wimp of a christian.  I fall over and over knowing what God expects yet his mercy is still there.  Romans 6:23 says it this way, ”For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

5. God gives Grace

Grace is receiving things we don’t deserve or haven’t earned.  When I think of grace I recall an old song called “Count Your Blessings.”  Our blessings are the grace of God.  Things we didn’t earn or deserve but God showered them upon us anyway.  For many of us we read this story and feel Cain has disqualified himself from ever receiving the graces of God again.  He stiffed God, betrayed his family and killed his brother.  Luckily none of us are God!!!  God has standards and punishes the unrighteous but does not turn his back on them.  God continued to love and show Cain grace.  In verse 17 it says “Cain lay with his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city, and he named it after his son Enoch.”  God gave Cain a wife, a family, and blessed him to build a life and city.  Make sure to thank God for the grace he has shown you in your life.