Certain Eternity Part 28 – Way of Cain vs Way of Able
1 John 3:11-15 May 18, 2025
Introduction
1 John 3:11-15 “11 For this is the message that you have heard from the
beginning, that we should love one another. 12 We should not be like Cain, who
was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him?
Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. 13 Do not be
surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed
out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love
abides in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know
that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.”
3 parts: 1) Recap of Cain and Able, 2) Way of Cain, 3) Way of Able
Cain and Able Recap
Genesis 4:1-16 “1 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore
Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.” 2 And again, she
bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the
ground. 3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of
the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat
portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his
offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 6 The Lord
said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well,
will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door.
Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” 8 Cain spoke to Abel his
brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel
and killed him. 9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He
said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” 10 And the Lord said, “What
have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the
ground. 11 And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its
mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you work the
ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a
wanderer on the earth.” 13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than
I can bear. 14 Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from
your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and
whoever finds me will kill me.” 15 Then the Lord said to him, “Not so! If anyone
kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord put a mark
on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him. 16 Then Cain went away
from the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.””
o Note: God favored younger brother’s offering (v4)…why? 1) firstborn of
flock (v4) – gave God best (not first fruits of ground), 2) faithful obedience
(“if you do well”) (v7) Hebrews 11:4 “By faith Abel offered to God a more
acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as
righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his
faith, though he died, he still speaks.”
o Cain:
No humility – Did not listen to God’s warning (v7)
Did not repent – (v13)
o God continually gave Cain the chance to repent (didn’t kill him)(v15)
o Cain continued to reject God by settling in the “east of Eden” “away from
the presence of the Lord” (v16): east always signifies the absence of God
The Way of Cain
Jude 11 “Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned
themselves for the sake of gain…”
1) Evil
o “of the evil one” = child of the devil (v10) (Genesis 3:7)
o Evil deeds (Genesis 3:7…”if you do well”) = culminated in murder
o “evil” (Gk. ponēros) means evil in active opposition to good. Ponēros is not
only evil in its nature but is vicious evil in its influence…seeking to spread
itself
Romans 1:32 “Though they know God’s righteous decree that those
who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but
give approval to those who practice them.”
o Root sin = prideful, jealousy (v12)
Jealousy/envy leads to hatred
Same jealousy/envy of the pharisees
Matthew 27:17-18 “17 So when they had gathered, Pilate said
to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas,
or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18 For he knew that it was out
of envy that they had delivered him up.” (see also Mark 15:10)
Acts 5:17-18 “17 But the high priest rose up, and all who were
with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with
jealousy 18 they arrested the apostles and put them in the
public prison.”
2) Unrepentant and Unrighteous
o Cain was confronted with his sin, but refused to repent and turn to the
Lord….even warned that his sin would grow and consume (master) him.
o Hatred > murder > death > denial (am I my brother’s keeper) > more death
Matthew 5:21-22 “21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old,
‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to
judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his
brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be
liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the
hell of fire.”
Warren Wiersbe “A visitor at the zoo was chatting with the
keeper of the lion house. “I have a cat at home,” said the visitor,
“and your lions act just like my cat. It seems a shame that you
have to put those beautiful creatures behind bars.” “My friend,”
the keeper laughed, “these may look like your cat, but there’s
murder in their hearts. You’d better be glad the bars are there.”
The only reason some people have never actually murdered
anyone is because of the “bars” that have been put up: the fear
of arrest and shame, the penalties of the law, and the possibility
of death. But we are all going to be judged by “the law of liberty”
(James 2:12). The question is not so much, “What did you do?”
but “What did you want to do? What would you have done if
you had been at liberty to do as you pleased?” This is why
Jesus equated hatred with murder (Matt. 5:21–26) and lust with
adultery (vv. 27–30).”
Murder > Anger > insults > slander (worst first….all still
evidence of heart’s hate/jealousy = pride and deserving of
judgment)
Ongoing jealousy/hatred is not godly and, at minimum, evidence of
an area of your life that you are not submitting to the Lord, and at
worst, the result of a hardened heart that has not submitted to Jesus
and is unsaved
World hates righteousness, world hates Jesus, so the world hates you (v13)
o If you live for the Lord, you will be hated because the world hates to be
confronted with its unrighteousness
o John 15:18-25 “18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me
before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as
its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the
world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to
you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they
will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21
But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because
they do not know him who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to
them, they would not have been guilty of sin,[b] but now they have no
excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father also. 24 If I had
not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be
guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. 25
But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me
without a cause.’”
In short, Jesus was hated because He convicted of sin. Therefore, as
we reflect Jesus, we too will be hated because those around us will
likewise be convicted of their sin.
o Despair instead of repentance Genesis 4:13 “…My punishment is greater
than I can bear” – blaming God, taking no responsibility for yourself
3) Self-Sufficient and Worldly
o “is a murderer” (v15) = ongoing lifestyle/character of hate/jealousy/death
o Same word used of Satan, John 8:44 “You are of your father the devil, and
your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the
beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.
When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the
father of lies.”
o This is our default position, unless and until we trust in Jesus and are
transformed by His light, love, and truth
o John 3:16-21 “16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son,
that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For
God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order
that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is
not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already,
because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And
this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the
darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For
everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the
light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true
comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been
carried out in God.””
“does” (v20)(Gk. prassō) = ongoing habit of life
Unless we allow Jesus to transform who we are by exposing our old
ways and transforming us to be children of the light….we will continue
in our self-sufficient, defiant ways, hate the light, and remain lovers of
darkness
o Genesis 4:17-22 – Cain built a city – testament to self-sufficiency and all of
Cain’s offspring continued the way of self-sufficiency and the elevation of
man apart from God – inventing new ways that they could rely upon
themselves and entertain themselves apart from God.
The Way of Able
Love (of your brother) (v11)
Faith-filled worship (v12)
o “his brother’s [deeds] righteous” – what deeds? His faith-filled life of
worship
Perseverance (v13) – “do not be surprised”
o 1 Peter 4:12-14 “12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it
comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening
to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may
also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted
for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of
God rests upon you.”
o Even unto death – 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 “16 So we do not lose heart.
Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day
by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal
weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that
are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are
transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”
Conclusion
Walk the Way of Able, walk the way of love…abide in Christ and His love for you.
Know Jesus, submit to Jesus, serve Jesus…persevere against the hatred of the
world and continue in love.
Amen. Amen.