CD - The Fifth Commandment - Genesis 4:1-16

Cain killed (murdered) his brother Abel. This act is only the culmination of the many events which led up to this dramatic conclusion. In Genesis, this story takes place in sixteen verses. In real life, this story may have taken many days, weeks, or months. At first reading, we sense a great tragedy. We might even show sympathy, saying it was not so bad at first. Then it degenerates into a real life soap opera of jealousy, hate and murder.

A sin is a sin is a sin in God’s eyes. There is no degree of sin; one is just as bad as another. Which ruins a cake the most, a cup of sour milk or one rotten egg? The natural progression of thought in our society is that I am not so bad, I only . . . , but my neighbor does . . . We continually try to justify ourselves, even trying to do so by the law. Because of one sin, we are all the same in God’s eyes.

Cain’s sin began with selfishness. He did not give God his first fruits. Instead, he kept his best to himself and gave some of the leftover to God. His brother, Abel, on the other hand, unselfishly offered God his first fruits and his very best. When God had favor on Abel, Cain’s selfishness turned to jealousy.

We now begin to see the progression and evil growth of unchecked sin in our lives. Cain’s jealous envy of Abel’s favor from God began eating away at his insides and turned to anger. He was angry at God for not accepting him as He did Abel. He was angry at Abel for having found favor with God. Now anger is not sin, but, unchecked, it almost always leads to sin. In Cain’s case, the anger led to a plot of murder, and Cain killed his brother Abel.

The Hebrew people (Jews) had a custom of removing all yeast from their homes before Passover. Yeast is the stuff that makes bread rise. The Jews saw yeast during the Passover festival as being evil. So what is the comparison? Yeast is alive, just as sin, especially in the case of Cain’s sin, and it grows to corrupt the whole loaf of bread, or in this case, the whole heart and soul of Cain.

Sin, when undetected and unchecked, grows from something small to corruption of the entire human being— heart, mind and soul. In Cain’s case, that corruption began with jealousy, increased to selfish envy, and to the murder of his brother Abel.

Hate is one of those “small” sins which can lead to murder. When you hate someone, you have already murdered them in your heart. God can see what is in your heart, and He knows exactly what you are thinking and feeling. When you hurt someone, either mentally, by such things as name-calling or physically, you have murdered them in your heart. God knows the intentions of your heart. Have you ever hated someone or intentionally hurt someone? Then you are indeed a murderer. The good news, however, is that God does offer forgiveness. Do not let your anger go unchecked. Do not let your “small” sins go undetected, lest sin take you over and control your whole being.

Dear Lord, I thank You for all of Your many gifts and blessings. I thank You for the gift of life, and for this day which, as are all days, is a gift from You. Forgive me when I sin and murder my neighbor by thought, word, or deed. Help me to love others as You have first loved me. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.