The Heart of CAIN

This blog topic is different … different than I usually write.
That's may sound peculiar as I am always writing things that could be construed as "different", as far as point of view goes. I have been dubbed "The Radical Pastor" for years, since about 2011.  My blogs represent the fact that I approach topics and spiritual things with the finesse of "radical view", simply because I'm all about exposing LIES and spongy thinking regarding doctrines, etc.
So, I'm in the OT tonight. Don't usually spend a lot of time there, except for maybe Proverbs and Psalms and The Prophets.  Then there's the whole "character-study" thing, where we take someone's life (like Abraham, King Saul or David, e.g.) and dissect that under a microscope.

I believe that most everyone is familiar with the story of CAIN.
He was a son of Adam & Eve … and he had a brother ABEL. Cain was jealous of his brother, his relationship with God, the favor on his life so . . . he killed him.
Now every Bible teacher out there has preached on Cain's sin. But I have only heard a few sermons on "the spirit of Cain". And I'm taking that a little further by talking about The Heart of Cain.
The Heart of Cain is selfish. It is rebellious towards God Almighty. It gets jealous. It likes being "religious" because it thinks that's what makes one "look good".  The Heart of Cain really has the "warm-water-spirit" that we have wrote about. That "lukewarm" thing that is actually quite PHONY. Oh sure it acts all pious and "good" and covers its deeds with "good works" . . . and engages in "sacrifices" to absolve itself from guilt and escape conviction. It may act like it's FOR YOU, but in reality is truly against you. It is the "Benedict Arnold" spirit, through and through. Yes, it will betray you, when you least expect it. The Apostle Paul wrote about "false brethren" -- well, there you go. Need I illustrate anymore?

> And the Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering;  but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?  If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.”  Cain told Abel his brother. And it came about when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.  Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” And he said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”  He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to Me from the ground.  Now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you cultivate the ground, it will no longer yield its strength to you; you will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth.” Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is too great to bear!  Behold, You have driven me this day from the face of the ground; and from Your face I will be hidden, and I will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”  So the Lord said to him, “Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord appointed a sign for Cain, so that no one finding him would slay him.  (Genesis ch. 4)

From the narrative we can see just how flippant Cain's attitude was, toward his brother, and toward God.  As we read this, we can tell that Cain never really "repented" of his deed (godly sorrow), but God Almighty dealt with Cain where he was at. He even strongly urged Cain to RESIST sin … God knew what he was going to do, of course. And that was the first time that murder came on the scene.

> For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another;  not as Cain, who was of the evil one and slew his brother. And for what reason did he slay him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother’s were righteous.  
(I John 3:11,12)
I have spent a lot of time in this little epistle, I John. It is beautiful and simple, even though the truths contained within are profound and strong. We see verses like, "By this we may know …"  and  "If you say you love God, but hate your brother, how can the love of God be in you?"  And so, with the Heart of Cain. His heart was evil. He hated his brother.

I have been around many so-called "christians" who were nothing more than the devil's "plants", pretending to be saved, pretending to be on my side, but they were the ones who were ready to stab me in the back, when I turned around. Maybe they didn't like my words … maybe they didn't like my "walk" … or maybe I ended up exposing them, because sometimes, that's what I do, whether I know it or not.  Beware. True Blue Believers have "got your back", and won't use your info as a gossip tool to undermine you. This is particularly difficult to deal with if it is a "family member" who turns out this way. It is in our God-given redeemed nature to love them regardless. But "false brethren" cannot receive the love of God, and no matter how hard you try, sometimes, you won't break through their defenses. You have to cover yourself. You have to be on your guard. And in some cases, you may have to walk away, and be rid of the "poison" that some people bring. Some people are just plain TOXIC, and God Almighty never called you to taking in poison, nor did he call you to strife.

I first was made aware of "false brethren" and warm-water-spirit folk by reading Proverbs. Actually, I was commanded by The Spirit of God to study Proverbs, because of the people I was going to be dealing with. I had no idea how much pride and folly they were into. And … That word … those WORDS from Proverbs saved my life, and saved the day on numerous occasions. You might say that the wisdom from that book just "kicked in".

Finally, the heart of Cain has no real concern for the Family of God. No concern for community. No grasp or appreciation of  The Kingdom of God, nor for The People of God. It is only focused and geared toward SELF. If it has to defiantly rise above and step on all the rest, that is what it will do. The heart is murderous … i.e. with WORDS and evil thoughts and scheming against those in its sphere, those in its path.

I could write much more on this topic, but for now, that's all I got to say. I hope and trust that you will study the places I mentioned, read the Apostle Paul's life, and Proverbs, so that you too may be prepared, and not deceived.

GOD BLESS YOU.