I John 3:11-12 (Part 4)

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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.

THE STUDY:

This morning we are going to answer the question found in this passage, why did he murder him? John reminds his readers that because Cain “was from the evil one” love had so disappeared from his heart that he could murder his own blood brother. Casting his lot with the evil one took Cain much further into depravity than he could have imagined. John’s only explanation for Cain’s action was “because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous”^[1]

The reason for this murder was Cain’s jealous resentment of his brother’s superior righteousness (Gen. 4:2-7). In saying this, John touched a sensitive nerve, since hatred toward another Christian is often prompted by a feeling of guilt about one’s own life as compared with that person’s. It is well to remember that such reactions are satanic, as John bluntly affirmed here.^[2]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away this morning with the understanding of two things: 1. When we are being persecuted or being treated unkindly by a person it may lie within that person themselves. What we bring about in that person is the sense of guilt due to their own lack of righteousness. James 1:2-3 says, Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 2. Sin will take us farther down the road of immorality than we ever thought we would go.

CONCLUSION:

           Because of the natural law of seedtime and harvest, the farmer knows when and what to plant to achieve the desired result. He knows that you harvest wheat if you sow wheat, that you do not sow weeds and reap wheat.

           God’s moral and spiritual laws work in the same way. You cannot sow sin and reap righteousness, or indulgence and reap health, or strife and reap peace. You cannot sow “the works of the flesh” and reap “the fruit of the Spirit.”

           But there is a further truth in this law. You reap what you sow in quality, but you reap more than you sow in quantity.

          Let today be a day that is filled with the deeds of the Father and not that of the evil one!

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Williamson, R. (2010). 1, 2, & 3 John: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. New Beacon Bible Commentary (121–122). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

^[2] Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (1 Jn 3:11–12). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.