Lessons from Genesis 4

by Jeff Curtis

     Sin is a violation of God’s law (1John 3:4), whether it is oral law, written law, or the law that is written on man’s heart (Romans 2:12-15). Having been made in God’s image, each person had a built-in moral consciousness. From the earliest times, before writing was invented, God communicated His will to mankind, as He did to Adam and Eve, Cain, Noah and others.

     God’s commandments were not unreasonable rules and prohibitions intended to deny people happiness in life. To the contrary, God provided His laws as guidelines to an abundant, fulfilling life. Sin has never been a matter of breaking impersonal laws; sinners ultimately break themselves by disobeying divine commands.

     Alienation Within: Sin has destructive consequences in the human soul. It causes alienation at the deepest level of man’s personality. The sinner finds himself experiencing a civil war in his innermost being. Paul describes this conflict in Romans 7: 19, 23, 24; “¹⁹ For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.” “²³ But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. ²⁴ O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”

    This type of struggle takes place in all human beings, to a lesser or greater degree, depending on how the person deals with sin. The individual who tries to cover up sin, pretending to be righteous while persisting in a sinful and destructive lifestyle, becomes a kind of spiritual schizophrenic. This appears to be what happened to Cain: By working hard as a farmer and bringing some of his crop as an offering to God, he pretended to be a good son, both responsible and religious.

     However, lurking beneath the surface were all kinds of resentful, hateful, and jealous feelings that he nurtured against his brother Abel. He was angry with God, possibly for driving his parents out of the garden of Eden and making life difficult for all of them. Certainly, he was angry with God for accepting his brother’s sacrifice and rejecting his. Instead of confessing his sins to God and seeking forgiveness that could have brought about healing to his soul, Cain allowed his personality to disintegrate in an explosion of rage. When he could no longer control the stress and alienation of his hypocrisy, Cain murdered his brother. He tried to cover up his wicked deed and then lied to God, denying any knowledge of what he had done.

     Alienation from God: When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, spiritual alienation occurred; they were separated from God. They were afraid of His presence and tried hide from Him. So, it was with Cain: When the Lord confronted him with his crime and punishment that he would receive, he complained the he would be hidden from God’s “face,” as a fugitive and wanderer in the world (4:14).

     The language of 4:14, 16 implies a physical distance, as Cain moved farther away from the garden of Eden. This physical distance symbolized the spiritual separation of one who had fallen out of God’s favor because of rebellion against Him (Job 13:24; Psalm 13:1; 44:24; 88:14; 132:10). Because of Cain’s sin, he had turned away from God’s “face” or “presence.”

     When a sinner repents, seeks God’s grace and forgiveness, and is restored, God’s face is said to “shine” upon him again (Psalm 80:19). In other words, the alienation (separation) ends, and the individual once again experiences God’s favor and blessings (Numbers 6:24-27; Psalm 4:6; 44:3; 80:3,7,19; 89:15).

     The alienation (separation) that Cain experienced was due to his stubborn, unrepentant attitude. God is always ready to receive and forgive sinners who turn back to Him in obedience. If Cain had spent the rest of his life away from God’s presence and His “face” was never to shine on him again, it was because of his stubborn pride. His hardened heart prevented him from availing himself of the salvation and blessings that longed to give him.

Effective Leadership

by Jeff Curtis

    An effective leader is respected because he has cultivated his natural abilities and shown himself to be dedicated, trustworthy, and loyal. In the Old Testament, Nehemiah became known as a capable leader after he was appointed governor by King Artexerxes I and was commissioned to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall. However, he had already proved his ability as “the cupbearer to the king” (Nehemiah 1:11). This was an important and influential position. He had access to the king and had to be absolutely trustworthy. The king’s life depended on the cupbearer’s skill and loyalty. If he were not loyal, the king might be (and sometimes kings were) poisoned by their enemies.

    The book doesn’t tell how Nehemiah came to have this position. We do know that other Jews before him (specifically Daniel and his three friends – Daniel 1:9), (Mordecai – Esther 8:2) had attained positions of authority and influence in the governments of Babylon and Persia. We might assume that Nehemiah was from a wealthy and influential Jewish family in Babylon (Neh. 5:14-19). Maybe, his ability in school or business caught the attention of the king or his advisors. In all that he did, he must have shown competency and integrity. That is the only way one could have become cupbearer to the king. To continue in this role, his service had to be outstanding.

    The king paid tribute to Nehemiah for the way he had conducted himself by noticing that, for the first time, his cupbearer was sad in his presence (Neh. 2:2). Apparently, one job of the cupbearer was to be an encouraging companion, and Nehemiah had always fulfilled that function.

    In the church today, capable individuals are needed to be leaders of God’s people. God’s choice of Paul shows that men of great ability are needed to lead His flock. The need to be a “capable” person (1Cor. 6:5) to be a Christian leader may be reflected in the requirement for to have “a good reputation with those outside the church” (1Tim. 3:7). Also, it is necessary for a preacher to be “an example of those how believe” (1Tim. 4:2).

    One who would desire to be in a position of leadership today must first “be on guard for” himself (Acts 20:28). He should be known to others as one who is trustworthy and reliable. He must strive to develop and use his talents, take advantage of his opportunities, and seek to succeed at whatever he does. The old saying “if a thing is worth doing, it’s worth doing right” is a good motto for an aspiring leader to remember. For a would-be church leader, being a “capable person” means being a faithful Christian who is always trying to reach his highest potential spiritually.

    Of course, not everyone can be a leader in the sense that we are using it here. Not everyone has the talent of leadership. The church has room for all kinds of people. As Christians, we don’t all have to be alike in ever way. We have different backgrounds and personalities.

    All Christians have a few things in common, however. We have been given abilities by God, and we are all expected to use them to the glory of God and the service of the church and mankind. To become the best people, we can be – the most capable and effective individuals possible – we must become more like what Jesus would want us to be.

----------------------------------

Nehemiah Prayed

Jeff Curtis

    Nehemiah mourned and prayed to God for four months. He remained in this state from the time he heard the bad news about Jerusalem (Neh. 1:1). Then he approached the king about the possibility of going back to Jerusalem to lead the Jews in rebuilding the wall (Neh. 2:1). His persistence in prayer had good results: the Persian king agreed to let him return to Jerusalem to build the wall.

    Jesus taught us the need to persist in prayer (Luke 18:1-8). Do we continue in prayer (see Romans 12:12; 1Thess. 5:17), or are we satisfied to ask God one time for what we need? Jesus prayed all night in Luke 6:12. Have we ever done the same?