Christ Believed

Intro:

- In Genesis 1 we have Christ in Creation

- In Genesis 2 we have Christ in Marriage

- In Genesis 3 we have Christ the Messiah Foretold

- In Genesis 4 we have Christ Believed

I. The Birth of Cain v. 1-2

- Liberal scholars hold that much of Genesis is not meant by God to be literal

- By them “Adam” is just a generalized word for man

- And “Cain” is just a general word for life

- But Eve says “ I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord”

- Eve knowing the promise of God, and the fact that Cain was her first born assumed this was the promised Messianic seed spoken of in 3:15

- Abraham, who took things in his own hands to produce a Messianic seed, thought his first born was in fact the same thing.

- The birth of Cain is where we see Christ in this passage

II. The Sin of Cain v. 3-7

- The issue was over the offering

- It has been suggested by some theologians that God took issue with Cain because it was not a blood sacrifice

- There is no indication from scripture that this is the issue

- The word “offering” is a generic form of the word and is used throughout the OT for both blood offerings and non-blood offerings

- It is used with regard to the thank offering where either flour or oil is prepared with frankincense in Leviticus 2:1

- Since it is used in both occasions and God does not indicate that which offering was needed we can then understand scripture to mean the offering term was used in a broad or generic sense.

- We can also look for something else to be the issue.

- Hebrews 11: 4 says that Abel’s offering was more acceptable because of his faith involved in the offering.

- Hebrews 12:28 says we are to offer worship that is acceptable with reverence and awe

- Cain attempted worship that was none of those.

- And then refused to repent v. 7

- Sin gets in the way of worship and we are to rule over sin

III. The Judgment of Cain 8-16

- God for a second time came to the sinner for restoration as He did with Adam and Eve

- God sent His Son and by that came to the sinner for restoration when man ran, hid, and did not pursue Him.

- Rom 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

- There is the doctrine of Total Depravity that holds to the idea that man cannot on his own pursue after God.

- Man must be first pursued by God and convicted by Him.

- Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes,….

- Then we understand not everyone will receive the gospel

- Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

- Rom 1:21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

- Rom 1:22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools,

- Rom 1:23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

- Rom 1:24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves,

- Rom 1:25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

- Joh 1:12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

- Joh 1:13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

- Mat_7:13 "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.

- Cain never actually came to God as a true worshipper

- Churches are full of those who are of Cain

- Just as there are churches full of those who are of Able

- There are those who are considered wheat in the gospels and there are those who are considered weeds

- That is why Jesus says Matthew 13 that at judgment He will divide the wheat and the weeds