The Legacy Of Unrepentance-4

The LEGACY Of UNREPENTANCE-IV— Genesis 4:16-24

Likewise we will leave a legacy to our families. But what of any value will they receive?

Background:

We have examined Cain’s willful disdain of God’s direction for his life, & discovered the ‘Tragedy of Unrepentance’(4:1-15).

We are now in the midst of examining the descendants of Cain & the resulting transfer of belief.

“the genealogy[:16-24] shows how sin disqualified Cain's line as the people of blessing”..... God blesses the line of Cain. But notice, He blesses them in a temporal way. That is, only connected to time. Only in the physical were they blessed; not in the sense of the spiritual, or that which is eternal.”—John MacArthur

“Secular culture is a provision from God for man's life. It is a common grace.”.....“And that contributes to communication, it contributes to culture, it contributes to society.”—John MacArthur

Cain’s legacy was a spiritually derelict/deficient progeny.

Personal unrepentance leaves a legacy of spiritually dereliction/deficiency.

What does a spiritually deficient legacy seek?

8 desires/determinations of a spiritually deficient/derelict population.

In previous weeks we have found that Spiritually deficient populations seek some of the same things Christians seek...

1. SEPARATION/Segregation(:16)

2. STABILITY/Family(:17-18)

3. SATISFACTION(:19)

Last time we also discovered the innovative genius of that unrepentant population included:

4. ADAPTIVE INNOVATION(:20)

5. MUSICAL INNOVATION/Expression(:21)

6. METALLURGICAL INNOVATION/Expression(:22)

7—Spiritually deficient populations seek...

PLEASURE(:22b)

Explanation: (:22b) Comfortable

:22b—“And as for Zillah, she also bore Tubal-Cain, an instructor of every craftsman in bronze & iron. And the sister of Tubal-Cain was Naamah.”

There is nothing wrong with seeking pleasure....As long as the pleasure comes by the Lord’s will/desire for you.

God does not want us to be self-indulgent hedonists so that anything goes as long as pleasure becomes paramount...So that we cannot find happiness unless we ‘feel’ good, & our bodies, work, relationships are ‘pain-free.’ This is unachievable & self-serving anyway!

“Naamah”—hmen nah-am-aw'—Naamah = "loveliness." Strong—Pleasantness.

Argumentation:

Negative:

Lk. 15:13—““And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, & there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.”

Lk. 12:16-21—“Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. “And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ “So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns & build greater, & there I will store all my crops & my goods. ‘And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, & be merry.”’ “But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, & is not rich toward God.””

1Tim. 5:6—“But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives.”

Js. 5:5—“You have lived on the earth in pleasure & luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter.”

2Tim. 3:1-5—“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!”

Titus 3:3—“For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts & pleasures, living in malice & envy, hateful & hating one another.”

Positive:

Ps. 16:11—“You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

Ps. 36:7-9—“How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, And You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.”

Mat. 14:25-30—“Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” And Peter answered Him & said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; & beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!””