My Brother’s Brother

MEMORY SELECTION: “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?” —I John 4:20

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Genesis 4:1-15

THE Apostle John, in I John 3:12, tells us what motivated Cain to slay his brother. “Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.”

What were these evil works referred to by the Apostle John? It appears from the context of Genesis the 4th chapter, especially verse 6, and in Hebrews 11:4 which states, “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice” that God had instructed both Cain and Abel as to how he was to be approached. It was Abel who was obedient, and therefore his offering was accepted. But Cain chose his own way to come to God and this, of course, was not acceptable to the Lord. In verse 6 we read, “And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?” This statement by the Lord implies that Cain had no reason to be angry; that he knew the requirements.

And so the first of the evil works of Cain was disobedience. Verse 7 of Genesis 4 reads (Young’s Literal Translation), “Is there not, if thou doest well, acceptance? And if thou doest not well, at the opening a sin-offering is crouching, and unto thee its desire, and thou rulest over it.” The proper thought of acceptance is that of excellence, this having reference to the high privilege and authority belonging to the firstborn in patriarchal times.

The thought of this portion of the text seems to be that even after Cain’s disobedience God would have forgiven him if he had offered the sin-offering which had been so generously provided. But Cain refused to accept this offer and allowed his anger and jealousy to consume him, and he slew his brother Abel.

The other work of evil manifested by Cain was pride, which was the root of his anger and jealousy.

The Apostle John, in I John 3:13, states, “Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.” The apostle thus implies that the world is guilty of the same sins as Cain—disobedience and pride. Therefore, we can expect that the world will hate us if we are endeavoring to be righteous, just as Cain hated Abel.

There are two great influences in operation in the earth—the spirit of God, which is the spirit of righteousness and goodness, and the spirit of Satan, which manifests itself in pride, selfishness, and disobedience. All of those under Satan’s influence identify with one another. They approve of their mutual works of darkness. On the other hand, those under the Lord’s spirit are able to identify with the Lord and with others living under the same holy influence.

In John 3:19-21 we read, “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”

In I John 3:14 the apostle continues his lesson thus, “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.”

In other words, the fact that the footstep followers of the Lord love one another—appreciate their love for righteousness and godliness—is proof that such have the Lord’s spirit, and thus these have been spirit-begotten and have passed from death unto life.

Our memory verse sums the matter up beautifully, “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar.” He is a liar because hate is a manifestation of the spirit of Satan. It is impossible to love God and hate one who manifests the spirit of God. “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.”—I John 3:14

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