An ominous threat has crept into today's church; i.e. religious leaders who distort the Gospel message in order to justify sinful behavior ... They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. (Jude 1:4)
The Lord is very familiar with that rebellious spirit ... Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain. (Jude 1:11)
There is a lesson to be learned from the story. Adam's sons chose different paths ... Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. (Genesis 4:3-5)
Warren Wiersbe - By clothing Adam and Eve with the skins of slain animals, the Lord made it clear that forgiveness comes through the shedding of blood. But Cain rejected this divinely authorized way and came to the altar with the fruits of his own labor.
Three marks of a false faith ...
1. The 'way of Cain' is a religious person’s self-righteous approach to salvation. He refuses to accept the premise ... For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
2. The 'way of Cain' is the conduct of a cynic who chooses to chart his own course in life even though he knows what God expects from him. He rejects the command to ... Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5)
3. The 'way of Cain' includes those consumed with jealousy, hatred, and envy. There is no evidence of the indwelling Holy Spirit ... For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth; proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. (Ephesians 5:9-10)
Christ's precious blood was the sacrifice necessary to pay mankind's sin debt.
Altering this truth in any way is by definition ... the 'Way of Cain'.
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