Don’t Be Surprised

“For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.  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.  Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.”  I John 3:10-12

To love one’s neighbor as one loves himself or herself did not originate in the New Testament (Matthew 5:43; 19:19; 22:39), but rather was originally spoken by God in Leviticus 19:18 when God gave Moses His law.  God loves everyone and expects His people to do the same.  He doesn’t love some of the things His creation does because He hates sin, but He doesn’t allow the sin that people commit lessen His love for them.  It was His great love for people which caused Him to send His Son to pay man’s penalty for sin so that those who repent and receive Christ as Lord and Savior can become members of His family.

John used the example of Cain, son of Adam and Eve, to illustrate the way of those who are wicked.  Both Cain and his brother, Abel, brought their sacrifices before God.  Abel brought the first born of his flock, a lamb, to sacrifice, and Cain brought produce from his garden.  God accepted Abel’s offering because it was an animal whose blood was shed, and only a blood offering was acceptable to God.  How do we know that?  We know that Hebrews 9:22 tells us that “without shedding of blood is no remission” of sin, that is, no forgiveness.  Of course, that was written and included in scripture thousands of years after the time of Adam and Eve.  When they sinned, God killed an animal to make clothing from the skin of the animal as a covering for them because they were now ashamed of their nakedness (Genesis 3:21).  This was the first animal blood shed for man.  Since most of the conversations that God had with the first family was not recorded in scripture, we likely assume that God had told them of the requirement of an offering to Him.  We do not read of any offering made by Adam and Eve prior to the commitment of their sin but they may have done so.

Cain did not offer a blood offering.  He was highly upset because God would not accept his offering, but God told him that if he did well, he would be accepted.  Notice that God said that Cain would be accepted.  Sounds like a second chance to me.  He could have traded produce for a lamb from his brother and offered it.  Or he could have repented for bringing an unacceptable offering and promised to be obedient from that time forward.  However, his heart was filled with pride.  He was envious because God favored Abel’s offering over his offering.  Later, when the two brothers were out in the field, Cain murdered Abel.  John wrote that Cain’s offering was evil, that is, Cain likely knew that God required a blood sacrifice but offered God an inferior sacrifice because he did not love nor respect God, nor did he love his brother (Genesis 4:1-8).  Cain’s heart was evil, controlled by Satan.

Scripture tells us that the sins of the father will negatively affect the children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren of those who hate God (Genesis 20:5; Exodus 34:7).  Adam and Eve didn’t hate God, but when they listened to Satan, they showed a lack of trust in God and a lack of respect for Him.  John warned believers not to be surprised when the world hates them.  Jesus said, in John 15:18, that the world hated Him first.  Thus, it only stands to reason that the world hates all of those who believe in and follow Christ.  Jesus went on to say that the world loves those who are of the world, that is, those whose god is self, government, money, fame, or any other idol.  Godless people hate God and all who belong to Him.  It has always been that way and will continue until Christ comes and banishes evil and evildoers and creates a new earth wherein righteousness dwells (II Peter 3:13).

John had more to say about hatred.  He wrote, “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him (I John 3:15).  John equated hate with murder.  The sixth commandment states, “Thou shall not kill (Exodus 20:13), that is, no one should murder, a pre-meditated and malicious killing of another.  Jesus explained in Matthew 5:21-22 that being unjustly angry with another, calling another immoral, or calling him or her a “fool”, used here as a judgment that another person is godless, is on the same level as murder.  We can kill another’s reputation by gossip, his or her joy by condemnation, or turn them against God and the only way of salvation by our judgmental and/or harsh attitude toward him or her.  True believers have no desire to physically murder another person, but plenty of us can murder our relationship to others by our condemning and critical words.  That sort of attitude won’t send us to hell if we are truly born again, but it will make for a joyless life.  In Galatians 5:19-21, Paul listed the “works of the flesh” which prohibit a person from inheriting eternal life, and among these is murder.  Revelation 21:8 tells us that murderers, among other sinners, will have their part in the lake of fire.

It seems that killing and particularly hatred have increased across our world at a faster and faster pace which could be indicative of the soon return of Christ.  We have leaders who are attempting to instill fear and hatred among the people of our nation.  If they can keep people divided, they can control them more easily.  However, we can’t fall for their deception which comes from Satan like Adam and Eve fell for his lies.  We must stand against hatred and promote unity in Christ because that is the only thing that will make a difference in people’s lives.