Today, Sunday November 7
“The Way of Cain”
Jude 1:8-11 “Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries. Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves. Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.”
Jude is giving us a description of the “dreamers”, the apostates who are living in an unreal world. As we are looking at this passage I can’t help but think how this is also so descriptive of America today and the culture that we are living in! Today’s culture rejects God and His authority! They want none of His Word but they still want to feel like they are “religious” and good people.
The course of their rebellion was clearly described by Jude. As a result of their rebellion and pride, they "defile the flesh," living to satisfy their animal lusts. When a person despises God's authority, he feels free to disobey God's Laws and live as he pleases. What he forgets is that those laws have penalties attached to them so that he cannot disobey and escape the consequences.
The consequence of their rebellion is seen in their own ruin: "they corrupt, [destroy] themselves" (Jude 10). They defile themselves (Jude 8) and they destroy themselves, yet they have the idea they are promoting themselves! "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil" (Ecc. 8:11). The way of rebellion is but the way to ruin.
The condemnation of the false teachers is given in Jude 11: "Woe unto them!" Jude cited three examples from the Old Testament to illustrate the enormity of their sins, three men who rebelled against God's authority and who suffered for it.
Cain rebelled against God's way of salvation (Gen. 4; 1 John 3:11-12). By clothing Adam and Eve with the skins of slain animals (Gen. 3:21), God made it clear that the only way of forgiveness is through the shedding of blood. This is the way of faith, not the way of good works (Eph. 2:8-10). But Cain rejected this divinely authorized way and came to the altar with the fruits of his own labor. God rejected Cain's offering because God rejected Cain: his heart was not right before God. It was by faith that Abel's sacrifice was offered, and that was why God accepted it (Heb. 11:4).
The "way of Cain" is the way of religion without faith, righteousness based on character and good works. The "way of Cain" is the way of pride, a man establishing his own righteousness and rejecting the righteousness of God that comes through faith in Christ (Rom. 10:1-4; Phil. 3:3-12). Cain became a fugitive and tried to overcome his wretchedness by building a city and developing a civilization (Gen. 4:9). He ended up with everything a man could desire everything except God, that is.
Today, what and who are you depending on to save you? It is only by grace that we can be saved through the blood of Jesus Christ! Don’t be misled by the false teachers of our day and believe and accept any other way!!!!!
God bless!