Be at Peace

1 John 3:12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous.
 
JOHN challenges the church, “Do  not be like Cain.” Cain was angry with God for rejecting his offering. That caused him to become jealous and angry toward Abel, whom he murdered. Did John expect people in the church to commit murder?
   John was preaching against a murderous heart – one of accusations, condemnation and hatred. Remember Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount that anger was a form of murder: Matthew 5:21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22a But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.”  John urged the church to keep anger and the pride that causes it far from their hearts.
   Although our anger does not literally murder another, it will destroy the opportunity for a loving fruitful relationship. Unredeemed anger will fracture our relationships with family and friends. Those relationships cannot be repaired when anger remains.
   Anger will also infect a family for generations if it is not stopped. Cain could have stopped his anger immediately if he had responded to God’s offer of another sacrifice. Genesis 4:6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.”  It would have been very easy for Cain to do what was right. But Cain allowed the crouching sin to stand up and enter his heart. Anger became his master.
   And then it became worse. This legacy of murder then corrupted the generations of Cain’s line. Ultimately it came to the point the Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. (Genesis 6:6) God’s response was to judge the world with the Great Flood.  
   Teaching as Jesus taught, John reminded the church of anger’s power to destroy and love’s power to heal. Cain needed to first love the Lord, so he would obey God’s commands to simply renew his offering to God. How easily he could have lived in peace with his brother.
   The psalmist warns and encourages: Love the Lord, all his saints! The Lord preserves the faithful, but the proud he pays back in full. (Psalms 31:23) There is no room for pride and anger in the kingdom of God.
   Love God. Love one another.  These are the two greatest commands for good reason. Such love leads to a life of peace now and will be a solid foundation to influence your generations to come. This is the Bible’s message.