For What Reason Did He Slay Him?

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For What Reason Did He Slay Him?

Sometimes it’s hard to figure out why someone is always so hateful.      Their snide remarks are uncalled for.      Their rude and angry replies,  in what should be a normal conversation,  are appalling.      They always purposely turn away  and ignore the one they hate.      It doesn’t take much  to realize  that the hateful person  has some sort of  chip on their shoulder.

Although the Christian does not return  such hateful attitudes,  they might wonder  what the problem is  and why the hateful person  refuses to talk about it.      1 John 3:11-12  has a bit to say about this prevalent situation.

For this is the message  which you have heard  from the beginning,  that we should love one another,  not as Cain,  who was of the evil one,  and slew his brother.      And for what reason  did he slay him?      Because his deeds were evil,  and his brother’s  were righteous.

Cain killed Abel because  he hated Abel’s goodness  in life.      Abel offered a sacrifice to God that was pleasing  to the LORD,  because it was given in love  —  the kind of love God has for us.      But,  Cain’s offering  to the LORD  was not pleasing  because it was offered with a grudging, evil heart.      He had ulterior motives.

God’s knows our attitudes  and feelings  every moment of every day.      There is nothing we can hide from Him.      So, even if  we do something  “good”  in the eyes of this world,  if we do it with an evil,  grudging attitude,  it is not pleasing  in God’s sight.

It doesn’t matter what we do  to look righteous  in the eyes of this world.      If we have a loveless heart,  we will never please God.      God has loved us  and the whole world  —  even in all our sin.      John 3:16 — “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.”      For that reason,  we must love one another  —  and we will,  when we realize  that Jesus’ loving sacrifice  has literally saved us  from the pits of hell.

If the holy LORD God Almighty  can love us  in our sins,  most surely,  we should love one another.      We are to never condone  anyone’s evil.      That is an abomination  to God.      But, in a loving manner,  we can share the love God  has given us  in Jesus Christ.      “Whoever“ believes in Jesus  will be saved  —  but believing honestly  includes loving others  the way God loves us,  for salvation’s sake.

Paul gave us all  a good admonition  in 2 Corinthians 13:5,  where he says,

Test yourselves  to see  if you are in the faith;  examine yourselves!      Or do you not recognize this  about  yourselves,  that Jesus Christ is in you  —  unless indeed  you fail the test?

Looking at what we have been  saved from,  we are grateful  to the LORD God,  our Savior,  and say,  “Hallelujah!      Lord,  thank You for loving me,  even in my sins.      Let me so remember  the awesomeness of Your love,  so that I am  enabled  to honestly love others.”

Love,
Margaret

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A Christian devotional to glorify the LORD of lords and God of gods

 

Pray for our country.

 

This is the day which the LORD has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24

 

The word of the LORD is tried;
He is a shield  to all  who take refuge  in Him.
Psalm 18:30

 

Sing for joy in the LORD,  O you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming  to the upright.
Psalm 33:1

 

How blessed are those  who dwell in Thy house!
They are ever praising Thee.
Psalm 84:4

 

Just as a father has compassion  on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
Psalm 103:13

 

Oh give thanks to the LORD,  for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Psalm 107:1

 

Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.
Psalm 105:3

 

Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that
I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12

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