Anger-Cain
Anger - Cain
According to Ephesians 4:26, anger itself isn’t a sin. How we deal with our anger can lead us to sin. Aggressive displays of anger are sinful and often cause hurt, sadness, and fear in others.
God warned Cain not to let his anger consume him. He says, “sin is crouching at the door, eager to control” him (verse 7). We, too, can fall under anger’s control if we aren’t on the lookout.
Several warning signs Cain missed could have tipped him off that his anger was getting the best of him. His motivations weren’t right when he and Abel sacrificed to God; Cain gave a halfhearted offering before God, while Abel brought his very best. Cain also became envious of his brother. His envy gave way to a blind rage, which drove Cain to commit murder.
Anger is a natural emotion that we will all experience from time to time. But we can take steps to lessen its influence over us when we earnestly pursue a relationship with God and allow him to soften our hearts.
“Adam was intimate with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. She said, “I have had a male child with the Lord’s help.” Then she also gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel became a shepherd of flocks, but Cain worked the ground. In the course of time Cain presented some of the land’s produce as an offering to the Lord. And Abel also presented an offering — some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. The Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but He did not have regard for Cain and his offering. Cain was furious, and he looked despondent. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you furious? And why do you look despondent? If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.” Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel? ” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s guardian? ” Then He said, “What have you done? Your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground! So now you are cursed, alienated, from the ground that opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood you have shed. If you work the ground, it will never again give you its yield. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.” But Cain answered the Lord, “My punishment is too great to bear! Since You are banishing me today from the soil, and I must hide myself from Your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, whoever finds me will kill me.” Then the Lord replied to him, “In that case, whoever kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” And He placed a mark on Cain so that whoever found him would not kill him. Then Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.”
Genesis 4:1-16 HCSB
https://bible.com/bible/72/gen.4.1-16.HCSB
According to Ephesians 4:26, anger itself isn’t a sin. How we deal with our anger can lead us to sin. Aggressive displays of anger are sinful and often cause hurt, sadness, and fear in others.
God warned Cain not to let his anger consume him. He says, “sin is crouching at the door, eager to control” him (verse 7). We, too, can fall under anger’s control if we aren’t on the lookout.
Several warning signs Cain missed could have tipped him off that his anger was getting the best of him. His motivations weren’t right when he and Abel sacrificed to God; Cain gave a halfhearted offering before God, while Abel brought his very best. Cain also became envious of his brother. His envy gave way to a blind rage, which drove Cain to commit murder.
Anger is a natural emotion that we will all experience from time to time. But we can take steps to lessen its influence over us when we earnestly pursue a relationship with God and allow him to soften our hearts.
“Adam was intimate with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. She said, “I have had a male child with the Lord’s help.” Then she also gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel became a shepherd of flocks, but Cain worked the ground. In the course of time Cain presented some of the land’s produce as an offering to the Lord. And Abel also presented an offering — some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. The Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but He did not have regard for Cain and his offering. Cain was furious, and he looked despondent. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you furious? And why do you look despondent? If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.” Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel? ” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s guardian? ” Then He said, “What have you done? Your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground! So now you are cursed, alienated, from the ground that opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood you have shed. If you work the ground, it will never again give you its yield. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.” But Cain answered the Lord, “My punishment is too great to bear! Since You are banishing me today from the soil, and I must hide myself from Your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, whoever finds me will kill me.” Then the Lord replied to him, “In that case, whoever kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” And He placed a mark on Cain so that whoever found him would not kill him. Then Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.”
Genesis 4:1-16 HCSB
https://bible.com/bible/72/gen.4.1-16.HCSB