Genesis 4:8
Part 1 – Universal Depravity and the small god
And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
PRINCIPLE: Universal Depravity
INTRODUCTION
God the Holy Spirit doesn’t spend much time in recording the line of Cain, only 9 small verses deal with the Cainites. (Genesis 4:16-24) These verses contain the essence of this ungodly line or seed. Building on our previous Bibles sessions, we need to understand the importance of these two lines or seeds of Adam.
The line of Cain represents the natural man (the first born), and upon Abel’s death God appointed Seth as His line through which His Christ would come forth; and as Abel represented the spiritual man (the second man), so also Seth represents God’s spiritual seed or line. From the very beginning in Scripture when God gave the promise to Eve in Genesis 3:15 these two seeds were divided. Cain was the seed of the Devil, and Abel was the seed of the promised Messiah.
It is very important to understand these two different types of individuals existed and still exist throughout our time and history of man. It is equally important to realize what they represent. We have two different groups of humanity, or two different groups of mankind. Within one group there are those who believe that within all men there is a basic good, and by becoming a better person through culture and/or by personal self righteousness that heaven and God’s approval can be achieved; thus salvation can be obtained by personal merit. This is the religious man. Cain was the father of the ‘Pharisee.’ The religious man believes he is morally better, and by his own actions he can improve or add to the sacrifice of Christ, and in some religions he has no need of Christ. The religious man may speak of Christ and His sacrifice, and even bow to various man made relics; they act, however, on their blind belief that more is required from mankind — namely, personal righteousness. It is Christ plus something else, Christ plus another act, Christ plus another added form of outward devotion — it is always Christ +.
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:3)
For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. (2 Corinthians 11:4)
The religious man has a very small god. He wishes that his god needs him. He acts on the false premise that his god cannot survive without his acts, even murderous acts. All the useless devotions, and meaningless repetitious prayers are to appease a very small god indeed. The true Christian knows that His God is Great, and Almighty, and His foundation stands strong and needs no help from His creatures to exist.
Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. (2 Timothy 2:19)
The small god
This same ungodly seed refuses the true God, and prefers to create a god of their imagination; a god they desire to worship (some what like themselves), a god who will accept sin, a god who is a big Santa Claus in the sky, a one dimensional god, and a god of love and only love; a god who easily puts away judgment, and truth, and holiness, and righteousness for love.
Their god is so small that he has only one side to him, only one message, only one thought — love. This, of course, is defined by their definition of love and not God’s definition of love. Their god is so small (much like themselves) that if they throw enough money is his direction, he will look the other way from their sinful acts. Their god is so small that he needs greedy, evil, sinful man to act on his behalf because he is unable to act for himself. Man acts on the premise that his god is the same as himself, a god without moral or spiritual strength — a god of compromise, a god who vacillates, a god who is fickle and easily changes his mind. If their god is so great they wouldn’t need a sword. The religious man worships this small god by attempting to change Scripture to suit their belief systems. They are totally clueless that since it was the Holy Spirit of God who wrote the Scriptures, that it is the same Spirit of God who maintains and preserves His word. This is the religious man; however, within this ungodly seed there are those who totally reject the existence of God. These men (mankind) live in spiritual and moral anarchy. In an evil world, even evil is against evil because of the wickedness of men. Evil knows no unity nor peace, The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. (Psalm 14:1) The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. (Psalm 10:4)
The other group, or seed, or line understands that within all men there is no good thing, that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. They realize the only way to obtain heaven is through the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ, to be clothed by His righteousness, and to be saved from the wrath and judgment of God by the sacrifice of God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: (Romans 3:10)
There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. (Romans 3:11)
They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. (Romans 3:12)
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)
Here is the principal of universal depravity.
© Copyright 2015, Mary Haigh
Article may be used, but not for gain. Freely ye have received, freely give.
All Scripture references are from the Authorized King James Bible. (KJV)