Scripture References: Genesis 4:12-24

From last lesson: It is sometimes, though not always, possible to escape some of the consequences of sin: we can change our attitude and possibly our lifestyle so as to lessen the depths of our life that is exposed to others, or we can accustom and harden ourselves to a very second-rate kind of life.

We can teach ourselves to share no remorse, to salve the quickening conscience until it stings us no more. We can teach ourselves to live without much love in our homes or in our connections with those outside; we can learn to be satisfied if we can pay our way and make the time pass and be outwardly like other people; we can build a little empire we can claim as our own, and be content to be on only very friendly terms with only the select few inside our circle, and we can actually be quite satisfied if we can defend ourselves against the rest of mankind.

We can certainly forget the great commandment, that we should love one another. We can always find much in the world to comfort, to lull, to soothe sorrowful but wholesome remembrances; much to aid us in an easy treatment of the curse; we can embrace much to shed superficial brightness on a life darkened and debased by sin, much to hush up the sad echoes that whisper from the darkness of vanity we have left behind us, much that assures us we have nothing to do but forget our old sins and busily occupy ourselves with new duties. It becomes easier and easier in the light of making ourselves busy, to dull the pain, lull the sting of a guilty conscience.

Cain’s true legacy is actually one of no remorse, of ignored guilt and justification in the face of any accusations, especially that of God and His Holy Spirit. One of the Holy Spirit’s manifestations is to convict us. Not like guilt does, with stinging and sharpness, not in sentencing us to judgment, for that is for Jesus one day, but rather the conviction the Holy Spirit applies, is convincing, convincing us of our sin, of our weakness and of our inability to save ourselves aside from Jesus Christ. He convinces us in a firm but loving way that we need Jesus. The Holy Spirit worked outwardly under the Old Covenant. Today, He works within us under the New Covenant. You can sear and harden your conscience, but you cannot quiet the Spirit’s still-small voice. To do so, is to reject Him and the truth and liberty He desires to lead us into. I’m sure Cain could have repented and been reconciled to God, but his sin, his legacy, is the outright rejection of God and His redemption.

So, in closing, let it be said that no man of true spiritual discernment and no man such as the likes of David would ever say, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgotten;” but rather, the spiritual heart would cry out, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered . . . to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit” (Psalm 32:1-2).

By all means we can all make a fresh start, a new beginning, but let it be in our own broken heart, in a spirit humility and contriteness, with remorse, repenting of our wrong deeds and frankly acknowledging our guilt and finding rest and settlement for our soul in reconciliation with God. God is willing, for He truly desires that none should perish! (2 Peter 3:9).

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.