The Sins of Cain

Text: Genesis 4:3-4

Introduction: If I should ask you, “What was the sin of Cain?” 
No doubt you would answer, “Murder.”  But, are you sure the 
answer is that simple?  Actually, the Scriptures record a 
series of sins of which Cain was guilty.
To show how one sin leads to another, we will examine the sins 
of Cain.  To trace his final rebellion to its source, we will 
examine Cain’s sins, we will examine Cain’s sins in their 
reverse order.

Body:
  I. The Sins of Cain.
     A. Lying. Verse 9 “I know not.”
        1. God’s attitude toward lying is clearly made 
           known both in the Old and New Testament.
        2. Scriptures:
           a. Proverbs 6:16-17; 12:22
           b. Ephesians 4:25
           c. Revelation 21:8
     B. Murder. Verse 8
        1. Again, the seriousness of the sin of murder is 
           clearly revealed in both the Old and New 
           Testament.
        2. Scriptures:
           a. Genesis 9:6
           b. Revelation 21:8; 22:15
     C. Hatred. implied in verse 9.
        1. Cain would not have killed his brother if he had 
           not first hated him.  That is why both Old and 
           New Testament have warned against the sin of 
           hatred.
        2. Scriptures:
           a. Leviticus 19:17
           b. 1 John 2:9, 11; 3:11-15; 4:20
     D. Envy. verses 4-5
        1. Cain was envious of his brother because Abel’s 
           sacrifice had been acceptable in God’s sight, 
           while Cain’s own sacrifice had been rejected.
        2. Scriptures:
           a. Proverbs 14:30
           b. James 3:16
           c. Galatians 5:19, 21
     E. Anger. Verse 5
        1. Matthew 5:22
        2. Colossians 3:8
        3. Ephesians 4:31, 26 
     F. Unbelief.
        1. The Hebrew writer gives us insight as to why 
           God’s accepted Abel’s sacrifice and rejected 
           that of Cain.  Abel’s sacrifice was offered in 
           faith.
           a. Hebrews 11:4
           b. Romans 10:17
        2. Though Cain believed there was a God, and 
           believed that God should be worshipped, his 
           faith was insufficient sacrifice.  Such is 
           implied in Genesis 4:7.
     G. Self-Will

 II. The Results of Cain’s Sins. Verse 16
     A. He accused God of driving him out, verse 14, but 
        such was not so. 4:14
        1. God had tried to reason with him from the start, 
           when he offered an unacceptable sacrifice. Verse 
           7
        2. After the murder of Abel, God again gave Cain an 
           opportunity to repent, but Cain chose to 
           continue his sinful rebellion. Verse 9
        3. Even the chastisement that followed the sin – of 
           lying to God (verses 10-15) could have been 
           served to bring Cain to repentance, but it only 
           led him to more bitterness.
     B. Cain went out. Verse 16
        1. Out of the presence of the Lord, Cain brought 
           forth his son, Enoch, verses 16-17
        2. Out of God’s presence, Cain became the founder 
           of a city, and what a pitiful place it must have 
           been.
        3. The Bible records six generations of Cain’s 
           descendents and implies that none of them ever 
           called upon the name of the Lord, verses 25-26.
        4. It was by Cain’s great, great, great grandson, 
           Lamech, that the second (at lest recorded) 
           murder was committed (verse 23) and also by him 
           that polygamy was introduced (verse 19), 
           violating the principle found in Genesis 2:24.
        5. It appears from a study of the book of Genesis 
           that the generation following Lamech was the 
           last so far as Cain’s descendents were 
           concerned.  It was about that time that God 
           brought upon the world the great flood described 
           in Genesis 6, and with it were swept away the 
           wicked descendents of Cain, the man who went out 
           of the presences of God.