God’s judgement and compassion
by Norma Koehne
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If you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it (Genesis 4:7b).
Read Genesis 4:1–16
This tragic example of jealousy and anger so vividly illustrates what Jesus later said in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:22:
But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgement. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca’, is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
It is illustrated again later in what we read in 1 John 3:15: ‘All who hate a brother or sister are murderers, and you know that murderers do not have eternal life abiding in them.’ What festers in the heart has terrible consequences.
We are not told why God rejected Cain’s offering. However, it is evident from God’s response to Cain’s anger and despondency that he saw into Cain’s heart and knew not all was right. Sin was ‘crouching at [his] door’. God gave Cain a chance to repent, take stock and ask for forgiveness. He said, ‘Sin desires to have you, but you must rule over it’ (verse 7).
Sin leads to punishment. In his perfect holiness, God abhors sin and must punish the offender. Cain is cursed, banished from God’s presence and is to wander the earth all his days. When Cain realises the dire consequences of what he has done, especially that he ‘will be hidden from [God’s] presence’ (verse 14). In despair, he says, ‘My punishment is more than I can bear’ (verse 13). God has compassion and marks Cain to wander the earth unmolested.
Each of us knows that sin is crouching at our door, waiting for a chance to destroy us. With the help of the Holy Spirit, as baptised children of God, we do well to heed the advice given to us in our confirmation to daily examine our hearts and repent. Through Christ’s death, we are assured that our sins are forgiven, the slate is wiped clean, and we are clothed in his robes of righteousness.
Lord, forgive those secret sins that fester in our hearts. Lead us to repent and praise you for the forgiveness we receive through the life and death of your Son, Jesus Christ, who paid for those sins. Amen.
Norma grew up in Koonibba SA. She was a teacher at Concordia College in SA and then served in various roles in Papua New Guinea with her husband. Returning to Australia, Norma worked as an International Student Advisor and, after completing a PhD, worked in administration at the University of Divinity. She has been privileged to serve the LCA on the General Church Board, the Seminary Council, and as president of Lutheran Women of Victoria and Lutheran Women of Australia. Currently, she is happily retired.
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