“Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Where is Abel your brother?’ And he said, ‘I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?’” (Gen. 4:9).
You are responsible for your brothers. When you hurt your brother, you wound your God. Relationships within the body of Christ, within the church are significant, for Jesus says, “Everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever shall say to his brother, ‘Raca,’ (‘good for nothing’) shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever shall say, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell… be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering” (Mt. 5:22, 24).
Surely Cain would have confessed to loving God. Yet, did he? John writes, “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen” (I Jn. 4:20).
This dialogue between God and Cain probably took place in Cain’s workplace (the field), not in a church. When God called to Adam (Gen. 3:9), He was in Eden’s forest. God is always present wherever you are. He is involved in your life and cares about the activities of your hands, for these are nothing more than revelations of what is occurring in your heart.
In the strength of His grace, your Lord God questions Cain allowing him the opportunity to confess his sin and repent (I Jn. 1:9). Cain chooses to lie. Why? Does Cain think that Abel’s body, like Adam’s, is so well hidden in the trees that God’s vision is arrested? Jesus says, “…there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known” (Mt. 10:26).
“Am I my brother’s keeper?” This very first question that any man ever asked God is overflowing with impertinence and deception. Cain’s response is designed to deceive. Nevertheless, God cannot be deceived:
- “And there is no creature hidden from his sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do” (Heb. 4:13).
- “Naked is Sheol before Him and Abaddon has no covering” (Job 26:6).
- “For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His” (II Chron. 16:9).
Zophar’s remarks to Job affords great appreciation for the fullness of God’s awareness: “Can you discover the depths of God? Can you discover the limits of the Almighty? They are high as the heavens, what can you do? Deeper than Sheol, what can you know? Its measure is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea. If He passes by or shuts up, or calls an assembly, who can restrain Him? For He knows false men, and He sees iniquity without investigating” (Job 11:7-11).
Sin is brutal. Sinning against a brother is an even more outrageous and rank brutality. God is mindful of your heart attitudes toward your brothers and sisters (your biological and spiritual siblings). You are your brother’s keeper!
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