We are all familiar with the Genesis account of Cain's and Abel's sacrifices to the Lord. God respected Abel's sacrifice--the firstborn of his flock and their fat--but God did not respect Cain and his offering--the fruit of the ground (Genesis 4:4,5). Abel sacrificed "by faith," but Cain substituted his own will instead of doing God's will. "By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks." (Hebrews 11:4) "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17) God will not accept, no matter how sincerely given, religious substitutions in worship. But the point of this article is what occurred after Cain and Abel sacrificed.

Instead of realizing his error, humbly repenting, and admitting his wrongdoing, Cain's countenance fell (Genesis 4:6). When the Lord approached Cain regarding his attitude, He asked, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?" (vs.7) God knew Cain's heart. Cain had developed a serious heart problem that ultimately would change the outcome of his life and determine his destiny. He had set in motion a heart and mindset that would bear the unrighteous fruit of murder. God said to Cain "If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it." (Genesis 4:7, NKJV).

God presented Cain with some of the fundamental principles of the gospel. First, God is not a respecter of persons. If we fall short of being acceptable to Him, the fault is wholly our own. Secondly, to correct the sin in our lives, we must repent. "If now thou do well: if thou repent of thy sin, reform thy heart and life, and bring the sacrifice in a better manner; thou shalt yet be accepted" (J. W notes). We can see how early elements of the gospel were preached, and the benefit of God's mercy, but Cain's heart was not right. He was rebelling against God. Cain's heart was obstinate, and God knew it. Therefore, God set before Cain death and a curse. Seeing that he would "not do well" and not offer in faith in the right manner, "SIN LIETH AT THE DOOR." That is, sin had hindered his acceptance, and it is sin that blocked Cain's way.

This phrase also bears out the thought that if Cain did not correct his stubborn heart and his failure to comply with God's will, then "sin lieth at the door." Cain's defiant attitude led him into more sin. "Sin lieth at the door" depicts the idea of a beast of prey, crouched at the door, ready to pounce. Cain's unfit attitude led him into more unrighteousness. It unleashed the wild, defiant beast in his unrighteous heart. The remainder of the verse says, "And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it" (vs. 7b). God gave Cain advance warning--if he continued to rebel against God's will, more sin would be forthcoming--and told him he should regain his self-control. Sadly, we all know the outcome of this tragic story. "Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him" (Genesis 4:8). Heavenly counsel failed to deter the rebel. The wild beast crouching at his heart's door sprang, and the tragic deed was done.

Today, we see in many people, hearts that are rebellious like Cain's. They are defiant, self-serving hearts, wanting to have their own way, and unwilling to accept God's way.

To those who have hearts like Cain's, God says, "Sin lieth at the door." Let's examine a few practical examples.

"Sin lieth at the door" of the heart that defies God' s laws regarding marriage, divorce, and remarriage. God spoke clearly regarding this matter (Matthew19:9). But some are antagonistic toward God's strictness and are, like Cain, unsatisfied because they cannot exercise their own will on the matter. They lash out like beasts, with more and more false doctrine. It is amazing to see all the variants of teaching, all to discredit the plain teaching of Jesus. Some say, "Divorce is just the act of adultery." Others say, "Divorce is not a civil matter." But the ultimate end is that "sin lieth at the door." In all situations where there is false teaching, false justification results in adultery.

If one has a defiant heart that wants to justify worldliness and participation in the things of this world, rather than in the holiness and purity of the Christian life, "sin lieth at the door." Such people, with such hearts, argue with the Lord. The Lord sees their "fallen countenances." They are not content with the Bible's teaching regarding modesty and propriety. For those who will not change, repent, and be happy to live lives that profess godliness, "sin lieth at the door." Obstinately, they are determined, as was Cain, to have their own way, and they will go to the prom dance, wear the shorter skirts, have the glass of alcohol, etc. For those who have such defiant hearts, "sin lieth at the door." The wild beast springs forth and slays its victim, even more so than with the sins of fornication and adultery. Such people are consumed by fleshly works and desires.

Church members who have hearts like Cain's are often disgruntled over doing what is right. Many a church has fallen victim, desiring to please men, rather than God. "Not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free" (Ephesians 6:6-8). In these groups, "sin lieth at the door." With defiant hearts that are not content with the gospel, they, like Cain, make substitutions that God has not authorized. They introduce another gospel, the social gospel. The carnal (not spiritual) activities of recreation become the church's activities. These sins have taken spirituality out of the church, and the wild beast has slain again.

We see that "sin lieth at the door" of the one who has a love affair with money. "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows" (1 Timothy 6: 10). The sins of stealing, cheating, selfishness, gambling, forsaking service to God, etc., come from hearts that refuse to believe that "godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Timothy 6:6). What is the answer? Learn to control your material mind. As God said to Cain, "its desire is for you, but you should rule over it."

Let us not allow ourselves to fall "prey" to the sins that spring from corrupt hearts. Whenever we learn the right way, the Lord's way, let us not become disgruntled and upset with the truth and rebel against it. Such rebellion only leads to more sin. Sin is crouching (lying, lurking) at the door of your heart. Unless, with the Lord's help, you assert control of your circumstances, sin, like a wild beast, will spring upon you! Why not follow Abel's righteous example, for which he will be rewarded, instead of Cain's unrighteous example?