Cain asked this question in response to God's question, "Where is Abel thy brother?" God did not ask Cain where Abel was because He did not know. God knew that Cain had killed his brother. Cain replied, "I know not..." This was a lie, for Cain knew that he had just killed his brother. Cain's question, "Am I my brother's keeper" was intended to deceive. It revealed a cynical and hardened heart.
Indifference kept Cain from being his brother's keeper. The fact that Cain killed his brother is evidence that he simply did not care for him. Jesus commanded his disciples to wear brotherly love as a badge of their discipleship (John 13:34-35; cf. 1 John 4:19-21).
After commanding the Philippians to love one another, Paul said, "(doing) nothing through faction or through vainglory, but in lowliness of mind, each counting other better than himself; not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others." (Philippians 2:3,4) Wouldn't such love go a long way toward resolving problems among brethren? Think what could be accomplished if we manifested the same care for one another (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:25-26).
- We would share, as they did in Acts 2:44-45, when our brethren are in physical need.
- We would help, as Jesus commanded the apostles in Matthew 28:19, those who are new in Christ to grow and mature.
- We would encourage those who bear the responsibility of authority. This applies to elders (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13), preachers (Ephesians 6:19-20), and even civil authorities (1 Timothy 2:1-2).
Perhaps someone might even be heard to say of us, "I have no man likeminded who will care truly for your state." (Philippians 2:20) Cain just didn't care.
Envy kept Cain from being his brother's keeper. Centuries later, the sin of murder exhibited by Cain's envy is still held up as an awful warning to man. John said, "For this is the message which ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another: not as Cain was of the evil one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his works were evil, and his brother's righteous." (1 John 3:11-12) Envy is listed in Romans 1:29; Titus 3:3; 1 Timothy 6:4; and 1 Peter 2:1, along with others with every stripe and color of ungodliness and immorality.
We learn that Joseph's brothers who, "moved with envy," sold Joseph into Egypt (Acts 7:9). Envy aroused the bloody hand of hatred against Jesus. "For Pilate knew that for envy they had delivered (Jesus)." (Matthew 27:18) Envy will most certainly destroy us. It is described as "rottenness of the bones." (Proverbs 14:30) Envy is sinful. We must mature and learn to put it aside. "Wherefore laying aside... all envies... as new born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby." (1 Peter 1:1-2)
Selfishness kept Cain from being his brother's keeper. Selfishness is defined as being "concerned chiefly with one's own personal profit or pleasure at the expense of consideration for others" (cf. 2 Timothy 3:2). A selfish man is stubborn and obstinate. He overvalues his own conclusions and determinations. Again, we must remember to count others better than ourselves, "not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others." (Philippians 2:3-4)
In short, Cain was a self-willed, ill-willed, domineering man.
God expects us to be our brothers' keepers. We are to watch for one another,
- "Watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints." (Ephesians 6:18)
- Elders "watch in behalf of your souls, as they that shall give account; that they may do this with joy, and not with grief for this (were) unprofitable for you." (Hebrews 13:17)
- We are to provide for each other's physical necessities. In Acts 2:45 we read, "they sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all, according as any man had need." In Acts 4:34-35, "as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto each, according as anyone had need. "
- When a brother is overcome in sin we are to restore him. Paul instructed the Galatians, "Brethren, even if a man be overtaken in any trespass, ye who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to thyself, lest thou also be tempted." (Galatians 6:1; cf. James 5:19-20)
- We are also to pray for one another. James 5:16 says, "Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working." Paul called upon the Ephesians to pray for him, "that utterance may be given unto me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak." (Ephesians 6:19-20)
When the question is asked, "Am I my brother's keeper," let us read again what Cain did to his brother. Then, let us remember that the spirit of Cain will incite the raising of a murderous hand against a brother. Let us reread the warning in 1 John 3:11-18 and learn that the love we are to have for one another is a love that would cause us to "lay down our lives for the brethren." Therefore, "let us not love in word, neither with the tongue; but in deed and truth." Yes indeed, we are our brothers' keepers!