Beware of the "Cains" Among Us - Jude 1:11

Jude warns us about people infiltrating our churches who "have taken the way of Cain" (Jude 1:4; 1:11).   

Cain was an unrepentant faker (Genesis 4:1-15):

• He was religious, but he had no faith (Hebrews 11:4). 
• He had every opportunity to know God and repent. God spoke to him directly (Genesis 4:6-7).
• He killed his brother “because his own actions were evil and his brother's were righteous” (1 John 3:12).

"Cains" among us today do the same:

• They have "religion," not relationship  (2 Timothy 3:5; Acts 20:30).
• They deceive themselves by hearing the Word but not living it (James 1:22-25). They may "talk the talk" but they won't "walk the walk."
• They will work against God's purposes in the church like "weeds among the wheat" (Matthew 13:24-30).

"Cains" exist. Jude warns us to be aware and "contend for the faith" (Jude 1:3). We should test all counsel, advice and teaching against God's Word, even if it comes from someone within the church.
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Here are 3 other 1-minute devotions that address different aspects of Cain's actions and attitudes.
A Good Bad Example
The Heart of the Matter  
Standing Firm
 

Bible Study

God obviously has things to teach us through the bad example of Cain. 
 

1. I encourage you to read the story of Cain to refresh your memory of the facts, especially Cain's lack of sorrow over his sins and his self-pity.

Genesis 4:1-16

2. How do these passages give us insight into Cain's choices?  

1 John 3:12: Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother's were righteous. 

Hebrews 11:4: By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.  

3. Note Jude's description of these false teachers.

Jude 1:3-4: Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people. 4 For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.

Note: This denial of Christ need not be a denial of Him as God - it could be a denial of His character or His commands while professing a belief in Him.
 

4. How does this parable apply?

Matthew 13:24-30: Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. 27 “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ 28 “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ 29 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”  
copyright 2017, Gail Burton Purath, BiteSizeBibleStudy.com