1 John 3:12 ¹²not as Cain, who was of the evil one and slaughtered his brother. And why did he slaughter him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous.

Switching back to the negative, John illustrates the opposite of verse 11. The story of Cain demonstrates the first evidence of the problem of inbred sin that came as a result of Adam’s and Eve’s disobedience. Something broke in humans when they ate of the forbidden fruit. The seed of selfishness grew until it bore the fruit of jealousy and hatred in the second generation. Cain’s descent into sin demonstrates what happens to humanity when we turn from the light and embrace the deceit of the darkness.

The devil’s lie can have significant consequences. Sin promises power, position, prestige, protection, and prosperity. It offers honor but ends in shame. Cain was looking for power and control. He wanted to do things his way. He listened to the lie that said to his conscience that getting rid of his brother would take care of his shame before God, but it only deepened his shame. Giving in to one sin makes it easier to give in to another. In this case, the lie led to murder. The Bible does not say elsewhere that Cain’s deeds were evil, only that God was pleased more with Abel’s offering (Hebrews 11:4), but John’s statement is an obvious conclusion in the context of biblical theology. Cain became envious of Abel and failed the test of love. The small sin grew into a bigger sin that ended up taking his brother’s life.

One of the problems with listening to the lie of the devil and giving in to the enticement of sin is that the same sin is easier to do the next time. We justify our actions and think that the sin does not matter. The real issue is at the level of the heart and attitude. When sin is allowed in, it is like a virus that will eat away at our hearts until they are blackened by sin’s deceit. Cain’s murder of Abel was the outcome of a heart that had given in to the deceit of sin, resulting in a blackened heart that rejected the grace of God. The darkness does not like the light and seeks to destroy it.

Sin is dangerous to dabble with. Don’t play with fire or you will get burnt!