(Photo by VIJENDRA SINGH on Unsplash. Berean Standard Bible.)
Welcome to the Hope Bible School verse-by-verse Bible study of 1 John. This is Jeff M Newman. Get a new lesson every other week on Mondays at 12:00 PM Pacific.
In Lesson 96, we are going to study the first part of 1 John 3:12.
Let’s read this part of the verse:
1 John 3:12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother...
Let’s start with the definitions of the words.
Do not be (3756. ou, ouk, ouch) like (2531. kathos) — means do not conduct yourself in the manner of.
Cain (2535. Kain) — This is the first son of Adam and Eve and brother of Abel.
Who belonged to (1510. eimi) the (3588. ho, hé, to) evil one (4190. ponéros) — means “was of the evil one,” referring to Satan. Cain's actions showed that he was aligned with the evil one.
And murdered (4969. sphazó) — means “to slaughter,” “to kill,” or “to slay violently.” In this context, it refers to Cain’s deliberate and violent murder of Abel.
His (846. autos) brother (80. adelphos) — means “his male sibling.” Here it refers to Abel, Cain’s brother.
In other words, do not conduct yourself in the manner of Cain, the first son of Adam and Eve and brother of Abel, who was of the wicked one, or Satan, and whose character and conduct were aligned with the evil one as he violently killed his brother Abel.
In context, John makes a clear distinction between the children of God and the children of the devil. He explains that this distinction is seen in a person’s practice of righteousness and love for fellow believers.
In 1 John 3:11, the previous verse John says, “For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.”
Then in 1 John 3:12, John gives us the opposite example. He tells us not to be like Cain, who did not love his brother but hated him, and that hatred ultimately led to murder.
Therefore, Cain is a negative example of what John has just told us to do. Instead of loving his brother, Cain hated him, and that hatred ultimately led to murder.
Cain’s actions demonstrated a pattern of sin and rebellion against God that ultimately led to murder. His example is a serious warning to us not to allow sinful attitudes and behaviors to take root in our lives.
John tells us that Cain belonged to the evil one, or was of the evil one, referring to the devil or Satan.
Being “of the evil one” means that Cain’s character and conduct were aligned with the evil one. His actions reflected the character of Satan. It does not mean that Cain was literally Satan’s son.
This connects directly to what John said earlier in 1 John 3:8.
1 John 3:8 The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed, to destroy the works of the devil.
John is not saying that every time a Christian commits a sin, that person becomes “of the devil.” The context is speaking about a person whose life is characterized by the habitual practice of sin.
Cain acted in a manner that was aligned with the devil's character. He allowed his sinful anger and hatred toward his brother to lead him to murder Abel.
In John 8:44, Jesus told the religious leaders who were rejecting Him that they were “of your father the devil” and that they wanted to carry out their father’s desires. He then told them that the devil “was a murderer from the beginning.”
This helps us understand the connection John is making between Cain and the evil one or the devil. Cain acted in a manner that was aligned with the devil’s character. He allowed his sinful anger and hatred toward his brother to lead him to murder Abel.
John 8:44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him…
In the book of Genesis, we can learn more about Cain and what led to the murder of his brother.
Cain became angry because God accepted Abel’s offering but did not accept his offering.
In Genesis 4:6-7, we see that God warned Cain before he committed murder. God asked Cain why he was angry and told him that sin was crouching at his door. God warned Cain that sin desired him, but that he needed to rule over it or master it.
Genesis 4:6–7 “Why are you angry,” said the LORD to Cain, “and why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you refuse to do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires you, but you must master it.”
This shows us that sin often begins with a thought, desire, or attitude in the heart.
If we continue to entertain it rather than dealing with it, our thought or desire can lead to sinful behavior and destructive consequences.
Jesus warns us about sin in our hearts and teaches us to deal with it at the heart level. What happens in the heart can eventually affect our actions.
Look at these two verses where Jesus addresses anger and lust:
Matthew 5:22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.
Matthew 5:28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Sin can progress. What begins as a sinful thought, desire, or attitude can grow into sinful behavior and eventually produce destructive consequences.
Here are some possible sin progressions.
Anger can lead to hatred and eventually to murder.
Lust can lead to sexual sin, including adultery and fornication.
Coveting can lead to greed and eventually to stealing.
Pride can lead to self-exaltation and eventually to rebellion.
Because of this we need to guard our hearts.
In Proverbs 4:23, we are called to guard our hearts carefully, like a soldier guarding a fortress against an enemy. What we allow to take root in our hearts matters because what is happening in our hearts can eventually affect how we live.
Proverbs 4:23 Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.
In conclusion, we are not to be like Cain. He allowed sinful anger and hatred to grow in his heart. God warned him, but Cain did not listen. His sinful attitude eventually led him to murder his brother.
Remember this: sin can take you further than you intended to go.
Listen carefully to God’s Word. Deal with sin in your heart before it grows, and do not give the enemy room to lead you further into sin.
But be encouraged. When you put your faith in Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to live within you. He helps you understand God’s Word, guides you in the way you should go, and gives you strength to overcome sin.
When God reveals sin in your heart, don’t ignore it. Ask Him to help you deal with it and give you the strength to overcome it.
Here is a prayer to respond to today’s lesson.
Lord, help me not to be like Cain. Help me guard my heart and recognize sin before it grows. When You show me anger, jealousy, pride, lust, or any other sinful attitude in my heart, help me deal with it and not give it room to grow. Help me listen to Your Word, obey Your warnings, and choose righteousness and love. Give me the strength to overcome sin and follow You. Make me more like Jesus and help me love others as You have commanded. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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Listen to these lessons over and over again.
Meditate on God’s Word throughout the day. Pray continually. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
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Thank you and God bless you.
Jeff M Newman
