I’ve known murderers. I used to volunteer in a maximum security prison. Considering that only 50% of murderers get caught and convicted, you probably have known some as well and just didn’t know it.

But how does one get there that they would take the life of another? How can a sweet little boy or little girl held in their mother’s arms grow up to do something like that? Worse, Jesus says that anyone who hates another is a murderer of the heart. I wish I could say I never hate anyone but that would be a lie.

So how did the murder of Cain and Able begin?

1. Justifying a Wrong

Cain knew what he was doing was wrong. But he thought it would be Ok as why not.

His older brother tended flocks and brought the required offering of an animal. Cain grew crops and thought why couldn’t he bring the firstfruits of his work? His crops?

Yes, God had said an offering was to bring an animal. But that meant he likely had to buy it from his brother. And why was his brother’s work more valuable?

There’s so much justification that could take place. I’m sure it was mainly the problem of comparison with his brother and then deciding to do things differently than God had required. But only slightly differently. He still brought an offering. Of his work. Just not the offering that God required that was easy for his brotehr to give.

2. Let Anger Simmer and Grow

When God didn’t accept his offering, he simmered in anger. Anger if let to itself will always grow without restraint.

Even from the beginning anger seeks for someone to blame. In this case it was his brother. Jealousy ruled.

3. Let Pride Win

Cain could have humbled himself and repented. He did not. Instead he hardened his heart with pride, and the anger was projected to his brother.

So he killed his brother.

4. Be Angry/Fearful when You Receive Punishment

It was Ok for him to murder his brother, but when God brought punishment on him so much that he feared others would kill him, it was a different story.

I’ve heard this theme many times. I heard of one hit man who took out hundreds. But then his gang turned on him and he was scared. It’s a dizzying sense of power for a criminal to do his work, but when the tables change, he feels something entirely different.

In this story God shown Cain a mercy he didn’t deserve. He put a mark on him that somehow let everyone know they were not to kill him. But he did make him a wanderer of the earth.

So what about us? How do we become murderers of the heart?

We do this all the time.

1. We sin and justify it.
2. We become angry with the consequences and let that anger grow.
3. We become prideful instead of repentant.
4. We may not murder in the flesh but we murder them in our heart, cutting them out of our hearts and the hearts of others.
5. We get upset when something similar happens to us.

What were the roots here? Pride. Jealousy. Comparison.

What was the answer? Repentance.

It’s perhaps why repentance is a necessity in coming to Christ.

• Jesus taught repentance
• John the Baptist taught repentance
• The apostles preached repentance

It takes humbling ourselves to repent. But there’s no other way forward.