If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?

Genesis 4:7

If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door, it desires to have you, but you must master it.

As a christian, we tend to err in areas at times or another. In this verse, God spoke to Cain when he did not do what was right (giving some offerings of fruits from the soil) therefore not finding favour with God while his brother Abel did (bringing fat portions from some of his firstborn of his flock as offering).

The result – Cain was filled with anger and was depressed.

Eventually, out of anger, Cain murdered Abel. He did not master sin.

Why did Cain become angry?

I hypothesized there could be two reasons. Firstly, he was angry because of jealousy and envy, what he had wanted so badly – favour from God, was bestowed on his brother instead of him. Secondly, he was angry of his brother because he did not help him in matters in pleasing God and got all the favour from God by himself. Cain in his own folly or carelessness, tried to please God in his own ways, while Abel obeyed ways which he knew God could be pleased. The result – God found favour with Abel and not Cain. Cain would be screaming at his brother: “Why have you not tried to correct me?” 

I would be sharing on what I have learnt from Gal 6:1-5 on restoration and bearing one another’s burdens in my other post.

How can we overcome sin? See this! And this!