Ruling Over the Sin thats Crouching at Your Door
This story I’m talking about today is one of the MOST known bible stories in and outside the church: the story of Cain and Abel. When I was reading it last year in preparation for the Advent study I wrote, something about it really stuck out to me: the seriousness with which God has always handled our sin.
For those unfamiliar with this story, it goes like this. After Adam and Eve, the first ever created humans, are kicked out of the garden (nice going Adam and Eve), they start a family. They have two sons. The two sons are required to bring offerings to God. Abel brings animals and Cain brings plants. Cain was upset because his offerings weren't approved of like Abel's. We get the first written case of jealousy.
Genesis 4:6-7 says, "Then the Lord said to Cain, "Why are you furious? And why do you look despondent? If you do what is right, won't you be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it."
This is directly following the Fall, humanity's grand exit from unlimited access to God's presence. We are not aware of how much time has truly passed since the events of Genesis chapter three, but even after the Fall God is still very present with His people. This paints a more vivid picture that God loves His creation and desires to be with them. This also showcases the immediacy with which sin changes the world.
Instantly, the effects of sin are seen in Cain. Before a word is on our tongues, the Lord knows all about it. God knows what Cain is thinking and plotting. He gives Cain a promise and a warning. And then he says something interesting: "Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it."
That phrase gives me chills. Like a snake in the grass, like a lion on the prow, like a thief sneaking in the night, sin's desire is for us. It wants us. It wants to consume us, dictate us, and chain us forever. And God is encouraging Cain not to avoid or ignore it but to actively rule over it.
I can't help but compare that to when God tells Adam and Eve to dress and keep the earth. Watch over it. Take care of it. Tend to it (Genesis 2:15). This was not the case with sin. Sin was and is not a part of God's creation. That’s what sin is: anything separate from God’s original design for how we were meant to live. And God’s actions towards sin make it clear He wants His creation to have nothing to do with it.
I also can't help but think of God's heart here. He has just had to kick His creation out of the Garden because of their sin. He is now attempting to dissuade Cain from indulging in sin, although He already knows what's going to happen. Was this heartbreaking for Him? Was He looking at His creation and becoming sad? Angry? I wonder what His tone of voice was like as He spoke to Cain. Was it urgent? Indignant? Dejected?
The Fall drastically and promptly impacts the trajectory of humankind. I feel like verse 7, when God says, "Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it," reveals a theme. This is a message repeated throughout Genesis, the Old Testament, and is a similar message found when Jesus tells us to not let sin rule over us (repent) for the kingdom of God is near. Understanding the Fall and sin is vital for understanding the Biblical narrative because its traces are conspicuous throughout the Bible. It still is today.
Making this discovery drew me to other passages that address sin to figure out what we can do on this side of heaven to fight the good fight God has laid before us and handle sin just as seriously as He does. What does God’s word really say about practically ruling over sin?
The first thing we must do to rule over sin is acknowledge that being tempted by sin is found in all people. Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." There is not a single person on this earth that hasn't sinned. We cannot keep living this life and pretending it doesn't exist or that it doesn't affect us. It does. This is why God does not tell Cain to ignore his feelings or avoid the conversation. God says to rule over it. You can't rule over something you don't think exists.
The second thing we need to do is figure out our own evil desire. James 1:14-15 says, "But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death." We are all tempted by specific things. Cain, for example, was tempted by jealousy. He wanted his offering to get the same attention Abel's got. He felt that he deserved it. He killed for it.
This imagery of desire, conceiving, giving birth to sin, becoming fully grown, and leading to death, it's a strange metaphor. But oh so enlightening. Sin is not something that magically combusts in us. It grows and lingers in our hearts until we act on it and give birth to it. But sin is not a cute baby that you can cuddle. The author uses the metaphor of giving birth but never gives the reward that comes with labor, a reward that I at 8 months pregnant am longing for daily. Because there is none with sin. There might be some pleasure, but there is no eternal reward. It breeds more brokenness and our own destruction. Period.
Sin will devour us unless we can find that little voice in our heads that is distinct to each person. You deserve the attention. You deserve pleasure. You deserve to be angry and lash out. You deserve all that you want at the expense of other people. What's that one for you? Repent of it. Like, now, right now, as you're reading this post. Take a second to pray to God, ask Him to forgive you, and help you turn away from that sin. Do this every day.
Once we acknowledge sin and point out the evil desire within us, then it's time to actively resist the sin crouching at our door. 1 Peter 5:8 says, "Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world." A few different action steps go into actively resisting sin.
The first step is being alert. Another word Peter uses in the same sentence is sober-minded. What I hear from those words is clarity. It is clear to us actively resisting sin what the lines are between sin and holiness. We know what it means to please God and we know what doesn't please Him. We are not confused or unsure because we know God's word that acts like a light to our feet and a lamp to our path (Psalm 119:105). We trust God’s word and commands as it has the knowledge we need to keep us from sinning against God (Psalm 119:11, 1 Timothy 3:16-17).
The second step is being firm in faith. We know, trust, believe, and cling to the truth that God is good. God is who He says He is.
The same God that wants to help us resist the sin crouching at our door came and lived among us. He resisted the temptation and sin that was crouching at His door.
He then was beaten in our place, spilled His pure blood, and died a brutal death so we could be washed clean of our sins.
Jesus, son of God and son of Man, lay in a grave for three days, then rose in victory, completely defeating death, sin, darkness, and Hell once and for all so that we could have the power of the Holy Spirit to stand firm against the Enemy.
The Holy Spirit helps us to understand and apply the knowledge found in God’s words. Where the Bible tells us what sin is, the Holy Spirit empowers us to stand against it. We cannot do this in our own strength.
Not only do we have this hope here and now, but also, our Christ, Lord, King, and Savior will be returning soon to finally bring an end to the reign of this enemy and establish His new kingdom here on earth.
This is the pinnacle of our faith. This is our anchor. If we do not stand firm in our faith, then we will not stand at all (Isaiah 7:9). We will be overtaken, overrun, and devoured.
The third step is remembering that you are not alone. No temptation of sin is new under the sun. Not only this, more than that, you do not have to resist sin by yourself. Accountability is not meant to keep us perfect, but bring us into the community God died for. We are meant to be a part of the Church, the Body of Believers, the collective group of people in pursuit of Christ.
James 5:16 says, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.”
1 Peter reminds us that believers all over the world are being tempted the same way we might be, telling us we are not alone. James encourages us to not stay in that sin alone. James tells us to confess our sins with one another and pray with one another about sin.
So often we feel that hiding sin from our community makes us better, but Scripture points to quite the opposite. We are never more vulnerable than when we are alone. Conversely, we experience more of the Holy Spirit’s power to overcome sin when we confess our sin to Holy Spirit filled people.
Sin is real. It knows how to get under each and every person's skin. It is not something we can take lightly. Sin's presence in the Bible and in the world emphasizes an even more profound truth: God has a holy and relentless aim to be in relationship with His creation. God will never give up on us just because of our sin.
Let’s resist our own personal, real sin and temptation as a sober-minded people, firmly standing on our faith in God, and relying on the Holy Spirit and one another as His Church.
Not only is this something that we should do as God’s holy people, but it’s something we now get to do because of our God and Savior. Just because we are tempted like Adam, Eve, and Cain, doesn’t mean our fate has to end up the same as there’s. Actually, that’s a promise God makes to us.
Tired of fighting sin on your own?
Check out one of our local churches:
This is just the few that I have had experiences with, there are many wonderful churches in our area!
