I Plead Ignorance!
Posted by
Pastor Coon
Labels:
From My Desk
Genesis 4:9 "And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?"
Who was the first man ever born? If you said Adam you're off just a bit...it was Cain (Adam's oldest son). Now who was the first murderer? Sadly, its Cain again. It didn't take mankind very long to start off on the wrong foot with killing of each other, did it?! This had nothing to do with a "broken home" or a "bad environment" as many like to blame for sin and violence. This was simply just selfishness and anger on his part. Think about it: the very first man that was ever born became a murderer. That says a load about the true nature of man, doesn't it?!?
As God did with Adam in the Garden of Eden, He asked Cain a rhetorical question. He said, "Where is Abel thy brother?" Did God really need that information? No-He knew exactly where Abel was at that moment. The one who needed to be "enlightened" was Cain. God asked him that question to pinpoint his sin-to help Cain see what he had done.
Many times, questions can be more piercing than accusations, and so it was with Cain. He responded to God with the famous line, "I know not: am I my brother's keeper?" Many times, we use this line in sarcasm to distance ourselves from responsibility. And that is exactly why Cain said what he did! Instead of acknowledging his guilt, he pled ignorance. And he lied-plain and simple-when he said, "I know not." He refused to come face to face with his sin.
Though most of us have never literally murdered anyone, we tend to do just what Cain did. We turn a blind eye to the sin in our lives and act as if it is not there. Though acting innocent before others may be convincing, we cannot plead ignorance before an all-knowing God. He knows the sins of our hearts; He sees what we think we have hidden.
Notice the second part of Cain's reply. Not only did he plead ignorance, but then he exaggerated God's demands to turn the focus away from his responsibility: "Am I my brother's keeper?" Was Cain put on this earth by God for the sole purpose of taking care of his brother? The answer is obviously no. But does that clear him from any responsibility for his brother? Again, the answer is no. Cain was trying to evade responsibility altogether.
Mankind today still does this. For instance, if someone is confronted about a sin in his life, he might respond, "So now I'm the biggest sinner in the world, huh? Who are you to say?" Is he truly the "biggest sinner in the world"? I would dare say no. But does that mean his "little" sin is not important to God? The truth is, Cain was responsible to God for his actions toward his brother. He did need to answer for his brother's welfare.
Pleading ignorance never works with God. It didn't work for Cain, and it doesn't work for any of us. Are you your "brother's keeper"? Well, like Cain, you do have responsibility before God for how you treat those around you. Don't shirk that responsibility by pleading ignorance. Face up to your responsibilities. Get right what you need to get right. Be honest with yourself and with God. You'll be the better for it, and so will those around you.
Who was the first man ever born? If you said Adam you're off just a bit...it was Cain (Adam's oldest son). Now who was the first murderer? Sadly, its Cain again. It didn't take mankind very long to start off on the wrong foot with killing of each other, did it?! This had nothing to do with a "broken home" or a "bad environment" as many like to blame for sin and violence. This was simply just selfishness and anger on his part. Think about it: the very first man that was ever born became a murderer. That says a load about the true nature of man, doesn't it?!?
As God did with Adam in the Garden of Eden, He asked Cain a rhetorical question. He said, "Where is Abel thy brother?" Did God really need that information? No-He knew exactly where Abel was at that moment. The one who needed to be "enlightened" was Cain. God asked him that question to pinpoint his sin-to help Cain see what he had done.
Many times, questions can be more piercing than accusations, and so it was with Cain. He responded to God with the famous line, "I know not: am I my brother's keeper?" Many times, we use this line in sarcasm to distance ourselves from responsibility. And that is exactly why Cain said what he did! Instead of acknowledging his guilt, he pled ignorance. And he lied-plain and simple-when he said, "I know not." He refused to come face to face with his sin.
Though most of us have never literally murdered anyone, we tend to do just what Cain did. We turn a blind eye to the sin in our lives and act as if it is not there. Though acting innocent before others may be convincing, we cannot plead ignorance before an all-knowing God. He knows the sins of our hearts; He sees what we think we have hidden.
Notice the second part of Cain's reply. Not only did he plead ignorance, but then he exaggerated God's demands to turn the focus away from his responsibility: "Am I my brother's keeper?" Was Cain put on this earth by God for the sole purpose of taking care of his brother? The answer is obviously no. But does that clear him from any responsibility for his brother? Again, the answer is no. Cain was trying to evade responsibility altogether.
Mankind today still does this. For instance, if someone is confronted about a sin in his life, he might respond, "So now I'm the biggest sinner in the world, huh? Who are you to say?" Is he truly the "biggest sinner in the world"? I would dare say no. But does that mean his "little" sin is not important to God? The truth is, Cain was responsible to God for his actions toward his brother. He did need to answer for his brother's welfare.
Pleading ignorance never works with God. It didn't work for Cain, and it doesn't work for any of us. Are you your "brother's keeper"? Well, like Cain, you do have responsibility before God for how you treat those around you. Don't shirk that responsibility by pleading ignorance. Face up to your responsibilities. Get right what you need to get right. Be honest with yourself and with God. You'll be the better for it, and so will those around you.
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