Alan Fong
3 min read
Alan Fong
3 min read
Alan Fong
3 min read
Flipping the Coin
Today's Verse:
If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. ~Genesis 4:7
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you did not know what to choose, and someone told you to “flip a coin”? The idea behind flipping the coin is that when someone is at a crossroads in making a difficult decision, the flipping of the coin makes the decision for him. Using a penny or a nickel as an example of a coin, if the coin lands on the head, the decision is yes. If the coin ends up on its tail or back side, the decision is no. The idea is that flipping the coin leaves the decision to which side the coin falls upon, and not to a set of principles and guidelines that soundly direct our decision. This morning, let us see the importance of making the right decision when it comes to obeying God.
We see a premeditated undertaking.
Cain and his brother, Abel, had been taught that they were to bring a blood sacrifice as an offering for their respective sins. God taught them that one innocent lamb would have to die for each man’s sins. Instead, Cain brought to God of the fruit of the ground as his offering. As a farmer, Cain was proud of what he grew and decided that he would give of his fruit as an offering. He knew what God required of him, but he brought what he thought was pleasing to God. He did not bring of the fruit of the ground in ignorance. He brought of this fruit knowing full well that God required a blood sacrifice.
We see a painful unacceptance.
We are told that the Lord had not respect unto Cain and his offering. God rejected his offering. God would not accept it. Cain’s offering of the fruit of the ground was taking his good works and trying to appease God’s righteousness with his deeds. The Bible tells us that all our righteousness are like filthy rags. Our good works are not good enough. Our sinful condition makes us unfit so that no matter how much good we try to do, good works cannot and will not atone for our sins. Just as God rejected Cain’s deeds, God rejects all good works for salvation.
We see a personal unfulfillment.
Cain was wroth and his countenance fell. He went from anger to being filled with wrath. Wrath is anger that is boiling over. It is anger uncontrolled. It is anger that seeks revenge and retaliation. It is anger that is out of control. He was angry with Abel, but more than this, he was angry with God. When God tells us that we are disobedient, we have one of two ways to go: be obedient, or continue to be disobedient.
We see a profound understanding.
So, God told Cain, “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door.” Which side of the coin will you choose? God confronted Cain about his sin. He told Cain, "If you do well, you will be accepted. If you do not well, sin is knocking at your door." God made it very clear to Cain. "Obey Me, and bring a sacrifice the way I require it; or if you disobey, sin is at your door." I wonder how many Christians are at a place in life, where they need to decide to obey or disobey. If you disobey, sin is at your door waiting to come in.
We see a pitiful unwillingness.
Cain let the coin fall on its backside. He met his brother in a field and killed him. The problem was not with Abel, but Cain did not care. He killed his brother thinking this would alleviate his dissatisfaction—it didn’t. Sin kept knocking at his door, and he let it in! When we obey God, we always do well. When we disagree and disobey God, sin is waiting to take us captive and ruin us. Cain made the wrong choice and was ruined.
Don’t live your life to the flip of a coin. Know what is good, and do it. Obey God, and depart from sin.
Have an obedient God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Amos 1-5
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