When man and God are at odds, man and man will be at odds. It is difficult to have a good relationship with our fellow man when we have a bad relationship with God our creator.

Genesis 3 describes willful rebellion, and it does not think of evil primarily in horizontal terms, but in vertical terms. Here, in the wake of the fall the woman desires to have her husband to control him, and he rules over her with a certain kind of brutal force. There is sin on both sides: she wants to control, and he, being physically stronger than she is, intimidates and abuses her.

The tentacles of rebellion against God corrode all relationships.

It took only one generation for the human race to produce its first murderer.

On the occasion of the first murder, the motive was sibling rivalry out of control. Cain could not bear to think that his brother Abel’s offering was acceptable to God, while his own was not. Instead of seeking God so as to improve his own sacrifice, he killed the man he saw as his rival.

His treatment of his brother Abel is intrinsically related to his relationship with God.

The virus of sin had infected Adam and Eve’s children. They did not have to await their own death to experience the devastating effects of their rebellion in the garden. They witnessed the murder of their youngest and the exile of their firstborn.

God asked Cain, “Why are you angry? 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.”

Cain’s reaction to God is much more severe than either of his parents’ reactions when confronted by God after their own trespass. They had resorted to making excuses and self-exoneration, but at least they did not indulge in violence. The reason Abel is murdered was because of an unchecked envy and jealousy on Cain’s part. Rather than accept God’s decision, he rejected the one God has accepted.

Cain’s anger revealed his true attitude. The consequences of his reaction to God’s correction are more far-reaching than the initial sin itself. If he pursues sin’s anger, it will result in sin’s mastery over him. This is his decision. It was possible for Cain to recover from sin quickly if he would simply choose the right thing.

Cain is urged to repent lest he be consumed. He cannot claim helplessness nor ignorance, for he has divine counsel. The apostle Paul testified to the inner struggle against the power of sin and conceded that the power of Christ alone could liberate him. (Rom 7:15–25)

The fatal sibling rivalry in this instance is in the domain of religion. However, It does not matter what area of our life is involved; it is still the same. Once a person insists on being number one, they must be number one in every domain. Perhaps it is hard to say if the constraints of culture and fear of the penal system are primary in restraining someone from outright murder. Perhaps, but they are unlikely to restrain someone from the kind of hate that the Lord Jesus insists is of the same moral order as murder. (Mathew. 5:21–26) So while the motives for murder are superficially many, at heart they become one: I wish to be god. And that is the supreme idolatry.

The common motive of all murder or selfishness is the assumption that the murderer is at the center of the universe. This is also at the hear of all relationship problems.

Before the Fall, God was at the center of Adam and Eve’s world. Now, since the fall, the reality is each individual naturally wants to be the center of the universe.

The Long-Term Effects That Flow from Rebellion

Despite the comprehensive punishment it meted out, the Flood did not change human nature. God well knew that murder, first committed by Cain, would happen again.

After the Flood, the race soon demonstrated that the problems of rebellion and sin are deep-seated. They constitute part of our nature.

Jesus Addressed This Issue in the Sermon on the Mount

Matthew 5:23 Therefore if your bring your gift to the altar, and remember someone has something against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go and be reconciled to the person, and then come and offer your gift.

Jesus insists it is far more important that a person be reconciled to his brother than to just go through his or her religious duty. This is because it becomes pretense and a sham if the worshiper has behaved so poorly that a person has something against him that remains
unaddressed. It is more important to be cleared of offense before all men than to show up for Sunday morning worship at the regular hour. Forget the worship service and be reconciled to your brother if that is the need; and only then worship God. Men love to substitute ceremony for integrity, purity, and love; but Jesus will have none of it.

It is impossible to have the greatest relationships with people if we don’t have a great relationship with the God who knows and sees all.