PowerPoint - May 24, 2007
May 24, 2007
In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell.
--Genesis 4:3-5
One thing I’ve noticed is that even with all of our advancements and achievements, our world is still long on war and short on peace.
The nations constantly fight and rage with one another…and people seem to be more in conflict with each other than ever before.
Have you ever wondered why there is so much terrorism and violence in the world today? And that it seems only to be growing? I think the answer is simple: violence is evidence of a sinful nature…a nature that came through the fall of Adam and Eve.
This impact of sin even showed itself in the first set of siblings when Cain so violently killed Abel. And after all the millennia of history, we are still dealing with the same violence and sin.
The reason nothing has changed is that the real problem resides deep in the human heart. All of us have inherited a sinful nature from Adam and we all have the propensity to commit violent acts…even if it is only with the tongue.
This also explains why religion alone doesn’t solve the problem. Religion is following a set of rules and traditions designed to make sinful people behave better. But religion can’t really change a person’s heart…and overcome a sinful nature.
Salvation from sin and its impact on life can only come from a personal relationship with the one true God through Jesus Christ—a relationship that involves a radical change of the heart.
Sin is the same problem today that it was for Adam and Eve and their children. And there is only one cure—a complete change of heart that comes through forgiveness and salvation in Jesus Christ.
So don’t be surprised by all the violence in the world today. It’s the natural expression of the sinful human heart…just as it was for Cain and Abel.
THE HEART OF OUR SIN PROBLEM IS THE PROBLEM OF THE SINFUL HUMAN HEART.
