“…We should love one another, not like Cain, who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. …”

— 1 John 3:11 – 12

In 1 John, the beloved apostle talks about the importance of love. He contrasts that with hate as seen in Cain, who killed his brother Abel.

First, he holds up a picture of Cain and, secondly, a picture of Christ. Cain, the prototype of hatred, and Christ, the prototype of love, stand in stark contrast one to the other and are indicative of the children of the Devil and the children of God.

We will remember that Christ taught that there are two families in this world. There is not a fatherhood of God and a brotherhood of man as some people vainly wish and proclaim. But Jesus said there are two fatherhoods and there are two brotherhoods. There are two families: there is the fatherhood of God and the fatherhood of Satan. There is an antipathy on the part of the family of Satan toward the family of God, which is as long as history and is worldwide and never ending.

Cain was the prototype murderer—the first slayer of men—the one who was to begin the bloodletting that was going to end in a great river, even a great sea of blood, to this very day. Cain was of his father, of Satan, of whom Jesus said that he was a murderer from the beginning. Those born of God do not hate, like Cain, but strive to love, like Christ.

Father God, many claim to want love and world peace, but hatred is strong and seems to be all around us. Thank You that love is more powerful than hate and that one day, love will conquer and You will triumph over all evil…

BY GOD’S STRENGTH, WE CAN
OVERCOME HATE WITH LOVE.