Articles
My Brother's Keeper
When Cain and Abel each offered a sacrifice to God, it is said, “the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering” (Gen. 4:4, 5). The writer of Hebrews adds to this story, telling us, “By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain” (Heb. 11:4). When his sacrifice was not respected by God, “Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell” (Gen. 4:5). It seems Cain had the wrong response to his failure to please the Lord, and the Lord spoke to him, saying, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it” (Gen. 4:6, 7).
It is then that we see Cain still did not respond properly to his failure, and we are told, “Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him” (Gen. 4:8). At some point after this, the Lord asks Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” and Cain gave that now-infamous response: “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Gen. 4:9). But the Lord already knew what Cain had done (Gen. 4:10), and he was cursed because of it (Gen. 4:11).
But the question of Cain is one we should consider: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Let’s think about that for a few minutes, starting with Cain. First, the word translated as “keeper” might be understood better to be guardian or protector. Cain asked this facetiously, because he really didn’t care about his brother’s well-being, and certainly didn’t care enough to be his protector. He was essentially saying, “He’s big enough to take care of himself.” In his response, he was trying to deny any responsibility for his brother’s well-being, but the question goes far beyond him trying to cover up his guilt; it’s a question every disciple today needs to consider, especially in light of his concern for his brother [or sister] in Christ.
As Christians, we hopefully know that we are to love one another. Jesus laid down the standard of our love for one another when He said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34, 35). Where the Old Law commanded God’s people to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev. 19:18), Jesus raised the standard; now, we are to love not just our neighbor, but also our enemies! Jesus said this plainly when He told us, “love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matt. 5:44).
So, the command to love our enemies essentially means we are to love everyone. But even as we see this, we also see that our love for our fellow believers — our brothers in Christ — should be to a higher degree. Even under the Old Law, God had one standard for the Israelites’ treatment of foreigners and another for their fellow Israelites (cf. Deut. 23:19, 20), showing the relationship was different; He wanted them to see they had an inherent closeness in that relationship that demanded they each have concern for one another, and several of the laws were worded in such a way that they should have understood this, even as those laws guided their actions toward their brother or even the property of their brother.
Under the New Covenant [that is, under Christ], that really didn’t change; the people of God are still to love everyone [as we have already noted], but that love and concern for our fellow man should be heightened when it is a fellow believer and, again, because we are to consider one another as brothers. John asked, rhetorically, “But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?” (1 John 3:17); he then said plainly, “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18). Love is to be shown in our deeds, not just our words.
James likewise addresses our concern for one another as brothers, asking, “If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,’ but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?” (Jas. 2:15, 16); this is stated in the context of asking about the kind of faith we are to have, and he concludes by stating plainly, “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (Jas. 2:17). As with our love, our faith has to be proven by our deeds, and not just in words, but let us not overlook the fact each was speaking about our love and concern for brethren.
This inherent love and concern for our fellow believers was seen early in the history of the church — like the very first day of the church’s existence! Right after the 3,000 heard the first preaching of the gospel message and responded in belief, repentance, and baptism into Christ (Acts 2:37-41), we find “all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need” (Acts 2:44, 45). Not long after this, we find “the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need” (Acts 4:32-35).
Our concern for one another as believers should, of course, be primarily spiritual in nature, though; after all, our fellowship with one another is based on our common belief in Jesus Christ and the mutual hope we have of eternal life in heaven! That concern should manifest itself when a brother “is overtaken in any trespass,” to the point that we “who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness” (Gal. 6:1). Our love and concern for one another should move us to act with urgency to turn back a brother who “wanders from the truth,” knowing that by so doing we “will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins” (Jas. 5:19, 20). We act with urgency, our of love and concern for a wayward brother or sister in Christ because we understand that as long as they continue in those errant ways, they face a terrifying future and judgment from the Lord for having turned back (2 Pet. 2:20, 21).
To be able to have this degree of love and concern for one another is going to take some effort on our part, and openness among all of us. We should not be ‘putting on a brave face’ when we are actually fearful and anxious; we should not be pretending everything is okay when our world is falling apart. I cannot help you — I won’t even know you need help — if I don’t know your need.
As Christians, we are told within Scripture that we are all part of the same kingdom, the same body, the same flock, and the same family. Because we, as believers, are all part of these same entities, there should be an inherent love and concern for the others who are also a part. As Paul put it, “the members should have the same care for one another” (1 Cor. 12:25). Do we?
Though Cain tried to disown his brother and any care for him, the truth is, we are our brother’s keeper. — Steven Harper
