This is due to us losing our anchor, a real relationship with God. There are only two ways to relate to God. To pursue him, become a part of his life and fulfilling our true purpose and nature or to pursue our own life, make him part of it and in his name create a standard and lifestyle that justifies ourselves to ourselves and others. These two lifestyles can look very similar but in truth they are polar opposites.
The first example of this is in the Bible. Geneses the fourth chapter tells the story of Cain and Abel. Cain and Abel were both very religious. If you had been able to watch them both worship with the first fruits of their labor you wouldn’t have seen much of a difference yet Abel’s sacrifice was accepted and Cain’s was rejected. Abel’s focus was vertical toward God; Cain’s focus was horizontal to the world around him. Cain could have responded vertically toward God when his worship was rejected but instead he responded horizontally to his brother by killing him. When our relationship with God is not based vertically on us entering his life but instead is based horizontally on God cosigning our life of self-justification to the world around us this gives rise to all kinds of behaviors that don’t reflect the nature of God. In this case the behavior was murder.
Anyone who observed Cain’s murder would have had a very negative outlook of those who worship God. Unfortunately many people observe Cain styled Christians and reject Christ because of it. Christians whose life is based on trying to be justified by rules and regulations instead of being in a real relationship with Christ fall into all types of anti-God behaviors sometimes without being aware of it. The knowledge and lifestyle of God comes out of his Word, the Bible. When we use the Bible as simply a horizontal rule book and not a vertical revelation of the nature of God and his relationship with us we damage ourselves and others. The lifestyle found in scripture grows out of our relationship with God not our relationship with God growing out of our lifestyle. The first is the life of Abel the second is the life of Cain. These two lives can look identical but they lead to very different outcomes.
If any of us say we follow God or reject God based on anything other than a comprehensive reading of the Word of God we are not making an informed or honest decision. Without the Word of God we can’t say we are following or rejecting God. We can only say are following or rejecting Cain.
Poet Ntwadumela
