人类的堕落
圣经一开篇，就清楚地说神创造了世界和万物，而祂创造的冠冕就是我们人。那时我们有一种独特的圣洁。但没过多久，我们就经历了堕落和败坏（参创 1-3）。
该隐和亚伯的故事可悲地说明了我们在罪和致命的败坏中堕落带来的后果。多特信经说：“人堕落后按照自己的形象生儿育女，败坏的族类产生了败坏的子孙。因此亚当所有的后裔，除了基督之外，都从他们的始祖承受了败坏。”
今天的经文告诉我们，亚伯将羊群中最好的献给神，而该隐只献上地里的“一些出产”。所以神“看中了”亚伯的供物，看不中该隐的供物。该隐因为嫉妒杀了他的兄弟，他随己意行事，无视神让他行善的命令。尽管亚伯也有罪，但该隐没有权利杀害承载了神形象的人。
神要该隐负起责任，祂大声责备说：“你作了什么事呢？”今天，当我们随己意伤害他人时，神仍在责问我们：“你作了什么事呢？难道我的儿子耶稣没有告诉你当怎样活吗？”
创造的神，感谢你在基督里向我们显出的恩典和悦纳。请以你的智慧充满我们，不叫我们为取悦自己而陷入试探。帮助我们学像耶稣。阿们。
创世记 4:1-12
1有一日，那人和他妻子夏娃同房，夏娃就怀孕，生了该隐，便说：“耶和华使我得了一个男子。”
2又生了该隐的兄弟亚伯。亚伯是牧羊的，该隐是种地的。
3有一日，该隐拿地里的出产为供物献给耶和华，
4亚伯也将他羊群中头生的和羊的脂油献上。耶和华看中了亚伯和他的供物，
5只是看不中该隐和他的供物。该隐就大大地发怒，变了脸色。
6耶和华对该隐说：“你为什么发怒呢？你为什么变了脸色呢？
7你若行得好，岂不蒙悦纳？你若行得不好，罪就伏在门前。它必恋慕你，你却要制伏它。”
8该隐与他兄弟亚伯说话，二人正在田间，该隐起来打他兄弟亚伯，把他杀了。9耶和华对该隐说：“你兄弟亚伯在哪里？”他说：“我不知道。我岂是看守我兄弟的吗？”
10耶和华说：“你做了什么事呢？你兄弟的血有声音从地里向我哀告。
11地开了口，从你手里接受你兄弟的血，现在你必从这地受咒诅。
12你种地，地不再给你效力；你必流离飘荡在地上。”
Our Corruption
“‘I don’t know,’ [Cain] replied. ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’ The LORD said, ‘What have you done?’” — Genesis 4:9-10
In its opening chapters, the Bible makes clear that God created the world and all its creatures. And as the crown of his creation God made human beings—us!—in his own image. Back then we had a unique holiness. But it didn’t take long for us to experience a fall and corruption. (See Genesis 1-3.)
Cain and Abel sadly illustrate the results of our fall into sin and its deadly corruption. The Canons of Dort say, “Human beings brought forth children of the same nature as themselves after the fall... Being corrupt they brought forth corrupt children. The corruption spread… from Adam and Eve to all their descendants—except for Christ alone... ”
As our story today shows, Abel gave God the best from his flock, but Cain gave only “some of the fruits” of his work. So God “looked with favor” on Abel’s offering, but not Cain’s. Cain could not tolerate that. So in envy he took his brother’s life, doing as he pleased. Cain ignored God’s plea to do what is right. Even though Abel was also sinful, Cain had no right to kill an imagebearer of God.
Calling Cain to account, God thundered, “What have you done?” God still asks us that today when we do as we please and hurt others: “What have you done? Has not my Son, Jesus, shown you how to live?”
Creator God, thank you for the grace and favor you have shown us in Christ. Fill us with your wisdom, and guide us not to give in to temptation to please ourselves. Help us to be like Jesus. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
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