§401After that first sin, the world is virtually inundated by sin There is Cain's murder of his brother Abel and the universal corruption which follows in the wake of sin. Likewise, sin frequently manifests itself in the history of Israel, especially as infidelity to the God of the Covenant and as transgression of the Law of Moses. and even after Christ's atonement, sin raises its …

§2538The tenth commandment requires that envy be banished from the human heart. When the prophet Nathan wanted to spur King David to repentance, he told him the story about the poor man who had only one ewe lamb that he treated like his own daughter and the rich man who, despite the great number of his flocks, envied the poor man and ended by stealing his lamb.322 Envy can lead to t…

Let us turn to the glorious examples of antiquity. Through envy Cain offered his sacrifice, and it was not accepted. Through envy, Joseph was persecuted even unto death, and came into bondage. Envy compelled Moses to flee from the face of Pharaoh. Through envy, Aaron and Miriam had to make their abode outside of the camp. Envy brought down Dathan and Abiram alive to Hades, thro…

And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. Here Moses describes the first worship offered to God and the first fratricide. God had respect to Abel and his offering, but to Cain and his offering he had not respect. The difference lay not in the outward offering but in the faith and sincerity of the offerer. Cain's anger and murder of his brother shows t…