When he learned that God did not look upon his offering, "Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell" (Gen. 4:5). It is the same among religious people today. If you fail to appreciate their works, they will be angry with you and say, "Are we not serving God? Why don't you agree with me?" When religious people see others serving God in His way and thus gaining His respect, they will be even more furious. Cain was the leader in this. If you serve God, following the way of Abel, meaning that you follow God's way, the so-called religious people will be angry with you and say, "Don't you think that we also are serving God? Why should God accept you and not us?" We have heard these words quite often. I ask you to be careful. Although you are serving God, in whose way are you serving Him—in yours or in His? Do you serve God according to His revelation or according to your concept and invention? Simply to say that you are serving God is inadequate. You must determine the way in which you are serving Him. Is your service according to God's Word or according to your own ideas?
God, however, was merciful toward Cain and still talked to him. Cain did not pray to God nor ask Him, "God, what is wrong with me?" Although he did not pray, God, who is rich in mercy, came to him and spoke with him. "And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?" (Gen. 4:6). God was asking Cain why he was so angry and why his countenance had fallen. The people who follow God's way all have an uplifted countenance. They lift up their countenance and say, "Praise the Lord! Amen, hallelujah. Jesus is Lord!" According to the King James Version, God said to Cain, "If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?" The Hebrew may also be rendered, "If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up?" If we are in God's way, our countenance will be lifted up. Although many religious people serve God and worship Him, God does not look at them. They become angry as a result, saying, "Am I not serving God? Am I not doing many things for Him?" Such angry words are indicators of a fallen countenance. When Cain was angry God seemed to say to him, "Cain, you don't need to be angry. You are a sinner. Haven't you heard the glad tidings from your parents? I have My way. Why have you become a person with a fallen countenance? You are like this because you have forsaken My way, because you have not listened to the preaching of your parents, and because you have not believed the gospel. If you take My way and believe the gospel, your face will be lifted up. Cain, it is still not too late. But be careful. If you go on this way, sin is crouching at the door seeking to devour you."
In Genesis 4:7 God gave Cain a warning. "And if thou doest not well, sin is crouching at the door" (Heb.). The latter part of this verse is difficult to translate. The King James Version says, "And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him." Other versions render the pronouns "his" and "him" as "its" and "it," meaning that sin's desire is for you and that you must overcome it. The King James Version is correct, using the pronouns "his" and "him." Who is the "him" mentioned in this verse? The answer is found in John 8:44 and 1 John 3:12. With the help of these verses we can realize that the "him" in Genesis 4:7 is the Devil. Hence, God was telling Cain that sin was crouching at the door and that his desire, meaning Satan's desire, was for him, and that Cain had to overcome him. Sin and Satan are one. Be careful! If you reject God's way of salvation, sin is crouching at the door to get you. Sin's desire, that is, Satan's desire, is for you, and you must overcome him. The best way to overcome Satan is to flee from your own concept and hide in God's salvation. God's salvation is Jesus as the sacrifice. Jesus shed His blood for our sins and has given Himself to us as righteousness to cover our nakedness. This is the way for us to flee from Satan and to escape the sin which is crouching at our door. If any one of you reading this message will not take Jesus as your Savior, I must tell you that sin is crouching at your door like a ravenous beast, waiting for the opportunity to seize and devour you. This sin is Satan, the subtle one, the liar, the one who was a murderer from the beginning.