“The real divisions in humanity are moral and cultural, not genetic or racial. This is not just true in the contemporary age, it has always been true from the day that Cain slew Abel. So, why did Cain slay Abel? Because God preferred Abel’s sacrifice, and conforming to God’s preferences puts people on the positive side of God’s blessings. Was Abel a better person than Cain? Not at all! At least not at first. But Cain’s slaying of Abel revealed a flaw in Cain’s moral makeup. Cain would have argued that God made him do it because God had rejected him. But God didn’t reject Cain, God simply preferred Abel’s sacrifice. Cain could have learned from that, but he didn’t. He chose to act out his anger and frustration with God by killing his brother. God was not the primary actor in this murder. The guilt belonged solely to Cain.
Yet, God spared him. God did not reciprocate against Cain but provided a way for him to live in spite of his guilt. Even at this very early chapter in human history God revealed Himself to be full of grace and mercy, and not an avenging God. But that was not the way that Cain saw it. Cain harbored his wounded pride and his spiritual progeny have nursed it into a maelstrom jealousy, hate, and violence that still threatens to engulf the world.”
– from Galatians–Backstory / Christstory, forthcoming Dec. 2015