Daily Bible Verse - 12/8/2007 - Genesis 4:9

Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" "I don't know," he replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?"

And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?

Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" And he said, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?"

Genesis 4:9

Commentary
Cain's evil attitude of jealous rage was soon translated into evil action, the murder of his brother. Though Abel is dead, he still witnesses to us that the life of faith is the life that counts (Heb. 11:4). When the Lord's loving question was met by an unrepentant, insolent reply, He pronounced Cain's judgment-he would no longer be able to make a living from the soil, but would wander as a fugitive in the desert.

MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. (1997, c1995). Believer's Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments (Ge 4:8). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

"Am I my brother's keeper?"
Cain's sarcasm was a play on words, based on the fact that Abel was the "keeper" of sheep.

MacArthur, J. J. (1997, c1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (electronic ed.) (Ge 4:9). Nashville: Word Pub.

Daily Bible Verse - 12/7/2007 - 1 John 4:20-21

If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.

If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.

1 John 4:20-21

Commentary
One cannot love God without first loving his fellow believer. A claim to love God is a delusion if not accompanied by unselfish love for other Christians.

MacArthur, J. J. (1997, c1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (electronic ed.) (1 Jn 4:21). Nashville: Word Pub.

Brotherly Love

In the Old Testament, Israelites were taught not to hate their brothers: "You shall not hate your brother in your heart . . . but you shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Lev. 19:17-18).
This emphasis is continued and is made even more positive in the New Testament. Believers are exhorted to "be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love" (Rom. 12:10), to "let brotherly love continue" (Heb. 13:1), to "love the brotherhood" (1 Pet. 2:17), and to "love as brothers" (1 Pet. 3:8).

Youngblood, R. F., Bruce, F. F., Harrison, R. K., & Thomas Nelson Publishers. (1995). Nelson's new illustrated Bible dictionary. Rev. ed. of: Nelson's illustrated Bible dictionary.; Includes index. Nashville: T. Nelson.

Crosses by Brian
Creator of crosses that carry a message to be proclaimed with courage.