Child of God or Child of the Devil?

As Pastor Ben Stuart continues in 1 John 3, he uses the story of Cain and Abel to help us reflect on where our allegiance lies.

In 1 John 3:10-18, John addresses the confusion within the church about whether they truly knew Jesus. He draws stark contrasts—between Christ and the antichrist, righteousness, and unrighteousness—to distinguish the children of God from the children of the devil.

But where does John get this idea? His words echo Genesis, where Moses reintroduces the rescued people of Israel to the God who saved them. Genesis unfolds in a pattern: Chapter 1 reveals God’s glory, Chapter 2 reflects humanity's glory, and Chapter 3 tells of humanity’s failure—the moment when the adversary convinces them of a different reality, darkening their hearts. Yet even in their fall, God offers a path to redemption.

It’s here that God first introduces the division John references: the enmity between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman. This theme continues in Genesis 4 with Cain and Abel, illustrating the two streams that have always existed within humanity.

Cain’s story reveals the DNA of the children of the devil. He wasn’t an outsider—he brought an offering to God, meaning he participated in worship. But participation alone didn’t make him a child of God. Unlike Abel, who gave his first and best as an act of faith, Cain’s offering lacked trust. God didn’t reject Cain himself but sought his heart. Yet Cain resisted.

In Genesis 4:6, God asks Cain a piercing question: Why does trusting Me offend you? Why does faith, submission, and surrender trouble you? God warns him—Cain can choose trust and provision, or self-reliance and death. But Cain’s anger festers. Instead of surrendering, he kills his brother. His failure at the altar leads to a failure in ethics. When you place yourself above God, it’s easy to place yourself above others.

Even when confronted, Cain mocks his dead brother, showing no repentance. God responds that Abel’s blood cries out from the ground. As a consequence, Cain loses his ability to farm. Yet in mercy, God spares his life, sending him into exile, where he builds a city. Generation after generation, a mentality of selfishness and disregard for others is passed down.

So when John warns us not to be like Cain, he’s saying: don’t disadvantage others for your own gain. Murder is the ultimate expression of this selfishness, but it exists further upstream—in mocking, refusing to help, or ignoring need. You may not be at the end of the stream, but if you’re in its current, you’re still in its flow.

John makes it clear: the defining trait of God’s children is love. That’s how you recognize them. They aren’t inherently better people—they’ve simply passed from death to life. Love is the evidence of that transformation. We all start in the stream of death; no one is naturally born into the family of God. So how do we enter the stream of life?

1 John 3:16 tells us that Jesus, the giver of life, laid down His life for us so we could have life. It’s a great exchange—grace received becomes grace extended.

At the core, there are only two streams. Cain’s says, “I’ll disadvantage you to serve me.” Christ’s says, “I’ll disadvantage myself to serve you.” One is a stream of hate and death; the other is of love and life.

So what do we do?

The stream of Cain sees a need and has the means to help but refuses. The stream of Christ uses whatever it has—even to the point of self-sacrifice. 1 John 3:18 reminds us that talk is cheap. Our actions and generosity reveal where our hearts truly are.

We don’t give to earn our way into the Kingdom—we receive our way in. But those who have received grace will naturally show grace.