'Am I My Brother's Keeper?'

This question, asked by the murderous Cain, is found in Gen. 4 and is actually the first question that man asks of God in the Bible. Although, this question was arrogantly asked by Cain in a vain attempt to deflect the judgment of God due to him because of the murder of his brother Abel, it still is a relevant question that each of us should ask ourselves.

Am I my brother's keeper - In other words, do I bear any responsibility or concern for the welfare of others? Cain's question (at least in the attitude and circumstances that he asked it) reveals an exaggerated individualism – an inordinate concern for self – a Gospel of selfishness if you will.

Every Christian should fully and willingly recognize the fact that he is his brother's keeper. Paul said to the Philippians “Let everyman be not concerned with his own things but also the things of others”. Every Christian should make the concern for his brothers welfare a matter of constant prayer and thought.

Man is a two part being – Body and Soul – therefore we should be interested in the temporal welfare of man and we should be interested in man's spiritual welfare as well.

In the modern Evangelical Church today, there seems to be a rampant individualism that has resulted in an aloofness at best, and a complete apathy regarding the welfare of others at worse.