[Psa 23:1 KJV] 1 [[A Psalm of David.]] The LORD [is] my shepherd; I shall not want.

We are his “sheep” when we dwell in the house of the LORD and are led about by the LORD.

[Jhn 10:14-15 KJV] 14 I am the good shepherd, and know my [sheep], and am known of mine. 15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

We should KNOW the good shepherd, if we are his sheep.

[Gen 4:2, 8 KJV] 2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. ... 8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

[1Jo 3:12 KJV] 12 Not as Cain, [who] was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous. ...

Cain slew his brother, because his brother was good (the good shepherd).

And Cain slew him BY his own “evil” WORKS.

But why were his works evil?

[Tit 3:3-5 KJV] 3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, [and] hating one another. 4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

[Gen 4:6-7 KJV] 6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? 7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee [shall be] his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

Cain was cursed because he wanted to follow the law and rule over it, but couldn’t quite do them all. Works of righteousness can never be good enough (sin).

[Gal 3:10 KJV] 10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed [is] every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

[2Co 11:14-15 KJV] 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore [it is] no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

Cain’s was a minister of righteousness (works of the law), however, his evil works were what separated him from his shepherd.  His fall short works slew his shepherd brother.

[Gen 4:10-11 KJV] 10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. 11 And now [art] thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand;

Cain slaying his brother has everything to do with works of the law vs faith (Spiritually speaking).  And

[Jas 2:26 KJV] 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

The works spoken of in James 2:26 are not “works of righteousness”, which caused Cain to slay Abel, but “works of faith” that rather reconciles them together. There is a subtle but huge difference between these two types of works.

So how Cain and Abel (the twin brothers within) be reconciled again and the curse be broken by works of faith? And what is work of faith?

[Eph 2:14-16, 18 KJV] 14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition [between us]; 15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, [even] the law of commandments [contained] in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, [so] making peace; 16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: ... 18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

[Heb 2:11 KJV] 11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified [are] all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,

Both (Cain and Abel) can be reconciled and into one new man, both in ONE BODY, with the enmity slain instead. They are both within each one person, and this is understood and accomplished by understanding the cross spiritually, ONE Spirit: the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.

[1Jo 15-16 KJV] 15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 16 Hereby perceive we the love [of God], because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down [our] lives for the brethren.

We perceive the love of God when we come to know our brother (the good shepherd within) and lay down our life for him (instead of crucifying him – Heb 6:6). And allow the good shepherd to lead. Laying down our life is the work of faith, faith in the shepherd to lead us about instead of our own law, our own mind, our own knowledge.

Remember, Cain cannot be slain in vengeance, therefore he must lay down his own life.  But how does Cain lay down his life in return for his brother and perceive the love of God?

[Heb 11:4 KJV] 4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

Abel’s sacrifice was more excellent because as a shepherd the lives of his sheep were offered to the LORD.  And in his death he still speaks from the ground. But what does his blood say?

[Jas 2:20-24 KJV] 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. 24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

Faith is key, but is “dead” without the work of laying one’s own life on the alter to become a Friend (sheep) of God and be led by his Spirit and know him (rather than knowing the law).  

[Rom 8:13-14 KJV] 13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

To  truly “live” is to “mortify the deeds of the body” (lay down the carnal mind - lay down your Cain) and then be led by the Spirit of God. And to be led by the Spirit of God translates into being a son of God (born of God) which also means being in love according to 1John 4:7. Therefore, laying down your own life (ambitions, desires, knowledge, works of righteousness, carnal law, etc.) is a prerequisite to reciprocating the love of God (death for death, life for life).

[Jhn 12:24-26 KJV] 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. 25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. 26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will [my] Father honour.

[Jhn 15:13-15 KJV] 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

The sheep lay down their own will to follow the will of the LORD. They may serve the LORD, but they are also his friends because they are close to him and know what he does because he tells them. Being a friend of God is to “know” him.

[1Jo 4:7, 20-21 KJV] 7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. ... 20 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? 21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

And if you love God you must love your bother within. He is your friend.

[Heb 13:20 KJV] 20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

To Love your shepherd brother within, you must acknowledge him, see and recognize him, care for him, honor him, love him, truly know him, and in turn give your life for him. To love your shepherd brother within is to love God because he IS your God within.

[Gal 2:20 KJV] 20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Through the cross, the crossing over of spirit to flesh (death), he gave himself for us. We must do the same in return, so his spirit can live THROUGH us. That is how he lives... through each person. This is how we know him. Because he speaks to us from the ground (our heart). This is how we can truly live, both as one.