Genesis 4:17-26; (5:1-32)
Summary: Is our culture good or bad? Most of us immediately recognize that this isn’t a very helpful question since our culture, like all human cultures, is a mix of both. We find that same ambiguity in the line of Cain. Cain had some descendants who were pioneers in agriculture, music, and technology (4:20-22) and thus made good and beautiful contributions to culture and civilization. Yet Cain’s genealogy ultimately shows us the corrupting advance of sin in Lamech’s shameful boast (4:23-24), and the desperate need of all human cultures for a redemption we cannot accomplish for ourselves. Genesis points us instead to the line of Seth, from which such deliverance would come–temporarily through Noah and ultimately through Christ. The church has many good contributions to make in any given culture; but our greatest contribution is to share the hope of Jesus Christ–who will one day restore all of human culture to its intended glory.