In GEN 3:15 we read, "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."

The seed of the serpent (Satan) is at enmity with the Seed of the woman (Christ). The Seed of the woman is Christ and all those who have entered His Kingdom, service as King. The seed of the serpent is those who serve Satan and themselves. God ordained that the seed of the serpent would be at enmity with the Seed of the woman.

The Lord was telling the serpent he would strike at Christ and His people like a snake in the grass; Satan would persecute Christ, but He will bruise Satan’s head. In other words, the Lord Jesus Christ will gain the victory. This was prophesied to the serpent in the Garden of Eden.

Cain’s hatred for his brother was the first evidence of this enmity. Cain was the seed of the serpent. He was the first son of Adam. What did Cain do? He murdered his brother, Abel, because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s were righteous.

1JO 3:10-13 says, "In this the children of God are manifest, [i.e., this is how they are revealed as clearly as the light] and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 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. Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you."

Do you see the persecution that we will suffer for righteousness’ sake? God’s Word says this persecution is how we will be made manifest. The world will have nothing to do with us. If we are truly going to walk as Christians, we cannot have one arm around old Satan, and the other around Christ. That will never work.

2TI 3:12 says, "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." The people who live Godly are not joining the crowd. The Lord Jesus says, "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it," MAT 7:13-14.

If we are following the crowd, we had better examine ourselves because we have a problem. We are not suffering for righteousness’ sake.

A natural man whose heart is inclined to self, to sin, to the world, and whose deeds are evil cannot bear the light. God will be glorified in the good works of the righteous, but He will also be glorified "In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ."

The evil person shuns uprightness. When you see a policeman, what is your immediate reaction? Do you feel secure in knowing that he is there to uphold the law, or does your conscience bother you with worry that he is after you?