When God questioned Cain as to the whereabouts of his brother Abel, whom he had murdered, Cain responded first with a lie saying that “I know not” and then counter-questioned God “Am I my brother’s keeper?” This is probably the first counter-question asked by man to God since the creation of man. Though there is no record of God directly and explicitly answering this question of Cain, we must be careful to not write this question off, as one that is rhetorical, for it is not.
Points to ponder:
Are you your brother’s keeper? Am I my brother’s keeper? The answer is an absolute ‘YES’ for the epistle to the Romans makes this very clear that no man lives to himself nor dies to himself (Romans 14:7). Jesus called his disciples, his brothers (Matthew 28:10) and just as God is the keeper of his people (Psalm 121:4), we are expected to be as followers of God (Ephesians 6:1) and keepers of our brethren as well.
Genesis 4:7-9 (KJV)
9 And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?
Romans 14:7 (KJV)
7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.