人第一次的堕落发生在创世记三章，第二次的堕落发生在创世记四章。我们已经看过，逃避第一次堕落的路是相信女人的后裔主耶稣，并且接受神救恩的方法。然而，这次堕落的结果，是撒但进入了我们的性情;这是第二次堕落的主要原因。我们要怎样逃避第二次的堕落呢？
一、不随己意自作主张——要逃避人第二次的堕落，我们必须小心不可自作主张。自作主张是甚么意思？就是不照神的启示，只照人的观念行善、敬拜神、事奉神。我们看过该隐的例子（创四3）。凭我们自己作任何事，无论照我们看是多好，都是自作主张，都是与魔鬼是一。我们是堕落的人，在我们的性情里有撒但，所以我们必须拒绝自己所发起的一切事物。我们所作的一切，都必须照着神所启示的方法，才能避开魔鬼，避开进一步的堕落。
二、照神的方法为神而活并敬拜祂——再者，我们若要逃避人第二次的堕落，就必须像亚伯那样，照神的方法为神而活并敬拜祂（创四2，4，参三21，来十一4）。就消极一面说，我们不该自作主张;就积极一面说，我们要照神的启示，按神的方法为神而活并敬拜祂。不仅要为神而活并敬拜神，乃要照神所启示的方法这样作。我们必须留在神的方法里，避开进一步的堕落。
三、认识人生的虚空——在创世记四章有两个特别有意义的名字，第一个是亚伯，意思是“虚空。”堕落的结果，人生变得“虚空。”请看今天的人，虽然非常忙碌，内心却是一片空白、虚空。在他们的深处是一片空虚的感觉。不论你的社会地位如何，不论你多有钱或多有成就，当你在静夜或清晨独处时，都会觉得内心有所缺如。这种缺如的感觉就是我所说的虚空。这正是智慧的所罗门王所说，虚空的虚空，在日光之下都是虚空。要逃避人第二次的堕落，必须认识我们是堕落无神的人，我们的所是，所有和所作，全是虚空。我们不过是虚空。
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The Way of Escape (1) – Gen. 4:25
Man’s first fall took place in Genesis chapter 3, and the second fall took place in Genesis chapter 4. We have already seen that the way to escape the first fall is to believe in the woman’s seed, the Lord Jesus, and to receive God’s way of salvation. However, the result of this second fall is that Satan entered into our very nature; this is the main cause of the second fall. How then can we escape man’s second fall?
I. Not Acting on Our Own Opinion — To escape man’s second fall, we have to be careful not to act on our own opinion. What does it mean to act on one’s own opinion? It means doing good, worshipping God and serving God according to man’s concept, rather than according to God’s revelation. We have seen the example of Cain (Gen. 4:3). Whatever we do, no matter how good it may appear in our eyes, if it originates from ourselves, it is acting on our own opinion, and is one with the devil. We are fallen men, and Satan is in our nature; therefore, we must reject everything that originates from ourselves. Everything we do must be according to God’s revealed way; only then can we avoid the devil and escape further falling.
II. Living to God and Worshipping Him According to His Way — Furthermore, if we would escape man’s second fall, we must be like Abel, living to God and worshipping Him according to His way (Gen. 4:2, 4; cf. 3:21; Heb. 11:4). Negatively speaking, we should not act on our own opinion; positively speaking, we must live to God and worship Him according to His revelation and His way. It is not enough to simply live to God and worship Him; we must do so in the way that God has revealed. We must remain in God’s way in order to avoid further falling.
III. Realizing the Vanity of Human Life — In Genesis chapter 4 there are two particularly meaningful names. The first is Abel, which means “vanity.” As a result of the fall, human life has become “vanity.” Consider the world today: although exceedingly busy, inwardly they are empty and vain. Deep within them is a sense of emptiness. Regardless of one’s social status, wealth, or accomplishments, when one is alone in the quiet of the night or the early morning, there is always a sense of lack within. This sense of lack is what I call vanity. This is exactly what the King Solomon said: “Vanity of vanities; all is vanity under the sun.” To escape man’s second fall, we must realize that we are fallen men without God. What we are, what we have and what we do is all vanity. We are nothing but vanity.