Able's Faithful Offering

ABEL’S FAITHFUL OFFERING

    By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts, and through it he being dead still speaks.

Hebrews 11:4

The above reference to Abel and his offering is a  story found in Genesis 4:3-5.  The two first born sons of Adam and Eve both offered sacrifices to God.  Cain offered a sacrifice from the fruit of the ground while Abel offered a sacrifice from the first born of his flock.  God respected Abel’s offering, but had no respect for Cain’s.  Why?  What was the difference?  Faith.  The reference in Hebrews 11:4 indicates that Abel was offering the sacrifice that God required and Cain did not.  Since Abel offered his sacrifice by faith we know that God had given instructions as to what kind of sacrifice He would accept.  Remember that “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.”  Romans 10:17.

Cain seemed to be of the opinion that if he believed his sacrifice was acceptable, then God would think so too.  In I John 3:11-12 says Cain was evil, not only because he murdered his brother, but because his works were evil.  He is mentioned again in Jude 11 in the company of Balaam and Korah who were rebellious toward the word of God.  Rebellion and disobedience are equated with unbelief.

How many people have assumed that their worship is acceptable to God because it is acceptable to man?  Long ago Jeremiah wrote, “O Lord,   I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to     direct his own steps.”  Jeremiah 10:23

Paul’s words in Ephesians 5:17 are words to the wise.  “Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”