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Abel's Sacrifice by Faith versus Cain's Sacrifice
Abel, the son of Adam and Eve, is the first person listed among many in Hebrews chapter 11commended by the Holy Spirit for their faith. Of Abel it is said, "By faith Abel offered to Goda more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he wasrighteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks." (Heb. 11:4NKJV) Men have long been troubled by this passage trying to figure out why Abel's sacrificewas pleasing to God while his brother Cain's was not. It is a subject worth looking into.In Gen. 4:2-5 we read about the offering as follows: "Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, butCain was a tiller of the ground. And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain broughtan offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Abel also brought of the firstborn of hisflock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respectCain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell." (NKJV)It is probably worthwhile to read what followed seemingly immediately afterwards inconversation between God and Cain. "So the Lord said to Cain, 'Why are you angry? Andwhy has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do notdo well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.'" (Gen. 4:6-7 NKJV) It doesn't seem like a lot to go on, these few verses, but there is more here thanmeets the eye when one begins to study a little.First, I ask the question how Abel and Cain knew anything at all about sacrifices and/orofferings to God. Where did such a concept of making offerings to God come from? How didthe idea of such a thing even enter into their minds? We do not, we cannot, think aboutthings of which we have no background information. My grandparents died in the sixties.How much time do you think they spent thinking about the Internet? It was impossible forthem to even have such thoughts and so I ask again where did Abel and Cain get the ideaabout making an offering to God (the writer of the book of Hebrews calls it a sacrifice)?The answer has to be such information was supplied by God himself either in direct speechto them or through commandments given to their parents (Adam and Eve) and thus passedon down to them from parent to child. That God spoke directly with not only Adam and Evebut also with Cain we see from Gen. 4:6-7 and Gen. 4:9-15. Jesus, in the New Testament, inLuke 11:49-51, includes Abel with the prophets so we know God spoke to him as well. Aprophet was one who proclaimed God's will and not just necessarily one who only fore-toldthings to come.Furthermore, I would add that without direction from God how could Abel know it wouldplease God to kill an animal? Adam and Eve were directed while in the Garden of Eden toeat of herbs and the fruit of trees (Gen. 1:29) and when driven out of the garden were to eatof the herbs of the field (Gen. 3:18). Nothing was said, that is revealed in scripture, aboutkilling animals in those early days of man's existence on earth. Thus for Abel to take thisbold step God must have revealed to him that it was okay to do so.We are thus at the point where we (should I say I?) believe God gave directions for makingofferings/sacrifices. I think this can be further confirmed by a passage found in the NewTestament – Rom. 10:17. "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."(NKJV) How can you have faith when you are flying blind without any word from God? Is an
 
"I think so" or an "it seems to me" faith? Is that the definition of faith? That is opinion, notfaith.The writer in the book of Hebrews (11:4) says Abel's sacrifice was by faith. When one actsby faith in the Bible he is acting in confidence, not in doubt. Well, how could Abel be soconfident about his sacrifice? There is only one way and that is if he had receivedinstructions from God as to how to sacrifice (which would include the procedure for doing soand also what it was that was to be sacrificed) so that he would have no doubt about theacceptability of that sacrifice with God. If you are just guessing or hoping your offering willbe pleasing how can it be said you are acting by faith?Why is it that there is no text saying that Cain's sacrifice was "by faith?" Could it be becauseit was not? Could it be because Cain had personal doubts about it himself? Why was it thatCain did not sacrifice "by faith?" Surely, if Abel was able to sacrifice "by faith" Cain shouldhave been able to do likewise. Had Cain made a sacrifice "by faith" would God have beendispleased?The Bible says God "did not respect Cain and his offering." (Gen. 4:5 NKJV) One has to askwhy not? If both were doing the very best they could why not? Could it be one (Cain) wasnot doing the best he could? God asks Cain, "Why are you angry?" (Gen. 4:6 NKJV) God'srejection of his offering had made him angry. God then says to him, "If you do well, will younot be accepted?" (Gen. 4:7 NKJV) Evidently, then Cain had not done well. But, he couldonly know how to do well if he had information as to how that was to be done. Thus againwe see that both Cain and Abel must have had information about making sacrifices(offerings) that would please God and Cain had failed to follow the instructions.By means of his sacrifice (and the manner in which it was made – by faith) it is said that Abel"obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts." (Heb. 11:4 NKJV). Thiswas not said of Cain but I ask the question could it have been? Was it impossible for Cain tomake an acceptable sacrifice? That Cain knew all he needed to know to make such asacrifice is self-evident. God is not a respecter of persons (Acts 10:34). Cain's failure wasjust that – Cain's failure. He had none to blame other than himself.1 John 3:12 gives some additional light as it tells us why Cain murdered his brother Abel.
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Cain...was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him?Because his works were evil and his brother's righteous." (NKJV) When God failed to respectCain and his offering it made Cain mad. He later killed Abel out in the field due to his angerand jealousy. The text in 1 John says the motive was "his works were evil and his brother'srighteous." (NKJV) The question is whether this has reference to Cain's sacrifice or to otherthings? We do know his anger and lack of love (we could say his hate) drove him to murder.Rather than find repentance when God spoke to him in Gen. 4:6-7, a time when God wasgiving him we might say a second chance to do right, Cain goes off instead and commitsmurder giving full vent to anger, hatred, and jealousy. He lived not for God or even for hisown family.This is a good time to make a point about faith and what it is. Faith that is pleasing to God isnot faith in God's existence alone. God even spoke to Cain. Cain had no doubt about God'sexistence. We could go so far as to say he did not need faith in God's existence for he hadfirsthand knowledge of it. So, faith that God is is not saving faith. There is more to it than
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