Introduction. The first account of worship being offered to God ended with great tragedy. Abel was murdered and Cain left God’s presence never to serve Him again. (Gen. 4:1-24). Since the “way of Cain” is now a sign to identify a false teacher, and Abel is “still speaking” to us about his “more excellent sacrifice,” it is very important to assess whether we are listening to Abel or straying into the way of Cain (Heb. 11:4; Jude 3-4, 11). God made it very clear in this account that He will not accept just any type of worship man might want to offer to Him. “And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, 5 but He did not respect Cain and his offering.” (Gen. 4:4-5)
While many have sought the reason why God rejected Cain from the events recorded in Genesis, God did not reveal the full truth until the writing of Hebrews and First John. While explaining why Cain killed Abel, the Holy Spirit also revealed why God rejected Cain’s offering: “we should love one another, not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his deeds were evil and his brother's righteous.” (1Jn. 3:12). Cain murdered Abel because his deeds were evil and Abel’s deeds were righteous. The actions of Cain prior to the murder were evil. God rejected the offering because it was evil, but what made it evil?
While many have sought the reason why God rejected Cain from the events recorded in Genesis, God did not reveal the full truth until the writing of Hebrews and First John. While explaining why Cain killed Abel, the Holy Spirit also revealed why God rejected Cain’s offering: “we should love one another, not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his deeds were evil and his brother's righteous.” (1Jn. 3:12). Cain murdered Abel because his deeds were evil and Abel’s deeds were righteous. The actions of Cain prior to the murder were evil. God rejected the offering because it was evil, but what made it evil?
What made Abel’s offering more excellent? The Holy Spirit revealed this in Hebrews: “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.” God respected Abel and saw his deeds as righteous because he offered his gift by faith. If Cain had shown the same faith, Abel’s offering would not have been more excellent. Therefore it was Abel’s faith that led God to testify concerning his gifts by accepting them. Because of this revelation in Hebrews, even though Abel is dead, he is still speaking to all Christians today. He is telling us that if we want God to accept our gifts and considered us as righteous, we must offered our gifts by faith!
But what exactly is this faith that Abel had and Cain lacked? Some would answer that it was the trust one feels in God’s presence while they worship. While this is half right, there is something of greater importance that must not be overlooked. For the Christian, the Holy Spirit revealed that the origin and source of all faith is in hearing the word of Christ: “faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Rom. 10:17). Hence, before anyone can have faith, they must first hear what God has said. Then after hearing it, they must believe it, trust it and act upon it. That is exactly what Abel did. God had already revealed the details of the gift He sought. Abel heard what God said and acted in faith by doing exactly what God asked. One of the Proverbs gives the two distinct responses of Abel and Cain.
There is no other way to trust God than this! When God speaks, those who trust His words with all their heart, will do everything He has said and nothing more. All service to God, including worship falls into the manner of Abel or of Cain. Those who serve and worship while they “trust in the Lord with all your heart,” “in all your ways acknowledge Him,” “let Him direct your paths,” and “fear the Lord” will never add any of their own ideas. There must always be a verse to hear and put faith in before each act of worship. Others serve and worship while they “lean on your own understanding” and are “wise in your own eyes.” They will bring to God what they desire to give Him without consulting His word. Such worship is vain because their trust is in the words of men along with the words of God. (Mt. 15:8-9).
Many have gone in the way of Cain. Instead of seeking God’s commands and obeying them (true faith), many simply lean on their own understanding and offer Him what they think He would like instead of what He told them He wanted. The real truth about those who are wise in their own eyes is that the worship they offer to God is from what they like and enjoy and they offer it to God expecting Him to accept it. God will not respect such a person any more than He did Cain, and He will not respect any offering that is not offered by faith and submission in response to what He has commanded.
God made this even clearer in the account of the death of Nadab and Abihu. Since God commanded all priests to get their coals of fire from the altar when offering incense to Him, worship by faith required that the fire always come from that altar (Lev. 16:12). One day, they offered God a strange fire. “Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them.” (Lev. 10:1) Why was it strange? Because it was not a fire familiar to God. He had not commanded it. It was not offered by faith because it had come from leaning on their own understanding.
God testified about their gift too, putting them to death (Lev. 10:2). Moses saw and shared with Aaron exactly why God had responded so harshly: “This is what the Lord spoke, saying: ‘By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; And before all the people I must be glorified.’” (Lev. 10:3) By offering that strange fire which God had not commanded, they had not treated God in the holy manner He demanded. He is God! He knows everything and has absolute authority and dominion. Those who truly worship God know this truth and hold Him in great awe, fear and reverence. No one who knows and trusts God would dare add something from their own minds to what He commanded.
If Nadab and Abihu had respected Him as their holy God, they would not have leaned on their own understanding. By offering a fire He had not commanded they acted as though they were His equal and could bring their own suggestions and expect Him to accept them. Those who trust in the Lord with all their heart (true faith) will regard God as holy. God expects a holy awe and a sanctified reverence and respect when we approach Him in worship. Coming casually and offering our own suggestions only insults Him. He sees it as evil and will never accept it.
Some think this ended with the Old Covenant. They reason that with grace and mercy offered in the New Covenant such laws were suspended. If that were true, why are Cain and Abel both mentioned in the New Testament? Why is Abel still speaking to us today? Even more powerful for the Christian, why would Jesus warn us that all genuine and acceptable worship to God must be offered in “spirit and truth?” “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (Jn. 4:23-24). These words seal forever that the failure of Cain and success of Abel will live on until the end of time. If we listen to Abel and follow in His steps, we will be true worshipers who follow the truth in all our worship.
Since all truth can only found in God’s word, no act of worship offered outside of it will be accepted. “Sanctify them in the truth. Your word is truth.” (Jn. 17:17). When offering worship to God, our reverence and holy awe are seen when we first consult His word, find the exact truth, and trusting it with all our heart, offer Him the gifts He asked for and therefore desires. This is how God expects us to treat Him. He doesn’t need our advice, suggestions or input.
Conclusion. Because Abel understood these things, he offered his gift by faith. He saw God as holy and wanted to glorify Him by showing his full trust and submission, doing exactly what God asked him to do. If we are listening to Abel today, then we are following in his footsteps of success. He is among the great cloud of witnesses who served God acceptably.
But what exactly is this faith that Abel had and Cain lacked? Some would answer that it was the trust one feels in God’s presence while they worship. While this is half right, there is something of greater importance that must not be overlooked. For the Christian, the Holy Spirit revealed that the origin and source of all faith is in hearing the word of Christ: “faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Rom. 10:17). Hence, before anyone can have faith, they must first hear what God has said. Then after hearing it, they must believe it, trust it and act upon it. That is exactly what Abel did. God had already revealed the details of the gift He sought. Abel heard what God said and acted in faith by doing exactly what God asked. One of the Proverbs gives the two distinct responses of Abel and Cain.
- Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. (Pr. 3:5-7).
There is no other way to trust God than this! When God speaks, those who trust His words with all their heart, will do everything He has said and nothing more. All service to God, including worship falls into the manner of Abel or of Cain. Those who serve and worship while they “trust in the Lord with all your heart,” “in all your ways acknowledge Him,” “let Him direct your paths,” and “fear the Lord” will never add any of their own ideas. There must always be a verse to hear and put faith in before each act of worship. Others serve and worship while they “lean on your own understanding” and are “wise in your own eyes.” They will bring to God what they desire to give Him without consulting His word. Such worship is vain because their trust is in the words of men along with the words of God. (Mt. 15:8-9).
Many have gone in the way of Cain. Instead of seeking God’s commands and obeying them (true faith), many simply lean on their own understanding and offer Him what they think He would like instead of what He told them He wanted. The real truth about those who are wise in their own eyes is that the worship they offer to God is from what they like and enjoy and they offer it to God expecting Him to accept it. God will not respect such a person any more than He did Cain, and He will not respect any offering that is not offered by faith and submission in response to what He has commanded.
God made this even clearer in the account of the death of Nadab and Abihu. Since God commanded all priests to get their coals of fire from the altar when offering incense to Him, worship by faith required that the fire always come from that altar (Lev. 16:12). One day, they offered God a strange fire. “Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them.” (Lev. 10:1) Why was it strange? Because it was not a fire familiar to God. He had not commanded it. It was not offered by faith because it had come from leaning on their own understanding.
God testified about their gift too, putting them to death (Lev. 10:2). Moses saw and shared with Aaron exactly why God had responded so harshly: “This is what the Lord spoke, saying: ‘By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; And before all the people I must be glorified.’” (Lev. 10:3) By offering that strange fire which God had not commanded, they had not treated God in the holy manner He demanded. He is God! He knows everything and has absolute authority and dominion. Those who truly worship God know this truth and hold Him in great awe, fear and reverence. No one who knows and trusts God would dare add something from their own minds to what He commanded.
If Nadab and Abihu had respected Him as their holy God, they would not have leaned on their own understanding. By offering a fire He had not commanded they acted as though they were His equal and could bring their own suggestions and expect Him to accept them. Those who trust in the Lord with all their heart (true faith) will regard God as holy. God expects a holy awe and a sanctified reverence and respect when we approach Him in worship. Coming casually and offering our own suggestions only insults Him. He sees it as evil and will never accept it.
Some think this ended with the Old Covenant. They reason that with grace and mercy offered in the New Covenant such laws were suspended. If that were true, why are Cain and Abel both mentioned in the New Testament? Why is Abel still speaking to us today? Even more powerful for the Christian, why would Jesus warn us that all genuine and acceptable worship to God must be offered in “spirit and truth?” “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (Jn. 4:23-24). These words seal forever that the failure of Cain and success of Abel will live on until the end of time. If we listen to Abel and follow in His steps, we will be true worshipers who follow the truth in all our worship.
Since all truth can only found in God’s word, no act of worship offered outside of it will be accepted. “Sanctify them in the truth. Your word is truth.” (Jn. 17:17). When offering worship to God, our reverence and holy awe are seen when we first consult His word, find the exact truth, and trusting it with all our heart, offer Him the gifts He asked for and therefore desires. This is how God expects us to treat Him. He doesn’t need our advice, suggestions or input.
- Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! 34 For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor? 35 Or who has first given to Him And it shall be repaid to him? 36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen. (Rom. 11:33-36).
Conclusion. Because Abel understood these things, he offered his gift by faith. He saw God as holy and wanted to glorify Him by showing his full trust and submission, doing exactly what God asked him to do. If we are listening to Abel today, then we are following in his footsteps of success. He is among the great cloud of witnesses who served God acceptably.
- Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, (Heb. 12:1).