Christian Living
February 13, 2012 – Worthless Works, Deeds, and Sacrifices
4 [Prompted, actuated] by faith Abel brought God a better and more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, because of which it was testified of him that he was righteous [that he was upright and in right standing with God], and God bore witness by accepting and acknowledging his gifts. And though he died, yet [through the incident] he is still speaking. – Hebrews 11:4 AMP
Abel was the first person ever murdered. One generation removed from occupancy of the Garden of Eden, he and his brother Cain brought sacrifices to the Lord in Genesis Chapter Four. As today’s verse says, Abel brought God a more acceptable sacrifice: the firstborn of his flock (Genesis 4:4). Meanwhile, Cain brought some of the fruit of the crops he had grown, and his offering was not accepted by God.
Now just like everything else in the Bible, there are several interpretations regarding the sacrifices of Cain and Abel. But the prevailing idea is this: Abel’s sacrifice involved the shedding of blood. Even though Mosaic Law didn’t exist in those early times, the majority of scholars seem to agree that there were already measures put in place by God Himself regarding animal sacrifices and the atonement of sin. But something that is often overlooked is Cain’s pride, jealousy, and anger which grew to the point that he murdered his own brother. Christians today find themselves in Cain’s situation: they offer sacrifices to God in vain.
First, let’s look a little closer at these two brothers. Cain went before God with the fruit of his labors. He had worked hard tilling the soil and growing his crops, and he wanted God to see his work. Abel, on the other hand, gave up the firstborn from his flock. People who truly love animals like my wife Marlo will treat their livestock like pets or even members of the family. Then to see one grow and have to part with it is a horrible thing. Now I’m not saying that Abel had that personality because that would be an off the wall assumption. But Abel did care for and nurture the animal since it had been born. He undoubtedly knew the animal very well. But he took it to God with the right attitude. Cain’s attitude was one of pride and arrogance. Look what I did, he thought. Abel’s heart was toward pleasing God, whereas Cain’s heart was toward showing God what he had done.
That’s where many Christians miss the train and fail to even buy a ticket. They volunteer countless hours at church. They pay their tithes and even give large amounts of money to other Christian charities. But they have an attitude like Cain, showing God everything they have done. And the whole time, God is searching for an Abel, who will refuse to offer a worthless sacrifice.
The fact is that millions of Christians are trying to buy their way into heaven. I was one once. I volunteered more time than I had to the church, gave gobs of money to charity, but never examined my heart in the process. I thought through all of my sacrifices I deserved to be blessed by God. I was a modern day Cain. And when God rejected all my worthless works, deeds, and sacrifices, I, like Cain, was left angry and bitter that I couldn’t simply do things to live eternally.
But God doesn’t allow people to buy their way into heaven by any work, deed, or sacrifice. He always looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).
2 For all these things My hand has made, and so all these things have come into being [by and for Me], says the Lord. But this is the man to whom I will look and have regard: he who is humble and of a broken or wounded spirit, and who trembles at My word and reveres My commands. – Isaiah 66:2 AMP
Want God to have regard for your sacrifice? Be humble. Follow His instructions. Stop doing things your way and start following God’s way. Cain didn’t do that. He tried to please God on his own terms, and it led to disaster.
Are you trying to buy your way into heaven? Are you so busy doing things in your church and community that you’ve stopped following God? Have your many donations turned you prideful? Have your many sacrifices become merely a ritual that you follow? Now I am by no means saying that if you answer yes to any of these that you’re capable of murder, but search your heart. If you continue to try to get to heaven on your own merits, you could be more like Cain than you thought.
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