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 11 commended by the Holy Spirit for their faith.  Of Abel it is said, "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." (Heb. 11:4 NKJV)  Men have long been troubled by this passage trying to figure out why Abel's sacrifice was 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, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.  And in the process of time, it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord.  Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell." (NKJV)

It is worthwhile to read what followed seemingly not long afterwards in a conversation between God and Cain.  "So the Lord said to Cain, 'Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?  If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do 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 than meets the eye when one begins to study a little.

First, I ask the question of how Abel and Cain knew anything at all about sacrifices and/or offerings to God.  Where did such a concept of making offerings to God come from?  How did the idea of such a thing even enter into their minds?  We do not think about things of which we know nothing.  My grandparents died in the nineteen sixties.  How much time do you think they spent thinking about the Internet?  It was impossible for them to even have such thoughts, to conceive of such a thing, and so I ask again where did Abel and Cain get the idea about 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 speech to them or through commandments given to their parents (Adam and Eve) and thus passed on down to them from parent to child.  That God spoke directly with not only Adam and Eve but also with Cain we see from Gen. 4:6-7 and Gen. 4:9-15.  Jesus, in the New Testament, in Luke 11:49-51, includes Abel with the prophets so we know God spoke to him as well.  A prophet was one who proclaimed God's will and not just necessarily one who only fore-told things to come.

Furthermore, I would add that without direction from God how could Abel know it would please God to kill an animal as a sacrifice?  Adam and Eve were directed while in the Garden of Eden to eat of herbs and the fruit of trees (Gen. 1:29) and when driven out of the garden they were to eat of the herbs of the field (Gen. 3:18).  Nothing was said, that is revealed in scripture, about killing animals in those early days of man's existence on earth.  Thus for Abel to take this bold 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 making offerings/sacrifices.  I think this can be further confirmed by a passage found in the New Testament--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, not faith.

The writer in the book of Hebrews (11:4) says Abel's sacrifice was by faith.  When one acts by faith in the Bible he is acting in confidence, not in doubt.  He is not guessing or hoping.  Well, how could Abel be so confident about his sacrifice?  There is only one way and that is if he had received instructions from God as to how to sacrifice which would include the procedure for doing so and also what it was that was to be sacrificed so that he would have no doubt about the acceptability of that sacrifice with God.  If you are just guessing or hoping your offering will be 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 because it was not?  Could it be because Cain had personal doubts about it himself?  Why was it that Cain did not sacrifice "by faith?"  Surely, if Abel was able to sacrifice "by faith" Cain should have been able to do likewise.  Had Cain made a sacrifice "by faith" would God have been displeased? 

The Bible says God "did not respect Cain and his offering." (Gen. 4:5 NKJV)  One has to ask why not?  If both were doing the very best they could why not?  Could it be one (Cain) was not doing the best he could?  God asks Cain, "Why are you angry?" (Gen. 4:6 NKJV)  God's rejection of his offering had made him angry.  God then says to him, "If you do well, will you not be accepted?" (Gen. 4:7 NKJV)  Evidently, then Cain had not done well.  But, he could only know how to do well if he had information as to how that was to be done.  Thus again we 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)  This was not said of Cain but I ask the question could it have been?  Was it impossible for Cain to make an acceptable sacrifice?  That Cain knew all he needed to know to make such a sacrifice is self-evident.  God is not a respecter of persons (Acts 10:34).  Cain's failure was just 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.  "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 respect Cain and his offering it made Cain mad.  He later killed Abel out in the field due to his anger and jealousy.  The text in 1 John says the motive was "his works were evil and his brother's righteous." (NKJV)  The question is whether this has reference to Cain's sacrifice or to other things?  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 was giving him we might say a second chance to do right, Cain goes off instead and commits murder giving full vent to anger, hatred, and jealousy.  He lived not for God or even for his own family.

This is a good time to make a point about faith and what it is.  Faith that is pleasing to God is not faith in God's existence alone.  God even spoke to Cain.  Cain had no doubt about God's existence.  We could go so far as to say he did not need faith in God's existence for he had firsthand knowledge of it.  So, faith that God lives is not saving faith.  There is more to it than just that.  "You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe and tremble!" (James 2:19 NKJV)  Do we believe Cain and the demons were saved?  If not we need to continue to study to learn what saving faith is.  It certainly involves more than just believing God exists in the heavens.

The writer of the book of Hebrews says of Abel that he "obtained witness that he was righteous." (Heb. 11:4 NKJV)  Jesus declared him righteous in Matt. 25:35.  He became such by faith.  Abel died a righteous man.  He was a man of faith who heard God's word, believed it, and obeyed it.  There is no saving faith where a man simply hears God's words with the ear and then goes off in disobedience doing his own thing.  A man of faith trusts God's words for God spoke them and thus they are trustworthy.  In obeying them one is obeying God and manifesting faith in him.

We do not know what all Abel knew about sacrifice to God but we do know he followed by faith what he had been told and did not deviate from it for his trust was in the one who had directed him.  The lesson for today--trust what God has told us in his word and do it for in doing it we will be "by faith" acting as did Abel.

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A Good Conscience

A clean or we might say a good conscience is essential to a person's sense of well-being.  One can never depend on his/her conscience as an infallible guide for that is not the function of the conscience.  Nevertheless, violate your conscience and the result is guilt, self-deprecation, and sorrow.   

The conscience is that which is within us that pricks us, perhaps troubles us would be a better way of putting it, when we do that which we consider to be wrong.  Generally speaking, we knew the deed was wrong before we committed it but went ahead, violated our conscience, and did it anyway.  We then feel guilt and shame, unhappy with ourselves.  Also, it is not always just what we do that condemns us in our conscience but often things we know we should have done in helping others but which we let slide and failed to do when we knew we should have stepped in and acted.

Of course, we have to remember that having a good conscience by itself does not mean we are right with God.  If so in ages past those who worshipped idols, offered human sacrifice, and even cannibals in the distant jungles of Africa and Southeast Asia were justified.  Their cultures said those things were right and thus their conscience did not bother them by participating in such acts.

Paul while persecuting Christians even to the death had a good conscience at the time he was doing so.  He said, in reference to that time, "Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.  This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them." (Acts 26:9-10 NKJV)

The conscience then to be of value to us must be trained in righteousness, trained in God's word for it is truth (John 17:17).  No one strictly following God's word would ever do anything to another but what was beneficial and good for that person.  God is love (1 John 4:16) and his word is based on that love.  Thus the conscience to be what it ought to be must be trained based on correct teaching--the word of God.

The Bible teaches we must act in good conscience and to do otherwise is sin.  "But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin." (Rom. 14:23 NKJV)  Why is a man condemned if he eats?  Because he doubts whether he ought to be doing it and thus cannot do it with a clear conscience.  If he goes ahead and eats thinking it might be wrong he violates his conscience.

There is a lesson in that passage we must learn and live by.  "Whatever is not from faith is sin."  The passage is thus not just about eating meats that were condemned under the Law of Moses, now made clean under the law of Christ, but about all of our life and actions for the word is "whatever"--whatever is not from faith, whatever cannot be done with good conscience.

Paul is admirable in that he could say, "I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day." (Acts 23:1 NKJV)  Not many can in all truthfulness say that.  Was he saying he had not sinned and did not need Christ?  No, he was only saying he had always done what he thought was right at the time when he was doing it including even when persecuting Christians.

The goal for all of us is to so live as Paul did in the matter of conscience.  Our goal ought to be as he said his was when he said, "I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men." (Acts 24:16 NKJV)  However, we should not despair if we fail to live up to such a high standard.

Peter denied Christ and I think we would all agree he knew at the time he should not do it and had previously declared he would not.  He at a later date withdrew from eating with the Gentile Christians at Antioch fearing the Jews who had come up from Jerusalem for a visit (Gal. 2:11-12).  It is hard to see how Peter did either of these sins without violating his conscience which is to say he knew better before he did either.

We can be forgiven of sins committed in violation of conscience.   We should not despair.  Yes, there is danger of searing our conscience by continually violating our conscience but that is another article.  The point here is to not give up because you have fallen short in the matter of maintaining a perfectly clear conscience all the days of your life.  Don't you think David knew what he was doing was wrong in the matter of Bathsheba and her husband Uriah while he was doing it?  I think we all expect to see both a forgiven Peter and David in heaven.  If they could be forgiven of such grave sins in violation of conscience surely we can be forgiven also of our sins in violation of conscience.

The exact phrase "good conscience" is found 6 times in the New King James Version of the New Testament in Acts 23:1 (previously mentioned above), 1 Tim. 1:5, 1 Tim. 1:19, Heb. 13:18, 1 Peter 3:16, and 1 Peter 3:21.  It would be good to take a quick look at the 5 verses not yet mentioned.

1 Tim. 1:5, "Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith." (NKJV)  The kind of love God desires comes from a heart that is pure, a faith that is sincere, and a conscience that is good.  Our goal in our Christian life is to grow into being just that daily and continually--pure in heart, sincere in faith, and good in conscience with love for God and one another.  It is a picture of God's purpose for us.

1 Tim. 1:18-19, "Wage the good warfare, having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck." (NKJV)  Paul couples a good conscience with faith.  A good conscience denotes faithfulness without which faith is shipwreck.  On such a ship one cannot be saved thus the once saved always saved doctrine is in error. 

All Bible teaching is that faith leads to obedience.  When you or I violate our conscience we either willfully disobey God's law knowing what we are doing is wrong or we do that which we think may well be sinful and are willing to take the chance thus displaying a heart that is not pure toward God which relates back to the 1 Tim. 1:5 passage.  In either case, we sin.  If the desire is to be saved by faith then one must have a good conscience toward God which means one must be obedient to God for how can one be knowingly disobedient and maintain a good conscience?

Heb. 13:18, "Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably." (NKJV)  Can one live honorably and at the same time live with a guilty conscience?  Do you want to be an honorable person?  If so you must live in good conscience in your life refraining from all things that would violate that conscience.  Part of the definition of an honorable man is one who has a good conscience. 

I think it would be good to point out also that the writer in this passage when he said "we have a good conscience" was saying we have lived faithfully as best as we have known how for otherwise there would have been no good conscience.  Thus one sees again that faithfulness (obedience) ties in directly with a good conscience.

1 Peter 3:15-16, "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience." (NKJV)  Is this not a command to keep a good conscience?  Seems like it to me. 

Furthermore, it implies beyond doubt it is essential to have a good conscience if one is to be able to give an honest defense of the hope he has.  Without a good conscience, where is the hope?  One loses a good conscience by sin and where there is sin there is no hope unless and until the sin is repented of, God’s forgiveness is sought, and the conscience is cleansed. 

1 Peter 3:21, "There is also an antitype which now saves us--baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ." (NKJV)  How can baptism be the answer of a good conscience toward God?  Most say that even though God commanded it (John 3:5, Matt. 28:19, Mark 16:15-16, Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16, etc.) baptism is not really necessary.  Most would say, "I can have a good conscience without it."  Well, if so, it may well say more about how your conscience has been trained than anything else. 

Peter associates baptism with a good conscience in this scripture and none can deny that.  A good conscience is essential to salvation, baptism is thus essential to salvation.  On a practical level, it matters not whether baptism is an "answer" of a good conscience as per the NKJV or an "appeal" for a good conscience as per the ESV and the NAS (and which I think beyond any personal doubt is correct) the bottom line is baptism and a good conscience have been tied together by the Holy Spirit in this passage and only God can untie the two. 

If baptism is an answer of a good conscience the passage teaches that a good conscience leads one to be obedient and be baptized.  If baptism is an appeal for a good conscience it means one is baptized in order to obtain a good conscience knowing God commanded it.  In either case, the failure to comply with baptism is an offense against God and conscience (assuming one's conscience has been trained properly by God's word).    

The exact phrase a "pure conscience" is only used two times in the NKJV of the New Testament--in 1 Tim. 3:9 and 2 Tim. 1:3.  Here is a quick look at those two verses.

1 Tim. 3:9, "holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience."  This is listed in its context as being one of the qualifications for being appointed as a deacon in the church.  It just adds to the evidence already gathered here and presented that God expects his people to live with a good or pure conscience.  There can be no acceptable service to God without such a conscience.

2 Tim. 1:3, "I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day."  This is Paul once again telling us he lived his life in a way to always have a good conscience.  Compare this with what he said back in Acts 24:16 already discussed here.

We ought to live our lives every day so as to have a pure conscience.  A good conscience is a wonderful blessing and one which we are in control of--a blessing we can have just by reaching out and taking it.  I equate it to peace of mind which is far superior to turmoil of mind.  The conscience tells us, when properly trained, to repent when we sin.  Only by doing so and doing what God requires for our reconciliation can peace and contentment be found.  Truly the conscience is a gift from God if we will properly train it by God's word and then honor its role in our life.  When your conscience pricks your soul thank God it is doing so for it is nudging you toward repentance and salvation and then peace.

Please do not despair if you have sinned and your conscience troubles you, if you think it is too late for you to ever have a good conscience again.  Please go to your Old Testament and read the historical accounts about David and his sin with Bathsheba.  Read about his repentance and how he was cleansed of his sins, the sin of adultery and murder.  Then read Psalm 51, a psalm of David concerning this matter.  Remember we have all been there.  We have all fallen short of God’s glory but it is his desire to restore us if we will only allow it.  You can still have a good and pure conscience if you will allow God to do his work in your heart and life.  Do like David in his repentance and God will cleanse you and make you whiter than snow.

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Heaven Is On The Other Side

The Failure of Faith—Solomon—Part I

I was recently reading an author (C. S. Lewis) who to paraphrase it was making the declaration that faith must be fed if it is to survive.  I have thought about that quite a bit since reading it and I am persuaded he is right.  Just because a person holds a belief today does not mean he is going to hold it tomorrow.  People lose their faith.  The question is why?  Lewis would say that the faith was not fed and, as he said, most people who lose their faith just gradually drift away, drift until faith is gone. 

I was trying to think of a Bible example of a person like this, one who once believed in God and followed him and then lost his faith.  The one I know about that best fits into that category and certainly the best known would be Solomon, David's son and king of all Israel.

If you recall the story David had wanted to build a house for God but God told David that he would not be allowed to build it due to his having "shed much blood"(1 Chron. 22:7-8 NKJV) but went on to say that a son would be born to him, "his name shall be Solomon," (1 Chron. 22:9 NKJV) who would build the house and have the throne (1 Chron. 22:10, 2 Sam. 7:12-13). 

When Solomon was born the Bible says, "The Lord loved him." (2 Sam. 12:24 NKJV)  God sent word by Nathan the prophet to call him Jedidiah (2 Sam. 12:25 NKJV) which literally means "Beloved of the Lord" (see the footnote in the NKJV).  That is a good start in life and his life did start out well.  He listened to his father David who gave him the kingdom, instructed him as to the building of a temple for God, and warned him to be faithful to God and not to depart from him.  "Keep the charge of the Lord your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn." (1 Kings 2:3 NKJV)

These things Solomon seemed to do in the early years of his kingdom.  The Bible says of Solomon in those days that "Solomon loved the Lord." (1 Kings 3:3 NKJV)  It was about this time, very early in Solomon's reign, that "the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night" (1 Kings 3:5 NKJV, see also 2 Chron. 1:7) before the building of the temple and asked Solomon what he could give to him.  I am sure you know the story how Solomon asked for wisdom and knowledge (2 Chron. 1:10, see also 1 Kings 3:9) and it was granted to him (2 Chron. 1:12, see also 1 Kings 3:12 and 1 Kings 4:29-31) and his desire for these things so pleased the Lord that God chose to grant him also riches, wealth, and honor (2 Chron. 1:12, see also 1 Kings 3:13-14). 

It is important to point out something here at this point in the life of Solomon.  Solomon had a personal relationship with God the likes of which men do not have today.  How often has God appeared to you?  We think that if he did it would strengthen our faith to the point that we would never lose our faith.  Why then did Solomon lose his faith?  Are we stronger than Solomon? 

Solomon again had direct contact with God during the building of the temple for we read in 1 Kings 6:11 where the Bible says, "Then the word of the Lord came to Solomon, saying." (NKJV)  This was an admonition to be obedient so the Lord could fulfill his word to Solomon which he had spoken to David earlier.  Here is another instance of what should have been a faith-building event in the life of Solomon of such a nature that he would never forget it—the word of God coming to him in a direct way. 

So far, so good in Solomon's life.  The temple is built and when it is completed the ark is brought down and placed within it.  There was an incident here that occurred showing God's presence, another faith builder.  When the ark was set in its place, "the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God." (2 Chron. 5:13-14 NKJV)  Solomon was fully aware of this (2 Chron. 6:1).

Solomon on this occasion is a faithful obedient servant of God.  Immediately after the event just described Solomon says "blessed be the Lord God of Israel" (2 Chron. 6:4 NKJV) and goes on to tell how God has fulfilled his word.  He then offers a prayer of what some might call a dedication in which he says, and I repeat this here to show the state of his faith at this point in time, "Lord God of Israel, there is no God in heaven or on earth like you, who keep your covenant and mercy with your servants who walk before you with all their hearts." (2 Chron. 6:14 NKJV)  When the prayer is completed the Bible says, "Fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the temple." (2 Chron. 7:1 NKJV)  Solomon believes in God and Solomon has experienced God in supernatural acts.

The Lord then appears to Solomon for the second time in Solomon's life after all the ceremonies associated with the temple have passed (2 Chron. 7:12-22).  On this occasion, God tells Solomon that he has heard his prayer and basically says he will be attentive to Solomon's requests for forgiveness on the basis of repentance for the children of Israel but he also issues a warning, "But if you turn away and forsake my statutes and my commandments which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods, and worship them..." (2 Chron. 7:19 NKJV) and the reader knows the rest as regards the consequences of such acts.

This applied not only to the nation but also to Solomon himself.  His father David while still living had said to him, "As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever." (1 Chron. 28:9 NKJV)

Throughout the rest of his life the Bible does not tell us much to enlighten us on the state of Solomon's faith.  We are told about his wealth, the visit of the Queen of Sheba, and some of his accomplishments but not anything about his faith until near the end of his days.  We do know he reigned for 40 years (1 Kings 11:42), started building the temple in his 4th year (1 Kings 6:1), and 1 Kings 6:38 tells us it took 7 years to build.  What am I getting at?  We know Solomon lived a life of faith for a number of years after becoming king.

We also know much of the book of Proverbs is attributed to him as is the book of Ecclesiastes, The Song of Solomon, and even a couple of the Psalms (Psalms 72 and 127).  We know, "all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Tim. 3:16 NKJV) and we thus know God's Holy Spirit was with Solomon for a time.

At what period during Solomon's reign he wrote one can only say with certainty that it had to be either in the earlier years of his reign or at the latest his middle years.  An important point to be made here is that not only has God appeared to Solomon in his life, spoken to him, and worked a miracle before his eyes at the dedication of the temple, but also inspired him with his Holy Spirit yet his faith eventually fails.  If his faith can fail how about the faith of the average man or woman, can their faith fail? 

The Bible tells us "when Solomon was old…his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the Lord his God." (1 Kings 11:4 NKJV)  As is well known Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kings 11:3).  Solomon worshiped Ashtoreth and Milcom and evidently also Chemosh and Molech (1 Kings 11:5, 7 and 2 Kings 23:13) in his old age.  He also built what were called high places where the worship of these gods took place and based on the text of 1 Kings 11:8 one can surmise there were even more idolatrous gods involved than just these 4 mentioned.

God grew angry with Solomon and spoke to him one last time, "Because you have done this, and have not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant." (1 Kings 11:11 NKJV)  This was to occur after Solomon's death during the reign of his son Rehoboam but nevertheless Solomon spent his last days trying to kill the one who was to be the recipient of the kingdom—Jeroboam (1 Kings 11:34-35, 40).  What a sorry way for a man of God to end his life—as an idolater, as a man in rebellion against God (a God who speaks to him), as a man who is actively fighting to keep God's decree from fulfillment by attempting to kill Jeroboam.

How could such a thing happen?  How could a man who once loved the Lord (1 Kings 3:3) fall away?  How could his faith fail him?  How could a man who wrote things like "trust in the Lord with all your heart" (Prov. 3:5 NKJV), "the fear of the Lord is a fountain of life" (Prov. 14:27 NKJV), "righteousness leads to life" (Prov. 11:19 NKJV), etc., come to the point in life where he falls away?  How does his heart become so hardened that when the Lord tells him he is taking the kingdom away from him he does not repent?  What can we personally learn from this account that would be applicable to us today for "whatever things were written before were written for our learning?" (Rom. 15:4 NKJV)

[The lessons learned will be found in Part II of this article.  Click here for that.]  

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