Abel True Worship

The power of words

The couple, Adam and Eve, rebelled against God, sinned and fell, but they did not lose their faith in God. They must have told the children (Cain and Abel) at home about God, about life in the Garden of Eden, the fig leaves they made and the leather garments that God gave them. Those stories lead to the offering of Cain and Abel. The Bible says like this.

³In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. ⁴And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering,(Genesis 4: 3,4)

What type of worshipers is God’s eye-catching?

Jesus said. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” (John 4: 23,24)

The apostle Paul writes. Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.(Romans 12: 1)

Schnorr von Carolsfeld, Julius 1794–1874. “Die Opfer Cains und Abels.” 1. Mose 4,4–5 Holzschnitt, spätere Kolorierung. Aus: Die Bibel in Bildern, Leipzig (Georg Wigand) 1860, Bl. 12. Berlin, Sammlung Archiv für Kunst und Geschichte.

“Cain and Abel’s Offering” (1860)

Through the appearance of their parents in leather clothes, Abel knew that he was guilty and needed forgiveness of his sins. And he knew well that the way to God was in the blood of sacrifice. So he shook the sheep, shed blood, and brought the offering to God. This is exactly the blood of the cross of Jesus, the Lamb of God.

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— (Romans 3: 23-25)

Without shedding blood, there is no forgiveness of sins and no acceptance by God. Abel’s worship also became his confession of faith. God rejoices in those who are shattered and humble, in their regretful hearts. God was pleased with Abel and his worship and took notice.

In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. (Hebrews 9:22)

By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead. (Hebrews 11: 4)

Abel’s worship was accompanied by faith, but Cain’s worship was not. Cain was not accepted by God because he approached God by his own efforts.

One cannot be justified in deeds. Because people are imperfect and cannot reach God. The road of Cain can be said to be the road of religion. The road from bottom to top, the road from man to God. On the other hand, the Abel Road is the Gospel Road. The road from top to bottom, the road from God to man. Jesus, the God, was born as a person to save people. This is the gospel (good news). God has done what humans cannot do.

know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified. (Galatians 2:16)