Have you ever wondered whether God is pleased with you? Have you ever had a doubt on any decision in your life? More to it, what kind of doubt it is? Did you ever examine or reflect on that? Is it a doubt that you think over and over again because it affects you, and your success? or is it affecting God and His glory?
Here we will relate all of the questions above with the story in Genesis 4, a story that most probably is so familiar to many christians. Genesis 4 began with Adam and Eve having their first son. They named it “Cain” which means “acquired” (I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD). Adam and Eve are likely to have remembered and trust God’s word in Genesis 3:15 that from Eve’s offspring will come the one that shall bruise the satan’s head, and they would probably expect that to be Cain. Cain works as a farmer probably because God asked Adam to work on the grounds and he follows his father footsteps (maybe).
Again, Adam and Eve also bore another son, and they named them this time “Abel” which literally means “breath” which translated has a meaning as “vapor” or “vanity”. Now, i don’t know why Adam and Eve name their second son like this unlike their first son? It seems i can see there is favouritism between Cain and Abel already. It seems they put a lot of expectation to Cain and did not really regards Abel the same way as Cain. It seems they have confidence that Cain is the one that God mentioned in Genesis 3:15 as the offspring from Eve that shall bruise satan’s head. Again, i can only speculate here, but at least from the name i can see a glimpse of favoritism act here. Abel works as a keeper of sheep. Imagine back at that time, man didn’t eat meat, they were vegetarian until Genesis 9:3, and so i’m not sure what was the used of sheep except for clothing maybe.
But anyway, then there came a time for them to give offering to the LORD. Cain brought offering of the fruit of the ground, because he works from the ground; and Abel brought the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Bible said that the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering but not for Cain and his offering. Some people said that it was because God likes offering with blood, and that is considered the best. But i don’t think that is the answer, as Cain did not work as a keeper of the sheep, and I wouldn’t think God takes one occupation higher than the other in this case.
One of the clue that we can find from this chapter is on the following 2 verses (verse 6-7):
“The LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.” (Genesis 4:6-7 ESV)
God used the same way as in Genesis 3 to let man realise his sin, and to repent by questioning. Here God asked Cain “Why are you angry and why has your face fallen?” And God added a warning to Cain to not let sin continue to overcome Cain, but he should master it. God gave a reminder to Cain “if you do well will you not be accepted?” So here we see that Cain did not do well and that is why God disregard his offering. But what is it? what was the thing that did not do well? we see that Cain gave offering just like Abel gave offering? and i mentioned it was not the type of jobs or offering they gave. So what was it?
Hebrew 11:4 gives us the answer of why God regards Abel and not Cain. It says “By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.” (Hebrews 11:4 ESV) In other words, God favoured Abel’s offering because of his faith. Once again, it is not because God does not like any non meat, or offering without blood; it is not because the quantity; it is even not because the of the quality of the product; But God looks at your heart.
In Matthew 15:8, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees and said 'This people honors me with their lips,but their heart is far from me;' Also in Psalm 51:16-17 as follows:
For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
(Psalm 51:16-17 ESV)
David was writing this psalm after he realised what he had done: committing an adultery and murder at the same time. He wrote the psalm not just realising, but his heart was broken. David was desperate to God, and asking for repentance, because he saw himself filthy (Psalm 51:1-3). David knew (verse 16), that whatever sacrifice he offered, God wouldn’t accept it, because of his sin; and so (verse 17) he said, but the God of mercy will look upon his broken spirit - a broken and contrite heart, and will accept it. God will not despise one who realise his brokenness and repent. This shows of what kind of God we have. Our God is holy and yet full of grace and mercy.
I think this is what differentiate between how Abel and Cain gave their offering to God: I assume they both knew the story of their parents (through their parents) in the garden of Eden, and God’s promises in Genesis 3:15 as well. I would assume this and so their parents (Adam and Eve) might teach them about this offering attitude in response to what God has done towards the sinfulness of humanity. What makes a difference now as Hebrew said that Abel gave with faith - meaning that in response to what God has done, he has an expectancy towards God’s promise and Abel trust that in his heart; Abel’s response was that this offering is his gratitude towards God’s grace and mercy towards the hopelessness of mankind - towards himself; Abel gave the offering with faith that God who is sovereign has done good things towards bad people, and will carry it unto completion as what God has promised. Therefore, the firstborn, his best was offered with faith - Abel gave his heart when he offered the offering to God. And if Abel was mentioned with faith and Cain not, that means Cain’s response was the other way around: he might take it just as a tradition, or without such trust and humility in response to what God had done to himself. His motive and action could be his pride, or any other thing but for God’s glory. Cain might give a lot of ground fruits in comparison to Abel but his broken heart was not there. Cain might see this as an obligation to give, instead of a thanksgiving towards God’s abundant blessings.
Now what about our hearts today? Do we have faith in God? If you ever wondered whether God is pleased with you, think for example for any decision that you must take on your life: what is the motive behind that? is it because of you and your success, your fame, or is it truly because in response to God’s abundant mercy and grace towards sinner like you and me?
Cain’s response was that he is angry that God did not accept him. Do we get angry if things not according to what we want? or do we actually come to God and ask His council? Again, God’s response towards this was very kind. God then tell Cain straight away by asking “why were you angry”, and continue to warn and advise Cain so that he might overcome sin. God’s act was gracious towards Cain, he told Cain the danger that has started to lurk within Cain that he himself might not realise, and also a warning to overcome it lest he fall deeper.
The same way the work of Holy Spirit in our lives, He talks to us, asking us a question, and warns us to overcome the sin that is crouching at the door - It desires us, but we must rule over it. We can’t do it alone, but with God’s power - trusting in Him, have faith in Him, surely God who is mighty would help us to overcome it.
Faith is what pleases God, as what Hebrew 11:6 says: “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” Therefore, where there is no faith, all acts displease God. We see this truth is also supported in Romans 14:23 where Paul said “...For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.” We see that a faithless act is a sin. Why? In Romans 4:20, Paul explained that Abraham glorifies God because he has faith. Faith glorifies God, faith is recognising and trusting fully that God is trustworthy. Faithless act is sin because it doesn’t glorify God as trustworthy. In 1 Corinthians 10:31, Paul said, “Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” But you can’t glorify God if you are dishonoring him by not trusting him. So where there is no faith, 1 Corinthians 10:31 is being disobeyed in every action (no matter how neutral in itself).
To close, i would give a snippet from an article i found from “desiring god” website which i think would explain what faith is:
When Virtue Is Sin
This is why Augustine said that even the virtues of unbelievers are sin. An example might make this radical indictment of faithless human “goodness” clearer.
Suppose you’re the father of a teenage son. You remind him to wash the car before he uses it to take his friends to the basketball game tonight. He had earlier agreed to do that.
He gets angry and says he doesn’t want to. You gently but firmly remind him of his promise, and say that’s what you expect. He resists. You say, “Well, if you are going to use the car tonight, that’s what you agreed to do.” He storms out of the room angry. Later you see him washing the car.
But he is not doing it out of love for you or out of a Christ-honoring desire to obey Scripture. He wants to go to the game with his friends. That is what compels his “obedience.” I put “obedience” in quotes because it is only external. His heart is wrong. This is what I mean when I say that all human “virtue” is depraved if it is not from a heart of love to the heavenly Father — even if the behavior conforms to biblical norms.
Primarily unto God
The terrible condition of man’s heart will never be recognized by people who assess it only in relation to other people. Your son will drive his friends to the ballgame. That is a “kindness.” They will receive it as a “benefit.” So the evil of our actions can never be measured merely by the good or the harm they do to other humans.
Romans 14:23 makes plain that our depravity is a condition in relation to God primarily, and only secondarily in relation to man. This is the great awakening that needs to happen for people to see the extent of their sin and the greatness of the Savior.
Praise to God, for He is gracious, that in His sovereign, He know our weakness and our condition. He came to seek us to bring restoration to us. So We could have hope in Him, as His victory is sure. Come and bow down before Him, confess and ask His forgiveness, and He who is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. Let us live with faith to God who is trustworthy.
To Go be the Glory,
Paul
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