In Genesis 4, Cain and Abel both bring a sacrifice to God. God accepts Abel’s sacrifice but He rejects Cain’s. What was wrong with Cain's offering that made God reject it? We learn two things about Cain from the New Testament. First, we learn that he lacked faith. In Hebrews 11:4 we see that by faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain. Cain lacked faith. He was going through the religious rituals because that's what Dad said they were supposed to do. Abel had true, genuine faith. As a result of Abel's faith Scripture says he obtained the testimony that he was righteous. Now that would tell me that Cain was not righteous. The problem of Cain wasn't the gift he offered. The problem with Cain was his heart. He lacked faith. Not only that, John tells us in 1 John that Cain's deeds were evil. So what was the problem with Cain's sacrifice? It wasn't the gift that was the problem. According to the New Testament, the problem was Cain's heart. You see, my friend, listen. If your heart is tainted so is your gift. Whatever you're giving to the Lord, you finances, your time, your talents, your singing, if it comes from a heart that's not right with God, then your gift is unacceptable to God.
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SCOTT DISTLERPastor of the E-Free Church with campuses in Gaylord and Sault Ste. Marie, Mi. Archives
August 2019
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