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[SUP]11[/SUP] For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
[SUP]12[/SUP] Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.
So, what was so evil about Cains works and so righteous about Abel's works? And why did Jesus, Himself, call Abel a righteous person?That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
Well, I guess, to find an answer to that question we should go all the way back to the beginning of time and see what transpired between Cain and Abel.
And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
[SUP]3[/SUP] And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.
[SUP]4[/SUP] And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
[SUP]5[/SUP] But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
[SUP]6[/SUP] And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
[SUP]7[/SUP] If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
[SUP]8[/SUP] And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
So, we have to 2 brothers who were both believers. They were both religious folks who wanted to bring an offering to God. In affect, they were both saying Lord, Lord. Cain was the first one to bring an offering. It was his idea. Abel just followed suit. So, why would God have respect unto Abel's offering but not to Cains? To understand the answer to this question we have to understand the physical world they were living in. Before the flood of Noah, all the animals, including man, were vegetarian. Abel did not have to worry about wild animals attacking his sheep. All he did was lay around on the green grass, eating the fruit off the trees that the Lord supplied in abundance and then just led his flock of sheep from one green pasture to another. Not really any work involved at all. Whereas Cain was such a hard worker. Tilling the soil by the sweat of his brow. Working so hard and proud of all his accomplishments as he saw all his vegetables and fruit that he planted and watered and cause to grow spring up. He was so proud of all his accomplishments and good works, in fact, that he decided he wanted to show God how good and righteous he was by presenting the fruit of the ground as an offering. He felt, surely God would recognize his good work and give him a much deserved pat on the back for it. So when God had respect unto his "lazy bum" Abel's offering and not unto his, his jaw almost dropped to the ground in astonishment. He was so crestfallen and angry at God's lack of discernment. And, of course, he was so jealous that he went out and slew his brother in a fit of rage.
Abel's offering was from a thankful and humble heart in thanking God for all His blessings and for God's love and care for him. Cains offering was a proud heart of how much he accomplished and could take care of himself by the sweat of his brow. So, what's the moral of this story?
Righteousness is depending solely on God for your Salvation by believing in the sacrificial lamb, Jesus Christ, who offered up Himself for our sins and depending on His loving care for you.
Evilness, sin at the door, is depending on your own righteous ability to do good and keep the law and obey the commandments, instead of depending on the Lord's grace, love and mercy.
It's like the difference between the Pharisee and the publican who went up into the temple to pray.
And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
[SUP]10[/SUP] Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
[SUP]11[/SUP] The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
[SUP]12[/SUP] I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
[SUP]13[/SUP] And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
[SUP]14[/SUP] I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
[SUP]12[/SUP] Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.
So, what was so evil about Cains works and so righteous about Abel's works? And why did Jesus, Himself, call Abel a righteous person?That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
Well, I guess, to find an answer to that question we should go all the way back to the beginning of time and see what transpired between Cain and Abel.
And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
[SUP]3[/SUP] And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.
[SUP]4[/SUP] And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
[SUP]5[/SUP] But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
[SUP]6[/SUP] And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
[SUP]7[/SUP] If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
[SUP]8[/SUP] And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
So, we have to 2 brothers who were both believers. They were both religious folks who wanted to bring an offering to God. In affect, they were both saying Lord, Lord. Cain was the first one to bring an offering. It was his idea. Abel just followed suit. So, why would God have respect unto Abel's offering but not to Cains? To understand the answer to this question we have to understand the physical world they were living in. Before the flood of Noah, all the animals, including man, were vegetarian. Abel did not have to worry about wild animals attacking his sheep. All he did was lay around on the green grass, eating the fruit off the trees that the Lord supplied in abundance and then just led his flock of sheep from one green pasture to another. Not really any work involved at all. Whereas Cain was such a hard worker. Tilling the soil by the sweat of his brow. Working so hard and proud of all his accomplishments as he saw all his vegetables and fruit that he planted and watered and cause to grow spring up. He was so proud of all his accomplishments and good works, in fact, that he decided he wanted to show God how good and righteous he was by presenting the fruit of the ground as an offering. He felt, surely God would recognize his good work and give him a much deserved pat on the back for it. So when God had respect unto his "lazy bum" Abel's offering and not unto his, his jaw almost dropped to the ground in astonishment. He was so crestfallen and angry at God's lack of discernment. And, of course, he was so jealous that he went out and slew his brother in a fit of rage.
Abel's offering was from a thankful and humble heart in thanking God for all His blessings and for God's love and care for him. Cains offering was a proud heart of how much he accomplished and could take care of himself by the sweat of his brow. So, what's the moral of this story?
Righteousness is depending solely on God for your Salvation by believing in the sacrificial lamb, Jesus Christ, who offered up Himself for our sins and depending on His loving care for you.
Evilness, sin at the door, is depending on your own righteous ability to do good and keep the law and obey the commandments, instead of depending on the Lord's grace, love and mercy.
It's like the difference between the Pharisee and the publican who went up into the temple to pray.
And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
[SUP]10[/SUP] Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
[SUP]11[/SUP] The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
[SUP]12[/SUP] I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
[SUP]13[/SUP] And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
[SUP]14[/SUP] I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
