From this verse onwards, the author tells us about the testimony of many great men of faith. By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did, and by faith he was commended as a righteous man. Both Cain and Abel were children of Adam. When Adam sinned and had to leave the garden of Eden, God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. These garments represented the fulfillment of salvation that God would accomplish for man. In the Old Testament, God asked for blood sacrifice so that by faith, people can look forward to salvation that will come when Jesus shed His blood on the cross for our sins.
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Genesis Chapter 4 tells us that Abel kept flocks, while Cain worked the soil. As God had called them to, Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. In the Old Testament, God clearly instructed His people to offer blood sacrifices in order to receive salvation, because blood represented the salvation of Jesus. Only through Christ, can we come before a holy and righteous God. If men were to come before God they had to come with a blood sacrifice. Cain's mistake was that he worshiped God in his own manner and did not feel the need to present an animal sacrifice. Cain brought some fruits, and felt that God should also accept it. However the problem is not what we feel should be done, but what God actually wants us to do.
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We are all like Cain sometimes. We love to worship God in our own manner, serve God and live our Christian lives in a way we like. The heart of faith is not "I feel, I think, I like..." We need to seriously think about this fundamental question in our faith, which is what kind of Christian does God want us to be? Abel is one who obeyed God. He understands God's will. Although the salvation of Jesus Christ has not been accomplished, he already saw what was to come and acted according to God's will. Because of his obedience, his offering was pleasing to God. May the Lord help us to live a Christian life like Abel did in our daily life!
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