By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

Hebrews 11:4 (KJV)

We have a contrast between brothers Cain, the firstborn, and Abel, the righteous. Faith is what separates religious hypocrites from genuine worshippers. It’s what is shown by genuine fruit in contrast to a self-elevating act. Faith is what apprehends the future rather than walking in the present.

As humans, we need to depend entirely on the merits of Christ and guard against coming to God based on our works.

Saving faith believes in God’s Word so strongly that it shapes how we live and how we come to God.

Abel’s Faith

(Genesis 4:4; Hebrews 11:4)

The first thing to notice is what motivated Abel to offer his sacrifice? By faith, immediately we understand something. We realize that Abel was not trying to please God by works. He wasn’t being religious. He wasn’t seeking acceptance based on his deeds. 

He saw something that Cain didn’t see. Before Jesus was born, before the Egyptian plagues, before the Ten Commandments, before Abraham, before about everything else, Abel, by faith, offered a sacrifice. Abel offered a blood sacrifice for sin.

There’s probably a no better picture of the sacrificial system than the coverings God made for Adam and Eve after the fall. (Genesis 3:21, Genesis 3:7)

Today, as sinners, we also must be covered by what God has provided. We can be clothed with the righteousness of Christ. We can have our sins atoned for through the shedding of Christ’s blood and new covenant. (Hebrews 9:22)

God accepted his sacrifice because it pointed to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Abel knew the gospel. (Genesis 3:15)

In this early prototype of the gospel, Abel believed, and it was counted to him as righteousness. He proved that his faith was real as he acted on what he believed. He could not have brought his offering, by faith, if he didn’t have a foundation of Divine revelation. God’s word always precedes saving faith. (Romans 10:17)

Faith was operative in the life of Abel. Something is different with Abel. Abel had been brought to life spiritually by the Holy Spirit. He knew the truth about his sinful nature, and it caused him to run to God for aid rather than run away from God in fear. 

The same is true of us today. When the Spirit of God converts us, we stop seeing God as the Divine Judge and begin to see Him as heavenly Father.

Cain’s Works

(Genesis 4:3-5)

From these verses, we know a couple of things about Cain. He believed in God. He brought to Him an offering. We could even say that Cain was a worshipper. Cain did not bring his offering, by faith, because he had no regard to God’s prescribed method. Cain knew the truth that Abel knew but he disregarded it. He wanted to approach God on his own merits. He wanted to work his way to God.

Saving faith believes in God’s Word so strongly that it shapes how we live and how we come to God.

Cain’s offering was worthless because he deliberately ignored the way God set in place for people to be justified in His sight. (Hebrews 9:22)

Thus, in Cain we behold the first hypocrite. He refused to comply with the revealed will of God yet clothed his rebellion by coming before Him as a worshipper. He would not obey the divine appointment yet brought an offering to the Lord. He believed not that his case was so desperate that death was his due, and could only be escaped by another suffering it in his stead yet he sought to approach unto the Lord, and patronize Him.

Don’t feel sorry for Cain. Don’t think for a second that God is mean and that Cain was the victim. Cain knew exactly what he was doing. Cain reaped the consequences of his actions. Abel saw his desperate situation and by faith came to God with an appropriate sacrifice.

A Picture of Christ

(Hebrews 11:4)

His sacrifice or offering still speaks. Abel in this sense is a “type of Christ.” Abel was righteous before God and was killed by an angry religious Cain. Christ was put to death by those who were religious. Just as Cain was the first hypocrite, so Jesus died at the hands of hypocritical religious men.

Abel’s blood cried out for vengeance. (Genesis 4:10) But Christ’s blood proclaims forgiveness. (Hebrews 12:24)

By Faith or By Works

Faith is the opposite of works. Faith is the one-heart attitude that says, I am completely dependent upon God for everything. Faith says I know that I cannot make myself righteous or in any way acceptable to God. Faith says I will trust Jesus Christ alone for everything God requires. Faith sees Christ as the only answer to man’s sin problem.

It’s not by works we can be justified. It’s not even by faith plus works. It’s not God’s grace and then a few of our works. 

Salvation is completely and entirely a work of God. Abel’s sin was atoned for by the blood of Jesus Christ. That same blood reaches forward to us today and saves. Saving faith believes God’s Word so strongly that it shapes how we live and how we come to God.