The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Cain's Rejected Offering

Tom,

I think you have it right. The acceptance by God in regard to Abel and His rejection of Cain was not due to their respective sacrifices/offerings but rather it was due to the condition of their hearts. Abel brought his offering in true faith; Cain did not. Abel's offering was an expression, the result of Abel's true worship... Cain's offering was only formalism.

The passage itself lends itself to this conclusion for it says, "And Jehovah had respect unto Abel and to his offering, but unto Cain and to his offering, He had not respect". The persons are mentioned first, making them primary and the offerings are mentioned second making them ancillary. The focus in the passage is upon the individuals and not upon the items of worship.

Secondly, there is no hint anywhere that God had commanded in what outward manner He was to be worshiped. All such details came much later. It would be an unwarranted mistake to read into the passage what isn't there by imposing God's later revelation onto it. I believe that the Holy Spirit's intent in including this passage is to impress upon us what is taught in the 1st Commandment; Who is to be worshiped and genuinely so (cf. Jh 4:24). The 2nd Commandment deals with How one is to worship the one true God.

Thirdly, there are other corollary passages which support the view that God's acceptance of Abel and the rejection of Cain was due to the difference of their hearts rather than the offerings which were brought. For example, there is 1Sam 16:7, "But Jehovah said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him: for Jehovah seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but Jehovah looketh on the heart." We see this same truth in Jer 17:10; 20:12 and Lk 16:15. And one other reference, which you mentioned is in Heb 11:4, "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had witness borne to him that he was righteous, God bearing witness in respect of his gifts:..."

Thus, I have to understand this Genesis passage as teaching that acceptable worship of God must start from a heart which is filled with faith; a faith which sees no value in anything of self and all value, virtue, goodness, etc., as only in God from whom all things come to man. Too often, it seems that those who are given to defend the Regulative Principle of Worship, and rightly they should, focus all or most of their attention on the outward manner of worship and forget that the first principle of the Regulative Principle; God has commanded and thus requires that all who approach Him for worship must be those who have true faith; a denial of self and a total dependency upon Him for all things.