TUESDAY, JANUARY 17
GENESIS 4:3-7
HEBREWS 11:4

"By faith…offered
… a more excellent sacrifice..."

THE OFFERING OF AN APOSTATE

The Bible says that the LORD regarded (or looked with interest at) Abel and his offering. He offered the firstlings of his flock, a foreshadow of the firstborn Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. On the other hand, the LORD did not regard Cain and his offering. Cain’s offering was not "respected" (Gen 4:5) by God, hence it was rejected.

Although "offering" means a gift or a tribute, it is usually regarded as bloodless. However, comparing Scripture with Scripture we learn from Hebrews 11:4 that, "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." Here, "a more excellent sacrifice" does not refer to the quality of the offering but in how it pleased God which is only by faith alone (Heb 11:6), so that if Abel’s sacrifice was preferable to that of his brother, it was made excellent by faith. It was faith in the foresight of the bloody sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary.

Do you accept God’s Word and approach Him solely on the basis of faith in God’s provision? Do you believe that it was only through the shed blood of the Redeemer, God’s Lamb, that you are able to be reconciled to God? If you do, then you are restored to God’s presence and fellowship. You are a regenerated, born-again believer, purchased by the precious blood of Christ. But if you continue to distort and reject God’s Word and rely on your own personal merits of good works to earn salvation, then you are still carnal and not saved. You are still trying to enter heaven using your own way instead of God’s way.

Follow God’s prescription for your soul. Believe in God’s Holy Word for your soul’s redemption!

THOUGHT: Am I still carnal?
PRAYER: "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise" (Ps 51:17).