The Faith of Abel

“By faith Abel brought a better offering than Cain…”

Hebrews 11:4

Are you familiar with the story of Cain and Abel? It comes from Genesis 4. It’s one of the earliest stories of faith.

In the narrative, Cain and Abel bring offerings to God. Cain from the fruit of the field. Abel from his livestock. Genesis 4 says, “The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor” (Genesis 4:4-5).

I often wondered why God would accept one and not the other. For many years I thought perhaps it was what was offered. Maybe God was more delighted in the sacrifice of an animal. Maybe crops just weren’t what His thing.

But that couldn’t be it. That would be so arbitrary. And God is not arbitrary. So let’s look closer. There’s a subtle secret hidden in the text.

Let’s look again at Genesis 4. Notice it’s not Abel’s offering alone God looks on with favor… it is Abel himself. “The Lord looked with favor on Abel… and… his offering.” Favor on the offering came second. Favor on Abel came first.

Hebrews 11:4 gives us further insight: “By faith Abel brought a better offering than Cain.”

It wasn’t what was offered. It was how it was offered.

Hebrews 11:6 goes on to say that, “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” But what, exactly, does faith look like?

For the sake of brevity, I’ll point out two key things. Hebrews 11 speaks of Abraham and Sarah. Of Abraham, it says, “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went…” (11:8). Of Sarah, it says, “[She] was as enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise” (11:11).

Faith looks like obedience. But obedience alone is not the goal. That would be legalism. Cain obeyed, but something was missing. It’s the heart behind our obedience. It’s obedience soaked in love and faith in a faithful God.

It’s not hard to see that Cain was a selfish, self-reliant, legalistic man. When God rejects his offering, he murders Abel.

I imagine that Cain brought his offering out of obligation. Abel brought his offering out of faith.

And here is the principle I pray we lay hold of.

There is a new offering that God requires of us—our bodies and lives. Romans 12:1 calls us to be living sacrifices. That we live in obedience to God.

But we have a choice in our obedience. To obey like Cain. Or to obey like Abel. Both brought offerings, but only one experienced God’s favor. Because only one obeyed out of faith.

We have a choice to obey in faithlessness, begrudgingly, and out of obligation. Seeing God as a tyrant to acquiesce rather than a Father to be loved.

Or… we can obey in faith. To obey with joyful love. Knowing that every command from God is a fountainhead of life. Knowing we serve a God who is faithful. One who has never let us down or failed us. One who is infinitely and unthinkably good.

And it is when we offer our lives to God in faith that we find His favor.