Thursday, October 18, 2007
Hebrews 11:4 By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.
THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH (Abel)
The picture in my old Sunday School book showed the sacrifices of Cain and Abel burning on their respective altars. The artist depicted the fact that Abel's offering was acceptable to God but Cain's was not by the smoke that curled from the sacrifices. The smoke from Abel's altar rose into the sky while that which came from Cain's offering hung close to the ground. Perhaps the artist took his cue from the description of Noah's post-flood sacrifice as a "pleasing aroma" to the Lord (Genesis 8:21).
Whether or not the smoke signaled the fact, Scripture tells us that one brother's sacrifice was acceptable while the other's was not. The writer to the Hebrews tells us why. Abel's sacrifice was an act of faith and "without faith it is impossible to please God" (Hebrews 11:6).
And why is the offering of the believing heart pleasing to God? Because of THE SACRIFICE in which it trusts. "Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God" (Ephesians 5:2).
Just as the believer is acceptable to God because of the righteousness of Christ which is his or hers through faith -- so also the sacrifices of our hearts and lips and lives.
What a way to start the day! Knowing that in Christ all the day long we can, through word and action, bring thank-offerings to our Savior-God that are pleasing in His sight!
