THE EXERCISE OF FAITH - ABEL Hebrews 11:1-4; Genesis 4:1-8; Luke 18:10-14 In this series of studies we shall consider some of the Heroes of Faith in Hebrews 11. This chapter contains the most complete treatise on faith to be found in the Bible, and its biographical illustrations show us faith at work in the lives of a great variety of people. We shall see the presence, the principle, the power and the possibilities of faith. These men and women were all ordinary, sinful people; but they are mentioned because they believed God. Faith is the indispensable quality for which God looks. Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. 1 John 5:10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. The difference between the Christian and the non-christian is that in the life of the Christian the principle of faith is operative, whereas in the life of the non-christian faith is not present. Habakkuk 2:4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. Romans 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. Galatians 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. Hebrews 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. The first man of faith who is mentioned is Abel. Hebrews 11:1-4 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good report. 3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. 4 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.
Genesis 4:1-8 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. 2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. 4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: 5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. 6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? 7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. 8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. As we look at Abel we see that it was his faith which enabled him to approach God and to worship Him acceptably. We read of Enoch, who walked with God; Notice that in Hebrews 11:5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. and in We read of Noah, who worked for God Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. But, we first read of Abel, who worshipped God. Worship is the highest function of the human soul, and only as we are able to worship can we effectively walk with and work for God. How can a man approach God and be accepted by Him? There are two ways - the true way and the false way, and these are represented by Cain and Abel and the offerings they brought to the
Lord. Cain was rejected because his offering was not acceptable to God. Abel was accepted because the offering he brought was acceptable to God. We are all like Abel or Cain - saved or lost, believers or unbelievers, Christians or not Christians. How did Abel exercise faith in the Lord, faith which made him acceptable to the Lord, enabled him to worship and brought the assurance of salvation? 1. ABEL EXERCISED FAITH BY DISCOUNTING HUMAN SCHEMES, METHODS AND REASONING AND BY OBEYING GOD. Picture these two men, Cain and Abel. Before they could come into the presence of God they must bring an offering, because they were sinners. How do we know they were sinners? Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: tells us. So both men built an altar, and Cain brought his offering - the fruits of the soil'; and Abel brought his offering from fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock" - a sacrificial lamb. Cain's offering was far more attractive than Abel's, but Abel's offering was what God wanted, because He had evidently revealed His way of salvation to his parents, Adam and Eve. We learn this from Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. and from Genesis 3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them. Before the skins could be provided for a covering for Adam and Eve, an animal had to be killed and blood had to be shed. So, while Cain placed upon the altar the fruits of his own labour - grain, vegetables, which he had raised by his own efforts - Abel, his brother, took a perfect lamb, killed it, poured the blood at the side of the altar and placed the lamb upon the altar. Abel's offering anticipated the coming of the Lamb of God.
Exodus 12:3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: Leviticus 9:3 And unto the children of Israel thou shalt speak, saying, Take ye a kid of the goats for a sin offering; and a calf and a lamb, both of the first year, without blemish, for a burnt offering; John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. 1 Peter 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Revelation 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. It typified the sacrifice of Calvary. There is only one way for a sinner to approach a holy God, and that Is through the shed blood of the Lamb; and to exercise faith in God means to recognise this fact and to approach Him in this way, contrary though it is to human reasoning. 2. ABEL EXERCISED FAITH BY ACKNOWLEDGING HIS SIN AND HIS NEED OF GOD'S FORGIVENESS. There is no hint that Cain made any acknowledgment of sin; but Abel's sacrifice and offering spoke not only of man's sin, but also of God's remedy for sin. Hebrews 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. Cain and Abel are the O.T. counterparts of the Pharisee and the publican. Luke 18:10-14 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. One was proud, and he was rejected; the other was humble, and he was accepted; one was blind in his sin, and full of self-righteousness; the other acknowledged his need of God's forgiveness. 3. ABEL EXERCISED FAITH BY RECOGNISING THAT NO WORK OR EFFORT OF HIS OWN COULD GAIN HIS ACCEPTANCE BEFORE GOD. The language of Abel was, 'Not the labour of my hands can fulfil Thy law's demands... Nothing in my hand I bring; simply to Thy cross I cling'. But the language of Cain was, 'All the labour of my hands can fulfil Thy law's demands. Something in my hand I bring...' Cain brought his best, but it was not acceptable. Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
4. ABEL EXERCISED FAITH BY PROVIDING AN OFFERING THAT FORESHADOWED THE GREAT OFFERING FOR SIN. As Abel brought his offering he, in effect, prayed like this: 'O God, I am a sinner. I have broken Your holy law, and I deserve to die for my sins. But You gave my father and mother a promise of the Coming One who is to take away our sin, and I come to You in the way which You have commanded me, to show You that I believe Your promise and trust the Coming One. Accept the life of this little lamb in the place of my life, and forgive my sins for the sake of the Lamb who is to come'. Isaiah 53:5-6 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 1 Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. John 1:7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 5. ABEL EXERCISED FAITH BY ACCEPTING GOD'S TESTIMONY THAT HE WAS RIGHTEOUS. In Hebrews 11:4 we read that 'By faith he was commended as a righteous man.' This means that Abel believed that through Ns offering God had accepted him and had justified him. Abel's faith, therefore, brought him the assurance of salvation. So should ours. Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. and compare Hebrews 10:19-22 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21 And having an high priest over the house of God; 22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and
our bodies washed with pure water. In concluding this study, notice two more references to Abel. In Hebrews 12:24 we read that the blood of Jesus 'speaks a better word than that of the blood of Abel'. While the blood of Abel was prophetic and pointed forward to that which was to be, the blood of Jesus, on the other hand, declares that the whole work of salvation is finished. His offering was. and is, historic. In Hebrews 11:4 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. We read that Abel, by his faith, 'still speaks even though he is dead'. This means that Abel continues to proclaim from age to age that there is only one way for a guilty sinner to be saved; there is only one acceptable way for a man to approach a holy God, and that way is through faith in the precious blood of Christ. Notice Hebrews 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.