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Abel In Sacrifice & Obedience
Abel In Sacrifice And Obedience
As Christians, We Must Be Abel In Sacrifice
What is an offering? An offering is a gift or a sacrifice freely given by us to God. What is a sacrifice? A sacrifice is our individual commitment to God. Hence, what kind of offering and sacrifice does God accept of us today? Our offering and sacrifice to God requires we give our best to Him and not rob Him. Listen to your Bible! In Malachi 3:8, the Bible reads, “Will a man rob or defraud God? Yet you rob and defraud Me. But you say, In what way do we rob or defraud You? [You have withheld your] tithes and offerings.” Literally, a tithe is one tenth of everything we own. If an Israelite failed in giving one tenth of all his possessions, then he has robbed God. Literally, an offering was a gift or a present, such as animals, birds, produce, and/or incense given to God as a sign of repentance and faith required to have a right relationship with Him. If an Israelite failed in giving the necessary offering, then he has robbed God. The tithe and offering talked about in Malachi 3:8 is not binding on the Christian today, but the spiritual principle still applies, for we still rob God the same way.
The tithe is symbolic of what we owe God. An offering is what we give to God in addition to what we already owe. We owe God worship (John 4:24). God gave His Son for us and all He asks is we give ourselves to Him in worship (John 3:16). When we fail to worship God in spirit and in truth, then we are robbing God. We owe God faithful attendance (Hebrews 10:25). God has never forsaken us and all He asks is we do not forsake His house (Hebrews 13:5). When we forsake the assembling of ourselves together, then we are robbing God. We owe God Bible study (2 Timothy 2:15). God takes time to know us and all He asks is we take time to get to know Him (2 Timothy 2:19). When we fail to study His word, then we are robbing God. We must be like Abel and give God what He requires of us. Are we Abel in our sacrifice to Him?
Now, we may give God what we owe Him, but our service to Him is not done, for we still have an offering left. When we give above and beyond what we owe God, then this is called a sacrifice. Our sacrifice is our individual commitment to Christ. Our offering has the same idea as a tip. God is our Divine Waiter looking to receive a tip based upon His performance. If a waiter does not perform, then he does not receive a tip. If a waiter performs poorly, then he receives a poor tip. If a waiter’s performance is at best average, then he receives an ordinary tip. But if a waiter performs exceptionally well, then he receives an enormous and appreciative tip. Our service to God does not end with simply paying what we owe, but it continues with our offering and sacrifice to God, for if we fail to leave God a tip, then we are stilling robbing from Him. If we rob God through a lack of sacrifice, then what kind of sacrifice is God looking for? Listen to your Bible! In Hebrews 13:15-16, the Bible reads, “Through Him, therefore, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name. Do not forget or neglect to do kindness and good, to be generous and distribute and contribute to the needy [of the church as embodiment and proof of fellowship], for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” To praise God is a sacrifice. Praise is expressing honor and gratitude to God through worship, words, attitudes, and actions. We have to praise God, even when we do not feel like praising God, for this reason, praise is a sacrifice at times. Even in the midst of bitter days, we still have to praise Him. Even when we wake up on the wrong side of the bed in the morning, we still have to praise Him. Even when things do not go our way, we still have to praise Him. Even when life throws 3 consecutive fastballs and strike us out, we still have to praise Him. Even when we are stained with the green grass of gossip, we still have to praise Him. Even when our sunshine has been shaded, our future has been fogged up, our past keeps popping up to propagandize our present to persuade people to think evil of us, we still have to praise Him! Are you Abel?
Not only are we to give a sacrifice of praise to God, but we also have to present ourselves as living sacrifices to Him. Listen to your Bible! In Romans 12:1, the Bible reads, “I appeal to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.” God is looking for the Christian who is going to excel in their service to Him, even after they have done what they were suppose to do. God is looking for Christians to still worship Him, even when and after the benediction is given on Sunday, just because God has been so wonderful to them. God is looking for the saint who comes to church for spiritual enlightenment, even when there is no Sunday worship, Wednesday Bible Study, and/or Business meeting, just because God has been so good to them. God is looking for the citizen of the kingdom who studies the Holy Scriptures, even after they have studied what they were suppose to study to prepare for class and worship, just because God has made a way out of no way for them. Are you Abel?
God’s respect and acceptance are a few of the things that were not nailed to the cross of Christ. We still have to be accepted of God. We still have to receive God’s respect. We still have to bring an offering to the Lord and that offering is us. God desires and demands our best. If we fail to do our best, then we will be denied an eternal rest with Him forevermore. Like Abel, we have to be sacrificial in our service to God because of Jesus sacrificial love for us. Listen to your Bible! In Ephesians 5:1-2, the Bible reads, “Therefore be imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father]. And walk in love, [esteeming and delighting in one another] as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a slain offering and sacrifice to God [for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance.” We must not forget our purpose as Christians. Our purpose as children of the Most High God is to offer up spiritual sacrifices to our Lord, which are acceptable and not unacceptable. When we fail to do our best, then this is unacceptable to God, but when we do our best through obedience and love of Him, then our offering is acceptable (1 Peter 2:5).
ARE YOU ABEL IN SACRIFICE?
As Christians, We Must Be Abel In Obedience (Hebrews 11:4)
It is often debated as to whether or not God required an animal sacrifice or not in Genesis 4. Many have gone on record as saying, “God did not accept Abel’s sacrifice because of obedience, for the Bible is silent to such a request and command. The reason why God had respect for Abel’s offering is because Abel offered his sacrifice in faith, while Cain did not. If Cain had faith like Abel had faith, then God would have accepted Cain’s produce, just like He accepted Abel’s animals.” Well, the Bible makes it abundantly clear one who holds such a position does not have an applicable understanding of how faith is produced. How is faith produced? In Romans 10:17, the Bible reads, “So faith comes by hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the preaching [of the message that came from the lips] of Christ (the Messiah Himself).” In order for an individual to do something by faith, they must hear the word of Almighty God. Therefore, God had to have said something in order for Abel to offer what he did by faith. We must understand faith is a noun, which describes our belief and trust. Faith is always active: It is a commitment of both mind and heart. Hence, the difference between Abel’s offering and Cain’s offering boils down to “complete obedience.” Both Cain and Abel were obedient in sacrifice, but the difference lies in Cain’s disobedience. Our sacrifice is null and void, if it is offered by a lack of faith and obedience. King Saul had to learn this in 1 Samuel 15:17-23.
Our sacrifice means nothing to God if it is done out of disobedience, for our sacrifice will never outweigh obedience on God’s balance of judgment. Cain did not offer his gift as a sacrifice to God, but rather he was guilty of the same sins King Saul was guilty of. Cain was guilty of rebellion and stubbornness. In other words, it was never about God, but it was all about Cain. Just like God rejected King Saul, He also rejected Cain and his offering. And just like King Saul sought to destroy the one whom God did have favor with, who was David, Cain sought to destroy his brother Abel because God did have respect for Abel and his sacrifice. We must understand for every Abel, there is a Cain. For every person who is Abel in obedience and faith, there is always someone who is stubborn and rebellious seeking to destroy us because we are on God’s payroll diligently seeking Him, and for this reason God is pleased with us. Listen to your Bible! In Hebrews 11:6, the Bible reads, “But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out].” The reason why God was pleased with Abel’s offering is because Abel had faith. The reason Abel had faith is because he gave God exactly what was required of Him. When we do what God commands of us, then we can have confidence in performing the task. So, due to Abel’s obedience God accepted His sacrifice. I want us to understand God will accept our sacrifice and our service to Him if we do it by faith according to obedience. ARE YOU ABEL IN OBEDIENCE?
