by R. L. Morrison

As you probably know, Cain and Abel were brothers, the first two children of Adam and Eve. In Genesis 4:2 we are told that Abel was a keeper of sheep, and his brother, Cain, was a farmer, a tiller of the ground. In the process of time, each man brought an offering to the Lord. Cain brought of the fruit of the ground for his offering. Abel brought of the first born of his flock. Gen. 4:4 says that the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering.

If you are familiar with the fourth chapter of Genesis, you will remember that Cain was very angry. The Lord questioned him about his anger, saying, "Why are you angry? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door, and its desire is for you, BUT (emphasis mine) you should rule over it" (Gen. 4:6-7). As one reads further into Genesis 4, we will find that Cain did not overcome his anger, but it ruled over him. The eighth verse tells us that when they were in the field, Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and killed him.

I have recently read, from two different sources, comments on the sacrifices made by Cain and Abel. One read, "We'd have a hard time proving that Cain's offering was rejected simply because it was not a blood offering." The other: "God bore witness to Abel's righteousness by accepting his gift. By His rejection of Cain and his offering, God bore witness, not to an improperly detailed ritual of worship, but to the wickedness of the man." Later, he wrote, "We have endeavored to be righteous by scrupulously keeping holy details of ritualistic worship. Instead of worship being an expression of upright lives, we have made it an effort to please God through certain formal exercises. It is not, for example, a matter of refraining from singing during the Lord's supper and participating in it on week days, or from singing with instrumental accompaniment, but of worship flowing from clean hearts." Still later: "Because Abel acted ‘by faith’ does not necessarily mean that he had been instructed concerning his offering. It is common to misapply Romans 10:17 here: So belief cometh of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ (KJV). Paul is here defending the acceptance of the Gentiles" (end of quote).

Believing both of these comments to be in error, let’s look at some scripture to see what the Bible really has to say about this subject.

First, Romans 10:17: "So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God." (I must admit that I cannot understand HOW this, in any way, concerns Paul's defense of the acceptance of the Gentiles.) But where there is no revelation there can be no faith. Also, where there is no revelation there can be no disobedience or sin, for sin is a transgression of the law (1 John 3:4). Since Abel offered by faith (Heb. 11:4), it is very apparent that God gave commandment concerning sacrifice. Abel believed what he was told to do; he obeyed. His sacrifice was accepted. Cain did not believe; therefore he did not obey. His sacrifice was not accepted, simply because it was not what he had been told to offer, it was NOT what God commanded! Proof? Cain transgressed or disobeyed what God said. IF he had received no commandment or revelation from God, he would not have been under law. If not under law, there was no transgression or sin, he was guiltless. But the fact that he did sin shows that he WAS under law. God refused his sacrifice because it was not a blood offering. Abel's was accepted because it was a blood offering, it was made by faith. Cain's offering was not rejected just because he was evil, but because he did not obey.

This seems very apparent and also easily understood. We need to remember that where there is no law, there is no transgression. Both of these sons of Adam and Eve received instruction, law or commandment. One believed, obeyed, and was accepted. The other disbelieved, offered what HE wanted to, and God did not accept his offering.

The only way anyone can please God today is by obedience to His revealed will. When we substitute our desires for what He has commanded, we become guilty of sin. Under the guidance and leadership of the apostles, early Christians partook of the Lord's supper on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7). The fact that it was instituted on the night of the Passover does not change or affect that which the apostles revealed, regardless of who or how many today may complain about it or try to change what the apostles wrote and practiced.

The use of mechanical instruments in worship is entirely foreign to what these same apostles taught and practiced. They who insist upon the use of such are absolutely destitute of scripture to sustain their position. The New Testament teaches and requires ONLY VOCAL music in the worship of God. Those who insist on the mechanical instrument fall into the same category as did Cain, who offered what HE wanted. Only those who know and obey God's revelation regarding worship in the age in which we live can offer worship flowing from a clean heart.

But even further in the second article: "At this time I do not recall an instance in the Bible where God rejected the sincere expression of worship of any righteous person, even though his particular acts of devotion were not commanded of God." Perhaps I can refer to such an example. In Leviticus 10:1-2, we read of the sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, whose responsibility it was to burn incense before the Lord. These two men offered "strange fire", that is, fire from a source which God had NOT commanded. The record says, "And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord." Do you think that anyone really believes that God accepted their act of worship? Do you question their sincerity? They may have been sincere, upright men. They had been selected to serve in that capacity. Regardless of their sincerity, whatever desire to please God they may have had, the fact remains that what they did was not acceptable to God. Their refusal to obey cost them their lives. Does this say anything to us who live today? If it does, could it be anything other than: "To please God and be acceptable to Him, we MUST OBEY HIM?"

There are many today who choose to follow their own will or desire rather than to follow the will of God. As mentioned, by far the majority of religious people today use instruments instead of the human voice in worship. The excuses they make or the explanations they offer reveal their attitude toward God. Some say the ability to play an instrument is God given, therefore acceptable. Others say, "God did not say NOT to use an instrument." Others apparently give no thought to it, and use any kind of an instrument they can afford. Yet God says, "SING and make melody in your heart" (Eph. 5:19).

To worship God, man must first respect Him and seek to do His will, regardless of what "we think." It is rather foolish for that which is "created" to attempt to tell the Creator that what the "created" thinks is more important or of greater value than He who made man. To do so is rebellion, and will result in the eternal loss of life for the person who does so!

But now consider another example of one who apparently knew the commandment of God and the result of disobedience. In 2 Samuel 6, we read the account of David gathering thirty thousand of the choice men of Israel to bring the ark of the Lord to Jerusalem. God had given commandment as to HOW the ark was to be moved: on the shoulders of certain priests. However, David had it placed on a new cart, with two men, Uzzah and Ahio, to drive the cart. When they came to Nachon’s threshing floor, the oxen pulling the cart stumbled. Uzzah reached and took hold of the ark of God. "Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error: and he died there by the ark of God" (2 Sam. 6:7). This man lost his life by disobedience, for God had, as stated earlier, appointed priests to move the ark of the covenant. Uzzah violated the law of God and paid the penalty. But IF no commandment had been given concerning moving the ark, would Uzzah have been guilty of transgression? No one could accuse the man as a lawbreaker IF no law had been given!

Do not be as Cain, rejecting God’s word, but as Abel, who obeyed what he was commanded to do! Be not unwise, but understand the will of God and obey it! To refuse results in disaster!

How do you stand? Do you obey God?