"Abel's Righteousness"

 "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice that Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh." (Hebrews 11:4 KJV)

  "Now Adam had sexual relations with his wife, Eve, and she became pregnant. When she gave birth to Cain, she said, "With the LORD'S help I have produced a man!" Later she gave birth to his brother and named him Abel. When they grew up, Able became a shepherd, while Cain cultivated the ground. When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the LORD. Abel also brought a gift - the best of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The LORD accepted Abel and his gift, but he did not accept Cain and his gift. This made Cain very angry, and he looked dejected." (Genesis 4:1-5 NLT) 

 First of all, let's look at Abel's sacrifice. As I was saying yesterday, the fruits and vegetables that were offered by Cain represented his works being offered, which as we saw, 'our works are filthy rags to God'; especially when we are working to gain righteousness or favor in God's sight. I know that there are many who have a different point of view, because I grew up in a life that practiced a religion that counted on works to gain their righteousness. 

 Additionally, there is also a spirit involved in that religion, (as well as many others,) which causes those who are offended by the truth, (meaning the truth of Christ,) to become hateful and aggressive in the way they might treat anyone that opposes their belief. This is especially what happens within families, which might have serious disregard for anyone in the family who doesn't follow their religion.

 The most lethal they that anyone in the family can do, is to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior! As crazy as that might sound, it is absolutely true. There is a spirit that controls them, which many refer to as, the spirit of the antichrist, that denies the Christ Jesus and everything He represents. This is not a joke, I have seen it and know that they cannot control it, because they either get violent or start losing their composure; as if it is we who have a demon, and they feel that they need to get away. 

 All that said, Abel was sacrificing an innocent Lamb, which represented something that pleased God, making what he did being a righteous act, because it was that which God was planning to do already! Yes, that's the big difference between the gift of Cain and Abel: One was for admonishment, while the other was for forgiveness, by the blood of a lamb! 

 When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, it is His death of the cross that makes us free from sin, nothing else works, not even going door to door passing out the magazines that they paid for, that is really all for nothing; especially if Christ isn't in it and they are not representing the Real Him...     

"He came into the very world he created, but the world didn't recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn - not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father's one and only Son." (John 1:10-14 NLT)