Musings about Cain and Abel:

Many people have been bothered by the story of Cain and Abel. The problem is that the story does not give any explanation for why the Lord accepted Abel's offering but had no regard for Cain's. The New Testament makes clear that there is no way for anyone to come to God based on his own goodness. We may be better or worse than others according to a human standard but we all are far short of God's standard. Thus we all need a substitute to pay the penalty of sin for us. The lamb Abel offered from his flock is a type of the real Lamb of God. God was happy with that offering. Cain's offering of the fruit of the ground that he got through his hard work is a type of our presenting our own goodness to the Lord. He will never accept us based on that.

But the problem remains: how was Cain supposed to know that? I have never heard a satisfactory explanation other than the one presented in the story. Abel presented his offering exactly as the Lord had dealt with the animals that He slew to make coats of skins for Adam and Eve. Cain, on the other hand, presented something to the Lord according to his own concept and in his own way. The Lord had no regard for that.

This touches a very fundamental question concerning God: does He accept any kind of worship as long as a person has a heart to worship Him? The concept that it doesn't matter what you believe concerning God as long as you worship Him is very popular today. But the Bible is very clear that God is not broad in that way. He has set the terms and provided the way to come to Him. If we follow God's way to come to Him He is happy to receive us. If we take any other way we will be rejected just as Cain was. This may not seem right to you but this is the clear teaching of the Bible.

When Cain presented his offering to God it seemed as if he was coming to God. Actually this was his first step away from God. Then his offense at the Lord's not honouring his offering led directly to the events that followed. In the end he left the Lord's presence to live a life apart frrom God. This can be considered the second step of man's fall.