Cain and Abel

[RichSpidizzy]

This question was asked by someone from another message board, and i figured I’d re-ask it here since it’s been something I’ve never understood either.

Why was Abels offering accepted by god, but Cains rejected? From what I have read in the bible, both men had worked equaly hard to come up with an offering to the best of their abilities. Abel was good with animals, so that was his offering & Cain was good with planting & harvesting crops, so that was what he offered. What made one acceptable & the other not?

 

[geezerbob]

Rich, this same question was posted within the last couple of weeks. I scrolled through several pages of a few forums and did not run across it. It looks like the search feature has been disabled due to heavy traffic, so that’s out. If you don’t get any answers and have the time, you might look for it. Can’t remember which forum it was posted on, so, have fun.

 

[RichSpidizzy]

geezerbob:

Rich, this same question was posted within the last couple of weeks. I scrolled through several pages of a few forums and did not run across it. It looks like the search feature has been disabled due to heavy traffic, so that’s out. If you don’t get any answers and have the time, you might look for it. Can’t remember which forum it was posted on, so, have fun.

Thanks, Bob. I found the post you were talking about: forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=49317
gives good answers:thumbsup:

 

[Shibboleth]

The offering of Able was made by and through his faith – it was not Abel’s offering so much as the offering of his faith. Cain’s work on the other hand was done by him outside of his faith for selfish reasons. Works of this nature are rejected by God.

As Isaiah points out:

You meet him who rejoices in doing righteousness….
For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment;……

Anything that does not come from the will and Grace of God is sinful and such was Cain’s offering.

 

[Gratias_Grace]

Shibboleth:

The offering of Able was made by and through his faith – it was not Abel’s offering so much as the offering of his faith. Cain’s work on the other hand was done by him outside of his faith for selfish reasons. Works of this nature are rejected by God.

I think you have a good point, but I think that perhaps it is more to it. May be it’s a way to tell the brothers that God wants animal sacrifices (at that time). Perhaps it is a test for Kain. He has a lot of reactons he can chose after he had his sacrificeis rejected. As an example he could have joined Able in the next sacrifice.

Kain, as we know, got envious in stead. He also gets so angry that he lose his temper and kills his brother. He makes three sins at once and afterwords he rejects God when God is giving him an opportunity to confess. His **inabillity to trust in ** God and **seek reconsilation ** are his next sins.

When he fails to trust God and to seek reconsilation he is “thrown away” (even if the loving God puts a mark on him so others can’t harm him).

We will all meet tests on our road to holyness. The choice how to act is ours!