The Offering of Cain and the Offering of Abel
(Genesis 4:1-8)

When a carpet in the dining room gets dirty, we can hide temporarily by covering it with fabric. To fix this problem, however, the carpet needs to be cleansed.
We can also cover the hopeless sins Adam committed and come before God until time comes but it is not a permanent solution. To cover it temporarily also takes the blood of animals since the wages of sin is death.
That’s why the agricultural produce of Cain, a temporary expedient, was unable to cover the sin. The blood of lamb of Abel was able to do that. Therefore, God accepted the offering of Abel and rejected the offering of Cain.

1. Death, the wages of sin
1) The terrifying sin of the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil
① The devil which determines good and evil at its own will
- Lucifer, the chief angle who tried to be equal to God * (Isaiah 14:12-15)
② The power of the air that established the dark kingdom of rebellion * (Eph 2:2)
2) Adam’s noble and honorable position and the responsibilities that come with it
① Absolute obedience to and faith in God
② the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil was a test for Adam to see which side he choose, God or devil
③ Adam who chose to rebel and the matters of sin
3) Adam who declared rebellion against God and the way for him to come before God
① There is no way but death ② The death and bleeding of animals on behalf of humans
2. The Offering of Cain and Abel
1) The offering of Cain ? he offered sacrifice with agricultural good he produced
① humanistic and rebellious offering ② offering without any repentance for the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil ③ offering which God hates
2) The offering of Abel
① The offering of belief and obedience, the offering of bleeding
② Thorough repentance for the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil
③ The offering that eased the anger of God
3. The offering of the Israelites to God
1) sin offering ? an offering that covered the original sin
2) guilt offering ? an offering of inequities
3) burnt offering ? an offering of worship
- Without the offering of bleeding, no one can come before God. However, numerous amount of blood animals shed could not take out sin from humans. It could only cover the sins humans committed temporarily. * (Heb 10:1-14)
4. Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world - Jesus
1) Jesus who came as an offering to redeem the sins of Adam
2) What makes Christianity of today different from other religions?
① Christianity ? The completion of the offering of Abel ② other religions ? continuity in the offering of Cain
3) Jesus Christ who became our sin offering, guilt offering, and burnt offering * (Heb 10:10-18)
4) With the precious blood of Jesus Christ
① Redeeming us of the despair and curses of the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil ② Having Jesus who is the fruit of life and live for eternity
5) The redemption of life on earth and the redemption of eternal salvation * (Psalm 103:1-5)

Christianity is the religion of blood. Without the bleeding of Jesus, there’s no forgiveness of sin. The absolute victory of Jesus who shed blood through His suffering and death signifies hope. Hope that frees us from sin, cleanses us from inequities, cures us of diseases, liberates us from curses, and delivers us from death to leads us into eternity. This unchanging hope is our joy and happiness.