Following the Faith of Abel

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

The life of Abel teaches that those who offer their sacrifices by faith offer a more excellent sacrifice and obtain a witness that they are righteous. God testifies of their gift and even in the dead they will still speak.

It is impossible to offer a more excellent sacrifice if you operate by sight. The Bible tells us in Ecclesiastes that “He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap” [Ecclesiastes 11:4¹ KJV]. Your faith enables you to give as God will have you. Your economy and cash flows may suggest and minister doubt but faith will lead to obedience.

“And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord . And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord . And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell”.

“If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him” [Genesis 4:1‭-‬5‭, ‬7 KJV]

What does it mean to sacrifice by faith? To sacrifice by faith is to surrender a possession as an offering to God as the word of God suggest.

There are five types of sacrifice we want to discuss:

1. The sacrifice of praise which is the fruits of our lips. (See Hebrews 13:15²)
2. The sacrifice of thankgiving and the declaration of the works of the Lord with rejoicing. (See Psalm 107:22³)
3. The sacrifices of righteousness. (See Psalm 4:5⁴)
4. The sacrifice of yourself. (See Romans 12:1-2⁵)
5. The sacrifice substance in worship. (See 2 Chronicles 7:4-7⁶)

We also learn in the early church that the church at Macedonia did not just give their offerings but they gave themselves first.

“Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; Praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also. Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love. For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago. Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have. For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.
[2 Corinthians 8:1‭-‬12⁷ KJV]

Four simple steps to sacrifice by faith are:

1. Purpose ahead of time
2. Plan your giving
3. Come with a willing mind
4. Offer cheerfully

Stay blessed; I love you!

Noah Simpe Bediako 

Referenced Scriptures

1. Ecclesiastes 11:4 (KJV): He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. ↩︎
2. Hebrews 13:15 (KJV): By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. ↩︎
3. Psalm 107:22 (KJV): And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing. ↩︎
4. Psalm 4:5 (KJV): Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD. ↩︎
5. Romans 12:1-2 (KJV): I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. ↩︎
6. 2 Chronicles 7:4-7 (KJV): Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the LORD. And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty and two thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep: so the king and all the people dedicated the house of God. And the priests waited on their offices: the Levites also with instruments of musick of the LORD, which David the king had made to praise the LORD, because his mercy endureth for ever, when David praised by their ministry; and the priests sounded trumpets before them, and all Israel stood. Moreover Solomon hallowed the middle of the court that was before the house of the LORD: for there he offered burnt offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings, because the brasen altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt offerings, and the meat offerings, and the fat. ↩︎
7. 2 Corinthians 8:1-12 (KJV): Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also. Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love. For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago. Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have. For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. ↩︎