Ones character must be worked at every day, in every way, and in every decision.
Pastor Brad Abley: Biblical Educator and Religious Broadcaster
Pastor’s Corner
“The character you have will determine the legacy you leave”
Pastor Brad Abley writes…
“The character you have will determine the legacy you leave. The ones character must be worked at every day, in every way, and in every decision.”
“Regarding Abel in Hebrews 11:4, it is an infallible truth beyond dispute that the character we leave to others will either inspire them or cause them to recoil -- or at the very least say, "what a shame of a wasted life."
James Moffatt wrote, “Death is never the last word in the life of a righteous man. When a man leaves this world, be he righteous or unrighteous, he leaves something in the world. He may leave something that will grow and spread like a cancer or a poison, or he may leave something like the fragrance of perfume or a blossom of beauty that permeates the atmosphere with blessing. We have a breathtaking case study of the danger of the human heart or of a good heart glorifying God in the examples of Cain and Abel.
What's astonishing is that the same God gave the same command to both men but only one man had a heart for God and the other did not!”
This is a superb and profound insight into Proverbs 3:34 and Jeremiah 17:9.
Even before Abraham, we see justification by faith in the life of Abel. This is the beginning of the life of faith.
The Mosaic Covenant would later allow grain, fruit or vegetable offerings, so what Cain offered was not intrinsically bad but that covenant would always put blood offerings first, because only the blood offerings dealt with sin -- and without the forgiveness of sin there can be no relationship with God.
It's instructive to us that what God said to Cain dealt with sin.
In fact, John MacArthur is correct when he asserts that the difference between Cain and Abel and their sacrifices was that Abel gave what God wanted, whereas Cain gave what he himself wanted. Abel was obedience and Cain was disobedient. Able acknowledged his sin. Cain did not.
MacArthur insightfully and bluntly declares concerning Cain that, “He thought he could approach God in whatever way he wanted, and expected him to be impressed and satisfied. In so doing, came became the father of all false religion... false religion is any way to God that God himself has not ordained.”
Concerning the false idea that there are many ways to God, MacArthur adds,
“The idea that one way is just as good as another does not seem to be accepted in any area of life except religion and morality. When a person goes to a doctor with a problem, he first of all wants to know the truth.
No one likes to hear a diagnosis of a terrible disease. But the sensible person would rather know the truth then live in ignorance of something that could ruin his health or even take his life.
Once knowing the diagnosis, he then wants the right cure, not just any cure... he would be insulted and infuriated with a doctor who told him simply to go home and do whatever he thought best- that one person's opinion was just as good as another's.
The reason we think this way about medicine is that we believe there are medical truths. Medical science does not have all the answers, but a great deal is known and accepted as factual, reliable, and dependable.
The reason this same kind of reasoning is not applied to spiritual and moral issues is that the absolute truths and standards God has given are rejected. In fact, the very notion of spiritual and moral absolutes is rejected. Cain rejected God's standards and became the first apostate.”
Furthermore, Cain was like the Pharisee in the temple who Jesus said was praying "to himself" (Luke 18:11. He was patronizing God and worshiping himself. Also like the Pharisee, Cain went home unjustified; whereas Abel, like the penitent tax gatherer, went home justified.
Samuel said, “Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has also rejected you from being king.” (1 Sam. 15:22-23).
In Genesis 4:1-8, Yahweh graciously warned Cain that sin was seeking to overtake him, and that he had time to master that sin.
Yahweh knew what Cain was about to do to Abel -- that he would slay his brother, where the Greek word translated "slay" meant to "butcher." Cain's heart was wicked and that is another reason God rejected his sacrifice. Able worshiped by faith and in v. 5, we find that Enoch walked by faith.”
“The True Expressions of Christian character is not in good-doing; but in God Likeness.”
Oswald Chambers
"There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death" (Prov. 14:12).
The thing that makes the difference in Christian character is that we are answering to God foremost. Christian character is character lived out in the reverence for and respect for God, as opposed to simply honoring man. The “fear of God” is the biblical terminology for it. The fear of God is the starting place, but what it boils down to is the willingness to die to our own agendas, to die to our own conveniences.
Pastor’s Corner
“A Heart After God, Bible Teaching Ministry: Reaching Africa & Beyond!”
