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GENESIS 4:4-5
“….Now while Jehovah was looking WITH FAVOR UPON ABEL and his offering, he DID NOT LOOK WITH FAVOR UPON CAIN and upon his offering.”HEBREWS 11:4
“By FAITH Abel offered God a sacrifice of greater worth than Cain, through which [faith] he had witness borne to him that he was righteous, God bearing witness respecting his gifts; and through it he, although he died, yet speaks.”Abel did offer a sacrifice of greater worth. This showed his faith. It wasn't just his offering, but we are told that Jehovah was looking with favor upon Abel, perhaps because of his faith, which the greater offering was a demonstration of.
Hi david,
Helpful thank you. God seems to have had a series of different relationships between brothers.“For you did not choose me, but I chose you before the foundations of the world….” This refers to the “elect”
Clearly God has an elect people.
Beginning I would suggest with Abel.
This elect people have been given a consistent means by which to approach God in worship.
I am speaking of the blood.
This blood covering has been expressed in differing ways, as the blood of a natural lamb, as a scarlet thread and the blood of Jesus.
In every case the blood is symbolic of life. Life is in the blood.
I believe by accepting that God gave His life in exchange for ours through the blood of His only begotten son we can approach God in worship that He will recieve.
I believe we cannot truly accept this without faith, so although many may claim it the proof lies in the understanding that is behind our words.
Most of Christendom claims to believe they are save through the blood of Jesus Christ, yet go on to add their own works to it. It is a finished work, God only accepts worship from those who come with nothing else in there hands, simply holding to the blood that cleanses.
Faith I maintain must be in the means which God alone has provided for approach, that is what set Abel's offering apart from his brother's not the merits of the offering itself but what it spoke of. Abel was going the way God had provided him. Cain was ignorant of it, and when given the chance to ammend his approach chose rather to refuse (pride) and sought to remove the competition.Hi Malcolm,
So we are saved by faith alone??
And faith is just a knowledge and intellectual agreement with the work of the Son??Nick
No we are saved by Grace alone
Grace – what God did for us.
Not works – what we do
By faith we are given disclosure of God's will and purpose.
i.e. what He did for us, why and what to do in response.
The required response is to recieve this, accept and believe it, and then act accordingly.
Works without faith is dead.
But works as an answer to the requirements of God – is dead works.
Grace is what God did for us
Works is what we do in appreciation for what he did.
And the first and most important work we must do is to believe.JOHN 6:28-9
Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.again – just my 2 cents worth
Quote (malcolm ferris @ April 07 2006,02:25) Nick
No we are saved by Grace alone
Grace – what God did for us.
Not works – what we do
By faith we are given disclosure of God's will and purpose.
i.e. what He did for us, why and what to do in response.
The required response is to recieve this, accept and believe it, and then act accordingly.
Works without faith is dead.
But works as an answer to the requirements of God – is dead works.
Grace is what God did for us
Works is what we do in appreciation for what he did.
And the first and most important work we must do is to believe.JOHN 6:28-9
Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.again – just my 2 cents worth
Hi Malcolm,
Then how does this tie in with the demand of Jesus that we be born again of water and the Spirit as that is the way into the kingdom?
The apostles in Acts heard his words and preached repentance, faith in Jesus and baptised them in Water and the Holy Spirit. Were they rebellious or deceived or did they not grasp the true meaning of these words?
If they were being obedient then where is it written that these things no longer apply?ps,
Some get confused and think undergoing baptism is my own works and rightly say man is not saved by his own works.
No man baptises himself.It is not my works but the obedient works of those who baptise others in accordance with the command of Jesus..
Nick
Absolutely if you believe the Truth of God's Word you will come to the water of baptism in Jesus Christ, you will also observe other ordinances left to us by our Lord – for example the communion. But getting baptised does not save you, neither does taking the communion, rather the opposite it brings condemnation if you partake unworthily.
We must repent first which I believe to be the changing of the mind – from its former darkness due to ignorance to the light of Christ our saviour.
Just like those gentiles who heard Peters word and were filled with the Holy Spirit upon which they were baptized in water.
I JOHN 5:8 – the three agree in one
Spirit Water and Blood.
without the blood of Christ the Spirit of God could not come upon us and water baptism would be useless also.Hi Malcolm,
Why were the new believers baptised in water immediately? There seemed to be an urgency in the matter.
Why did the eunuch demand baptism?I believe that, unless you are born again of the Holy Spirit and of water…..prior to baptism, the new believer is under extreme attack, so the sooner the better,for baptism is a seal but, not if you do not know what it means. That is why born again is mentioned before baptism.
Nick
Yes the gospel is one of urgency.
Paul said today if you hear His voice …
Repentence brings a rapid response, and there should be no delay to go straight to the water.Sandra
Baptism is a seal?
I know the holy Spirit is a seal good till the day of redemption, but I wasn't aware that baptism was, enlighten me please.Hi Malcolm, I will answer your question about baptism as a “seal” but first I would like to say, that communion is not mentioned in the Bible, this is what you had said,
Quote Absolutely if you believe the Truth of God's Word you will come to the water of baptism in Jesus Christ, you will also observe other ordinances left to us by our Lord – for example the communion. But getting baptised does not save you, neither does taking the communion, rather the opposite it brings condemnation if you partake unworthily. I was interested where this word, communion, when referring to breaking bread together came from? It is not mentioned in the Bible.
Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.In whom also you were circumcised with the circumsion made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, Buried with him in baptism, wherin also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
1 Peter 3:21 “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us, (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God.) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ!
Gal 3:27 “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”
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