The Witness Takes the Stand
“By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain…”
— Hebrews 11:4
Before there was a nation, before there was law, before there was a written command—there was a man named Abel.
And God said: that was faith.
The Scene of the Account
The story unfolds in Genesis 4.
Two brothers.
Two offerings.
One accepted. One rejected.
Abel brings of the firstlings of his flock. Cain brings of the fruit of the ground.
On the surface, both are giving something. Both are approaching God.
But heaven does not respond the same way.
The Case FOR Faith
What made Abel’s offering “more excellent”?
The text in Genesis doesn’t spell out a long explanation—but Hebrews does.
“By faith…”
Abel didn’t just bring something—he brought it believing God.
Somewhere, in a way not fully recorded, Abel understood:
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God is to be approached on His terms, not ours
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What is offered must cost something
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Worship is not about effort—it is about alignment with God’s will
Faith, here, is not abstract.
It shows up in what Abel does.
The Case AGAINST (The Prosecutor Speaks)
Let’s not rush past the tension.
If you were standing there that day, you might ask:
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Why does God accept one and reject the other?
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Didn’t Cain also bring an offering?
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Is this arbitrary? Favoritism?
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Why should one act of worship matter this much?
And more pressing:
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Was Abel naive?
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Was it worth it—if it led to his death?
Because this is the first time faith appears in Hebrews 11…
…and it ends in murder.
That’s not a comfortable introduction.
God’s Verdict
God’s testimony settles what human reasoning cannot:
“…by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts…”
— Hebrews 11:4
Abel is called righteous.
Not because of the size of his offering.
Not because of effort.
But because of faith.
And then comes the striking conclusion:
“…and by it he being dead yet speaketh.”
Abel’s life was short.
His voice was silenced by violence.
But God says: he is still speaking.
What Is Abel Still Saying?
Abel testifies that:
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Faith is not measured by longevity, but by alignment with God
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Faith may not preserve your life—but it secures your standing with God
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What God accepts matters more than what man approves
Cain lived. Abel died.
Yet Abel is remembered as faithful. Cain is remembered as a warning.
Present-Day Reflection
It’s easy to read this account and stay distant from it—but the question hasn’t changed:
How do we approach God?
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On our terms, like Cain?
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Or by faith, like Abel?
Faith is not just believing God exists.
It is coming to Him the way He has revealed.
That’s why Abel still speaks.
Not loudly.
Not forcefully.
But clearly enough for anyone willing to hear.
In time past Abel brought his sacrifice to God, but now, God offers an understanding of His divine plan, revealing how God extends His grace to all, irrespective of nationality or heritage. It emphasizes the present global offer of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ His Death on the Cross, burial and Resurrection..." That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus." Ephesians 2:7
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