Why did God favor Abel's offering over Cain's?

[tonychanyt]

See Why did God favor Abel's offering over Cain's?

 

[Ivan Hlavanda]

Genesis 3 21 And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.

God in genesis 3 21 sacrificed an animal and used skins of the animal to cover nakedness of Adam and Eve. It seems to me that Abel thought that if God used an animal to cover sin of their parents, then animal sacrifice will be an acceptable offering to Lord. He acted in faith.

Also God looks at the heart of a man. Abel's heart was right, his motivations were right.

 

[HTacianas]

Genesis 4:


Abel offered his best with faith and Cain didn't. Cain knew better. He acted unrighteously:


Hebrews 11:

Cain did evil. He did not "do well":

Gen 4:6 So the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?

Gen 4:7 “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”

No matter what sacrifices either of them offered, if they did not "do well" they would not be accepted.

 

[Grip Docility]

Genesis 4:


Abel offered his best with faith and Cain didn't. Cain knew better. He acted unrighteously:


Hebrews 11:

Tony, this is one of those... I'm going to have to ask Jesus in Heaven to know for sure matters... but my opinion is that the Produce that Cain offered represented Toil of the Dust (Flesh/Works), while Abel's represented the Coming of Jesus and His being our Sacrifice as our One True Salvation.

This does put it right at the Faith vs. Works discussion... but I haven't "dug" more deeply on this, yet. Hmmmm digging... maybe that was a poor choice of words.

 

[tonychanyt]

This does put it right at the Faith vs. Works discussion

Check out JUSTIFICATION by works, grace, or faith? and follow up there

 

[tturt]

"For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:" Matt 15:19

God knew their hearts.

 

[eleos1954]

Genesis 4:


Abel offered his best with faith and Cain didn't. Cain knew better. He acted unrighteously:


Hebrews 11:

The sacrifice of Abel was pointing to Christ ... for without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins.

 

[Danthemailman]

It was by or "out of" faith that Abel offered a sacrifice. Abel's faith was evidenced by obedience to God's requirement for sacrifice by which he obtained witness that he was righteous. (Hebrews 11:4) Cain, who was of the evil one, demonstrated an evil heart by evil deeds, while Abel demonstrated a righteous heart by his righteous deeds (1 John 3:12), and that Abel offered his sacrifice by or "out of" faith and Cain did not. Cain's sacrifice was evidence of his lack of faith. Abel's offering was a demonstration of his faith in regard to sacrifice, which was not demonstrated by Cain's offering.