"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. And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? And why is thy countenance fallen? 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. And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him." Genesis 4:1-8

"For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Romans 10:10

"I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto Me; for I have redeemed thee." Isaiah 44:22

Greetings, my dearly beloved! Peace be unto you, for that is the birthright through the new begetting of everyone who has accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Redeemer. Therefore, not only do I bring you a message of peace, but also of great joy, because the richest Person in the entire universe has redeemed us at a price no one else could pay; and having been bought at such a fantastic price, our joy should zoom when we realize that we represent a real treasure unto Him Who bought us! And if a treasure, well then, He is certainly going to watch over it, for it is very dear to Him. Perhaps you never realized that you constituted a very treasure of priceless value unto Christ our Lord. So whenever you are prone to wonder what you may amount to (in the sight of God), then I suggest that you lift your eyes heavenward and start to sing, because you are a priceless treasure unto Christ our King.…

Today I have in mind to quote a brief portion to you from the 4th chapter of Genesis, even the very first book of our Bible. I want to share a brief moment about Cain and Abel, the two first sons of Adam and Eve according to the record of that chapter. Most Christians know the story of how Cain was born and eventually became a grain-grower, while later on his brother Abel was born and became a rancher – in the Bible called "a keeper of sheep." And, the story progresses to the time that both of these brothers brought an offering unto the Lord; and how God was pleased with Abel, who offered the firstlings of his flock, but with the offering of Cain we are told that God was not too well pleased. So when Cain became aware of this, he planned and carried out the murder of his brother. Now, let me quote verses 6 and 7 from the 4th chapter of Genesis:

"And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? And why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door."

Here I want to set before you thoughts that may seem strange; even truths that are not commonly taught in church, for the simple reason that our churches have ever treated these Bible narratives as so much history – and there most of them have stopped. But clearly are we told in the Bible that it is a sin to "limit the Holy One of Israel" (Ps. 78:40-41). In other words, we should not think of God as just another man who is limited to man's capacities. For, "God is a Spirit" (Jn. 4:24) Whose wisdom is incalculable, and His power equal unto all occasions. Therefore, every detail out of the past which has been recorded for our good, is intended to convey unto us immensely more than mere history. But first we will look at the objective or historical phase of this narrative about Cain and Abel, that you may see for yourself how it fits perfectly into the known facts.

Now as to whether or not there ever lived a Cain who murdered his younger brother Abel, we are not in a position today to prove one way or another. But let us look at this through enlarged vision to see it even in world proportions. In the primitive days of humanity, fruits, nuts and grain constituted man's food. In fact, we are told that God said that such should be his daily fare. Because man lived on that which the ground produced, naturally he gave it more thought and attention. So in course of time, he found that tilling the ground could increase his food supply and also give him more of that which he preferred to eat. Both reason and science agree that farming the land was man's first occupation. Therefore are we told that Adam's firstborn was a tiller of the ground. Much later, primitive man learned to capture animals, and even tame them, and thus we have the domesticated cow, sheep, horse, and a few others. Thus, the rancher became the next class of man's society. The rancher is represented by Abel, who we were told was a keeper of sheep.

We need not be a Solomon to understand that when these two classes of society had developed apace, enmity arose between them. For, the cattle of the rancher would get into the fields of the grain-grower, causing great damage. Thereby hatred arose in the heart of the grain-growers against the other faction of society which herded cattle and sheep. Therefore, the grain-growers banded together, killing off the ranchers and taking their stock for themselves. That was the introduction of mixed farming. Yet therein we see on an enlarged scale how the story of early man's development into society was the absolute fulfillment of Cain killing his brother Abel.

Now let us briefly look at the words of God to Cain when He asked him why he was angry, and in substance told him: "So long as you are doing what is right, are you not going to be acceptable before My face? But if you are not successful in the labor with your hands, the reason for that is sin." (See Genesis 4:7.)

That is what I am perpetually striving to put across to you: that sin is the cause of man's failure, of his trouble and heartaches, of his grief, misery, sickness, and eventual death. I am not saying that man must live a perfect life, because it is highly questionable if man is capable of living a perfect life (but for that there is a remedy). We must assume that both Cain and Abel were like other people we know: that is, far from perfect. Their lives were full of error and, no doubt, sin. Therefore did both of them bring an offering unto the Lord. Abel's was accepted but not Cain's. Why?

Our Christian church leaders will tell us that this was because Abel offered sheep, which in turn became a type of the Living Sacrifice that Jesus Christ offered up for us. There is a portion of truth to this, but only a portion. Now let us look at the rest of the story. Cain was a tiller of the ground: that means he was a DOer: he was a producer, a man who went into action. In order to do that a man has to use his head: Cain was a thinker. Wherever we find a man who is a producer, a person who has initiative and becomes creative in his labors, that person is original: he is of the positive and progressive type. He is the incipient mentalist, who in time becomes the scientist. That was Cain.

Now let us look at Abel. We are told he was a keeper of sheep. Keeping sheep is the same as retaining them. Where there is plenty of grazing land and a warm climate, there is no work required, at least not any creative work – all of it being passive. The sheep are allowed to graze; they propagate and increase. Eventually the wool and the hide become clothing, and the flesh is used as food. Therefore, Abel represents the negative, or passive side: he becomes the symbol of faith. We are told that "with the heart man believes unto salvation" (Rom. 10:10). The brain-mentality and willpower which Cain represented may lead to ever so much progress; but that brain without the heart is not able to keep the body. It is the heart pumping the blood through the system which keeps its every member. We see then how by analogy Cain stands for reason, will and mind-power; while Abel typifies the negative, which is faith. Abel had the faith that God would provide for him, without his breaking his back in laboring over the ground to make it produce more. Abel had the faith that his herds would increase and provide him his every necessity.

Now listen carefully, for here is a lesson of tremendous importance right at our fingertips. Cain killed Abel! It is man's reason and mind-power which kills out faith. Look to our universities and our great scientists. Although there are still Christian believers among them, we find that, by and large, they think they have become so smart that they can do without God. Perpetually we see how our scientists put forth their ideas and advance their theories of how life eventually evolved on earth hundreds of millions of years ago – by accident, as it were. It is the Bible story fulfilled before our eyes: Cain slays Abel. That is, the brain kills the heart; the reason kills out belief; mind-power and science does away with faith.

That is why the offering brought by Cain was not accepted: because it was the product of his own initiative, or produced through the labor of his own hands...the self-sufficient thinker who was not able to offer a sacrifice in faith. Abel, on the contrary, was the believer: he had faith because what he had to offer had been given him by God, and not the labor of his own hands. Because he believed, and in simple faith towards God offered his sacrifice, even the firstlings of his flock – I say, because of that – God looked upon him with favor and blessed him.

Now we are back to where we can look at our own lives with understanding and to advantage, bearing in mind the truth which God has set before us with Cain and Abel. You may be of the thinking type, like Cain. You may say to yourself that life is what we make it, and you may tell yourself that the sacrifice by another man can have no effect in your own life or future. If so, then you have gone the way of Cain and you have killed off your younger brother phase. Bear then in mind that if there you stand, God will not look with favor upon your offering: God will take little interest in your most strenuous labors. So long as you think that your brain is the great sufficiency and directing power, just that long must you labor under the curse which fell upon Adam and upon his firstborn Cain….

If, on the other hand, you stand in the shoes of Abel, and through faith have come to realize that it is God Who is your Provider, that through His grace to you-ward you are what you are and have what you have; if indeed you can truly fill Abel's shoes by taking the Lamb of God to offer up for your own sins; I repeat, if in faith you can do this, then will the fragrance of your offering rise up before the face of the Ever-living God and be pleasing in His sight. Then will He bless you; then will He – figuratively speaking – multiply your herds exceedingly (even though you may never have seen a cow or a sheep). Then will your estate of humbleness before God be that which He cherishes and watches over jealously. THEN shall the power of His mighty hand brood over you, while you go on and on from success to triumph until your wealth and joy cannot be computed! Do not limit the Holy One of Israel! You alone can decide as to whether or not Cain is going to murder Abel; it is for you to decide if you will bring an offering unto God which is pleasing in His sight, or if the smoke of it is going to billow downward until it chokes you....

Therein is my message of joy unto you: that not through your own labors, not through your own intellect or brainpower, not through your own initiative and great struggles, but entirely through His grace did the Lamb of God, without blemish and spot, become an offering for us on the Cross of Calvary, that we might stand in the shoes of Abel and receive the unstinted blessings of God Almighty. Therefore can we rejoice and shout and sing; therefore can we look up and see the glorious silver lining to every cloud – IF a cloud there be. For we know that like a thick cloud our sins have been blotted out and cast into the sea of God's forgetfulness (Isa. 44:22), because that all-sufficient Sacrifice was lifted up to ascend before God as a sweet-smelling fragrance.

In that faith begin your day; in that faith carry on your labors, whatever they be – small or great according to your capacity and station in life. Yet know that it is not your labors, neither your intellect that counts, but your faith towards God Almighty, Who shall see you through and enable you to sing from morning to night.

This is that victory we have; this is the secret of our triumph: even the Lamb of God as the all-sufficient Sacrifice for you and me. Forget about the rubbish that you must suffer because of Adam's sin: the Lamb of God did away with that! He has given us the power to become His children (Jn. 1:12), and to grow into sonship and daughterhood to Jesus Christ. When that we are, then are we fellow-heirs with Him in the very riches of this universe, and partakers with Him in the utmost goodness of God Almighty towards His beloved Son! Therefore, let your joy-shouts mount upward in the morning to swell in volume through the day! Then will they wind up in a joyous lullaby, which soothes you into the sweetness of restful sleep in the embrace of His infinite love.

WHAT JOY HIS son or daughter to be!