All Worship is Not Created Equal
Worshipping in the Czech Republic.
“By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.” Hebrews 11:4, KJV.
In this politically-correct, tolerant-of-everything environment we live in, we are being told that any approach to God is acceptable, as long as a person is sincere. However, but according to the Word of God, all worship is not created equal.
The story of two brothers, Cain and Abel, the sons of Adam and Eve, demonstrates this truth. Both men had a desire to approach God. Both brought sacrifices. But only Abel’s sacrifice was accepted. Perhaps God consumed Abel’s sacrifice with fire and left Cain’s untouched, but somehow it was known that God has respect to Abel’s sacrifice and not to Cain’s.
Today we have many people approaching God in their own way. Some say they touch the divine through nature. Others come by transcendental meditation, eastern religion, or new age philosophy. However, there is only one approach that will truly bring us to God.
The Scripture says that Abel brought a “more excellent sacrifice than Cain.” It was a blood sacrifice, a sin offering. Blood is necessary to atone for sin. In the Old Testament, men brought the blood of sheep, goats, and cattle to atone for their sins. Abel brought such a sacrifice, but Cain brought the fruit of the ground. Abel’s sacrifice made an atonement for his sins; Cain’s sacrifice was the fruit of his own labor. He brought it thinking, “Surely God will be pleased with what I have done for him.”
But we cannot approach God based on our good works. We cannot please him with our self-effort. Man, even at his very best, is not good enough for God. We have all sinned, and are under judgment for our sins. We need to be saved, delivered from our sin. We need a sin-offering, that we might receive forgiveness.
Abel’s offering was “more excellent” than Cain’s, because it was a blood sacrifice. But today we have an even more excellent sacrifice, the precious blood of Christ, as a lamb without spot or blemish. The Old Testament sacrifices of the blood of bulls, and goats and sheep, provided a temporary covering for sin. These things foreshadowed God’s true sacrifice, Jesus Christ, the lamb of God, which takes away the sins of the world.
God loved us so much that He gave us a way to come to Him. He sent His Son, who died on a cross at Calvary. He died, He was buried, but on the third day, He rose again. God was saying, Come to me, believe in my Son, and I will give you a new life.
If you have been trying to approach God through some philosophy, or through nature, or works-based religion, repent, and begin to follow God’s prescribed method of coming to him. Recognize your need for Savior, and receive Jesus Christ as Lord of your life. Pray this prayer from your heart:
Dear God, I need a Savior. I need a sacrifice for my sins. You have given your Son to die for my sins, and to give me a new life. I believe He died for me and rose from the dead, and I receive Jesus as my Lord and Savior today. Amen.
I encourage you to find a strong local church where the Bible is taught.