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rookie
Member
Joined: 2003/6/3
Posts: 4445
Hershey PA
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Who obeyed something that they did not trust to be true? Simon the sorcerer did, likewise so did Judas, and Cain, and a whole host of others.
Let us discuss Cain's life so that we might see what it is that seperates Cain from Abel in terms of trust versus faith...
Gen 4:3 And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD.
Gen 4:4 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering,
Gen 4:5 but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.
From this Scripture we find first that God respected Abel and not Cain. Secondly we find that Cain was upset that God did not accept his offering. Scripture says that Cain's countenance fell.
From Scripture we find that Cain was feeling rejected by the Lord. Does this imply that Cain wanted God's blessing?
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Jer 15:16 Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts.
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 2011/6/20 7:36 | Profile |
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Who would you attribute these thoughts to?
Various men under the inspiration of God.
OJ |
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| 2011/6/20 11:16 | |
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From Scripture we find that Cain was feeling rejected by the Lord. Does this imply that Cain wanted God's blessing?
It could imply a lot of things. From not wanting God's disapproval to wanting His approval, to wanting to be blessed. What we know that it doesn't mean is that Cain did not want fellowship with God. |
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| 2011/6/20 12:13 | |
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Quote:
Let us discuss Cain's life so that we might see what it is that seperates Cain from Abel in terms of trust versus faith...
Where there is no trust there is no faith.
OJ |
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| 2011/6/20 12:17 | |
rookie
Member
Joined: 2003/6/3
Posts: 4445
Hershey PA
| | Re: | | Quote:
Various men under the inspiration of God.
All three verses come from different generations. Job knew this precept before the word was written. And we see that Solomon, and the writer of Hebrews all know the same precept.
All, as you have said, heard it from the Lord, the Word.
So with that in mind, if the Scriptures don't tell us who wrote a particular section of the Bible, then I believe that the Lord had a purpose for not telling us.
So why add to the Scriptures?
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Jer 15:16 Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts.
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| 2011/6/20 14:38 | Profile |
rookie
Member
Joined: 2003/6/3
Posts: 4445
Hershey PA
| | Re: | | Quote:
It could imply a lot of things. From not wanting God's disapproval to wanting His approval, to wanting to be blessed. What we know that it doesn't mean is that Cain did not want fellowship with God.
I don't see it as you have...listen to what God says to Cain.
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."
God exhorts Cain to repent. He says, "If you do well, will you not be accepted?" God wanted fellowship with Cain.
What does "if you do well" imply? And what does "will you not be accepted?" imply?
_________________
Jer 15:16 Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts.
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| 2011/6/20 14:47 | Profile |
| | Re: | | I guess it would be the same reason you think Job wrote Job. There is a certain amount of surmising that can be done with the authorship of many of the books of the Bible.
OJ |
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| 2011/6/20 14:59 | |
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God wanted fellowship with Cain
And no fellowship occuurred because Cain did not want fellowship with God.
OJ
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| 2011/6/20 15:08 | |
sarahsdream
Member
Joined: 2011/6/16
Posts: 183
| | Re: | | I have found this thread interesting and also been looking into it. When I read about Cain, this is what I find.
God spoke to Cain. He was trying to fellowship with him as He does with us. He was trying to steer Cain onto the "narrow road". Cain rejected God's ways and God's fellowship. His pride would not allow him to receive instruction from God, because it would mean that He would have to agree with God regarding his own works.
Cain would not be bound by God's instruction. He did not trust God's instruction, he trusted that his own (prideful) ways would please God BECAUSE he was deceived in his heart about his own "goodness".
Pro 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Pro 28:25 He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat.
Pro 30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
Do we trust His Word? Cain did not trust it.
Abel trusted God's Word was pure and right and made the acceptable sacrifice based on his trust in what God said to Him. It is only right to believe that if God spoke to Cain, He also spoke to Abel. One trusted His word and one did not.
That is the way I read and understand it.
Sarah |
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| 2011/6/20 15:15 | Profile |
rbanks
Member
Joined: 2008/6/19
Posts: 1022
| | Re: | | Quote:
God exhorts Cain to repent. He says, "If you do well, will you not be accepted?" God wanted fellowship with Cain. What does "if you do well" imply? And what does "will you not be accepted?" imply?
Rookie,
It is obvious that God wanted fellowship with both Cain and Abel.
The reason Cain's offering was rejected is because it was not an offering of faith in the prescribed order of sacrifice that God had given. We cannot come to God by our works but only by faith. We must trust God to accept us only on the ground of the shed blood of the Lamb of God (Jesus Christ). Abel understood by faith in what God had said as the only sacrifice to approach God in order to be accepted by Him.
Through faith we understand and if we don't trust God's way of righteousness then we will never be accepted until we do. Trust and obey because there is no other way to please God.
Blessings to you! |
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| 2011/6/20 15:21 | Profile |
