Chapter four of Genesis describes how Cain and Abel each made sacrifices to God. Cain was a farmer and offered the first fruits of his harvest while Abel, being a shepherd, brought the first of his flock. For some unspecified reason, God accepted Abel’s offering and rejected Cain’s. Over the years many biblical scholars have suggested all sorts of reasons as to why God would do this, but I believe that it had nothing to do with the offering and everything to do with the attitude of the one making the offering. 1st John 3:12 claims that Cain’s sacrifice was not accepted because of his evil deeds. Hebrews 11:4 reasons that Abel’s offering was accepted because he lived righteously. In other words, God looks at the one doing the sacrificing first and then at the sacrifice itself; judging the offerer and then the offering.
