“For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their reasonings, and their senseless hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and they exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible mankind, of birds, four-footed animals, and crawling creatures. Therefore God gave them up to vile impurity in the lusts of their hearts, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for falsehood, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.” (Romans 1:21-25, NASB)
God created us to worship Him. We are worshipping creatures. It is not a matter of IF we will worship, but WHO or WHAT we will worship. We worship what is of ultimate importance to us.
There are basically two types of worship that have existed from Genesis onward. They are illustrated in the lives of Cain and Abel, the sons of Adam and Eve. We are told that Eve named her firstborn son, Cain, because it means “acquire or gain” and it seems that she may have thought that he would be the one through whom the promise of Genesis 3:15 (the protoevangelium or first gospel) would be fulfilled. If that is true, she is in for a colossal disappointment. We are introduced to Cain and Abel by their occupations. Cain is a worker of the ground, taking after his father, Adam. Abel is a shepherd.
At a certain time (“in the course of time”—ESV) they offered sacrifices to the LORD. Cain offered from the fruit of the ground. Abel offered of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. We are told that the LORD had regard for Abel’s sacrifice but rejected Cain’s offering. Now we should not read into this from later Scriptures to judge why Cain’s offering was rejected and Abel’s accepted. We are not told that God rejected Cain’s sacrifice because it was not an animal, but only vegetables. Grain offerings were accepted by God from the Israelites. We have inferences as to why Abel would have offered an animal. God had slain animals to provide a covering for the sin and shame of Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve had covered themselves with fig leaves, which had proven to be inadequate to cover their shame.
However, we do note that Cain had offered from his produce, while Abel had given of the best of his flock. So, we find that Cain was jealous of his brother and angry with God about the situation. We should note that in the conversation between God and Cain, we find that Cain knew what God wanted and what would please God.
“Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why is your face gloomy? “If you do well, will your face not be cheerful? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.”” (Genesis 4:6-7, NASB)
Cain knew what would have been “well” to do. He just wanted God to accept what he wanted to give God, rather than offering what would please God. Cain was also warned that, if he continued to refuse to do well, sin was waiting to capture him, but he would need to control it. Later, when he was talking with his brother in the field, Cain slew Abel. His jealousy and anger took control and he took out his anger on his brother.
John Wesley makes the following comment on this verse (4:8):
And Cain talked with Abel his brother – The Chaldee paraphrast adds, that Cain, when they were in discourse, maintained there was no judgment to come, and that when Abel spoke in defence of the truth, Cain took that occasion to fall upon him. The scripture tells us the reason wherefore he slew him, because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous; so that herein he shewed himself to be a child of the devil, as being an enemy to all righteousness. Observe, the first that dies is a saint, the first that went to the grave, went to heaven. God would secure to himself the first fruits, the first born to the dead, that first opened the womb into another world.
Cain worship reveals itself in comments like these:
I don’t like the preacher; I think we ought to find a new one
I don’t like the music; I think we need a praise band or worship team
I think that the service is too long
I don’t get anything out of the service
I think I need to feel something when I worship
I think God is more pleased when we sing hymns from the hymnal
I don’t think people should come to church in casual dress
And so on…
Please be aware that the basic problem with these statements is the “I.” True worship only asks this: What does God desire? What would please Him? I only want to offer that kind of worship to God.
We are told why God accepted Abel’s offering and not Cain’s.
“By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he was attested to be righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.” (Hebrews 11:4, NASB)
“For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we are to love one another; not as Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And for what reason did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil, but his brother’s were righteous.” (1 John 3:11-12, NASB)
So, the first murder was about worship, of all things, and involved faith vs unbelief. It also embraced the attitude that, if my gift is not acceptable, I will just murder the one who offers the acceptable gift. That will solve the problem. Removing Abel from the equation did not remove Cain’s problem; it only compounded it by bringing judgment upon himself.
“In a few of his books, Tozer writes about “Cain Worship” versus “Abel Worship.” Cain’s worship was to offer to God that which pleased Cain. In contrast to Cain, Abel’s worship was to offer to God in obedience that which God desired of him…. Many of today’s churches tend to focus on Cain Worship rather than on Abel Worship, and yet both believe they are doing what pleases God. Of course, God alone is the judge: it is He who knows the heart and intent of each worshipper.”
A. W. Tozer, Authentic Worship, p. 9
In Romans 8, the apostle contrasts the two ways using the terms “flesh and Spirit” to describe man’s way and worship vs God’s way and worship.
“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:5-8, NKJV)
Living according to the flesh is to live and worship my way rather than God’s way. It is impossible to please God without living in the Spirit. God will help us offer acceptable worship, but only on His terms.
God’s reprimand of Cain is a warning to any who would worship with a heart void of reverence and sacrificial gratitude.
— The Epic of God: A Guide to Genesis, Michael Whitworth
REVDANS 