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I’ll be honest, this story has always confused me.
Why was Abel’s offering acceptable to God but Cain’s was not? All we know from the story here in Genesis is that Abel offered the firstborn from his flock (blood sacrifice) and Cain offered the land’s produce (fruit or produce). Abel’s blood sacrifice was accepted, but Cain’s produce was not. We get a more complete picture of the scene as we journey through Scripture…
By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was approved as a righteous man, because God approved his gifts, and even though he is dead, he still speaks through his faith.
Hebrews 11:4 HCSB
From Hebrews, we can determine that the difference wasn’t found in the sacrifice alone. It was the faith of the individual offering it that mattered. Similarly, Jesus spoke of those who would do mighty works in His Name but who “never knew Him.” Faith is a posture of trust that opens our lives to God with absolute purity. What else can we gather about this story?
Woe to them! For they have traveled in the way of Cain, have abandoned themselves to the error of Balaam for profit, and have perished in Korah’s rebellion.
Jude 1:11 HCSB
This verse from Jude adds another layer to what we’ve already covered. If Abel represents true faith, Cain represents unbelief. Balaam knew the truth but continued to disobey God’s Word because he was greedy. He then chose to lead the entire nation of Israel astray just for some money. Korah was jealous of Moses and his authority. He thought he should be leading and rebelled against Moses’ leadership. In the end, God opened up the Earth and swallowed up Korah and his followers.
All three of these men (Cain, Balaam, and Korah) were deceitful, arrogant, and hell-bent on operating in their own strength and knowledge. In all three circumstances, God provided an avenue for truth. He showed Cain what pleased Him by choosing Abel’s sacrifice. He spoke to Balaam through the mouth of a donkey, and He showed mercy to Korah by placing wise leaders (Moses and Aaron) alongside of him. But all three men still chose their own way.
How does this manifest itself today? Well, in some cases, the exact same way. But I think it is important to point out that all three of these men used tactics of Satan to try and get what they wanted. Cain was deceptive when he lured Abel into a vulnerable place to murder him. Balaam was deceptive when he lured Israel into sin. Korah was prideful with a strong thirst for more power, much like Satan before his fall.
When we consider all this, we realize that the greatest threat to the church are not atheists. No, the greatest threat would be the people who hold to a form of godliness but deny its power.
For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good, 4 traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to the form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid these people!
2 Timothy 3:2-5 HCSB
Cain, Balaam, and Korah wanted to serve God. They weren’t blatant in their opposition of Him. They were all spiritual and they all held a certain form of godliness. But in the end, there was a compromise. Cain denied God for dead religion. Balaam denied God for greed. Korah denied God for power. A form of godliness is not fruitful, and this is how we will recognize those who come with a deceitful heart. God encourages us to test the godly words of people by their actions and determine if they are indeed lovers of God or lovers of pleasure. We should not judge others, but we can observe their fruit… or lack thereof.