Origins of Faith Series: Sacrifice
By Apostle Aje Pelser, Harvester Reformational Church, Cape Town

Scripture Reading:
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.
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.”
Gen 4:8 Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.
Gen 4:9 Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”
Gen 4:10 And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.
Gen 4:11 So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.

There are three questions that will reveal how sacrifice brings redemption from sins:
1. Why did God accept the Lamb offering of Abel, not the fruit of Cain?
2. What made Cain kill Abel and how does that relate to unity today?
3. What is the difference between Abel’s blood and that of Jesus on the cross?

1. Why did God accept the Lamb offering of Abel, not the fruit of Cain?
The answer is that God was already planning to give his Son as a sacrificial Lamb for the sins of the coming world. God knows the end from the beginning.
Jesus is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world:
Rev 5:6 And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
Rev 5:9 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
Rev 5:10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”

Another reason is that there can only be remission of sins with the shedding of blood:
Mat 26:28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Heb_9:22 And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.

2. What made Cain kill Abel and how does that relate to unity today?
Let’s look at the progression of sin in Cain.
He tried his best too but felt rejected.
He compared himself with his brother.
He sought God’s favour by works, not by faith.
He did not take the opportunity God gave him to do right and preserve the Messianic prophetic symbol of the sacrificial Lamb. I believe he could have traded with his brother. We should imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises, not emulate them and compete with them.
When we do great exploits for the Lord, it has the backing of generational faith and kingdom power and support. When God allows us to suffer and struggle, God uses it to keep us humble and dependant on Him as our stone of help, our Jehovah Jireh Provider, our Burden Lifter.
Our visible success is set in the backdrop of long-term faith in the same manner as our faith forefathers and even back to Abraham and Moses, Joseph and Daniel, Elijah and Isaiah and so on.
Discern the grace God has given you as a family and start to rise and build on that. Apply the principles we share freely through our preaching and teaching. It works! Glory to God!
Find the scroll that God has given for your family to fulfil in his word. Unlock the meaning of that scroll by living a sacrificial life dedicated to self-denial, following Jesus and taking up your cross daily!
Live out that sacrificial life in the context your spheres of influence under the covering of the church.

People compared apostle Paul in the early church, to other prominent preachers:
1Co 3:3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?
1Co 3:4 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?
1Co 3:5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one?
1Co 3:6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.

Remember to cheer others on who do things for God, celebrate other churches and networks, support the revivals breaking out all over and encourage other believers versus competing with them. Remember you serve the same God and are in the same queue to receive His blessings. Rejoice with those who rejoice! Mourn with those who mourn.

3. What is the difference between Abel’s blood and that of Jesus on the cross?
Abel’s blood was shed innocently and requires justice and vindication.
Jesus blood was also shed innocently, but he said: “father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Jesus’ blood speaks of forgiveness and Abel’s of condemnation. The New Covenant is one of forgiveness in Christ Jesus that sets us free.

Accept the replacement of the old Covenant:
Heb 10:5 Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: “SACRIFICE AND OFFERING YOU DID NOT DESIRE, BUT A BODY YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR ME.

[Note: becoming part of a body of believers in a church, helps us to become a living sacrifice unto God. Then we find out how to be that living sacrifice in the volume of the book – as we read the Word about Jesus His Holy Spirit shows us what to do and reveals things to come so that we can fully understand God’s will for our lives and act it out daily. ]

Heb 10:6 IN BURNT OFFERINGS AND SACRIFICES FOR SIN YOU HAD NO PLEASURE.
Heb 10:7 THEN I SAID, ‘BEHOLD, I HAVE COME— IN THE VOLUME OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME— TO DO YOUR WILL, O GOD.’ ”
Heb 10:8 Previously saying, “SACRIFICE AND OFFERING, BURNT OFFERINGS, AND OFFERINGS FOR SIN YOU DID NOT DESIRE, NOR HAD PLEASURE IN THEM” (which are offered according to the law),
Heb 10:9 then He said, “BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL, O GOD.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second.
Heb 10:10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

Here are few more questions for us to answer:
• Are we willing to receive the offering Jesus made for your remission forgiveness of sins?
• Are we ready to stop striving to earn God’s love and forgiveness and do it His way through faith?
• Are we ready to stop comparing and competing with other believers and start to celebrate them?
• Are we willing to present our bodies as a living sacrifice daily unto God?