BY JOHN GUIDRY, PASTOR
Nuevo Laredo, Tamps, Mexico
“And in the process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof: And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? And why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.”
(Genesis 4:3-7)
Two brothers came before the Lord, each offering his very best. Cain picked out the choicest fruit of the ground, the reddest tomatoes, lush green lettuce, the finest turnips ever grown. Abel brought the lamb,
the firstborn as his gift. Cain may have worked harder than Abel did in order to bring forth from the ground, cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns
also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread” (Genesis 3:17-19). Cain worked beneath a curse to bring forth the fruit of the ground. He dug, toiled, planted, raked, hoed, and sweated beneath the sun. Abel may not have worked quite so hard. Perhaps he led the animals to a soft verdant field to graze while he slept beneath the
shade of a tree, or sat on the bank of a stream with his feet dangling in the cool waters as the animals drank their fill. Cain worked harder but his offering was not received. Cain didn’t have the Blood!
God was not looking for the sincerest heart. He was not looking for the one who had worked the hardest. Nor, was he searching for the one who had made the most effort. The only thing that mattered was the
Blood! We are not saved by our own works, sincerity is good and important, but it is not good enough! Working hard for the kingdom is imperative, but it alone will not suffice. Our salvation is not by
works, lest any man should boast. We must have the Blood! “What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus!”
Somewhere along the line Adam and Eve taught their sons about the time in Eden. They told their sons of the paradise and how sin entered in. They told of the time when they were separated from the glorious presence of God and how they were cast out only to be able to gaze from a distance upon the fellowship with Him that once was. We tried to make it right”, they said, We tried to cover up our sins and shame Butt our covering was not good enough! Only the covering made by His hands was ample! The sacrifice was killed and its blood was spilled!” Cain did not learn from his parents experience!
A repentant sinner can come to the Lord and cry the tears of shame and repentance, and though God sees the tears, they cannot cover the past! Only the Blood that was shed can cover! Woe to the rebellious
children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit….(lsaiah 30:1) we must use His covering! We cannot make our own deal to cover sin in the
feeble hopes that it will suffice ‘We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement. When the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us. Your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand” (Isaiah 28:15 & 18). We can attempt make our own remedy for sin, we can try to make our own atonement for the past, but as the scripture says . . .the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7), ‘ Wand without shedding oxblood is no remission” (Hebrews 9:22). Only His Blood will cover us in the day of reckoning. Only His sacrifice is sufficient. Our works can never be good enough!
There are many religious groups today who have good works. Many are doing much for the homeless. Many are trying to help the poor. There are those who are providing medical help for the sick. But good
works alone can wash away our sins! We must have the Blood! “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus 3:5)
The Israelites put the blood upon the doorpost. God said when I see the blood I will pass over you. God was not looking to see if the house belonged to an Israelite or an Egyptian, he was looking for the Blood! Perhaps there were some in Jericho who were more righteous than Rahab the harlot, she may well have been among the worst crowd in town, but it was only the scarlet thread that saved her and set her apart
from the rest. Perhaps there are some in other denominations that pray more than us, perhaps some of them fast more than some of us do, perhaps they are seeing some tremendous miracles, but do they have the Blood?
“In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness”(Zechariah 13:1).
And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized. And wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16).
We have a fountain of blood today, we can wash away our sins in the Name of Jesus! Years ago a missionary was baptizing a group of people. As was their custom they went down to the same river where other church groups would go. The missionary went down into the water with several candidates for baptism As they were about to begin the baptisms, a group of men going by in a boat began to laugh and mock and ridicule The missionary undisturbed went ahead and began to baptize. Immediately the men in the boat grew serious and became were quiet and watched the baptisms intently. As the last candidate was baptized, the boat drew near and the men asked to be baptized as well. The missionary
was puzzled at the sudden change of attitude and asked, “Why do you want to be baptized, only moments ago you were mocking?” The men responded, Yes, we were mocking, and we have always laughed at other church groups as well. But your baptism was different, as you called on the Name of Jesus we saw the water round about you become red. When the persons you baptized came up out of the water they were covered with blood There is something different about you people, you are not like
the others who have come!”
Yes, indeed, there is a difference between us and the rest! We have the Blood! Cain offered his best! But the fruits of good works, the labor of his own hands were not good enough. Abel had the Blood! Do
you have the Blood”
THE ABOVE MATERIAL WAS PUBLISHED BY THE LOUISIANA CHALLENGER, 1998, PAGE 8. THIS MATERIAL IS COPYRIGHTED AND MAY BE USED FOR STUDY & RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY.
