patriarchs and prophets-第14节

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for　the　fallen　race；　proves　that　the　law　of　God　will　not　release　the　sinner
from　its　claims　upon　him。　It　is　demonstrated　that　the　wages　of　sin　is　death。
When　Christ　died；　the　destruction　of　Satan　was　made　certain。　But　if　the　law
was　abolished　at　the　cross；　as　many　claim；　then　the　agony　and　death　of　God's
dear　Son　were　endured　only　to　give　to　Satan　just　what　he　asked；　then　the
prince　of　evil　triumphed；　his　charges　against　the　divine　government　were
sustained。　The　very　fact　that　Christ　bore　the　penalty　of　man's　transgression
is　a　mighty　argument　to　all　created　intelligences　that　the　law　is
changeless；　that　God　is　righteous；　merciful；　and　self…denying；　and　that
infinite　justice　and　mercy　unite　in　the　administration　of　His　government。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　5

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Cain　and　Abel　Tested


Cain　and　Abel；　the　sons　of　Adam；　differed　widely　in　character。　Abel　had　a
spirit　of　loyalty　to　God；　he　saw　justice　and　mercy　in　the　Creator's　dealings
with　the　fallen　race；　and　gratefully　accepted　the　hope　of　redemption。　But
Cain　cherished　feelings　of　rebellion；　and　murmured　against　God　because　of
the　curse　pronounced　upon　the　earth　and　upon　the　human　race　for　Adam's　sin。
He　permitted　his　mind　to　run　in　the　same　channel　that　led　to　Satan's
fallindulging　the　desire　for　self…exaltation　and　questioning　the　divine
justice　and　authority。

These　brothers　were　tested；　as　Adam　had　been　tested　before　them；　to　prove
whether　they　would　believe　and　obey　the　word　of　God。　They　were　acquainted
with　the　provision　made　for　the　salvation　of　man；　and　understood　the　system
of　offerings　which　God　had　ordained。　They　knew　that　in　these　offerings　they
were　to　express　faith　in　the　Saviour　whom　the　offerings　typified；　and　at　the
same　time　to　acknowledge　their　total　dependence　on　Him　for　pardon；　and　they
knew　that　by　thus　conforming　to　the　divine　plan　for　their　redemption；　they
were　giving　proof　of　their　obedience　to　the　will　of　God。　Without　the
shedding　of　blood　there　could　be　no　remission　of　sin；　and　they　were　to　show
their　faith　in　the　blood　of　Christ　as　the　promised　atonement　by　offering　the
firstlings　of　the　flock　in　sacrifice。　Besides　this；　the　first　fruits　of　the
earth　were　to　be　presented　before　the　Lord　as　a　thank　offering。

The　two　brothers　erected　their　altars　alike；　and　each　brought　an　offering。
Abel　presented　a　sacrifice　from　the　flock；　in　accordance　with　the　Lord's
directions。　〃And　the　Lord　had　respect　unto　Abel　and　to　his　offering。〃　Fire
flashed　from　heaven　and　consumed　the　sacrifice。　But　Cain；　disregarding　the
Lord's　direct　and　explicit　command；　presented　only　an　offering　of　fruit。
There　was　no　token　from　heaven　to　show　that　it　was　accepted。　Abel　pleaded
with　his

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brother　to　approach　God　in　the　divinely　prescribed　way；　but　his　entreaties
only　made　Cain　the　more　determined　to　follow　his　own　will。　As　the　eldest；　he
felt　above　being　admonished　by　his　brother；　and　despised　his　counsel。

Cain　came　before　God　with　murmuring　and　infidelity　in　his　heart　in　regard　to
the　promised　sacrifice　and　the　necessity　of　the　sacrificial　offerings。　His
gift　expressed　no　penitence　for　sin。　He　felt；　as　many　now　feel；　that　it
would　be　an　acknowledgment　of　weakness　to　follow　the　exact　plan　marked　out
by　God；　of　trusting　his　salvation　wholly　to　the　atonement　of　the　promised
Saviour。　He　chose　the　course　of　self…dependence。　He　would　come　in　his　own
merits。　He　would　not　bring　the　lamb；　and　mingle　its　blood　with　his　offering；
but　would　present　his　fruits；　the　products　of　his　labor。　He　presented　his
offering　as　a　favor　done　to　God；　through　which　he　expected　to　secure　the
divine　approval。　Cain　obeyed　in　building　an　altar；　obeyed　in　bringing　a
sacrifice；　but　he　rendered　only　a　partial　obedience。　The　essential　part；　the
recognition　of　the　need　of　a　Redeemer；　was　left　out。

So　far　as　birth　and　religious　instruction　were　concerned；　these　brothers
were　equal。　Both　were　sinners；　and　both　acknowledged　the　claims　of　God　to
reverence　and　worship。　To　outward　appearance　their　religion　was　the　same　up
to　a　certain　point；　but　beyond　this　the　difference　between　the　two　was
great。

〃By　faith　Abel　offered　unto　God　a　more　excellent　sacrifice　than　Cain。〃
Hebrews　11：4。　Abel　grasped　the　great　principles　of　redemption。　He　saw
himself　a　sinner；　and　he　saw　sin　and　its　penalty；　death；　standing　between
his　soul　and　communion　with　God。　He　brought　the　slain　victim；　the　sacrificed
life；　thus　acknowledging　the　claims　of　the　law　that　had　been　transgressed。
Through　the　shed　blood　he　looked　to　the　future　sacrifice；　Christ　dying　on
the　cross　of　Calvary；　and　trusting　in　the　atonement　that　was　there　to　be
made；　he　had　the　witness　that　he　was　righteous；　and　his　offering　accepted。

Cain　had　the　same　opportunity　of　learning　and　accepting　these　truths　as　had
Abel。　He　was　not　the　victim　of　an　arbitrary　purpose。　One　brother　was　not
elected　to　be　accepted　of　God；　and　the　other　to　be　rejected。　Abel　chose
faith　and　obedience；　Cain；　unbelief　and　rebellion。　Here　the　whole　matter
rested。

Cain　and　Abel　represent　two　classes　that　will　exist　in　the　world　till　the
close　of　time。　One　class　avail　themselves　of　the　appointed。　PG　73
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sacrifice　for　sin；　the　other　venture　to　depend　upon　their　own　merits；　theirs
is　a　sacrifice　without　the　virtue　of　divine　mediation；　and　thus　it　is　not
able　to　bring　man　into　favor　with　God。　It　is　only　through　the　merits　of
Jesus　that　our　transgressions　can　be　pardoned。　Those　who　feel　no　need　of　the
blood　of　Christ；　who　feel　that　without　divine　grace　they　can　by　their　own
works　secure　the　approval　of　God；　are　making　the　same　mistake　as　did　Cain。
If　they　do　not　accept　the　cleansing　blood；　they　are　under　condemnation。
There　is　no　other　provision　made　whereby　they　can　be　released　from　the
thralldom　of　sin。

The　class　of　worshipers　who　follow　the　example　of　Cain　includes　by　far　the
greater　portion　of　the　world；　for　nearly　every　false　religion　has　been　based
on　the　same　principlethat　man　can　depend　upon　his　own　efforts　for
salvation。　It　is　claimed　by　some　that　the　human　race　is　in　need；　not　of
redemption；　but　of　developmentthat　it　can　refine；　elevate；　and　regenerate
itself。　As　Cain　thought　to　secure　the　divine　favor　by　an　offering　that
lacked　the　blood　of　a　sacrifice；　so　do　these　expect　to　exalt　humanity　to　the
divine　standard；　independent　of　the　atonement。　The　history　of　Cain　shows
what　must　be　the　results。　It　shows　what　man　will　become　apart　from　Christ。
Humanity　has　no　power　to　regenerate　itself。　It　does　not　tend　upward；　toward
the　divine；　but　downward；　toward　the　satanic。　Christ　is　our　only　hope。
〃There　is　none　other　name　under　heaven　given　among　men；　whereby　we　must　be
saved。〃　〃Neither　is　there　salvation　in　any　other。〃　Acts　4：12。

True　faith；　which　relies　wholly　upon　Christ；　will　be　manifested　by　obedience
to　all　the　requirements　of　God。　From　Adam's　day　to　the　present　time　the
great　controversy　has　been　concerning　obedience　to　God's　law。　In　all　ages
there　have　been　those　who　claimed　a　right　to　the　favor　of　God　even　while
they　were　disregarding　some　of　His　commands。　But　the　Scriptures　declare　that
by　works　is　〃faith　made　perfect；〃　and　that；　without　the　works　of　obedience；
faith　〃is　dead。〃　James　2：22；　17。　He　that　professes　to　know　God；　〃and　keepeth
not　His　commandments；　is　a　liar；　and　the　truth　is　not　in　him。〃　1　John　2：4。

When　Cain　saw　that　his　offering　was　rejected；　he　was　angry　with　the　Lord　and
with　Abel；　he　was　angry　that　God　did　not　accept　man's　substitute　in　place　of
the　sacrifice　divinely　ordained；　and　angry　with　his　brother　for　choosing　to
obey　God

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instead　of　joining　in　rebellion　against　Him。　Notwithstanding　Cain's
disregard　of　the　divine　command；　God　did　not　leave　him　to　himself；　but　He
condescended　to　reason　with　the　man　who　had　shown　himself　so　unreasonable。
And　the　Lord　said　unto　Cain；　〃Why　art　thou　wroth？　and　why　is　thy　countenance
fallen？〃　Through　an　angel　messenger　the　divine　warning　was　conveyed：　〃If
thou　doest　well；　shalt　thou　not　be　accepted？　And　if　thou　doest　not　well；　sin
lieth　at　the　door。〃　The　choice　lay　with　Cain　himself。　If　he　would　trust　to
the　merits　of　the　promised　Saviour；　and　would　obey　God's　requirements；　he
would　enjoy　His　favor。　But　should　he　persist　in　unbelief　and　transgression；
he　would　have　no　ground　for　complaint　because　he　was　rejected　by　the　Lord。

But　instead　of　acknowledging　his　sin；　Cain　continued　to　complain　of　the
injustice　of　God　and　to　cherish　jealousy　and　hatred　of　Abel。　He　angrily
reproached　his　brother；　and　attempted　to　draw　him　into　controversy
concerning　God's　dealings　with　them。　In　meekness；　yet　fearlessly　and　firmly；
Abel　defended　the　justice　and　goodness　of　God。　He　pointed　out　Cain's　error；
and　tried　to　convince　him　that　the　wrong　was　in　himself。　He　pointed　to　the
compassion　of　God　in　sparing　the　life　of　their　parents　when　He　might　have
punished　them　with　instant　death；　and　urged　that　God　loved　them；　or　He　would
not　have　given　His　Son；　innocent　and　holy；　to　suffer　the　penalty　which　they
had　incurred。　All　this　caused　Cain's