“By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain” (Hebrews 11:4). Abel saw himself as a sinner, and he saw sin and its penalty—death—standing between his soul and God. He brought the slain lamb, thus acknowledging the claims of the law that had been violated. Through the shed blood he looked to Christ dying on the cross. Trusting in the atonement to be made there, he had the assurance that he was righteous and his offering accepted.BOE 27.1

Cain had the same opportunity of accepting these truths as had Abel. God had not chosen one brother to be accepted and the other rejected. Abel chose faith and obedience; Cain, unbelief and rebellion.BOE 27.2

Cain and Abel represent two classes that will exist till the close of time. One accepts the appointed sacrifice for sin; the other depend on their own merits. Those who feel no need of the blood of Christ, who feel that they can secure the approval of God by their own works, are making the same mistake as did Cain.BOE 27.3

Nearly every false religion has been based on the same principle—that man can depend upon his own efforts for salvation. It is claimed by some that the human race can refine, elevate, and regenerate itself. As Cain thought to obtain 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 of Jesus. The history of Cain shows that humanity does not tend upward toward the divine, but downward toward the satanic. Christ is our only hope (see Acts 4:12).BOE 27.4

True faith will be shown by obedience to all the requirements of God. From Adam’s day to the present the great controversy has been over obedience to God’s law. In all ages there have been those who claimed a right to the favor of God while disregarding some of His commands. But by works “faith was made perfect,” and without the works of obedience, faith “is dead” (James 2:22, 17). Anyone who professes to know God “and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:4).BOE 27.5

When Cain saw that his offering was rejected, he was angry that God did not accept his substitute in place of the sacrifice divinely ordained, and he was angry with his brother for choosing to obey God instead of joining in rebellion against Him.BOE 27.6

God did not leave him to himself, but stooped to reason with the man who had shown himself so unreasonable. “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door.” If he would trust to the merits of the promised Savior and obey God’s requirements, he would enjoy God’s favor, but if he persisted in unbelief and sin, he would have no ground to complain that he was rejected by the Lord.BOE 27.7

Instead of acknowledging his sin, Cain continued to complain about the unfairness of God and to cherish jealousy and hatred of Abel. In meekness, yet 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. He urged that God loved them or He would not have given His Son, innocent and holy, to suffer the penalty that they had earned. All this caused Cain’s anger to burn the hotter. Reason and conscience told him that Abel was right, but he was angry that he could gain no sympathy in his rebellion, so in a fury he killed his brother.BOE 28.1

So in all ages the wicked have hated those who were better than themselves. “Everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed” (John 3:20).BOE 28.2

The murder of Abel was the first example of the enmity between the serpent and the seed of the woman—between Satan and his subjects and Christ and His followers. Whenever through faith in the Lamb of God a person refuses to be a slave to sin, Satan’s anger is kindled. The holy life of Abel testified against Satan’s claim that it is impossible for human beings to keep God’s law. When Cain saw that he could not control Abel, he was so enraged that he destroyed his life, and wherever anyone stands in defense of the law of God, the same spirit will be manifested. But every martyr of Jesus has died a conqueror (see Revelation 12:9, 11).BOE 28.3

Cain the murderer was soon called to answer for his crime. “The Lord said to Cain, ‘Where is Abel your brother?’ He said, ‘I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?’” He resorted to falsehood to conceal his guilt.BOE 28.4

The First Murderer and His Victim

The Punishment of Cain