The story of Adam and Eve’s sons Cain and Abel is very sad, but we have some very important truths about worshipping God. Cain and Abel undoubtedly would have been taught by their parents about the proper way to worship God.

Cain brought the work of his hands as an offering to God (v3). He probably was very sincere, but his worship was not accepted by God (v5).

Abel brought an offering from a sacrificed lamb (v4). Abel did this in faith (Hebrews 11 v4). This means he did this trusting on the way God had revealed to him about how to approach God. God when He clothed Cain and Abel’s parents with the skins of a sacrificed animal (3 v21), was showing how He could be approached. Cain and Abel would have learnt this from their parents. Abel accepted this in faith but Cain did not, instead choosing to seek to approach God in his own way and on his own merit.

Prayerfully consider if you are trusting what you do or Christ’s sacrifice to approach God.