The prerequisite for
righteousness
What is of intrinsic importance that we should know,
understand and believe is, how did Abel attain righteousness because, exactly
what Abel did to attain righteousness is what we also have to do in order to be
regarded righteous for this is what we learn from the scriptures; “In the
course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the first fruit of the
ground, and Abel brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat
portions. And the Lord has regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and
his offering he had no regard” (Genesis 4: 3-5).
We are further instructed saying;, “By faith Abel
offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, by faith he was commended
as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings” (Hebrews 11:4).
So here we see without any shadow of doubt that the
reason why Abel’s offering was accepted, and Cain’s not accepted it was because
Abel offered to the Lord the sacrifice, the sweet selling aroma which satisfies
His will, one which depicts the best one can offer for man’s redemption for we
have been duly admonished saying; “ For the life of all flesh is in the blood;
and God has given it to us upon the altar to make atonement for our souls; for
it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.“ (Leviticus 17:11).
The righteousness of Abel was as the result of him
offering to the Lord an offering which was acceptable to Him as sweet smelling
aroma. This sweet smelling aroma is so important to the Lord that He instructed
the priests saying, “You must not redeem the first born of an ox, a sheep or a
goat; they are holy. Sprinkle their blood on the altar and burn their fat as an
offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.” Again the Lord said to
them; “The priests shall burn them (the fat) on the altar as food, and offering
made by fire, a pleasing aroma. All the fat is the Lord’s. This is a lasting
ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live. You must not eat any
fat or any blood” (Numbers 18:17; Leviticus 3:16-17).
The sprinkling of blood and the burning of the fat of
clean animals which were offered by Abel and also the Levites the priests were
a type, that foreshadowed the real sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the best and only
sacrifice that can fulfill the Father’s will in presenting the worshiper holy
and blameless before Him.
Presenting the
Lord the food for His offerings is this secret mystery that was hidden for ages
in God who created all things; that through the church His manifold wisdom
might now be made known to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places
(Ephesians 3:9-10).
This secret mystery was according to the eternal purpose
which God has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and
confidence of access through our faith in Him. Therefore, the practical
righteous act which differentiates the children of God from the children of the
devil is having faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ which is demonstrated by
partaking of the bread and wine. For it is written: “For as often as you eats
this bread, and drinks this cup you proclaim (demonstrate) the Lord’s death
until He comes.”
It is this act of righteousness that the children of God
who having been set free from sin have automatically become enslaved to. They
are enslaved to this act of righteousness because God requires that this
offering, the food for His offerings, His sweet smelling aroma be offered to Him
at its appointed time. In fact God has set aside specific times for His children to
come together before Him, specifically to offer to Him His offering.
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To be continued, stay tuned
With brotherly love
Lucius Joseph
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