We read of this account in Genesis 4:2-5. Able was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. In time, both would offer a gift to the Lord—Cain from his crops and Able from his flock. Surprisingly, the text does not specifically call for an animal sacrifice. It does make clear, however, that these two offerings were of an acceptable kind. The Hebrew word used here for Cain’s offering, usually translated "gift" in most of its occurrences, becomes a technical term for an acceptable offering in the Levitical code. But the fact remains, ". . . the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering (v. 5)."

So why did God reject Cain’s offering if it was of an accepted kind? Notice the order of the names and offerings in verse 5, because it is purposeful. Each man is stated first, followed by his offering. This is Moses’ way of telling us that God accepted Able, the person, but not Cain, the person. Consequently, God accepted Able’s offering, but rejected Cain’s. Cain had an appropriate offering; he just didn’t have a right heart. His sacrifice was nothing but empty ritual, an abomination to God. Later, we receive confirmation of Cain’s wicked disposition in 1 John 3:11, where John tells us that Cain "was of the wicked one." This is indeed a sad event, but there is a valuable lesson for the church in it—true Christians will love God with their whole heart and their neighbor as themselves. Are you a pretender? Are you a Christian in name only? God once said of Israel, "Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me (Isaiah 29:13)." The Psalmist reminds us that the only one who can stand in God’s presence justified is the one "with clean hands and a pure heart (Psalm 24:3-4)." That is to say, a person with genuine faith, the kind that produces good works (James 2:14-24). This can only come by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.