THE TWO WORSHIPERS by A. Delos Wescott

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jul 16, 1894

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 20, No. 36.

THE TWO WORSHIPERS.

By A. Delos Wescott

THE short history of Cain and Abel contains a world of thought for the people of every age. It has been repeated over and over from their day to the present time.

These two young men had been instructed alike from their youth, and each believed himself to be a true worshiper of God. The fact that Abel's offering tallied in all respects with the instructions afterwards given to the Israelites concerning burnt offerings, is sufficient evidence that God had given these same instructions to the family of Adam immediately after the fall. This is made absolutely certain when we consider that God rejected Cain's offering, while he accepted Abel's. God accepts nothing but obedience and rejects only disobedience. He said to Cain, "If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door." "Sin is the transgression of the law;" therefore it was transgression of the law which forbade Cain's acceptance.

But Cain did not expect to be rejected. The very fact that he brought an offering is proof that he believed it would be accepted. True, the Lord had not commanded an offering to be brought of the fruit of the ground, but human reasoning could easily get around that point to the satisfaction of the class to which Cain belonged.

We may suppose Cain's argument ran something like this: "Of course the Lord has said we must bring a lamb for an offering, but I believe that means that we are to bring something of the same value as the lamb. People put too much stress on the particular object to be offered. I don't think it makes any difference what we bring for our offering, provided we bring the proper amount or value. The Lord has made everything, and pronounced it 'good'—the fruit of the ground as well as the lambs of the flock—and I believe my offering will be just as acceptable as Abel's, so long as I am sincere. No one could take more pains than I have to prepare an acceptable offering. I have selected the choicest fruits in my garden, and I am certain they are worth as much as Abel's lamb. Abel thinks my offering will not be accepted, and he wants to trade me a lamb. Abel is always getting onto some hobby, and stirring up trouble in the family. I expect he will go crazy yet.

"But I don't pay any attention to what people say. I have my ideas, and other people have theirs. I believe everyone should have a mind of his own. Some people are never satisfied unless everybody else does just as they do, but I think a man should do what he believes is right, and not try to follow anybody. If it was wrong for me to take this offering to the altar, I believe the Lord would show me, and I should feel condemned. But my conscience does not smite me at all, and so long as a man's conscience does not accuse him, I believe he is all right."

Thus Cain reasoned, if not in these very words, at least to the same intent, and persuaded himself that it would be just as well to violate the plain command of God. But who led Cain to this line of reasoning? Ah! it was he who transformed himself into an angel of light, the same whom Christ recognized in Peter when he said, "Get thee behind me, Satan; for thou savorest not the things that

be of God, but the things that be of men." See Mark 8: 31–33.

The apostle classes Cain with the "children of the devil," because he did not love his brother. See 1 John 3: 10–12. And it was because he was under the control of Satan that he "brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord." He supposed he was worshiping God when he was in fact a worshiper of Satan. Abel worshiped God by obeying him. Cain worshiped Satan by obeying him. Rom. 6: 16.

Multitudes are passing through the experience of Cain to-day, and are using the same arguments that he used, to justify themselves in a course of disobedience. The Lord has said in his word that "the seventh day is the Sabbath," and has commanded men to observe it. But they reason that it makes no difference which day is kept provided one observes the right proportion of time. Has the Lord said that it makes no difference?—Oh, no; on the contrary, he has told us that the seventh day is blessed and holy, while the other days bear no such distinction!

Of those who apply Cain's reasoning, the Lord says: "They have put no difference between the holy and profane [common], neither have they showed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my Sabbaths, and I am profaned among them." Eze. 22: 26.

To say that the day which God has blessed is no better than one which he never blessed, is to say that the blessing of God amounts to nothing. To such the Lord says, "Thou hast despised mine holy things, and hast profaned my Sabbaths." Eze. 22: 8.

How can those who despise God's blessing expect to be blessed themselves? Those who appreciate God's blessing will have everything to which that blessing has been attached.

The Sabbath was blessed that they may be blessed who observe it. "Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil." Isa. 56: 2. It was sanctified that those who observe it might also be sanctified. Eze. 20: 12. Christ put his presence into the Sabbath by observing it himself in the beginning (Mark 2: 27; John 1: 3), and the presence of Christ always blesses (Ex. 20: 24), sanctifies (1 Cor. 1: 30), and gives rest (Ex. 33: 14; Matt. 11: 28, 29). When Christ was on earth his blessing was poured out in the healing of the sick and in the forgiveness of sins on the Sabbath more than on any other day, thus teaching that the Sabbath is to be a day of special blessing to all. Those who delight themselves in the Sabbath delight themselves also in the Lord. Isa. 58: 13, 14.

Human arguments can never overthrow the Sabbath, but they may overthrow those who employ them. Cain's reasoning is no more acceptable to God now than it was six thousand years ago. It was Satan who was working through Cain then, and it is Satan who is working now. Persecution followed Cain's arguments then, and the same spirit of persecution follows now. The arguments and the persecution always go together. Christ knows their origin. "He that is of God, heareth God's words; ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God." See John 8: 37–47. "Be not deceived; God is not mocked."