Why was Abel's offering accepted and Cain's rejected?

Question

Sun Myung Moon · Accepted Answer

The biblical account of Cain and Abel presents a pivotal moment in early human history, where two brothers offer sacrifices to God, yet only one is accepted. This raises a profound question about God's ways and the principles governing divine favor. To understand why Abel's offering was accepted and Cain's rejected, we must delve into the spiritual positions of the brothers and the conditions God had set for them, which shed light on the enduring principles of God's providence. The Biblical Foundation The book of Genesis records the offerings of the first two sons of Adam and Eve: "And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell" (Genesis 4:3-5). This passage reveals God's differential acceptance without immediately clarifying the reason, which troubled Cain deeply and ultimately led to tragic consequences. The Principle's Clarification To comprehend God's decision, it is essential to understand the spiritual positions assigned to Cain and Abel in God's providence. After the Fall, humanity, represented by Adam and Eve, had fallen under the dominion of Satan. God, in His infinite wisdom and love, sought to restore humanity and the world to His dominion. This restoration began with Adam's family, where God intended to lay the Foundation of Faith and the Foundation of Substance for the Messiah to come. However, Adam, having fallen, now related to two "lords"—God and Satan. To rectify this split personality and begin the process of separating humanity from Satan's claim, God worked through Adam's sons. Cain, as the firstborn, inherited the spiritual content of Eve's fall, which was a relationship with the Archangel, positioning him to relate to Satan. Abel, as the second-born, inherited the relatively more principled physical fall, placing him in the position to relate to God. This arrangement was not arbitrary but a providential strategy to divide Adam's fallen nature into two distinct channels. Therefore, when Cain and Abel brought their offerings, Abel was in a position where God could relate to him. His offering of the firstlings of his flock was accepted because it was made from a pure heart, in a position of faith, and represented his desire to connect with God from a place separated from Satan's influence. This acceptance allowed Abel to fulfill the Foundation of Faith. Cain, however, was in the position to relate to Satan. His offering of agricultural produce, while seemingly a good intention, could not be accepted directly by God because Cain had not yet separated himself from the spiritual influence of the Archangel, which he inherited through the Fall. God did not reject Cain because He hated him; rather, Cain needed to establish a condition to separate himself from Satan's dominion before his offering could be accepted. The Path to Restoration The purpose of God putting Abel in Cain's life was profound. Abel, having established the Foundation of Faith, was intended to become the mediator for the Foundation of Substance. This meant that Cain's responsibility was to reverse his fallen position, moving from relating to Satan to relating to God. This could be achieved by revering and following Abel, who was in God's position. Cain was to have loved Abel from God's viewpoint, respected him as a mediator, followed his leadership, and received God's Word through him. This act of humility and submission from the elder to the younger would have been a substantial sacrifice, a condition of indemnity to remove the fallen nature—specifically, the Archangel's inclination to dominate selfishly and multiply evil. Had Cain yielded to Abel, they would have jointly established the Foundation of Substance, building upon Abel's Foundation of Faith. This would have created the familial foundation necessary for the Messiah to come, restoring the original ideal of creation much sooner. The crucial point was not the type of offering itself, but the heart and position from which it was given, and the subsequent actions required to unify the brothers under God's will. The Tragic Outcome Unfortunately, Cain failed to fulfill his portion of responsibility. Instead of embracing his role and submitting to Abel's leadership, his heart grew violently angry when God accepted Abel's offering and not his own. This anger mirrored the Archangel's feelings—not seeing from God's viewpoint, desiring to dominate, and ultimately leading to the first murder. "And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him" (Genesis 4:8). Cain's murder of Abel repeated the Fall, tragically spilling human blood and further polluting humanity. This failure ended Go

Why was Abel's offering accepted and Cain's rejected?

The Biblical Foundation

The Principle's Clarification

The Path to Restoration

The Tragic Outcome

Living the Principle

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