The Mark of God
Text: Genesis 4:1-16 Cain & Abel
The writer to the Hebrews said, “By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.”
Just what is a sacrifice that is acceptable to God? And how exactly do we offer God a pleasing sacrifice in the modern world? What exactly is God looking for? How can we determine whether or not He feels what we offer is acceptable? God looks into our hearts! Just what is a sacrifice that is acceptable to God? And how exactly do we offer God a pleasing sacrifice in the modern world?
We do not know what the mark of Cain was. Much ink has been spilled on the subject; not much of it helpful. What the mark was is not important. What was important is the fact that the mark protected Cain from his enemies. They could see it, and they knew what it was. Even in his sin, Cain was not abandoned by God. Neither are we. God remains faithful to us when we are faithless (II Timothy 2:13), and invites us to turn back to Him in repentance. What we do know is that each one of us has received a mark from God as well – and we do know what this one is, even though we can’t physically see it. The mark is the sign of the cross.