Faith is Not Just Words but Right Works
By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.
By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, "and was not found, because God had taken him"; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. Hebrews 11:4-5
From the beginning God made a distinction between people based not only on their words but on their actual works. God loved Abel because he did what God wanted him to do. He offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. God’s word records:
Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.
So the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? "If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it." Genesis 4:3-7
Cain’s reaction to God’s blessing Abel was and is typical of many jealous and envious people, even this day. People who might not physically assassinate their brother like Cain did to Abel, but they do it with other words and methods including character assassination. Rather than dealing with their own sins and failures to be blessed by God and being considered by Him as unrighteous persons, they assassinate others. For life does not change and neither do men.
The other irony is that Cain was blind and foolish, as he thought that God would not see what he had done and deal with him accordingly. God’s word records:
Now 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 killed him. Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" He said, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?"
And He said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries out to Me from the ground. "So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. "When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth."
And Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is greater than I can bear! "Surely You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground; I shall be hidden from Your face; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that anyone who finds me will kill me."
And the LORD said to him, "Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold." And the LORD set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him. Then Cain went out from the presence of the LORD and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden. Genesis 4:9-17
The argument by Cain that he was ignorant and was not his brother's keeper did not work then and does not work today. When God asks men to be accountable not only for their words but for their works or the lack thereof. For many claim their innocence when they are exposed for their real crimes against others. But God is no fool and He is not blind either; though others may be. He knows things which others do not know and He will render to a fool his just dessert in due season.
Now God loved Jacob and hated Esau, whom the bible says was a profane person. For Esau for one morsel of food sold his birthright and afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.
Jacob betrayed Esau to steal the birth right from Isaac aid, but Esau voluntarily agreed to sell Jacob his birthright for bread and stew of lentils and swore to this end. By his words and works, Esau showed that he despised his birthright and was not worthy of it.
Mind you what you sow you shall reap. For Jacob own son Joseph was also betrayed by his envious brothers who failing to kill him sold him as a slave into Egypt. Jacob was to suffer much as a result of the loss of Joseph his beloved son. Joseph only crime was that he brought a bad report of his brothers to his dad. God’s word records:
Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.
Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more. So he said to them, "Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: "There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf."
And his brothers said to him, "Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?" So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.
Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, "Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me." So he told it to his father and his brothers;
and his father rebuked him and said to him, "What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?" And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind. Genesis 37:3-11
Joseph just did not have one dream but he had two dreams which he shared his family. Dreams which none could accept but did come to pass.
But envy can cause men to do horrible crimes to others even in the current time of life. However God’s word records:
"And the patriarchs, becoming envious, sold Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him "and delivered him out of all his troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house. "Now a famine and great trouble came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers found no sustenance. "But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first. "And the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph's family became known to the Pharaoh. "Then Joseph sent and called his father Jacob and all his relatives to him, seventy-five people. 7:15 "So Jacob went down to Egypt; and he died, he and our fathers. Acts 7:9-15
Joseph, who was rejected by his father and brother because of his dreams, would ironically, at a later date, become their savior; as he was in the place of God in Egypt for them. Jesus, Himself, was to be rejected by His own brethren and people; who themselves as well as Jesus would suffer greatly for their foolishness. God’s word records:
He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation?
For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken. And they made His grave with the wicked- But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth. Isaiah 53:3-9
Jesus, due to no fault of His own, was despised and rejected by men. He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. We hid, as it were, our faces from Him He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. As we had all gone astray.
Even though He was innocent Jesus was stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. He was wounded for our transgressions, and the bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.
But God, who is God, raised Jesus Christ from the dead after men and demons did the worst they could to Him. For Jesus bore their iniquities and God divided Him a portion with the great. Then Jesus divided the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul unto death, was numbered with the transgressors, bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Mind you the transgressors also paid their price. For God’s word is true:
"So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. "Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?"
They said to Him, "He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons."
Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: 'The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD'S doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes'?
"Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. "And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder." Matthew 21:39-44
God destroyed the vinedressers miserably in the aftermath of the judgments which He brought on the nation of Israel and the City of Jerusalem and the temple using His other ministers in 70 AD. As God’s word is true:
Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil.
Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Romans 13:1-4
The Kingdom of God was taken away from the nation of Israel and given to others. And the Jews paid dearly for their wrong choices and unjust evil works against Jesus. They by their foolish words and deeds brought judgment upon themselves. For God judges and deals people not only for their words but also for their works. He renders to each one according to His works just like Jesus prophesied and said it would happen.
Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus. And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him.
But Jesus, turning to them, said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. "For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!' "Then they will begin 'to say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!" ' "For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?" Luke 23:26-31
Jesus as a true prophet of God warned and told warned the daughters of Jerusalem not to weep for Him but to weep for themselves and for their children. For they by their actions and works had unleashed an irrevocable and irreversible judgment of God upon them as a result of their foolishness. Something which men do not consider that when they do evil and wicked worked it will be multiplied and come back on them in ways which they have never anticipated or dream off.
For the measure they had measured to others would be measured back to them in the day of grace under the new covenant. Just like the measure which a repentant thief received for the works, he demonstrated when he was crucified along with Jesus. God’s word records:
There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death. And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.
Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." And they divided His garments and cast lots. And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, "He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God."
The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, and saying, "If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself." And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, "If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us."
But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? "And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong."
Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise." Luke 23:32-43
Jesus prayed to the Father and "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." But Jews and their temple were still destroyed in the judgments of God that followed for there are consequences even though forgiveness is given.
Now the repentant thief did not scorn of mock Jesus but defended Him in his greatest hour of suffering seeing and believing that Jesus had done nothing wrong. He rebuked the other thief and put his faith and trust in Jesus and said ‘Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.’
Jesus said to his new found friend what he did not say to the other thief, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise." For again God judges and weighs the works of men and not just their words. For after all He is the King of the Jews as well as the King of Kings and Lord of Lord. His words and judgments are final on all matters even in the current time of life concerning the unbelieving words and works of men.
By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.
By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, "and was not found, because God had taken him"; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. Hebrews 11:4-5
From the beginning God made a distinction between people based not only on their words but on their actual works. God loved Abel because he did what God wanted him to do. He offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. God’s word records:
Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.
So the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? "If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it." Genesis 4:3-7
Cain’s reaction to God’s blessing Abel was and is typical of many jealous and envious people, even this day. People who might not physically assassinate their brother like Cain did to Abel, but they do it with other words and methods including character assassination. Rather than dealing with their own sins and failures to be blessed by God and being considered by Him as unrighteous persons, they assassinate others. For life does not change and neither do men.
The other irony is that Cain was blind and foolish, as he thought that God would not see what he had done and deal with him accordingly. God’s word records:
Now 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 killed him. Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" He said, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?"
And He said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries out to Me from the ground. "So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. "When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth."
And Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is greater than I can bear! "Surely You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground; I shall be hidden from Your face; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that anyone who finds me will kill me."
And the LORD said to him, "Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold." And the LORD set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him. Then Cain went out from the presence of the LORD and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden. Genesis 4:9-17
The argument by Cain that he was ignorant and was not his brother's keeper did not work then and does not work today. When God asks men to be accountable not only for their words but for their works or the lack thereof. For many claim their innocence when they are exposed for their real crimes against others. But God is no fool and He is not blind either; though others may be. He knows things which others do not know and He will render to a fool his just dessert in due season.
Now God loved Jacob and hated Esau, whom the bible says was a profane person. For Esau for one morsel of food sold his birthright and afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.
Jacob betrayed Esau to steal the birth right from Isaac aid, but Esau voluntarily agreed to sell Jacob his birthright for bread and stew of lentils and swore to this end. By his words and works, Esau showed that he despised his birthright and was not worthy of it.
Mind you what you sow you shall reap. For Jacob own son Joseph was also betrayed by his envious brothers who failing to kill him sold him as a slave into Egypt. Jacob was to suffer much as a result of the loss of Joseph his beloved son. Joseph only crime was that he brought a bad report of his brothers to his dad. God’s word records:
Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.
Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more. So he said to them, "Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: "There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf."
And his brothers said to him, "Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?" So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.
Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, "Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me." So he told it to his father and his brothers;
and his father rebuked him and said to him, "What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?" And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind. Genesis 37:3-11
Joseph just did not have one dream but he had two dreams which he shared his family. Dreams which none could accept but did come to pass.
But envy can cause men to do horrible crimes to others even in the current time of life. However God’s word records:
"And the patriarchs, becoming envious, sold Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him "and delivered him out of all his troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house. "Now a famine and great trouble came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers found no sustenance. "But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first. "And the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph's family became known to the Pharaoh. "Then Joseph sent and called his father Jacob and all his relatives to him, seventy-five people. 7:15 "So Jacob went down to Egypt; and he died, he and our fathers. Acts 7:9-15
Joseph, who was rejected by his father and brother because of his dreams, would ironically, at a later date, become their savior; as he was in the place of God in Egypt for them. Jesus, Himself, was to be rejected by His own brethren and people; who themselves as well as Jesus would suffer greatly for their foolishness. God’s word records:
He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation?
For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken. And they made His grave with the wicked- But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth. Isaiah 53:3-9
Jesus, due to no fault of His own, was despised and rejected by men. He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. We hid, as it were, our faces from Him He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. As we had all gone astray.
Even though He was innocent Jesus was stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. He was wounded for our transgressions, and the bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.
But God, who is God, raised Jesus Christ from the dead after men and demons did the worst they could to Him. For Jesus bore their iniquities and God divided Him a portion with the great. Then Jesus divided the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul unto death, was numbered with the transgressors, bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Mind you the transgressors also paid their price. For God’s word is true:
"So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. "Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?"
They said to Him, "He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons."
Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: 'The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD'S doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes'?
"Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. "And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder." Matthew 21:39-44
God destroyed the vinedressers miserably in the aftermath of the judgments which He brought on the nation of Israel and the City of Jerusalem and the temple using His other ministers in 70 AD. As God’s word is true:
Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil.
Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Romans 13:1-4
The Kingdom of God was taken away from the nation of Israel and given to others. And the Jews paid dearly for their wrong choices and unjust evil works against Jesus. They by their foolish words and deeds brought judgment upon themselves. For God judges and deals people not only for their words but also for their works. He renders to each one according to His works just like Jesus prophesied and said it would happen.
Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus. And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him.
But Jesus, turning to them, said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. "For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!' "Then they will begin 'to say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!" ' "For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?" Luke 23:26-31
Jesus as a true prophet of God warned and told warned the daughters of Jerusalem not to weep for Him but to weep for themselves and for their children. For they by their actions and works had unleashed an irrevocable and irreversible judgment of God upon them as a result of their foolishness. Something which men do not consider that when they do evil and wicked worked it will be multiplied and come back on them in ways which they have never anticipated or dream off.
For the measure they had measured to others would be measured back to them in the day of grace under the new covenant. Just like the measure which a repentant thief received for the works, he demonstrated when he was crucified along with Jesus. God’s word records:
There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death. And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.
Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." And they divided His garments and cast lots. And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, "He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God."
The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, and saying, "If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself." And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, "If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us."
But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? "And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong."
Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise." Luke 23:32-43
Jesus prayed to the Father and "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." But Jews and their temple were still destroyed in the judgments of God that followed for there are consequences even though forgiveness is given.
Now the repentant thief did not scorn of mock Jesus but defended Him in his greatest hour of suffering seeing and believing that Jesus had done nothing wrong. He rebuked the other thief and put his faith and trust in Jesus and said ‘Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.’
Jesus said to his new found friend what he did not say to the other thief, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise." For again God judges and weighs the works of men and not just their words. For after all He is the King of the Jews as well as the King of Kings and Lord of Lord. His words and judgments are final on all matters even in the current time of life concerning the unbelieving words and works of men.
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