An Introduction to the Life of Faith
In Hebrews 11:4, we read of Abel and his brother Cain, the sons of Adam and Eve, as recorded in Genesis chapter 4. Hebrews 11:4 begins the second section of the chapter. Verses 1–3 are introductory in showing the reader the superiority of faith.
Remembering that it is the Holy Spirit who brings faith to those He causes to be born again (Jn 3:1–8; 1 Pet 1:3), we observe Abel as one who believed and obeyed what is required of the people of God in every age. He did what he did because it has been revealed what God requires of humanity.
Cain received the same revelation; but he did not follow the regulative principle for divine worship. He brought the fruit of his field instead of the blood of a substitute sacrificial animal.
Both brothers heard the word of instruction. Both brothers brought sacrifices to God, suggesting they both knew what was right. By faith, Abel brought the better sacrifice (11:4a). We have learned what they learned. A substitute sacrifice, whose blood was shed for the forgiveness of sins (Heb 9:27), was necessary to propitiate the righteous wrath of the holy God (Rom 3:25; Heb 2:17; 1 Jn 2:2; 4:10). Simply put, man needs a covering provided by God, at the expense of a substitute, resulting in new life.
Like Cain, the natural man, today, decides how he wants to approach God. He formulates his religion with sacrifices, amounting to nothing but idolatry. He then seizes on the demonic power of superstition and fear, to control other people with false doctrine, promulgated by false teaching. He becomes a blind guide, leading blind adherents into the pit (Mt 15:14).
Cain’s self-designed religion did not work; nor did the designs of Korah (Num 16:1–35), Hophni and Phineas (1 Sam 2:34; 4:4, 11), Nadab and Abihu (Lev 10:1), etc. Cain’s countenance fell; and he became angry with God for not accepting his alternative sacrifice (Gen 4:5). God issued a warning to Cain, that faith in God’s Word and way was mandatory. Sin was ready to destroy him; and man-made religion could not help Cain or anyone else. In turn, he murdered his brother, Abel.
Today, man-made religion is angry and proud. It lives by the sword. It misrepresents Almighty God by claiming that he wants animal sacrifice or human sacrifice, in the killing of non-adherents. The gods of false religion are bitter and blood-thirsty. They inspire violence and forced submission. Like the god Baal and goddess, Ashtaroth, they demand sexual deviance. The faithful are often fanatical.
The false gods behind man-made religion are demons, who inspire men and women to disobey the one, true, and living God, who has revealed Himself by His Word, both written and incarnate. One must learn the truth from the Bible, God’s Word of truth, as it is taught by the Spirit of truth. The Holy Bible is where we learn God’s prescription for acceptable worship.
God spoke to Cain, directly. In these latter days, God has spoken to us through His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ (Heb 1:2). Like Adam and Eve, Cain drifted away from God’s Word. Abel came near to God. He believed the Word of revelation, recognized his desperate need, followed the commands of God and was declared righteous before God.
Righteousness can be defined as “right standing before God.” Sinners are not right because of their lawlessness (1 Jn 3:4). Romans 5:12–19 reveals the universality of sin and sinners — all those who were conceived in the womb as sons of Adam. In Adam, all die (Rom 6:23; 1 Cor 15:22); and it is appointed for a man to die, once, and then comes the judgment (Heb 9:27).
God is the righteous Judge of all the earth (Gen 18:25); and all His judgments are made with perfect justice (1 Jn 3:18). Still, God has turned this work over to the perfect God-man (Jn 5:22), Jesus Christ the righteous (1 Jn 2:1). Therefore, we must all stand before the judgment seat of Christ, to give an account of all we have done in the body, whether it be good or bad (2 Cor 5:10)
Thus, like Cain, the natural man is a hypocrite. He claims that he is a good person and that he has done many good works (Is 64:6; Rom 3:10–12). Just ask him! The worst of humanity are religious people, who cloak themselves in costumes, robes of fake righteousness. They pretend to worship God, when in fact, they are worshiping themselves.
In the book of Jude, there is a phrase that captures the essence of world religions and Christian cults…”the way of Cain” (Jude 11). Religionists are self-willed. They have no interest in the will of God, revealed in the Word of God. It is their opinion against the authority of the Bible.
Religionists are rightly identified as unbelievers. Rites and rituals are meaningless distractions away from the faith that only comes by hearing the Word of Christ (Rom 10:17). Invariably, religionists are focused on “good works” to appease the angry God. The Bible assures us that by the good works of the Law no one can be justified (declared “not guilty”) before God (Rom 3:20).
Two men, Cain and Abel, set the stage for the rest of human history. Two groups emerged with these men as prototypes. Each of these men preach to us with their lives from the biblical account. The remainder of holy writ exposes the two groups through the end of the book of Revelation. The tree is known by its fruit; and so, it is with each person.
Profiling the reprobate and the elect help us to see, to know, and to understand what separates these two groups of people. Faith is one manifestation of that difference.
The life of faith; therefore, is a product of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Jn 14:17; Rom 8:9, 11), who has given life and faith to those whom the Father chose for salvation (Rom 11:5–6; Eph 1:5; 2 Thess 2:13) and whom Christ redeemed at the cross of Calvary. To believe on the Lord Jesus Christ is to be saved from the righteous judgment and just wrath of God. It is to be declared “not guilty” under the Law, not by works of righteousness, but by the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ (2 Cor 5:12), who alone did right before God and with whom God was well-pleased.
Blessed assurance of so great a salvation was granted to Abel, who obtained the testimony of righteousness while he was still alive (Heb 11:4). That same assurance belongs to the Christian who believes in his heart and confesses with his mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. That testimony originates from the indwelling Holy Spirit, who is the fire of God, which descends from the Father and the Son in heaven (Jn 14:26; 15:26) — a fire that shows approval without consuming the object. Thus, we present ourselves as living and holy sacrifices before God, as an acceptable act of worship (Rom 12:1–3).
God testifies of our salvation by the gift of the Holy Spirit, who in turn gives spiritual gifts to men that produce spiritual fruit, when God performs all our works for us (Is 26:12), by doing His good will in and through us for His glory and good pleasure (Phil 2:13). Like Abel, the Christian’s life is a sermon about faith, obedience, sacrifice, righteousness, and the approval of God.
Abel is a prophecy and type of Jesus Christ’s death at the hands of religious men in the world of demons and deceitful doctrines. It was the near fulfillment of the seed of the serpent at enmity with the seed of the woman. The blood of Abel cried out for vengeance; but the blood of Christ is our focus in the generation of Jesus Christ. Today is a season of salvation; and vengeance is reserved for the Day of Vengeance. Thus, we preach Christ who died by crucifixion, yet who still speaks because He is alive, forevermore.
In conclusion, the life we now live is by faith in the Son of God who loved us and gave Himself for us, His church, the Israel of God (Gal 1:4; 2:20; 6:16). Our ambition is to please Him (2 Cor 5:9), which only happens by faith given to us by the Holy Spirit (Gal 3:22; Phil 1:29; Heb 11:6).
My dear reader, may you know the manifestation of faith, as a gift and a fruit of the Holy Spirit, who has given us Someone to believe in, to the praise of His glorious grace.
David Norczyk
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
October 5, 2025
Hebrews 11:4
