MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
October 26
ABEL’S FAITH YIELDS OBEDIENCE UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS; CAIN’S UNBELIEF BREEDS SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS (Part 5)
Bible righteousness—-Christ demonstrated righteousness in human flesh, in stark contrast to the righteousness of the Pharisees —-simply put, is “right doing,” the opposite of wrongdoing. All “unrighteousness is sin” and “sin is the transgression of the law” (Rom. 6:23).
In the primordial examples of Cain and Abel were immediately established down through the stream of time and generations two separate lines of brethren, faiths, religions, worshippers, and churches till the close of earth’s probation.
Not long after their transgression and consequent banishment from their Eden home, to Adam and Eve, the father and mother of mankind, was quickly revealed the true nature and substance of both the great controversy—enmity and war—-between Christ and Satan and their respective agencies and followers as well as the seed of the gospel’s plan of salvation/redemption for fallen mankind only.
These two astounding, fundamental issues underlying all and every single thing, great and small, visible and invisible, blessings or curses concerning mankind and the earth itself since after the fall in Eden, is contained and revealed in their embryonic forms in the Creator’s grand declaration to Adam and Eve and Satan (disguised as a serpent then the most beautiful and attractive animal before it was cursed):
God declared to them: “I will put ENMITY between thee and and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: It [the woman’s Seed] shall bruise thy head, and thou [Satan the serpent] shall bruise His heel.” (Gen. 3: 15, KJV). Thus was declared the first of all prophecies and promises in the Bible ending in Revelation, the last of the 66 books of the Bible!
God’s messenger wrote: (emphasis mine) “Cain and Abel represents two classes that will exist in the world till the close of time. One class avail themselves of the [divinely] appointed sacrifice for sin [the transgression of the Decalogue]; the other venture to depend on their OWN merits; theirs is the sacrifice without the VIRTUE of DIVINE MEDIATION, and is not able to bring man into FAVOR with God.
It is only through the MERITS of Jesus that our transgressions can be PARDONED [justification by faith]. Those who feel no need of the BLOOD of Christ, who feel that WITHOUT DIVINE GRACE they can by their OWN WORKS secure the approval of God [the essence of heathen/pagan sacrifice and worship], are making the SAME MISTAKE AS DID CAIN.
If they do not accept the cleansing blood, they are under CONDEMNATION. There is no other PROVISION made whereby they can be RELEASED from the THRALLDOM of sin.” (E. G. White, Patriarchs & Prophets, Pacific Press Publishing Asso., 1890, 1913, pp.72, 73.
To be continued next MWM, God willing. Bless all, NMF.