BETWEEN TWO MEN - J. C. O'Hair

BETWEEN TWO MEN
By J. C. O'Hair

In each of the three Scriptures above listed we have the story of two men, first, Cain and Abel: second, the Pharisee and the Publican who went up to the temple to pray; third, the penitent thief and the impenitent thief who died on either side of the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Cain was a religious man, very much like those foolish kinsmen of the apostle Paul to whom he referred in Romans 10:1 to 4, who being ignorant of God’s righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness, they would not submit themselves unto the righteousness of God which is by faith. They failed, therefore, to become righteous. (Romans 9:30 to 33).

Cain insisted that God should accept his good works and religious deeds. Cain did not want redemption by blood.

We are told in Jude 11 of professing Christians who are going in the way of Cain. Think of the great multitude of “Christianized agnostics,” called modernists, in so-called evangelical church organizations, who are going religiously to perdition. They hate the gospel of “blood” redemption.

In Hebrews 11:4 we have God’s truth concerning Abel: “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it HE BEING DEAD YET SPEAKETH.”
Here we have righteousness by faith and by the sacrifice of a substitute. ABEL BEING DEAD YET SPEAKETH. He speaks today, in the middle of the twentieth Christian century, although he was murdered by his religious brother nearly six thousand years ago. Be sure you go in Abel’s way and not Cain’s.

God wants Abel to speak to us, so read the interesting story of these two men in Genesis 4:1 to 13.

Cain offered the fruit of the cursed ground, the labor of his hands. This would not deliver him from the law of sin and death. Even after God told Cain of his blunder and what to do, Cain refused. With envy and malice Cain killed Abel: “Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous,” I John 3:12.

God’s Word is clear and positive, “without the shedding of blood, there is no remission”. (Hebrews 9:22), “It is the blood that maketh a covering for the soul”. (Leviticus 17:11). “The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanseth us from all sin.” (I John 1:7 to 9). Read also Hebrews 9:26 - Hebrews 9:12 - Hebrews 9:14 and especially Hebrews 12:24.

The Pharisee, in Luke 18:9 to 14, was a very zealous, sincere religious man. He too had zeal without knowledge. Like millions of well-meaning, religious people today, he was sincerely wrong. He trusteth in his own heart. In Proverbs 28:26 we read that such a one is a fool. He went away condemned. The publican prayed, “meet me a sinner at the blood sprinkled mercy-seat.” He was justified. Now God has been merciful - Christ is the propitiation (the blood sprinkled mercy-seat), for the sins of the whole world. (I John 2:2).

What was between Cain and Abel, between the Pharisee and the publican? The same thing that will be between all the people in eternal perdition and eternal glory, the blood of the Lamb. This applies to most respectable, moral, religious, cultured gentlemen or ladies.

We have had the story of two men in the field, and two men in the temple.

Now two men on the cross. Two thieves. Neither was religious. They deserved capital punishment - what was between them? The blood of the Lamb. One by faith, received the Lamb and will be in glory with the redeemed. The other rejected the Lamb and was not delivered from the wrath to come (I Thessalonians 1:10 - John 3:36).

Certainly all of these men, being dead, yet speaketh.

What is THE GOSPEL

Believing Christ died, that's HISTORY.

Believing Christ died for YOU and ROSE AGAIN, that's SALVATION.

Read 1. Corinthians 15:1-4

“Christ did it: I believe it: that settles it.”

Posted By Cecil Spivey

cspivey1953@gmail.com

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