Tim Keller | October 2, 1994
Many of us are wondering how we’re even going to face Monday, but the men and women in Hebrews 11 didn’t just know how to face life—they were enabled to even go against the whole world. And the thing that enabled them was they were commended by God.
Abel got the commendation from God—he was shown God accepted him as absolutely righteous, and as a result, he became one of these great hearts who can face the world, can face anything. By looking at Abel, and the contrast with Cain, we can have some understanding about how we also can know this same thing.
The best way to understand the case of Cain and Abel is to ask: 1) how were Cain and Abel alike, 2) how were they not alike? and 3) are you Cain or Abel?