Performance Based Theology
(The Way of Cain)

Performance based Theology, one might say, is a natural for us, because it is our nature to try to perform, to gain acceptance and position. We find the first example of this behavior from our early ancestor Cain, when he offered the fruit of the earth. It was not an acceptable offering then and it is not an acceptable offering now, no matter how much sense it seems to make to us.

We are warned in the book of Jude, about those who had gone in the way of Cain. And in first John, chapter three, we are told that Cain’s works were evil and his brother Abel’s were righteous. What made Cain’s works evil and his brother’s righteous? Scripture does not say, Cain’s works were evil because he slew his brother. Scripture says his works were evil and that is why he slew his brother. What made, what appeared on the surface to be a good offering, the works of evil?

The fact that Cain sought acceptance form God, based on what he could offer, made him a type of the works of evil. His offering of the fruit of the earth, which had been cursed by God, was not acceptable. The same earth nature, even now, tries to please God through a system of works called religion, with its form and ritual. It is the difference between, by grace, standing in faith looking to the blessed hope, which Abel’s offering spoke of and the works of the hands, spoken of in the book of Revelation, which Cain’s offering spoke of, for which the curses come upon man.

We have learned this principal of pleasing through performance in Adam. We desire rules laws and ritual. It gives us an arena in which we can perform, in hopes of self- exaltation. It has pride at it’s center and for such an one, sin lies at the door and unto him shall be his desire.

Abel’s offering on the other hand, was a type of what is acceptable with God. His offering spoke of the deliverer who would come in the fullness of time. His offering had nothing of himself in it. It did not speak at all of the works of his hands. Abel’s offering was a type of faith in the promise of God. Here, in the book of beginnings, we have the good news of the Gospel in type and shadow, shown in Abel’s offering.

Prior to Cain and Abel, when Adam and Eve fell from grace we have another example of what is acceptable with God and what is not. When the two, from whom we all descended, knew that they were naked, they through works, sewed fig leaves together, in an effort to hide their nakedness before God. This was not acceptable. God made coats of skin to cover their nakedness. Again the Gospel was being preached in type and shadow, of Jesus Christ, the righteous, the covering of God for our nakedness. However, what-so-ever is not of faith, is sin and fig leaves are our efforts in self-righteousness and not faith in God’s provision.

A walk of faith can only provoke songs of thanksgiving, the offering of the calves of our lips, which is true praise and the only acceptable sacrifice, on our part, unto the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Such an one has ceased from sin and realizing his death, walks in newness of the life, giving all glory to God.

We see the truth of the Gospel of grace reflected in Abel’s offering and in his name as well. Yes, even his name is a proper confession of his inability to save himself by his own effort. The name Abel, comes from a Hebrew word meaning, empty, unsatisfactory and transitory, the name Cain, on the other hand, means possessor or one who takes possession. One deems himself capable the other, by his very name implies his inability. We see the principal here, in type, “he who humbles himself shall be exalted and he who exalts himself, shall be humbled”. When the question is asked of Cain, in Genesis chapter four verse six, “why art thou wroth, and why is thy countenance fallen”? The Lord said, as the Hebrew reads, “If thou doest well, is there not exaltation”? In other words, promotion is of God, by His means and by His power.

Abel did well in giving glory unto God through his offering, which spoke of God’s provision. This testimony made him righteous. Cain is a type who will never be a keeper of sheep, A type that will always be a tiller of the ground unto which he will return. One who through earthly means, will want to please God by offering the fruit of the earth, which is cursed. However, God requires obedience and not sacrifice. I submit that much of what the church offers unto the Lord today is a sacrifice of unrighteousness. We offer the works of our hands and expect God to bless it. We go through our form and ritual, in an effort to please God rather than it being the result of knowing that we are pleasing to God in Christ. Not pleasing to God as a result of what we have done but what God has done and continues to do. For we are his workmanship in Christ.

To walk in humility before God the Father, is to glory in the Lord, God’s provision for righteousness and deliverance. To give thanks unto God the Father in Christ, who is your peace. To have clean hands and a pure heart is to give all glory to God, not allowing for pride to take root, for it will grow into resentment for your brother and instead of becoming his keeper, you will become his slayer. Pride is the result of accomplishment and there is no self-accomplishment in a true walk with God. It is a walk of thanksgiving for what God has done and continues to do in you by grace through faith.

When you were born from above, it was a virgin birth. There was no man involved, even as with Mary, not even you. It was not the result of blood, nor the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. We start out as a new born babe in the Lord, desiring the sincere milk of the word, that we might grow thereby. Whoever, the enemy is waiting to devour, by doctrines which are not the sincere milk of the word. Instead of growing in grace and the knowledge of Him, we are seduced by familiar spirits, doctrines of demons are substituted and we become earthly, sensual, prone to the works of the flesh, as if it is by power and by might and not by His Spirit.

We are taught things such as, our being born from above was the result of our choice rather than the sovereign act of the quickening of God. Most teachings pertaining to how we grow in the Lord are inclined to the earthly concepts that we have learned in Adam. Concepts like, no pain, no gain and nothing is free and the one I heard all my earthly life, “the Lord helps those who help themselves”. The truth is the Lord helps those who can’t help themselves and salvation is the free gift and it is in rest that we experience the power and presence of our Lord.

We have a natural propensity for the outward, such as law and ritual because in our attempt to keep and do, we experience a sense of worthiness, but the doing and the keeping is not what makes us worthy. This is the way of Cain, it was not acceptable in the beginning and it is not acceptable now. It is not conducive to a life lived in the power of the Spirit. It only results in the dead works of religion. It is not the sincere milk of the word, that the people might grow thereby.

The offering of the fruit of the earth will never be an offering in righteousness. Rather it is an offering in self-righteousness. That which is cursed, can never gain acceptance through works. It is only by grace through faith, as a gift from God, that pride is eradicated and all glory is to and of the Lord. My brothers and sisters in the Lord, growing in grace and in the knowledge of Him, results in rest and a desire to do His will. It is not laboring in religious anxiety, believing if you do a few more of these and spend enough time in that activity, you will earn some higher place in God. There is no higher place in God than Jesus Christ and we are seated with Him in heavenly places. And it is not a place you can, by your efforts, perform well enough to maintain. You are kept by the power of God, through faith in His power. If you believe you are kept by your ability to perform, in a manner that pleases God you are going in the way of Cain and you have subscribed to religious activity, and it’s fruit of the earth offering.

God help us to discern the Holy and the profane, as the Priests of God should. Deliver us from worshipping false images, the works of mans hands. Cause our eyes to be opened to the truth of the Gospel, to the praise of the glory of your grace, that we might offer an offering in righteousness, the sacrifice of thanksgiving.

Art Groesbeck