Monday, May 5, 2014

Why Cain´s offering to the Lord was not accepted?

I had always asked this question to myself, and now by studying Genesis 4:1-16 and Moses 5:16-41 I deepened my understanding in this situation.

I used to think that Cain's offering was ok, until I read in Moses 5:18 that Satan told Cain to give that offering to the Lord. Cain chose to follow Satan, even though God told him that he had to be aware of his evilness. Then consequences came and he received his punishment.
Joseph Smith the Prophet explained that Cain's offering was not accepted because it was not given with good intentions, his offering was not witness that he was righteous and that he loved God more than Satan.

In these days, God does not accept our offerings when we do not give them with a broken heart, and a contrite spirit. If we pay our tithe but it is not complete, or it is not given with good intention the Lord is not happy with that. This also happens when we "serve" at church, this means that we seem to be doing what's correct but we are not doing it with our heart full of good intentions.

From Cain and Abel's account I learn that God gave us agency to choose who to follow, if we want to follow Him or follow Satan, and he also gave us advice on the consequences of our choice. What happened with Cain teaches me that I have to choose to follow the Lord if I want to be saved and if I want to live happy, and that no matter how attractive Satan’s offerings are unto me, I have to stand strong in the right path.

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