What makes a person right with God?
In this sermon, Pastor Ben Smith preaches from Genesis 4:1–7, exploring the testimony of Cain and Abel to reveal what true acceptance before God requires. Through this powerful passage, we learn that being right with God depends not on human desire or opinion but on obedience, faith, and submission to His will.

Pastor Smith addresses the modern idol of self—the belief that personal autonomy and preference define truth—and shows how this false worship has deeply influenced our culture, from the breakdown of marriage and family to the devaluation of life itself. Yet this message goes beyond cultural critique; it calls the church and every believer to repentance, faith, and wholehearted submission to God’s Word.

Through the example of Cain’s rejected offering and Abel’s accepted one, listeners will discover three essential truths about what it means to be right with God:

1. You must give a worthy offering.
Worship that pleases God is not based on what we think is beautiful or impressive, but on obedience and atonement for sin.

2. Your heart’s desire must be to please God.
Cain’s anger reveals a self-centered heart, while Abel’s faith displays true joy in honoring the Lord.

3. You must submit to the will of God.
True freedom is not found in doing things “your way,” but in surrendering to the authority of God and being ruled by His righteousness.

Drawing from Scripture and practical examples, Pastor Smith reminds us that righteousness before God cannot be achieved through human effort. It is received only through Jesus Christ, the one perfect, acceptable sacrifice who makes sinners right with a holy God.

Key Scripture: Genesis 4:1–7
Main Theme: True acceptance with God comes through obedience, faith, and submission—not self-will or personal autonomy.
Speaker: Pastor Ben Smith
Series: Genesis
Format: Expository Sermon

Find Out More:

Ben Smith is the pastor of Central Baptist Church, Waycross, GA.

Additional podcasts, books, and downloadable PDFs of Pastor Ben’s sermon outlines and manuscripts are available at http://bensmithsr.org.

You can find information about Central Baptist Church at cbcwaycross.org.

This sermon was originally preached on 10/26/2025.