No — a man who brought a sacrifice without faith was not accepted.
Acceptance came only when the sacrifice was brought on the basis of faith, meaning the person did exactly what God had instructed. Abel did what God said and was accepted; Cain did not believe God, brought what he thought God would accept, and was rejected. Les Feldick says the Old Testament requirement was faith plus the commanded act: "faith plus, bring me that sacrifice."
Genesis 4:3-5 — Records the two offerings of Cain and Abel and God's opposite responses, setting the biblical stage for the question.
Hebrews 11:4 — Explicitly says Abel offered by faith, which is the New Testament explanation for why his sacrifice was accepted.
The Bible records that "in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect" (Genesis 4:3-5). The Genesis account records God's question to Cain: "If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door" (Genesis 4:7). The New Testament supplies the explicit explanation: "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" (Hebrews 11:4). Scripture itself identifies faith as the distinguishing factor in an accepted sacrifice.
Les Feldick teaches that acceptance never came merely from going through a religious motion. For the Jew under law, when he realized he had broken one of God's commandments, he had to practice what God had said to do in approaching God — it all had to be according to the letter of the law (Clip 0). Les applies the same principle to the Old Testament sacrifices: when they were done "on the basis of faith," they were accepted (Clip 2). He grounds this in the account of Cain and Abel. Abel brought the blood sacrifice as God instructed, and because he did it in faith, God accepted him. Cain brought a bloodless offering that was "of self-will," rationalized that God would accept him without the blood, and was rejected. Les describes Cain as self-willed, destitute of faith, and unable to believe what God said (Clips 1, 3, 4). God did not zap Cain; He pleaded with him. He asked, "If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?" (Clip 5). Then, knowing Cain did not want the trouble, God said He had already provided a sacrifice and told Cain to go pick it up and bring it (Clips 1, 6). Les then states the Old Testament principle: no one came into a salvation relationship with God apart from some kind of works. It was based on faith first and foremost, but it was "faith plus, bring me that sacrifice." If a man confessed his sin but said there was no need to get his best lamb and bring it, the answer was that he was not accepted, because he had not done what God commanded. But simply bringing the sacrifice without faith would not have been accepted either (Clips 2, 7).
In Genesis 4:3-5, Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground and Abel brought of the firstlings of his flock and the fat thereof. The LORD had respect to Abel and to his offering, but to Cain and to his offering He had not respect. The text records the difference in response. Genesis 4:7 tells Cain, "If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?" Hebrews 11:4 later says, "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain."
Les repeatedly says Abel "did what God said to do," bringing the blood sacrifice God instructed, while Cain brought "what he thought God would accept." Because Abel acted by faith, he was accepted; because Cain was self-willed and "destitute of faith," he was rejected. Les also points to Hebrews 11:4, which says Abel offered by faith, as the explanation for why Abel's sacrifice was more excellent than Cain's.
Les emphasizes that God did not zap Cain; He pleaded with him. God asked, "Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?" (Genesis 4:6) and then said, "If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?" Les's application is that God was saying, "Cain, if you would just listen to what I said and do that which I told you to do, I'd accept you." Les adds that God told Cain He had already provided a lamb and all Cain had to do was go pick it up and bring it.
Les teaches that throughout the Old Testament no one came into a salvation relationship with God apart from some kind of works. It was based on faith first and foremost, but it was "faith plus, bring me that sacrifice." He asks whether a man who confessed his sin but said there was no need to bring his best lamb would be accepted — showing that refusing the commanded work was not acceptable. At the same time, bringing the sacrifice without faith was not enough, because acceptance came only when they did what God said "on the basis of faith."
The Jew Under Law Had to Follow God's Instructions
Les explains that when a Jew under the law realized he had broken God's law, he had to practice what God had said to do in approaching God, according to the letter of the law.
Abel's Blood Sacrifice vs. Cain's Bloodless Offering
Les shows the difference: Abel brought the blood sacrifice God instructed and was accepted, while Cain brought a bloodless self-willed sacrifice and was rejected. God even told Cain a lamb was already provided, but Cain would not bring it.
Faith-Based Obedience in the Sacrifices
The sacrifices were accepted when they were done on the basis of faith — when Israel did what God had told them to do. Abel is the example: he did what God said; Cain didn't.
Cain's Self-Will and Lack of Faith
Cain was self-willed, did not believe anything God said, and was destitute of faith. Abel was accepted because he brought the blood sacrifice.
Cain's Rationalization and Abel's Faith
Cain rationalized and deceived himself, assuming God would accept him without the blood. Abel did what God said, and Hebrews 11:4 shows his faith is why the sacrifice was more excellent.
God's Plea for Cain to Do Well
God did not immediately punish Cain; He pleaded with him and said that if he would do what God told him to do, he would be accepted. This marks the difference between a man of faith and a man destitute of faith.
God Already Provided a Sacrifice for Cain
Les notes that God went one step further and told Cain He had already provided a sacrifice, just as He later did for Abraham in Genesis 22. The problem was Cain's pride.
Old Testament Faith Plus Works
In the Old Testament, no one entered a salvation relationship with God apart from works such as bringing a sacrifice — it was faith plus the commanded sacrifice. Les asks whether a man who refused to bring his lamb would be accepted, implying he would not be.
Genesis 4:3-5: And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
This is the foundational record of the two offerings and God's opposite responses.
Genesis 4:7: If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
God's question to Cain connects acceptance with doing well — doing what God had instructed.
Hebrews 11:4: 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.
This verse explicitly identifies faith as the distinguishing feature of Abel's acceptable sacrifice.
Les says Cain brought what he thought God would accept, not what God had instructed. He was self-willed, did not believe what God said, and was destitute of faith, so his offering was rejected.
Les says yes, in the sense that no one in the Old Testament came into a salvation relationship with God apart from some kind of works. It was based on faith first, but it was "faith plus, bring me that sacrifice."
No, because Les says the sacrifices were accepted only when they were done "on the basis of faith." The outward action without faith was not enough.
Watch the Teaching: The 3 Parts of the Law & Why They Don't Save You