Looking at the examples of Cain and Abel, and also Jacob and Esau, does this mean that there are children who are cursed even before they’re born?
“‘I have loved you,’” says the LORD. But you ask, ‘How have you loved us?’ ‘Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?’ the LORD says. ‘Yet I have loved Jacob, but Esau I have hated, and I have turned his mountains into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.’” (Mal. 1:2-3) “The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.” (Gen. 4:4b)
Malachi 1:2 - 3
ESV - 2 I have loved you," says the Lord. But you say, "How have you loved us?" "Is not Esau Jacob's brother?" declares the Lord. "Yet I have loved Jacob 3 But Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert.
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Asked December 21 2021
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Veronica N
For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
James Kraft
Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, (at the resurrection), that He might be the first born among many brethren.
God knew before the foundation of the world who would believe on Him alone for salvation. God made the way of salvation before the foundation of the world.
God in His sovereignty gave man a free will. God knows the end from the beginning. There is no time with God. Time is a creature function.
So, everyone who has trusted in Him alone for the free gift of eternal life is saved. Nothing else could ever save sinners except what He did.
First John 2:2 And He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world. Jesus died for every sin of everyone in the world so that anyone who would put their faith and trust in him alone apart from anything we do or do not do would be saved.
Sinners, which we all are, can do nothing to save themselves. We have no way to pay the debt we owe God.
But since God hates our sin, but loves us, He sent His only Son, Jesus to die for the sins of the whole world. First John 2:2, and John 3:16. He paid the debt of sin so that anyone who would accept His free gift of eternal life would be saved.
Acts 16:31 When the Philippian jailor asked Paul, what must I do to be saved? Paul said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house.
Romans 4:5-8. Our works cannot save us. So we can only be saved by faith alone in Jesus alone apart from works.
The world makes up their own way of salvation. God made one way of salvation.
First Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish, foolishness, but unto us who are saved it is the POWER of God.
First Corinthians 1:21 For after that, by the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them THAT BELIEVE.
Romans 6:23 For the penalty of sin is death, and we all sin, First John 1:8, and we all die, but the GIFT of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. The GIFT of God is eternal life.
No one can earn it. Romans 11:6 IT is all grace apart from any works. Romans 4:5. It has to be a free GIFT.
God knows who has trusted Him alone for the free gift of eternal life. He foreknew before the foundation of the world who would trust him alone for the free gift of eternal life
Those who have believed are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise. Ephesians 1:13-14. Notice, no one gets the seal of the Holy Spirit until after we trust Jesus as the only way of salvation. God knew we would.
John 3:16-18. Believers can no longer be condemned. Unbelievers are condemned already because they have not believed on the name of the Son of God.
First John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that BELIEVE on the name of the Son of God, that ye may KNOW YE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the POWER of God unto salvation to EVERYONE THAT BELIEVETH, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
So, our salvation does not depend on whether we are chosen or not, but whether we have trusted Jesus alone for the free gift of eternal life. Romans 8:9 Without the Spirit of God there is no salvation. With the Spirit we have eternal life.
Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit in whom ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. The rapture of the church.
We are not in a covenant. We made no promise to God. It is His promise to us. If we accept His full payment for our sins He gives us eternal life. John 6:47. It cannot be earned and it cannot be lost. God can not lie. We trust Jesus as the only way of salvation by grace, and He gives us eternal life.
He paid the debt of sin we owe God, past, present, and future sins we have not even thought of yet. Romans 4:7-8. Colossians 2:13. The blood of Jesus covers us from all sin.
John 6:40.
James Kraft
Salvation is so easy. We trust Jesus as the only way of salvation apart from any works, and He gives us eternal life.
Eternal life is the promise of God to us who have believed. John 3:16. Jesus said it, we believe it, and that settles it. We can do nothing to save us, and we can do nothing to lose it. It is eternal life. Not temporary life or probationary life.
James Kraft
John 3:16. First John 2:2. God loves everyone. That is why He sent His Son to pay the penalty for the sins of the whole world.
God made the way of salvation by grace apart from works which cannot save a sinner. Romans 4:5-6.
Abel gave a blood sacrifice for his sin which God accepted. Cain gave his own works. He tried to earn heaven by works. Romans 4:5-8.
God accepted Abels blood sacrifice looking forward to the cross of Jesus who paid for the sins of the whole world to them that believe. Salvation by works never works. Romans 11:6. All grace, what Jesus did for us. Not of works lest any man should boast. Romans 3:26-28.
No one can earn heaven. Jesus paid the sin debt we owe God and set us free. John 3:18. First John 5:13.
Romans 4:5. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him who justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for His righteousness.
We have to be as righteous as God to go to heaven, and no one is. When we trust Jesus as the only way of salvation apart from works He imputes His perfect righteousness to our account. Romans 4:6. Just as David describeth the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousness apart from works.
Romans 11:6. All grace, what Jesus did for us. No works. Mans works can not pay for our sins. First John 1:8.
John 3:16-18. God is no respecter of persons and will save anyone who accepts His free gift of eternal life. John 6:47. Gods word and He cannot lie. Acts 16:31.
Those that accept Jesus free gift are saved. Those that try to earn heaven by what they do, their own works are not saved.
Matthew 7:21-23. If our works could save sinners, then Jesus died in vain. Galatians 2:21. Romans 3:26-28.