Fearlessly CourageousDesk of Dennis Piller5 12 2023
Click for Audio Version Is all Sin the Same? The Danger of Ranking Sin!
I walk softly about getting into this mindset of ranking sin.It is true, in God's eyes, sin is sin, no matter what the person has done. If it is against His commands, the law condemns us as sinners and it separates us from God. Therefore, we are all in need of God's grace through his Son, Jesus – the true atonement for our sins. But let’s look deeper into His handbook of direction.
Isaiah 59 :. "Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you so that he will not hear. For your hands are stained with blood, your fingers with guilt”.In the Old Testament, God applied different penalties to different sins, suggesting variations in the seriousness of some sins. A thief paid restitution; an occult practitioner was cut off from Israel; one who committed adultery or a homosexual act or cursed his parents was put to death (see Exodus, chapter 22 and Leviticus, chapter 20).In the New Testament Galatians 5:21 says, “Now the practices of the [a]sinful nature are clearly evident: they are sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality (total irresponsibility, lack of self-control), 20 [b]idolatry, [c]sorcery, hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions [that promote heresies], 21 envy, drunkenness, riotous behavior, and other things like these. I warn you beforehand, just as I did previously, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God"
This final grouping are those sins that directly andnegatively impact those around us.
It seems obvious that some sins are worse than others in both motivation and effects and should be judged accordingly. Stealing a loaf of bread is vastly different than exterminating a million people or mass shootings, made even more horrific at schools and daycares. So clearly not all sin is equal and will have more dire consequences.
In one sense, all sin is equal because all sin cuts us off from a relationship with God. James explains in James 2:10, "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all”.
Some sins may seem harmless, but Jesus is clear that all sin is a big deal. In Matthew 5: 21-28, Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment.” Jesus is clear that ALL sin is bad. It hurts us and those around us, and it separates us from God.What we are clearly reading is the more serious the sin is, the greater the ripple effect will be in our lives. Remember the Bible verse, "You reap what you sow"? For example, The consequences are much worse to murder a person than to hate a person.
But the question remains, “Are all sins the same?”,which naturally, leads us to our next step of ranking Sin:
We know in America that some crimes result in greater harm than others. We were never commanded, asked, or called to rank sin but, at the same time, we love lists. We love to put people, places, and things in categories. It helps us make sense of the world. But ranking sin can lead us to believe we are not as bad as those around us. Am I behind door number 1 2 or 3.
Just don’t go to door 3!
Jesus taught this in Matthew 5:21-28 when he equated committing adultery by simply looking at a woman with lust in one’s heart and/or committing murder with a hate-ridden heart. Although he said that lust and adultery are sins, that doesn’t mean they are equal to committing murder or breaking the covenant of marriage regarding their consequences.
I believe the consequence is much worse to commit adultery than it is to fantasize about it. I believe it is much worse to act on your desires than it is to dwell on them. Remember, "You reap what you sow."
Lastly, Jesus said, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded,” (Luke 12:47-48). The more we know about God the more we are responsible to God. I believe there are deeper consequences for our harsher sins, but God is able to forgive them all under the grace of repentance but that doesn't mean he will stay the consequences in this life. I am open to discussion on this issue if you would like to respondso we can grow together.Mathew West The Truth be Toldhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWxI6HRcEz0
Excerpts are taken from Heather Riggleman blog; Does God See All Sins as Equal to One Another?
