Are All Sins Equal ?

[Kosherboy]

It is not uncommon to hear or read the statement, "all sins are equal." In other words, if I drive one mile per hour over the speed limit, I may as well have exterminated millions of people in the eyes of God.

If that"™s true, we should teach our children that disobeying us by taking a cookie from the cookie jar makes them just as guilty as a murderer. I believe that this line of thinking is basically incorrect and ignores matters of the heart, common sense, and what the Bible teaches. It also paves the way for a society in which dangerous criminals are not punished and character is ignored. After all, if we are all equally wicked, we can"™t discriminate between a good person and an evil one. We couldn"™t know Adolf Hitler from John the Baptist. Both should be allowed to lead a country or baby sit our children. Right?


It is true that all sins separate us from God. Romans 6:23 says, "œFor the wages of sin is death"¦"� All sin leads to death and judgment without Jesus, but does that mean all sins are equal? I believe the Bible teaches they are not.

Are All Sins Punished in the Same Way?

The Old Testament tells us that God assigned different penalties to certain sins. This suggests that certain sins differ in seriousness. Under the Old Testament law, a thief paid restitution; an occult practitioner was cut off from Israel; one who committed adultery or a homosexual act was put to death (see Exodus 22 and Leviticus 20).

Luke 11:23-24 says, "If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you." Because these people refused to soften their hearts, Jesus tells them that they will have an even harsher judgment and punishment than two towns destroyed for their wickedness.

Are Some Sins Worse than Others?

In 1 Corinthians 6:18, Paul says, "Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body."

The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to express that sexual sin is different from other sins. Because the sin is against the human body, Christians commit the sin against the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. Paul said, "All other sins are outside the body." This distinguishes sexual sin from coveting, for example, because coveting is a sin done outside the human body.

Jesus suggested that some sins are worse than others when he told the Pharisees they were straining at a gnat (something little, but still bad) but swallowed a camel (something bigger and worse). "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices--mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel" (Matthew 23: 23 "“ 24).

The words, "œthe more important matters of the law,"� clearly point out that all commands, though each needing to be followed with the same enthusiasm, are not of equal significance. The statement, "œYou strain out a gnat but swallow a camel"� is also applied in the same way. "œGnat"� implies small sins, while "œcamel"� refers to larger ones.

Remember Jesus"™ words to Pilate? He said, "œThe one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin" (John 19:11). The phrase, "greater sin," is there in black and white. Pilate tried to release Jesus because he could see He had done nothing wrong. Jerusalem"™s religious leaders should have known better. Jesus should have been welcomed as the one who fulfilled the prophecies, but the crowd amazed Pilate by demanding the death of the innocent Jesus. Jesus made it clear that those who should have known better held greater guilt. Jesus "œcame to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him"� (John 1:11). Pilate"™s sin did not compete with theirs.

As is true in the case of the Jews, who should have known better than Pilate, where God grants loving blessings and rare opportunities, He also demands greater responsibility. One who knew his master"™s will but didn"™t fulfill it will suffer more than one who didn"™t know (Luke 12:47,48).

In Matthew 7:3 Jesus mocks someone who struggles with great sin but takes it upon himself to "fix" another person who commits a less serious sin. "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?" Basically Jesus is saying that those who commit and struggle with worse sins ought not to "nit pick" those with lesser struggles.

Clearly, Jesus used an example of two things not equal in size or severity to each other when he compared a "speck of sawdust" and a "plank."

Some sins simply bring harsher consequences than others and reveal a heart that is farther separated from God. John told us that anyone who hates his brother is a murderer. God"™s law convicts me for even thinking about killing the neighbor whose weed poison destroys my wife"™s roses. But if my sin remains a thought and I don"™t actually kill him, he is still alive. I have demonstrated restraint by resisting the desires of my temporary rage. That"™s something that should separate Christians from the world. Our desires may sometimes be similar to those in the world, but Christians should try to do what is right by listening to the Holy Spirit rather than our egos or hormones. In the case of my neighbor, I would be wrong to say, "œThinking about it is just as bad as actually killing him."� Likewise, I obviously shouldn"™t say, "œI"™ve already thought it, I might as well murder him."�

We Shouldn't Justify "Smaller" Sins

All sins deserve God"™s judgment, but not all receive the same judgment. We face danger, however, in attempting to justify our sins by their size. Every sin will lead us to hell if we don't have the grace and forgiveness of Jesus.

God Offers Forgiveness

Every sin"”no matter how large"”can be forgiven and swallowed in God"™s infinite ocean of grace. Just as God forgives those who turn from their wicked ways, so should we. God offers salvation to even the most wicked. 1 John 1:7 tells us "œThe blood of Jesus purifies us from every sin"� (1 John 1:7). God is willing to forgive all!

Lee Wilson
Grace Centered Magazine

[DaveH]

I've always been taught that all sins were equal, but I have to admit that I've thought many times that there were different sins that, while falling short of God's standards, didn't seem worthy (to me) of the same level of punishment. However, we do have this verse . . .

James 2:10:

10For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

So, even if you commit a "small" sin, you're still guilty of them all.

[LBR]

How much sin will be allowed to enter heaven? How much sin does it take to be lost?

In that respect, one is as bad as another. Man put "degrees" on sin. If it were up to us, I dare say that most of us wouldn't deem steadying the Arc when it was about to fall, or taking one last look at your hometown as you were leaving for good, would be worthy of death--but it's not our decision to make.

Chad

[Chuck7]

How much sin will be allowed to enter heaven? How much sin does it take to be lost?
LBR..

I totally agree..nothing can redeem a man from H E L L but the blood of Jesus.There does appear though to be various degrees of judgement in H E L L for cetain sins more than others.

[happytrigger]

Denying the Holy Ghost is an unpardonable sin. You will become a Son of Perdition if you Deny the Holy Ghost. Murder is one that will cost you eternal life. 1 John 3:15 "WHOSOEVER HATETH HIS BROTHER IS A MURDERER: AND YE KNOW THAT NO MURDERER HATH ETERNAL LIFE ABIDING IN HIM."

[mr-pirk]

A very good article Alex.

Jesus explained that David"™s sin of eating sacred bread was excusable/understandable. It was the difference between the intent of the law and the letter of the law. By the letter of the law, all sins are equal and the wages of sin is death, but it should be clear that everyone"™s death was not the intent of the law.

It is a very good thing that God didn"™t practice the ever popular "œzero tolerance"� so many folks seem to embrace now days.

A child offers a school-mate an aspirin and they are expelled for the school year just like the local drug dealer student. But at least they are treating all "œsin"� equal eh?

Thanks
mr-pirk

[LBR]

It is a very good thing that God didn"™t practice the ever popular "œzero tolerance"� so many folks seem to embrace now days.

Actually, as best I can understand, He does. No sin will enter heaven. Christ's blood cleanses all sin equally. I haven't seen a verse in the Bible that says if you only have little sins you are ok.

I despise the "zero tolerance" idiocy in schoolsas much as anyone, but I don't have the authority to question God's rules.

Chad

[Snooky]

1 John 3:15 "WHOSOEVER HATETH HIS BROTHER IS A MURDERER: AND YE KNOW THAT NO MURDERER HATH ETERNAL LIFE ABIDING IN HIM."

All have sinned and came short of Gods glory. All sin will be barred from the portals of Heaven. No sinner will be granted admittance!! Sounds hopeless doesn't it? It would be hopeless except for the fact that God was not willing that any perish, but all come to repentance. God prepared himself a body, took upon himself a blood filled sacrifice, carried it to Calvary, laid it upon the altar that we might have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. One must have his garments washed and MADE white in the blood of the Lamb.

Maybe one of you bible scholars would feel the need to start a thread on the relationship of the Lamb, The Scape Goat, The He Goat of Atonement, ect.,and bring all the sacrifices into relationship with the other, as it took them all to fulfill the law.

[SFC Retired]

Snook said: Maybe one of you bible scholars would feel the need to start a thread on the relationship of the Lamb, The Scape Goat, The He Goat of Atonement, ect.,and bring all the sacrifices into relationship with the other, as it took them all to fulfill the law.

I am in no way a bible scholar but thoiught you might like this. You don't have to agree, but that is fine.




Leviticus 16:8
"And Aaron shall cast lots (or draw straws) upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD (it would be sacrificed), and the other lot for the scapegoat." It was to remain alive. We still use that term today. He's the fellow that takes the blame.
Leviticus 16:9,10
"And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD'S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement (or covering) with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness."
The barren wilderness of Judea and some of the Middle Eastern desert country is uninhabitable. This live goat then, over which the sins of Israel would be symbolically placed, was taken alive way out into the wilderness and set free. The other goat was immediately killed and the blood was used for a sprinkling on the Mercy Seat behind the veil.
But only one man in Israel could do all of this; the High Priest. He alone could go in behind the veil and sprinkle the blood on the Mercy Seat. He alone could lay his hands on that scapegoat and symbolically place all the sins of Israel on that scapegoat.
The Book of Genesis Chapter 14 takes us back to Abraham, and he had just pursued the Kings that had overrun Lot's home town of Sodom. He conquers them and brings Lot and his family back. But on his way back in the area of present day Jerusalem a strange thing happens.
Genesis 14:17
"And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's dale."
Genesis 14:18
"And Melchizedek king of Salem (remember that's the last five letters of Jerusalem) brought forth bread and wine (that's unusual isn't it? Bread and wine was never used in tabernacle worship, or even alluded to in the Old Testament economy. So where are we already leaping to? To the death, burial, and Resurrection of Christ. The bread and wine spoke of His broken body, and shed blood. Now I'm sure Abraham had no concept of what Melchizedek was doing, but God knew): and he was the priest of the most high God."
Not the priest of Judaism but a priest of the Most High God. Whenever the term "Most High God" is used, it is not just a reference to Israel but predominately to the non-Jewish world. So, all these things have their purpose in Scripture. Since Israel isn't on the scene yet, Melchizedek is the High Priest of the whole human race. He is a picture then of that priesthood that Christ would fulfill. Now we need to go to the Book of Hebrews again and tie all of this together.
Hebrews 9:11
"But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;" Christ's Tabernacle and the place of sprinkling the Blood is in Heaven.
Hebrews 9:12
"Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place (the very throne room and presence of God), having obtained (by His shed Blood) eternal redemption for us."
Hebrews 6:20
"Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec."
Hebrews 7:1
"FOR this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;"
There had to be a High Priest not just for Israel and the Jew, but for the whole world as well. Christ, as "High Priest," is not after the order of Aaron, but rather after the the High Priest of all.
Hebrew 7:11-13
"If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron (there had to be a reason)? For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law, For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar."
Hebrews 7:14
"For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood." Only the Levi tribe could be Priests.
Hebrews 7:15
"And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec (the High Priest of all) there ariseth another priest, Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment (Law of Moses), but after the power of an endless life. For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec."
How did Christ fulfill the role of the High Priest? We need to go to John's Gospel for a moment and find out. It's the Resurrection morning and Mary, at the tomb, was aghast that the tomb was empty. Mary quickly runs and tells Peter and John about it. So you know the account.
John 20:11-17
"But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, `Woman, why weepest thou?' She saith unto them, `Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him (she, like the disciples doesn't know),' And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus (Mary remembers Jesus like He was described in Isaiah 52:14). Jesus saith unto her, `Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou?' She, supposing him to be the gardener saith unto him, `Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.' Jesus saith unto her, `Mary.' She turned herself, and saith unto him, `Rabboni; which is to say, Master.' Jesus saith unto her, `Touch me not: for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.'"

Now what is Jesus doing here? He ascends in that moment of time while Mary runs to tell the Twelve. And then when He meets with them He tells them to touch Him, and to check out His wounds and so forth. But remember, to Mary He tells her, "Touch me not for I have not yet ascended to my Father." Well, He had to ascend to fulfill the order of that High Priest that we just read about in Hebrews. That High Priest had to be spotless, and Jesus couldn't even let Mary touch Him.
Now picture Christ after the order of Melchisedec, and not like Aaron's, whose priesthood was for the Jew only. But Christ's order of Melchisedec can now cover the whole spectrum of humanity: you and I, black and white, red and yellow, rich and poor. That was the priesthood of Melchisedec.

Hebrews 9:11,12
"But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building (it's in Heaven, and Jesus has entered into it with what?); Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us."

Now, let's cover those three hours between noon and 3:00 P.M. that Jesus spent on the Cross. Remember there was darkness, and not a word from the Cross. Remember the scapegoat? It was left alive. Between noon and 3:00 P.M. Jesus is still alive. What do you think He becomes? I think the scapegoat. Now where was the scapegoat sent? Into the wilderness. What I like to think (and I may be wrong but it's food for thought), is that in those three hours, Jesus stepped out of time as His body hung on the Cross. But in soul and Spirit He stepped into eternity where there is no time element, and suffered the punishment for all the sins of mankind. He became our scapegoat and took our sins far, far away, never to be remembered anymore. Then He comes back at 3:00 P.M. and finishes His statements from the Cross. And then He can say, "It is finished."
_______

[Snooky]

SFC, Lots of good reading there. All leading us to Christ.
Another question, Why the different animal sacrifices, different types of blood required, ect. under the Old Testament? Are there sins that require a different offering in order to receive cleansing? What is encluded the scripture that declares, "we are complete in him"? What was included when Jesus cried "It is finished". Describe "it" in its entireity. If sins are different, wouldn't there need to be an atonement for the specificsin in question?