I know that some people think God rates sin on different levels and then others think He sees all sin at the same level. Personally, I believe that sin is sin, but what do you think?
Adam Smith
25 Years in Retail, Restaurants & Hospitality · Author · Speaker · Coach
Adam spent 25 years in retail, restaurant, and hospitality leadership — managing teams of 60, growing a store from $600K to $2M+, and overseeing guest experience at a corporate level. Author of The Bravest You (endorsed by Seth Godin). Host of two podcasts. 170K monthly readers. Grimes, Iowa.
sin is sin… if God “ranks” it is about how we see our own sin
Sin is sin. Its all the same. The difference is the condition of our heart, how repentant we are, and our willingness to get back in line with His word. Some people may struggle with sin, but have a heart willing to do the right thing. Others may or may not realize they have a problem, but have a hard heart. (I still haven't read his post yet. I'm afraid to go because I can't handle confrontation and I already got yelled at once today by a very large lady.)
So here's my two-cents. I do believe that certain sins are more serious than others–so in that sense, they can be viewed as 'levels.' However, God doesn't have a system of "picking and choosing" what sins to forgive, and in that sense sin is sin. Christ came to forgive ALL our sins–no matter how wretched or filthy they may be. We can never earn His love or lose it–God is love, and it's only by His grace that we have made it this far. And, I'm so thankful for that.
I don't believe that it's our sins that are ranked, but our hearts.
Sin is sin. He doesn't rank. The Bible says there is only one sin that God cannot forgive and that is a heart that is unrepentant and they refuse to accept Jesus as savior, God, etc. Like Austin said, Jesus died for them all. I think it's interesting how we categorize sin. Like Carlos was saying if a fat man can be a pastor. Perry Noble has brought up how we so quickly judge people who drink but look away from the sin of the glutton.
My recent post Being Uncomfortable
I don't think that it's really a matter of "are there better or worse sins," but rather "does God forgive all sins." While I think that all sins are equally bad, they do have varying degrees of consequence. For example, a private sin that affects you only may not have as serious consequences as murdering, adulterating (sinning with someone else as well as breaking a covenant with God and your spouse), or molesting (the Bible says that it would be better for a man to have a milestone tied around his neck and be tossed in the ocean than for him to cause a child to sin). Of course, the eternal consequence of even the "smallest" (as if) sin, without forgiveness, is death (ie, hell). But God will still forgive all sins. And He loves everyone equally, no matter how messed up your sins may be. I think a lot of people say that last sentence and don't realize that this means that God loves Hitler as much as Mother Theresa. But I think that it's still true. He doesn't love the murder of millions, but He still loves the person. It's like a lost sheep – He loves it and wants it to come home despite the fact that it ran away. (sorry, a little scatterbrained as I'm packing last minute for a quick trip to D.C.)
In my book if two things cost the same then they are valued the same. Christ paid one price for all sin. So no sin is worse than another to God.
My recent post Short
I'm trying to discern this as well. What i'm interested in is the fact that there seems to be a lot of opinions stated one way or the other, and many of those opinions contain no backing of scripture.
So if sin is equal, where is that said, implied, in the Bible?
And if it is not equal, where is that said?
I would say it is summed up in Romans 6:23 – The wages of sin is death. That puts all sin on the same playing field. Adam and Eve's first sin was they disobeyed God and ate of the tree. It immediately meant death entered the world.
My recent post Being Uncomfortable
The penalty for all sin is death. I get that. All sin separates us from God. I get that. Any sin is against an infinite and eternal God and thus not ok. But that does not imply that sin is all equal.
I'm not trying to pit scripture against scripture, I know that it all reconciles together, but there are several scriptures that seem to imply a difference in the severity of sins.
1 John 5:16-19
Matt. 23:14-15; 32-33
John 19:11
Matt. 12:31-32 (blasphemy is well known, the point being if it is unforgivable, we already have at least 2 different types of sin. Those forgivable and the one that is not)
Matt. 11:20-24
The idea isn't that we should walk around declaring, "Well I may be an adulterer but least I'm not a murderer." But rather live a life knowing and displaying that we all need God's grace to redeem us from the slavery of sin.
I spent my whole life being taught that all sin was equal in the eyes of God. But have recently come to see that may not be the case. I wonder if penalty is always equal to consequence?
I have to ask this question…what does it solve if a sin is greater or lessor?
I think it boils down to the fact that sizing up sins makes it easy for us to put the people that commits those sins into easily sorted boxes rather than seeing the real issue. We are either moving toward God or away from him…In regards to human affairs there are behaviors in leadership that cannot be tolerated because it dilutes and dishonors the nature of the position. Where we get confused is that we use sin to rank and sort people rather than deal with the real issues.
SIN= actions caused by selfishness
Selfish person = Loves self more than GOD
Loves self more than God = Does not love God with all their heart
So the next time you want to rate a sin ask the question… what percentage of a persons heart does it take to commit this sin… if it takes even a fraction of a percent then you do not love God with all your heart… so you will need some grace fortunately God doesn't rate grace either.
My recent post The Warrior
good stuff folks
I would say it is summed up in Romans 6:23 – The wages of sin is death. That puts all sin on the same playing field. Adam and Eve's first sin was they disobeyed God and ate of the tree. It immediately meant death entered the world.
My recent post Being Uncomfortable
I have to ask this question…what does it solve if a sin is greater or lessor?
I think it boils down to the fact that sizing up sins makes it easy for us to put the people that commits those sins into easily sorted boxes rather than seeing the real issue. We are either moving toward God or away from him…In regards to human affairs there are behaviors in leadership that cannot be tolerated because it dilutes and dishonors the nature of the position. Where we get confused is that we use sin to rank and sort people rather than deal with the real issues.
SIN= actions caused by selfishness
Selfish person = Loves self more than GOD
Loves self more than God = Does not love God with all their heart
So the next time you want to rate a sin ask the question… what percentage of a persons heart does it take to commit this sin… if it takes even a fraction of a percent then you do not love God with all your heart… so you will need some grace fortunately God doesn't rate grace either.
My recent post The Warrior
the point was that I view some sin as ranked. yes, i'm one of those. And, when I do this I then look at other sins and find myself back in the same spot. Looking at others sin before I look at mine. I can think of one sin that has almost been accepted in today's standards. It makes me sick really but then I think about my jealousy or covetousness and then think about it all being the same. No, I don't believe God ranks sin, but I do too often.
good stuff
I believe all sin is on the same level but the consequences and discipline may differ.
My recent post Favourite Links Friday 3/5/10
The way I see it and have seen it is- no sin is greater than another. Robbing is an equal sin to murder. Though many of us see murder as a much more
awful and unthinkable sin, God see’s it the same. Why? I believe it is because when Jesus died on that cross for us our sins were forgiven at an equal slate. Grace is now over us and because of Jesus we have recieved the grace of God.
How I See It…
amen
Agreed. A person who cheats on a test may get an F where as a person who cheats on their spouse ruins the relationship between them, their friends, loses the trust of their spouse.
My recent post Being Uncomfortable
agreed. we still have the law in place here
All the same…..keeping us from Him because we won't humble ourselves and admit it….
I thought of these verses earlier but couldn't think of what it was:
Proverbs 6:16-19
16 There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him:17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,18 a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil,19 a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.
These are seven things that the writer is saying are an abomination, are detestable in the sight of God: everything from a person who lies to a person you kills an innocent person. In our minds that's a huge separation, but to God they are just as despicable.
My recent post Being Uncomfortable
some more good ones
good conversation going on here folks. love the perspective. I've always been taught its all the same but wanted to c how yall felt
Maybe one sin is worse than another…maybe not. Maybe God ranks them…I don't know. What I do know is that the price to be paid for sin is universal…death. So whether I rank high or low on any ranking of sin, I would prefer not to be on the list at all and have life. Sanctification process moves along every day…all day.
My recent post WWYD – What Would You Do?
amen man.