09/06/2024
According to the Bible, not all sins are equally heinous in God's eyes. For example, the Bible indicates that God punishes sins differently depending on their severity. The Law made distinctions in the penalties for breaking the law, with some sins resulting in death, exile from the community, or other sacrifices. Jesus also made it clear that God especially despises the pain caused to children.
The bible teaches in multiple verses that there are varing degrees of sin and not all will be punished equally. Some will receive greater punishments than others.
Jesus, for example, said that he who handed him over to Pilate, was guilty of a “greater sin” than Pilate himself (John 19:10-11)
Moreover, Jesus drew distinctions between a “speck” and a “plank” in one’s eye (Matt. 7:3)
Also between the Pharisees who “strain out a gnat” and yet “swallow a camel” (Matt. 23:24)
In the Old Testament, when God's people rebelled against him, God revealed the sins of Israel in three stages to Ezekiel.
And in each stage Israel’s sins were “more detestable” (Eze 8:6-16) than the previous ones. So, from these simple examples, it’s clear that some sins are more offensive to God than others.
We as true biblical Christians also teach that thw word of God says to "Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body". 1 Corinthians 6:18
In this passage, immorality is considered apart from other sins such as dishonesty, pride, envy, etc. All sin will negatively affect the mind and soul of a person, but s*xual immorality will immediately and directly affect one’s body. The destruction wrought by s*xual immorality will have a physical impact.
That passage again shows us a distinction between sins.
Now all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God but that does not mean that some sins are not worse than others.
So what makes some sins more serious? Here are three important factors to consider among others...
First is how much we know about God and his ways. Jesus did say, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be required” (Luke 12:47-48).
The more revelation we have about God, the more responsible we are to God.
Jesus said that it would be “more tolerable” on judgement day for the Gentiles of Tyre and Sidon who never saw Jesus, compared to the Jews of Chorazin and Bethsaida who witnessed Jesus’ miracles and rejected him (Matt 11:21-22).
The second principle is: the more we intend to sin, the more serious the offence. The OT Law meted out lesser punishments for a person who sins “unintentionally”, and greater punishments for those who sinned “defiantly” (Numr 15:27-31).
Third, sins are more serious the greater effect they have. So James can say about preachers: Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. (James 3:1).
This is because the public preacher can lead more astray than the person who is only misguiding himself.
Also you must realize being tempted to sin is not as bad as physically sinning. Just because you are tempted does not mean you should just give up and give in and commit that sin in your heart or physically, that is your chance to cry out to God for deliverance and repent and to help you take the way out of every temptation.
Why is this issue so important to the church’s mission? Because some sins are so serious that if a person who claims to be a Christian commits them, church discipline needs to be taken. Sadly many churches have erased church discipline and also stopped making disciplined Disciples of Jesus Christ.
What are these grave sins? Paul lists some:
Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the s*xually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have s*x with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9–10,)
That is why it is so critical for church leaders to be “above reproach” (1 Tim 3:2; Tit 1:6). This does not mean perfection but having no serious character flaws. Because when leaders fall into sin, the damage is far greater. And will spread quickly to the congregation. We see this when false teachers promote a false teaching it widely gets accepted and practiced by the congregation.
If and when the serious sins of 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 are discovered in the church, they are to be dealt with via the process set out in the NT that may ultimately lead to church discipline (Matt. 18:15-20; 1 Cor. 5:1-13; 2 Thess. 3:14-15). And we must remember that the fundamental reason for disciplining a church member is unrepentance: they are unwilling to admit to, or turn from, their (serious) sin. Discipline is enacted not to punish but to restore (1 Cor. 5:5).
The Power of the gospel is that if we do sin, we can be forgiven and restored. Jesus’ sacrifice is that powerful (1 John 2:1-2). It’s enough to make us want to put off sin and to be cleansed.
The gospel is not just forgiveness of sins but also cleansing power of the Holy Spirit at work within the born again disciple of Jesus Christ.
No matter what sins you have committed you can humble yourself today and come to Christ in repentance and recieve forgiveness and power in Jesus name.
Jesus didnt think it was irrelevant to teach that some sins were greater than others.
Otherwise he wouldnt have wasted time explaining to Pilate that the one who handed him over to him commited the greater sin.
I think Jesus knew how to preach better than us.
God is not an unjust judge.
He will weigh men's hearts.
Also some sins that you think are not as bad Jesus condemned very strongly like lust and hate being classified as adultery and murder.
See people like to just say sin is sin so that there is no difference between sins effect on them. But this is not true different sins will affect you differently and some are much more severe than others.
The man who blasphemed the Holy Spirit didnt just wake up 1 day and do that he was lead there by continual hardening of heart and the decietfulness of sin.
Turn from sin today and put your trust in Jesus Christ to save you!
