If so, then an Old Testament saint who failed to help get his neighbor's ox out of a pit would be just as guilty as the one who offered his baby to the idol Molech as a human sacrifice. And the New Testament saint who kicked his neighbor's dog would be equally evil with the thug who brutally killed his own mother.
Most evangelicals have heard over and over again that all sins are equal in God's sight, but are we sure that's what the Bible really says? Should we really believe (and teach others!) that all sins are equal?
HERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE PRETTY CLEAR FROM EVEN A BEGINNING ACQUAINTANCE WITH THE SCRIPTURE:1) "All "sin is detestable to our holy God.2) "Any "individual sin, all by itself, no matter what it is, makes a person deserving of hell forever.3) But all sins are "not "equal in God's eyes.
I. MOSES' LAW DID NOT GIVE EQUAL WEIGHT TO ALL SINSMoses' law explained that punishments must always fit the crimes, "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a life for a life" Of course, it would never be appropriate to require a life for the loss of a tooth, or a tooth for the loss of a life. All sins and guilt are not equal."Exodus 21:23-25 And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, 24Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe."
Moses taught that premarital sex, for example, would be punishable by a fine, while adultery was punishable by death. "Exodus 22:16 And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife. 17If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins."Leviticus 20:12 And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
So all sins and guilt-even sexual sins-are not equal. This is why Tamar correctly told Amnon, "this evil in sending me away is greater than the other that thou didst unto me" (2 Samuel 13:16).
II. THE NEW TESTAMENT DOES NOT GIVE EQUAL WEIGHT TO ALL SINSJesus taught that some matters of sin and righteousness are "weightier" than others, and that while none should be neglected, some are more important than others."Matthew 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone."
One particular sin, Jesus taught us, out of so many sins in the world, was "unpardonable," and would "not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come," for all eternity (Matthew 12:32). All sins and guilt, therefore, are not equal.
Again, Jesus said that a hypocrite is like a man with a beam in his eye who would dare to criticize another man with a bit of sawdust in his eye (Matthew 7:3-4). The urban myth of all sin being equal in God's sight would undermine Jesus' point entirely, wouldn't it? Wouldn't the popular Christian error require that both men in the parable have equal beams in their eyes?
Then Jesus taught that certain acts of Christian negligence would be punished by a few lashes, others by many lashes."Luke 12:46 The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers." 47And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes." 48But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more."
Jesus even taught us that the "eternal" punishments of the lost can differ in severity, depending on the degree of their wickedness. "Therefore," He warns them, "ye shall receive the greater damnation."Matthew 23:14 "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation." 15Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves."
TWO REASONS WHY ALL THIS MATTERS:1. BECAUSE DEVOTED FOLLOWERS OF JESUS ARE UNNECESSARILY DISCOURAGED BY THIS ERRORIf we believe that our overeating on a particular occasion is as evil as an instance of adultery, or that our impulsive spending on a particular occasion is as evil as an instance of murder, how may we ever be encouraged about our spiritual growth? Similarly, if we believe that a grouchy word toward a spouse from time to time is equal to the longstanding "root of bitterness" towards him "which springs up and defiles many" (Hebrews 12:15), how can we be encouraged to continue progressing in sanctification? Indeed, how could we ever conclude that there had been any spiritual growth at all?
2. BECAUSE IMMORAL "CHRISTIANS" ARE JUSTIFYING THEIR FAILURES BY THIS ERROR
Unfortunately, thoughtless Christians have latched onto the idea of all sins being equal in God's sight, and have mastered the implications of this error. "Who are "you"," they ask their devoted brothers, "to point out that living with my girlfriend is immoral? Don't you ever commit adultery in your heart? Don't you know what Jesus taught about that?" Or, "Who are "you "to tell me that I shouldn't be getting drunk on weekends? You ate two ice cream cones at the church picnic? My weekend partying is no different than your unwillingness to address being ten pounds overweight." Or, "Yeah, sure, I use a lot of profanity, but how is that any different from you driving everyone crazy by talking about Jesus too much? Can't you see you're driving them away?"
CONCLUSION:
"Sin is sin," they tell me. "All sins are equal," I've been taught. "One sin's just as bad as another," I always heard.
The only trouble is, there's nothing in the Bible to give us that impression. It's just not true.
1) "All "sin is detestable to our holy God. (Sins are not big or little, but big and bigger!)
2) "Any "individual sin, all by itself, no matter what it is, makes a person deserving of hell forever.
3) But all sins are "not "equal in God's eyes.
The believer who is making "real "progress in his Christian walk, but labors under the impression that he will never be anything but a miserable sinner--he needs to know that all sins are "not "equal in God's eyes. And so does the careless Christian who makes use of a truth--that all sin is detestable, to cover a lie--that all sins are exactly the same in God's eyes.
Origin: pagan-space.blogspot.com