Q&A: Are There Degrees Of Sins ?
***At Solid Rock Bible Church, if you have a question about the Bible, doctrine, faith or anything related to your spiritual walk with God, we have a “Question Box” where you can deposit those questions. Pastor Ed then researches each one and give answers from the Word of God to help you grow in your faith !
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QUESTION:
“Recently I got into a little debate about sin in God’s eyes. I have noticed a lot of Christians lately saying ‘All sin is equal in God’s eyes’. I told a friend I disagreed because of these verses . . .” and they listed some verses. “They state otherwise. Why would God call some sins abominations if all sin was equal ? She agreed that the only greater sin was blaspheming the Holy Ghost but all other sin is equal in God’s eyes. She said that I was taking verses out of context, so my question is – was I ? If all sin is not equal in God’s eyes, can you share more scriptures that would confirm this ?”
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ANSWER:
IF THERE IS A DIFFERENCE IN SINS, WE CAN SEE IT THROUGH TWO DIFFERENT WAYS.
1. BY WHAT CONSEQUENCES ARE ATTACHED TO IT.
2. BY WHEN GOD EXPRESSES HIS FEELINGS TOWARD IT.
***KEEP IN MIND THAT SIN SHOULD NEVER BE ANALYZED FROM A PEOPLE-PERSPECTIVE OR STANDARD. PEOPLE HAVE A TENDENCY TO CHANGE STANDARDS TO FIT THEIR CURRENT IDEAS – ESPECIALLY TO ALLOW THEM TO GET AWAY WITH WHATEVER SIN THEY ARE COMMITTING AT THAT TIME.
1. BY WHAT CONSEQUENCES ARE ATTACHED TO IT.
♦ ETERNAL CONSEQUENCES.
1 John 5:16-17 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. All unrighteousness is sin [eternal view]: and there is a sin not unto death [present view].
♦ PRESENT CONSEQUENCES.
ENTICING PEOPLE AWAY FROM GOD = DEATH.
Deuteronomy 13:6-10 If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers; Namely, of the gods of the people which are round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth; Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him: But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people. And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die; because he hath sought to thrust thee away from the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
THE THIEF = PAYING DOUBLE (restitution).
Exodus 22:7 If a man shall deliver unto his neighbour money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man’s house; if the thief be found, let him pay double.
THE SEXUAL PERVERSIONS = DEATH.
Leviticus 18:22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.
Leviticus 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
2. BY WHEN GOD EXPRESSES HIS FEELINGS TOWARD IT.
ABOMINATIONS.
08251 ץוקשׁ shiqquwts shik-koots’ or ץקשׁ shiqquts shik-koots’ unclean things, impure
08441 הבעות tow‘ebah to-ay-baw’ or הבעת to‘ebah to-ay-baw’ personal afront, rebellion.
BOTH INCLUDE A RANGE OF PENALTIES.
THESE ARE THE BASIC CATEGORIES OF ABOMINATIONS TO THE LORD.
Proverbs 6:16-19 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
MOSES RECOGNIZED THAT THE PEOPLE COMMITTED A SIN WHICH WAS MORE LIKELY TO ANGER GOD THAN ANOTHER SIN. (Did all lying stop ? Wasn’t there stealing, or lack of commitment, etc ? Yes. But, this sin was counted as greater).
Exodus 32:31 And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.
Deuteronomy 18:9-12 When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard , or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD : and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.
THERE IS A SIN THAT CANNOT BE FORGIVEN. (A SIN UNTO DEATH ?).
Matthew 12:31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
THIS INDICATES THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF SINS.
GOD SAYS THAT LOOKING AT THE SIN OF NAILING JESUS TO THE CROSS AND THE SIN OF BETRAYING HIM, THAT BETRAYING HIM TO THE ROMANS WAS THE GREATER SIN.
John 19:11 Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against Me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered Me unto thee hath the greater sin.
GOD’S MERCY AND GRACE IS ENOUGH TO CLEANSE US FROM ALL SIN.
1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.
THE DANGER OF LOOKING AT THE BIBLICAL TEACHING ON THIS IS THAT SOME PEOPLE WILL TRY TO FIND THE LESSER SIN AND DO IT BECAUSE IT IS NOT AS SERIOUS IN THE SHORT TERM AS THE GREATER SIN.
REMEMBER ANY SIN IS STILL SIN IN GOD’S EYES, SO LET’S STRIVE TO KEEP OURSELVES PURE AND HOLY FOR OUR LORD !
”Q&A: Are There Degrees Of Sins ?”
A Bible Study with Dr. Ed J. MacWilliams
092015
