ARE ALL SINS EQUALLY BAD?

MATTHEW 23:23–28

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. 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”

(Matthew 23:23).

All sins defy God and bring on His wrath, but that does not mean that all sins are equally bad. The Protestant Reformers never taught such an idea, for it is not found in the Bible. Jesus’ remarks to the Pharisees show that He regarded some matters of obedience as weightier than others, and thus some transgressions as more serious than others.

All Sin Breaks God’s Law

James writes in his epistle, “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it” (James 2:10). If I commit one sin, I am guilty of breaking the whole law. But does that mean that if someone only commits one sin in his or her entire life. God will punish that person in hell for that sin, plus adding stripes for adultery, murder, slander, and all the rest? Not at all. That would be a violation of the biblical concept of justice (Luke 12:47–48).

Rather, what James is getting at is that there is a certain sense in which every sin, whether small or great, is an act of cosmic treason as every act of sin opposes the lawful authority of God Himself. But that does not change the fact that there are degrees of treason and different kinds of treason against God.

The Importance of Making These Distinctions

It is important for the Christian to discern which sins are more serious and to have God’s priorities in mind. Living as we do in a society that will tolerate all kinds of things that God condemns and will condemn some things of which God approves, we dare not take our scale of values from the world around us. Our values must come only from God’s Word.

CORAM DEO

In Jesus’ mind the neglect of justice, mercy, and faithfulness constituted serious sins. How consciously do you attempt to fulfill these virtues in your home, workplace, and relationships? Pray today that the Holy Spirit would help you see how seriously God regards these virtues and would also direct your desire to pursue them.

For further study: Luke 16:1–15; 1 John 2:15–24

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