Gradations of Sin

Are certain sins greater than others, or are all sins equal? Please provide scriptural evidence.

I was hoping someone would come through and take a look at this one. Where are my theologians?

Found this. Might be helpful....

"Are there gradations of sin?

I flinch a little bit when you ask me that question because I have in my memory not so fond recollections of having answered that question in the past where people got very upset with what I said. What mystifies me is that it seems there are a lot of Christians who hold the position that there are no gradations of sin, that all sin is sin and there's no difference between less serious or more serious sins........

If we look at the Old Testament law, we see that certain offenses are to be dealt with in this world through capital punishment and others through corporal punishment. Distinctions are made, for example, between murder and malice of forethought and what we would call involuntary manslaughter. There are at least twenty-five occasions where the New Testament makes a distinction between lesser and greater forms of evil. Jesus says, for example, at his own trial, "Those who have delivered me to you have greater guilt than you have."

There is abundant evidence in the Scriptures to postulate a view of the gradations of sin. Not only that, but the very simple principles of justice would indicate that. But I think people stumble on this point for two reasons. One is Saint James' statement, "He who sins against one point of the law, sins against the whole law." That sounds as if James is saying that if you tell a little white lie, it's as bad as killing someone in cold blood. But James is actually saying all sin is serious insofar as every sin is an offense against the lawgiver, so that in the slightest sin I'm sinning against the law of God. I have violated the whole context of that law in many ways. So all sin is serious, but it doesn't follow logically that all sin is equally serious.

People also refer to Jesus' statement that if you lust after a woman, you've violated the law against adultery. Jesus doesn't say that it is as bad to lust as it is to commit the actual act. He's simply saying that if you merely refrain from the actual act, you're not totally clean; there are lesser elements of the law that you have violated." (R.C. Sproul, pg. 151, "Now, THAT's A Good Question")

That's from RC Sproul's "Now, That's a Good Question". That's where I got this question. I was wondering if anybody had a response to this question outside of Sproul's answer.

Ha ha!!! My bad. How was I supposed to know that???? LOL

I actually agree with Sproul. I guess we could go through instances in the Bible where this is shown.

What's up, Orlando? Have you discovered anything since this post?

Mike, I've asked a few more people, searched a few more sites, and to be honest, I've found that poeple differ on this. I stand firmly in my belief that there are, in fact, sins which are greater than other sins. My new favorite website (www.gotquestions.org) makes an attempt to answer this question. It reads as follows:

http://www.gotquestions.org/sins-equal.html

Quote :

In Matthew 5:21-28, Jesus equates committing adultery with having lust in your heart, and committing murder with having hatred in your heart. However, this does not mean the sins are equal. What Jesus was trying to get across to the Pharisees was that it is still sin even if you only think about or want to do the act. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day taught people that it was okay to think about anything you wanted to, as long as you did not act on those desires. Jesus is forcing them to realize that God judges a person’s thoughts as well as their actions. Jesus proclaimed that our actions are the results of what is in our hearts (Matthew 12:34).

So, although Jesus said that lust and adultery are both sins – that does not mean they are equal. It is much worse to actually murder a person than it is to simply hate them – even though they are both sinful in God’s sight. There are degrees to sin. Some sins are worse than others. At the same time, in regards to both eternal consequences and salvation, all sins are the same. Each and every sin will lead to eternal condemnation (Romans 6:23). All sin, no matter how “small,” is against an infinite and eternal God, and is therefore worthy of an infinite and eternal penalty. Further, this is no sin too “big” that God cannot forgive it. Jesus died to pay the penalty for sin (1 John 2:2). Jesus died for ALL of our sins (2 Corinthians 5:21). Are all sins equal to God? Yes and no. In severity? No. In penalty? Yes. In forgivability? Yes.