Hank Warmbier Lay person with bible study as their hobby

To ask the question "Are some sins worse than others" is really asking "Are all sins forgivable"? Why? Because God is Holy and He can not be in the presence of sin. So for us to be with God, we must be totally forgiven of all of our sins. 

Romans 3:23 tells us that "we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God". Then Romans 6:23 tells us that the result of sin is separation from God. So, with sin (regardless of the "type" of sin), we can not be in the presence of God and shall not be with Him in Heaven. 

But, God has a great plan. John 3:16 tells us that "God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son (Jesus Christ), that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but shall have eternal life". So, by believing in the forgiveness of our sins through Jesus, we can be in the presence of God in Heaven. 

So, from the above, it seems like all sins are equal in that all are forgivable. But, there's a "Catch 22" in this. You see, John 3:36 states that anyone who does not believe in the Son and therefore does not believe in the forgiveness of sin through Christ, shall not have eternal live. 

So, in essence, the one unforgivable sin is to not believe in the forgiveness of sin through belief in Christ Jesus. 

Mark also references Jesus' talking about an unforgivable sin, in that case, attributing to Satan any goodness that is done through Jesus. Obviously, this also is a rejection of who Jesus really is, viz. God.

September 26 2014 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

JD Abshire

Matthew 5:20 "For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven."
v. 21 "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:"
v. 22 "But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire."

Matthew 5:27 "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:"
v. 28 "But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart."

James 2:10 "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."

How many sins or infractions of God's law are required to send an unsaved individual to hell? Just one.

Although greatly diminished and lightly (rarely) enforced these days our legal system's law and penalty for violation is based on Biblical principle; the more serious and/or heinous the crime, the stiffer the penalty. 

I thank God that the Lord Jesus Christ perfectly and completely kept the the law because I cannot. He took my place suffering the full wrath of a Holy, righteous and just God who demands total payment, no appeals or plea bargains. 

Romans 3:20 "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin."

2 Corinthians 5:21 "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."

September 26 2014 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Lynn Willis Obedient Daughter of the High King of the Universe

It is my understanding that the Lord hates ALL sin equally. If we repent, and believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, then ALL our sins are forgiven... except ONE....

Luke 12:10: And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

Luke 22:65: And they said many other things against him (Jesus), blaspheming him.

Mark 3:29: but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin"

Blaspheming God is a huge sin to Him (See #3 of the TC below). As an aside, that is why I think when Jesus was crucified He cried out to God to forgive His persecutors, for they knew not what they were doing (to God) thinking instead they were just crucifying a man who they accused of blaspheming God by claiming to be the Son of God. They did not recognize Jesus for who He truly was and He asked for the Lord's mercy for them as a result.

Matthew 9:3: And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, "This man is blaspheming."

Mark 2:7: "Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

The Catholic church created the seven deadly sins as the origin of the other sins, which is not in scripture that I know of personally. (Please correct me if I am wrong!)

But the Ten Commandments ARE and came from God so... breaking these are sinful and here they are for good measure from Exodus 20:

1 You shall have no other gods before me... 
2 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God...,
3 You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
4 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy... Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
5 Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
6 You shall not murder.
7 You shall not commit adultery.
8 You shall not steal.
9 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10 You shall not covet your neighbor's house..."

Doing otherwise are all sins of equal merit to the Lord methinks because they are all satanic acts against our loving Lord God. The last one of mention is to NOT believe in Jesus, which is unforgivable and lands you in the lake of fire.

Further examination takes me to Leviticus 18 where two sins are outlined as abominations to God's design for us: homosexuality and bestiality, but I believe with repentance and belief in Christ, even these are forgivable.

Jesus came down to be with us not only to be sacrificed for our sins, but also to teach us how to love one another as never before; to give us clarity of the Lord's desires for us, and to create brotherhood in love and peace and forgiveness. Never before had we been taught to love our enemies as Jesus taught us - SHOWED us! For in this way, we defeat satan COMPLETELY, and God knew this.

That is why I used to think love was symbolized in the shape of a heart, but know now that it is encapsulated wholly in the shape of the cross.

I hope this helps someone see why sin separates us from God.

Blessings,
in HIM,
Lynn

September 27 2014 • 3 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Meluleki Maphosa Amateur Bible Student

This a very crucial question to Christian growth. Answering it addresses to critical issues:

1. We are at risk of thinking thst our sins are too big/ great to be forgiven by God.
2. We are at risk of ignoring "small" sins and thinking they are of no consequence.

Truth is that God is waiting to forgive ALL sins. He does not categorise sins like we do into small/ minor sins and big ones. Jesus died for all sin. Whether you have stolen a teaspoon full of honey or mudered 6 million people the result is that you have sinned and need the covering blood of Christ. 

The "accuser of our bretheren" seeks to remind us all the time that our sins are too great to be forgiven. That we have gone beyond the point of no return and have committed the inforgivable sin. Such thoughts discourage us and creat despondency in us leading some to make the fatal decision of not making and effort to confess. 

Did you know that even Judas who betrayed his Master, Jesus was willing to forgive him? If only Judas had not committed suicide and and instead confessed like Peter. You will recall that Jesus warned the 2 of them about the impending crisis and temptation. They both fell into temptation, one betrayed his Master, the other denied Him. The reaction to their sin is what determined their destiny. Peter confessed and Jesus immediately forgave him. Judas believed his sin to be too great to be forgiven, having betrayed innocen blood and decide to end his life believing that even if he confessed to betraying God, his sin was too great.

3 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan[a] standing at his right side to accuse him. 2 The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?”
Zech3:1 Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. 4 The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.”

Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you.”

5 Then I said, “Put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the Lord stood by.



Jesus says Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

September 30 2014 • 5 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report