Is all sin the same? It is clear that a single sin, any sin, will separate a person from God if that person is not in Christ. This is because God is complete light, absolute holiness, invariable perfection (1 John 1:5; James 1:17). So although it’s pretty much a philosophical question, since we’ve all sinned far more than once, any one sin of any magnitude separates from God. But that leads us to the point of this article, is all sin of the same magnitude? From time to time you may hear, in a discussion of some particularly heinous sin, someone say, “All sin is the same. We’re all sinners so we’re all just as bad.” But is that true? It’s understood that any sin separates. But does that mean that all sin is the same?

            Consider this scenario. A seventh grade girl cheats on a math test at school. As she is walking home from school a man kidnaps her, takes her to a secluded spot in the woods where he rapes and then murders her. Is the sin of the girl, remember the cheating on the math test, and the sin of the man the same? Does anyone really believe that? I think not only is that contrary to our sensibilities, it’s also contrary to the Bible.

            In John 19:10,11 Pilate asks Jesus, “You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?” Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.” At least in this one situation there is a greater sin and therefore necessarily a lesser sin. Is this all? In Matthew 23:23 in the midst of Jesus’ searing denunciation of the scribes and Pharisees he says, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.” Justice and mercy and faithfulness were “the weightier matters of the law”. Setting aside ten percent of your spices was therefore a lighter matter of the law. Though all the law mattered, some mattered more than others. What pleased God more, carefully carried out sacrifices or righteous living? “To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.” (Proverbs 21:3). When Jesus was asked, “Which is the great commandment in the Law?” did he answer, “There’s not a great one. Any one is just as important as any other.”? No, he said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:36-40).    You get the idea—some things matter more to God than others. Does that give us license to ignore any of God’s law? Of course not. Anyone who defiantly flouts God’s law commits rebellion and that makes God real unhappy (1 Samuel 15:23). Rebellion is an unrighteous attitude that can underlie any disobedience and it is that attitude that is most deadly.

            It should be the aim of every Christian to be carefully obedient to God in every situation. But it should also be the goal of every Christian to be so spiritually mature that he or she sees as most important what God says is most important. Otherwise the Bible becomes a mere list of do’s and don’ts rather than a revelation of God’s heart and character.

God bless you,

Brad Fry