How are sins graded in severity?

Aug 31, 2011
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This may seem a silly and basic question to some, but how exactly do you know which sins are more serious than others? It seems that all of the ten commandments are considered equal, but are these less important than the seven deadly sins? Or some of the old testament rules still followed or various other example in all parts of the Bible where moral lessons are taught.

Is it basically up to your own judgement? Or is there a grading system shown in scritpure itself to guide people in a clear way?

Thanks
 

a_ntv

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This may seem a silly and basic question to some, but how exactly do you know which sins are more serious than others? It seems that all of the ten commandments are considered equal, but are these less important than the seven deadly sins? Or some of the old testament rules still followed or various other example in all parts of the Bible where moral lessons are taught.

Is it basically up to your own judgement? Or is there a grading system shown in scritpure itself to guide people in a clear way?

Thanks

A sin is "heavy" when it separates you from God, i.e. when it kills the supernatural life of grace which is in all "live" Christians and make you spiritually "dead".

When I say "sin", dont think only to an act, but also to prolonged conditions, such as ignoring God in everyday life.

The usual three conditions for which a sin is considered heavy are:
1) it shall be a serious act (for instance to kill a ant is a sin but not one which kills you spiritual life)
2) it shall be fully deliberated
3) you shall have a full knowledge of doing a serious act

However, whichever the sin (a part the sins against the Holy Spirit), it can be immediately forgiven by God, who freely donates you new overwhelming grace, in case to true repentance.

The only judge whether an act is a sin or a heavy sin is your own conscience, which however you have the duty to educate by for example reading the Bible
 
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Hospes

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This may seem a silly and basic question to some, but how exactly do you know which sins are more serious than others? It seems that all of the ten commandments are considered equal, but are these less important than the seven deadly sins? Or some of the old testament rules still followed or various other example in all parts of the Bible where moral lessons are taught.

Is it basically up to your own judgement? Or is there a grading system shown in scritpure itself to guide people in a clear way?

Thanks

In the sense that all sins are personally offensive to God, they are equal. All sins do not have the same wake of damage to oneself and other people; in this they are not equal.

Hope this helps.
 
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DCJazz

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This may seem a silly and basic question to some, but how exactly do you know which sins are more serious than others? It seems that all of the ten commandments are considered equal, but are these less important than the seven deadly sins? Or some of the old testament rules still followed or various other example in all parts of the Bible where moral lessons are taught.

Is it basically up to your own judgement? Or is there a grading system shown in scritpure itself to guide people in a clear way?

Thanks

Think of it as an ailment. All disease is considered as undesirable. In this they are equal. But there are common ailments and terminal diseases. In this they have different consequences.

All sin is the same in God's eyes, and detestable at that. The physical effects of sin may be different in severity, but as for spiritual I think they have the same effect in that sin is what separates us from God.
 
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blackjellybean

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This may seem a silly and basic question to some, but how exactly do you know which sins are more serious than others?

As a Christian I don't really think much in terms of some sins being more serious than others.

Sin is violation of God's law, which according to Jesus in principle rests on love for God and neighbour as yourself.

So whether that is, say, lying to your girlfriend about something or committing genocide, both fail the above principle.

Some sins are more wide ranging in their devastation though. For example sending 6 million Jews to the gas chamber obviously hurts more people than swearing at your brother does, even though both are unloving and unacceptable.

A little sin can have a big rebellion behind it.


It seems that all of the ten commandments are considered equal, but are these less important than the seven deadly sins? Or some of the old testament rules still followed or various other example in all parts of the Bible where moral lessons are taught.

The Old Testament included some rules for theocratic statism and ceremonial regulations and a sacrificial system that are redundant today, because we are no longer BC but AD. I no longer sacrifice a goat, for example, because the point of that was a symbolic reminder for the Jews thousands of years ago of their future Messiah who we now know was Jesus.

Sin isn't just a list of rules, it is again violation of that principle which demands love for God and neighbour as yourself. For example, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's ... ass. Well unless you want to talk about an ass of a totally different kind, well a lot of us don't have asses these days, but the principle is still there, you know what I mean? That was an example to show them their sin back then, so that they'd understand their need for God's grace, help, forgiveness, and so on.

Humans have a real problem with not loving God and their neighbour as God's law demands. Jesus fulfils those demands on people's behalves, so those who trust in him cannot be self-righteous and can instead be counted by God as good people, etc.


Is it basically up to your own judgement? Or is there a grading system shown in scritpure itself to guide people in a clear way?

I use my conscience as the Bible has affected it.

Not everyone has the same conscience, for some people there are things they can't do that I can, such as drinking, that are not forbidden by the Bible. But when a Christian friend of mine does something like fornicates, I try to show them relevant Bible stuff to persuade their conscience and get them to repent.

Hope that helps.
 
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ViaCrucis

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This may seem a silly and basic question to some, but how exactly do you know which sins are more serious than others? It seems that all of the ten commandments are considered equal, but are these less important than the seven deadly sins? Or some of the old testament rules still followed or various other example in all parts of the Bible where moral lessons are taught.

Is it basically up to your own judgement? Or is there a grading system shown in scritpure itself to guide people in a clear way?

Thanks

In one sense all sin is sin.

In another sense, there is clearly some things that are worse than others. I think a little common sense and conscience goes a long way in figuring that out. There isn't exactly a list here. I believe one of the Proverbs mentions several things that God detests over others, though keeping in mind that it is wisdom literature.

-CryptoLutheran
 
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Hestha

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This may seem a silly and basic question to some, but how exactly do you know which sins are more serious than others? It seems that all of the ten commandments are considered equal, but are these less important than the seven deadly sins? Or some of the old testament rules still followed or various other example in all parts of the Bible where moral lessons are taught.

Is it basically up to your own judgement? Or is there a grading system shown in scritpure itself to guide people in a clear way?

Thanks

I do know that the Roman Catholic Church divides sin into 'mortal sin' and 'venial sin'. Venial sins are petty sins. Mortal sins are more serious, but they are still forgiveable. How the Roman Catholic Church deals with these types of sins (sacrament of penance, prayer, indulgence, etc.) is up to it.
 
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chilehed

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...1) it shall be a serious act (for instance to kill a ant is a sin but not one which kills you spiritual life)..

I'm pretty sure that you're mistaken on the idea that it's sinful to kill ants, but that's the only clarification I'd offer. The utterance of a non-blasphemous profanity might be a better example.
 
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FutureAndAHope

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Hi,

I believe sin is graded on a different scale based upon the situation a person is in, their heart, and their reasons.

Take for instance inappropriate contentography, it is a sin. A person who is married and sins in this way, would be judged more harshly than a person who is single and may have just suffered from rejection, feeling hopeless they may have resorted to inappropriate contentography.

This is the same for murder, or any other sin. A person who murders for pleasure would be judged more harshly that a person who killed someone because they were sexually abusing them.

As for a scale for sin, I am glad Jesus is the judge not me. How can we truly know the heart of a person and make judgment.
 
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Aug 31, 2011
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Think of it as an ailment. All disease is considered as undesirable. In this they are equal. But there are common ailments and terminal diseases. In this they have different consequences.

All sin is the same in God's eyes, and detestable at that. The physical effects of sin may be different in severity, but as for spiritual I think they have the same effect in that sin is what separates us from God.

But do yourself personally believe that murder is akin to gluttony? They obviously have very different effects as you mention so it is seems odd that they would merit the same in the eyes of God, spiritually that is.

But to those who say there is an obvious grading system using your conscience, where does it say in the Bible that you can judge for yourself? Does it say anywhere that anyone can judge anything other than God? So how do you know?
I do completely agree that different crimes merit varying punishments but as an atheist I use my own conscience, ethics and morals I have both learnt from society and are inherent within everyone. I have no higher authority which I have been informed many times means I am not tethered to any absolute morals, but from what I can see this makes no difference at all.
 
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SharonL

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If you live by the law and break one of the commandments - you are guilty of breaking all of them.

If you live by grace - all your sins are covered by the blood of Jesus once you repent.

You can't be a little bit pregnant or get a little bit wet in water - same with sin - you don't sin a little bit or a lot - you sin.
 
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Emmy

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Dear Curious Atheist. Everything we say, or do, or advocate, or stand up for, and it is without Love for God, or for our neighbour, it will be classed as Sin.
Simple and straightforward. Jesus told a Lawyer in St.Matthews, and the Bible keeps telling us to " Repent," to stop being selfish and wilful and become loving and caring children/sons and daughters, of our Heavenly Father.
Jesus will give us His Love and Joy, and the Holy Spirit will give us His Love, also. Jesus told us to " Ask and ye will receive." Then we thank God, and share all Love and Joy with all around us. God will see our efforts, and God will approve and bless us. AND God will know that we Love God, because we are following His Commandments to love and care.
Love is Love and cannot be measured, and God is Love, and God wants loving men and women. We are on Earth to learn to Love God with all our beings, and love our neighbour as ourselves. Love is a Christian`s strong weapon, and Love will always be victorious. It might take a bit longer, but it will always work. I say this with love. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.
 
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Radagast

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how exactly do you know which sins are more serious than others?

All sin is serious.

the seven deadly sins?

These (pride, envy, anger, accidie, covetous, gluttony, lust) are better described as the 7 motivations for sin. They are not the "most serious sins."

The act of murder can be committed out of envy or anger, for example, or to steal someone's belongings (covetousness), or to take their wife/husband (lust).
 
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