All Sins are Equal

[RDKirk]

The sins of rebellion and pride, (see Satan), are not equal to others. How can a rebel be corrected if that rebel refuses to submit?
We as Christians are admonished to be obedient to earthly authority as well, as long as it doesn't oppose God. All earthly authority is instituted by God according to scriptures. There will be no rebel in the Paradise of our God.

Saul's life is a primary example of this. His consulting a medium was compared to the sin of rebellion in his story.

I certainly agree that the spirit of rebellion in a Christian is incompatible with the Holy Spirit.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

Thanks for this interesting topic. Very thought-provoking.

I did find the last paragraph of the article a bit disturbing. Even though I have problems with Evangelicalism, I wouldn't go so far as to suggest that Evangelical Seminarians should not receive their ordination.

"I answered with the above answer during my ordination. I was relieved when I saw the approval of the ordination committee. They were all concerned that I might be one who, even with seminary training, retained this belief that most Evangelicals have. I have often wondered whether or not they would have passed me if I had answered according to today’s Evangelical folklore, saying that all sins are equal in the sight of God. I would hope not."

Yes I did sort of think that too. Like if they think the answer wrong, that should be just one missed one out of 5-20 questions, and not enough to flunk you by itself. But maybe this is hyperbole or a bit of melodrama...

William Lane Craig has a nice story of flunking his seminary test on the first go while studying abroad in Germany. And the professor there grilled him on all sorts of stuff from Early Church Fathers to modern theologians.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

I think the premise should be flipped.

All sin is equal to God, but all sin is not equal to man.

1) But there are even a few Bible passages that go against that. like one from epistle of John that mentions sins "that lead to death" vs. ones that don't. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit etc.



2) Besides that there is the issue of corruption and the Imago Dei, the Divine Economy etc. the further you get from that the worse you are. When that is gone you get things like World Wide floods, angels or prophets bringing miraculous judgment to cities etc.



3) I think it should also be pointed out the Biblical concept of the Fatherhood of God. God deals with us as children critiquing us both good and bad with both encouragement, reward, praise, rebuke and discipline. One of the best examples of that is the report card that Jesus gives the 7 churches in Turkey in Revelation. He has some positive things to say, but also stuff they are suppose to change for most of them. And if you read the descriptions of them they are not equal, some are clearly better than others.

 

[Torah Keeper]

Really?
Does the unbeliever who does good all his life gain salvation over the Murderer who has repended and Believed?

I don't think so.

The unrepentant Cookie Thief gets tossed into the same Lake of fire as the unrepentant Murderer.

Sins arent the measuring stick.
Belief is.
Sins dont prevent salvation nor do lack of sins earn it.

ALL Sins are equal in their irrelevance to Salvation/Damnation.

You are twisting my words. Try reading the other posts or better yet, the Bible. I never said the cookie thief was a pagan and the murderer was a repentant Christian. Nor did I say either were unrepentant or repentant. The topic is sin, not repentance or salvation. I clearly stated that although even the tiniest sin separates us from God, all sins are not of equal harm. Such as blasphemy of the Holy Spirit as others have mentioned. This is an unforgivable sin which prevents salvation.

 

[RDKirk]

1) But there are even a few Bible passages that go against that. like one from epistle of John that mentions sins "that lead to death" vs. ones that don't. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit etc.



2) Besides that there is the issue of corruption and the Imago Dei, the Divine Economy etc. the further you get from that the worse you are. When that is gone you get things like World Wide floods, angels or prophets bringing miraculous judgment to cities etc.



3) I think it should also be pointed out the Biblical concept of the Fatherhood of God. God deals with us as children critiquing us both good and bad with both encouragement, reward, praise, rebuke and discipline. One of the best examples of that is the report card that Jesus gives the 7 churches in Turkey in Revelation. He has some positive things to say, but also stuff they are suppose to change for most of them. And if you read the descriptions of them they are not equal, some are clearly better than others.

Seems like you didn't read my entire post, just the part you quoted.

 

[High Fidelity]

Sin is sin.

Clearly not the common opinion which is why morbid obesity, for example, is so common (gluttony is a sin; over indulgence), ironically so when such sinners fervently point out other sins, e.g. homosexuality.

 

[NBB]

Some sin have not the same consequences as others, harm to others and you, dirtiness and death being thrown to your spirit and soul and mind. There is difference in the gravity of sins.
Like being a bit rude and offending someone its a sin, some can't help it when they are angry for example, but it doesn't compare to adultery, theft, etc.

I mean just in this forum you can see a lot of lack of love in the discussions, people fighting each other etc, is this not sins?, God is going to put this in the same bag as sins listed in the 10 commandments for example? i don't think so.

 

[fhansen]

A Facebook friend posted this article and I thought it was pretty good so doing a thread on it.

"During my ordination, one of the questions that I was asked by a seminary professor was “Are all sins equal in the sight of God?” I hesitated. Not because I did not have a strong opinion on this, but because I was not sure what the answer was that he was looking for. Are all sins equal in the sight of God? My ordination may have depended on the answer.

It is very common within popular evangelicalism to answer this question in the affirmative. This was one of the main assumptions in a book that I just recommended last week. Most find this theological concept very appealing and accept it, I am afraid to say, without doing much homework.

I think this tendency to assume that all sins are equal in the sight of God comes by means of three influences.

1) A reaction by Protestants against the Roman Catholic distinction between mortal sins (sins that kill justifying grace) and venial sin (sins of a lesser nature that do not kill justifying grace).

2) A tendency within our evangelistic church culture to express common ground with unbelievers—i.e., if all sins are equal in God’s sight, then your sin is not worse than any other. This way we are not coming across as judgmental or condescending.

3) Some biblical passages that have been interpreted in such a way (discussed below).

I don’t believe, however, that all sin is equal in God’s sight. I believe that telling people all sins are equal to God does serious damage to people’s understanding of the character of God and of the seriousness of sins. There are many reasons for this, but let me start with a reductio ad absurdum and them move to a biblical argument."


Are All Sins Equal to God?

The Catholic Church teaches, along with Scripture in Gal 5-6 and Rev 21-22, for example, about sin that’s so grave or serious by its nature that it bars us from entrance into heaven and continued fellowship with God because it directly opposes love of God and neighbor, and destroys that love in us. This is “sin that leads to death” (i.e. mortal sin) as per 1 John 5 and, as John affirms there, not all sin leads to death. While all sin is out of alignment with God’s will, not all intrinsically constitutes a turning away from Him and back to the flesh.

God judges by the heart while we must discern mainly on outward appearances, by our fruit. Bad fruit pretty much spells out and demonstrates the condition of the heart or soul, and serves to let us know when somethings really amiss in our relationship with God, when metanoia and repentance would be called for if we truly even began to care about it, about Him, again at that point. Anyway, the church teaches, succinctly, that at the end of the day we’ll be judged on our love.

 

[fhansen]

I think this tendency to assume that all sins are equal in the sight of God comes by means of three influences.

There’s a fourth reason, and it’s the main one. Some understand the doctrine of Sola Fide to mean that no personal, actual, righteousness is required of man under the new covenant, that justification is a matter of righteousness being imputed only, being declared, rather than man being actually made just or righteous as a consequence of faith in God, being translated into a new, just, state of being that we’re now expected to remain and walk in.

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.“ Rom 5:1-2

“...just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Rom 5:21

“Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?” Rom 6:16

"And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." Rom 8:3-4

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.” Rom 8:12-13

 

[Saint Steven]

1) But there are even a few Bible passages that go against that. like one from epistle of John that mentions sins "that lead to death" vs. ones that don't. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit etc.

But those are mysterious passages. There is no consensus on what they even mean. I tend to discount such passages as support for larger ideas.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

But those are mysterious passages. There is no consensus on what they even mean. I tend to discount such passages as support for larger ideas.

I got to go with something I learned in science etc. you need to go with a theory that accounts for all the data or at least as much of it as possible.


So I don't discount passages in the Bible on God requiring perfection etc. But in the Bible itself there are passages where God acts like a physician and healer. Like all those passages on things like illness and health conditions. Like the ones regarding defiling mold, and skin diseases those are also important too. Especially to other analogies, like the Christian congregation being likened to a flock of sheep etc. Because in the Bible, shepherds not only had to lead the flock, but they also managed the health of their flock as well. And this also explains why gossip in the ancient world was so frequently talked about in the epistles etc. Because culturally Americans etc. like to think of it as just talk, but it is virulent and spreads discord, unhappiness, etc.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

Seems like you didn't read my entire post, just the part you quoted.

I like a lot of what you said and probably should have pointed that out in retrospect. The baby cobra especially.

 

[Neogaia777]

I think a lot of you guys are going to be very, very surprised when God comes back to judge, or in the very final judgement.

And if I were you, I'd be much more concerned with the sins He is going to hold against you, then He is any others, or other people in the judgement right now, etc...

God Bless!

 

[parousia70]

You are twisting my words. Try reading the other posts or better yet, the Bible. I never said the cookie thief was a pagan and the murderer was a repentant Christian. Nor did I say either were unrepentant or repentant. The topic is sin, not repentance or salvation. I clearly stated that although even the tiniest sin separates us from God, all sins are not of equal harm. Such as blasphemy of the Holy Spirit as others have mentioned. This is an unforgivable sin which prevents salvation.

So, as an unbeliever, if you blaspheme the Holy Spirit, it’s impossible to repent from later, believe in Jesus and be saved?

 

[Paul fisher]

A Facebook friend posted this article and I thought it was pretty good so doing a thread on it.

"During my ordination, one of the questions that I was asked by a seminary professor was “Are all sins equal in the sight of God?” I hesitated. Not because I did not have a strong opinion on this, but because I was not sure what the answer was that he was looking for. Are all sins equal in the sight of God? My ordination may have depended on the answer.

It is very common within popular evangelicalism to answer this question in the affirmative. This was one of the main assumptions in a book that I just recommended last week. Most find this theological concept very appealing and accept it, I am afraid to say, without doing much homework.

I think this tendency to assume that all sins are equal in the sight of God comes by means of three influences.

1) A reaction by Protestants against the Roman Catholic distinction between mortal sins (sins that kill justifying grace) and venial sin (sins of a lesser nature that do not kill justifying grace).

2) A tendency within our evangelistic church culture to express common ground with unbelievers—i.e., if all sins are equal in God’s sight, then your sin is not worse than any other. This way we are not coming across as judgmental or condescending.

3) Some biblical passages that have been interpreted in such a way (discussed below).

I don’t believe, however, that all sin is equal in God’s sight. I believe that telling people all sins are equal to God does serious damage to people’s understanding of the character of God and of the seriousness of sins. There are many reasons for this, but let me start with a reductio ad absurdum and them move to a biblical argument."


Are All Sins Equal to God?

If all sin is equal in God's sight, why were some punishements for sin under the old covenant much worse than others?

 

[Pavel Mosko]

If all sin is equal in God's sight, why were some punishements for sin under the old covenant much worse than others?

Exactly.

That is the type of thing my friends article is about and he mentions a similar point later on, in case you misunderstand. (He is writing against that belief and not for it).

 

[parousia70]

If all sin is equal in God's sight, why were some punishements for sin under the old covenant much worse than others?

Because Prior to the Advent, crucifixion and raising of Christ to the Throne, Sins were the measuring stick.

Now that ALL sins are atoned for by the Blood of Christ, Sins are no longer the measure by which God Judges people.
Unbelievers who committ no sins are condemned regardless, while Believers who have sinned are 100% forgiven.

1 Corinthians 15:56
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

Sin has lost it's strength, now that the law has been prefectly fulfilled.

 

[Paul fisher]

Because Prior to the Advent, crucifixion and raising of Christ to the Throne, Sins were the measuring stick.

Now that ALL sins are atoned for by the Blood of Christ, Sins are no longer the measure by which God Judges people.
Unbelievers who committ no sins are condemned regardless, while Believers who have sinned are 100% forgiven.

1 Corinthians 15:56
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

Sin has lost it's strength, now that the law has been prefectly fulfilled.

So if a christian told a fib, in God's sight that is equally the same as committing murder?

 

[parousia70]

So if a christian told a fib, in God's sight that is equally the same as committing murder?

Yes. Jesus Forgives Both Sins and neither sin is powerful enough to prevent the believer from repenting and being saved. Surely you already know this to be true?

Conversely, the unbeliever who tells a fib and does not repent, ends up in the same lake of fire right next to the unrepentant murderer.

The scale of the individual Sin is irrlelvant.

 

[Paul fisher]

Yes. Jesus Forgives Both Sins and neither sin is powerful enough to prevent the believer from repenting and being saved.

Conversely, the unbeliever who tells a fib and does not repent, ends up in the same lake of fire right next to the unrepentant murderer.

The scale of the individual Sin is irrlelvant.

So if a person joined your church, but told a few white lies you would accept them as a christian, for none are sinless. What would you in your heart believe if someone joined your church and committed a few murders, whilst claiming to be saved?