Degree of sin

[Trust in the Plan]

I have a friend who does not believe that stealing a candy bar is the same as murder in God's eyes. Does anyone have any scripture references for me that I can bring to him?

Thanks,
1st time poster

 

[oncewaslost]

i don't know about stealing being murder but it breaks one of the 10 commandments exodus 20:15 "Do not steal".

welcome to the board!

 

[Blessed-one]

Welcome, trust in the plan.
here's a scripture that may help:

James 2:10
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

At the time of James, the people thought it wouldn't matter that they had not kept all 10 commandments, as long as they kept several, like 7/10, that was good enough; but James said here that it's not, breaking one is the same as breaking the whole law.

 

[Trust in the Plan]

Thank You

 

[Andrew]

Perhaps you can just tell him that the Bible/God doesnt "grade" sins, except for the sin of rejecting Christ, to which there is no forgiveness (but that's obvious).

ps: when Paul talks about sexual sins, he says that you dont just sin against God but your body too (since your body is the temple of God's Spirit). so in that sense, sexual sins may be more 'serious'.

that said James 2:10 does 'say it all'.

 

[BK]

The way I've always looked at it to make sense to me is, the Law is like a big glass window. If you shoot it with a BB gun and put a small whole in it it's broken. Or if you throw a chair through it and make a big whole, it's broken. It doesn't matter how big or small the sin is. A broken window is a broken window and the whole thing has to be replaced. The whole law is one complete piece like a window, not many individual pieces like a chain.
Hope this helps more than confuses

BK

 

[psalms 22.3]

uhmmmm sorry for not agreeing with everyone, is that ok?

the bible is very clear that there are degrees of sin, and that there are degrees of punishment for sin.

jesus clearly stated in john 19.11 that the pharisees had commited GREATER sin than pilot had commited.

and more than once jesus stated that the pharisees or others like them would receive GREATER damnation.

not all sin is equal, and not everyone will be punished the same when they are in hell. some will go there simply becuase they arent born again, as the bible teaches, and some go there becuase they have trod jesus under foot willingly, the humanity and compassion of jesus and the father understand that they have no need to be punished equally becuase they did not do the same things, one was not as evil as the other. and a god of justice understands this, and deals accordingly, if he did not then there wouldnt be true justice.
like how god speaks to the churches in revelations and says that the punishement or blessing they receive will be ACCORDING TO THIER WORKS.

scriptures like james 2.10
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

it is simply saying that ALL sins are worthy of the death penalty. and breaking just one will damn you, as it did and does.
ALL sin will kill you. ALL sin, no matter which one, will send you to hell.
but not that all sins are on the same degree of evil.
becuase jesus clearly stated that they are not.

and once you are sent to hell, you have you own degree of punishment decided for you, your own degree of death, becuase jesus clearly stated that their are diffrent degrees of damnation.

if there is a GREATER, then there is also a LESS.
i think it is very clear.

 

[Jessie]

I realize that I am a little late on this one...but I have to completely agree with the last comment. People are confused on this issue! It is true that we have ALL sinned and come short of the glory of God...it is true that we are all worthy of death...We need Jesus and his bloodshed for our sins. However, a child molester has fallen into deeper depravity than has a teenager that stole his first candybar...if let go...the potential for that teenager, is deeper depravity. The bible is clear on degrees of punishment and reward. Some will be beaten with many blows...some with fewer blows...(Luke) This is an interesting study...I have been discussing the topic with someone that I feel is confused on the subject, and the result is that she believes the childmolester that attends her church is no different than her struggle of having a grumbling spirit...therefore she believes she needs to not only forgive him, but trust to the point that she would allow her children to be with him...because there is no difference in sins. There are some sins that behaviorly and chemically are more addictive and will take more work to conquer. We need to love the child molester enough to hold him accountable and NOT trust him...God can forgive and heal anything. There is no dought about it...but the farther we seep into depravity..the more repulsive we are to God, and the harder it is to conquer. We are all sinners...We all need the mercy of God..the forgiveness through Jesus. E mail me with your thoughts...please. If I am off rebuke me!

Note: Your e-mail address has been removed as it is in violation of Rule 3 (no spamming). Please read the forum rules before posting again.

 

[Ioustinos]

I would have to agree with Psalms and Jessie that there are greater and lesser sins or sins that vary in degree. Yet it is still sin before God.

 

[isshinwhat]

I believe that all sins are deadly prior to regeneration through Christ. For a Christian, though, our regeneration has begun our life in Christ. Our sanctification is not a stagnant thing, but a constant walk with God where we constantly must strive to follow His will. I believe, as was previously stated, that there are varying degrees of sin; those that are grave, and those that are minor. Stealing gum would be a minor sin, and murder would be a grave sin, for instance. That does not mean that staeling a stick of gum is without consequences. Minor sins harden our hearts to the beckoning of the Holy Spirit, and often lead to one committing grave sins, through the quenching of their conscience. Grave sin, as recorded by Paul in Galatians 5:19-21, when committed with full knowledge of the sins gravity and without coercion, will lead to the rejection of the Holy Spirit. Grave sins committed under these conditions are called mortal sins. 1 John records:

1 John 5:16-17

If any one sees his brother committing what is not a mortal sin, he will ask, and God will give him life for those whose sin is not mortal. There is sin which is mortal; I do not say that one is to pray for that. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin which is not mortal.

I will pray for your friend, that he may have a softening of his heart, and will begin to more faithfully follow the will of God.

May the love of Christ be with you all.

Neal