Not all sin is the same in Scripture

[Bible Highlighter]

Not all sin is the same in Scripture.

#1. There is a sin unto death, there is a sin not unto death (1 John 5:16-17).
#2. Jesus says there is a greater sin (John 19:11).
#3. Sin is transgression of the Law (1 John 3:4), and Jesus said that the Pharisees ignored the weightier matters of the Law (Matthew 23:23, Luke 11:42).
#4. Accidental manslaughter and being able to flee to cities of refuge (Deuteronomy 19:1-13); Contrast this with intentional murder which results in capital punishment (See: Deuteronomy 19:21, Numbers 35:31).
#5. The wickedness was so bad in Noah's time that God destroyed the whole world with a global flood; And the sin at Sodom and Gomorrah was so bad that it was destroyed by fire from heaven. Surely the flood would not have happened if sin was not so bad in Noah's day, and Sodom and Gomorrah would not have been destroyed if it was not so perverse. Other cities that were pagan had obviously sinned, but they were not as grievous as the sin at Sodom and Gomorrah.
#6. Unintentional Sins could be atoned for by certain types of offerings, and yet high handed sins could not be atoned for in this way (See: Numbers 15:22-31).
#7. There are unforgivable sins like blasphemy of the Spirit (Matthew 12:32), and worshiping the beast (Revelation 13:8) (Revelation 17:8).
#8. Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Spirit and they were instantly killed, and yet (Acts of the Apostles 5:1-11), Simon the sorcerer was not killed when he tried to offer money for the Spirit; For Simon was told by Peter that he could pray and hope that he may be forgiven for what he had done (Acts of the Apostles 8:9-24). No threat to Paul's standing with God was ever made when he did not listen to the Spirit's warnings in going to Jerusalem; Although he knew he would be in prison if he decided to go (Acts of the Apostles 21:1-6, Acts of the Apostles 20:22-23) which is exactly what happened to him (by which he later regretted such imprisonment - Acts of the Apostles 26:29). So not all forms of disobedience or sin merits the same form of punishment.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Not all sin is the same. There are grievous sins that lead unto spiritual death, and there are minor infractions or hidden faults that do not lead to spiritual death.

Grievous sin is another name for a "sin unto death"
(Note: To check out the reference to the "sin unto death," see: 1 John 5:16).
(i.e. death = spiritual death or the second death) (Note: The second death is destruction in the Lake of Fire - Revelation 21:8).

"And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;" (Genesis 18:20).​

Examples of Grievous Sin:

#1. Not loving God, and not loving your neighbor (For loving God and loving your neighbor is a part of eternal life; See: Luke 10:25-28 cf. Matthew 19:17-19; Not loving Jesus (God) means one is accursed, see: 1 Corinthians 16:22; As for not loving your neighbor, see the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37), and then see number #5 below).

#2. Looking at a woman in lust = danger of being cast bodily into hell fire (Matthew 5:28-30).

#3. Not forgiving = not being forgiven by the Father (Matthew 6:15).

#4. One can be condemned by their words (Matthew 12:37).

#5. Not helping the poor or the unfortunate = Going away into everlasting punishment (or everlasting fire) (Matthew 25:31-46).

#6. No man who puts his hand to the plow (i.e. one who spreads the gospel and teachings to lead men of God into holiness by His Word) and looks back (turns away from doing so) is fit for the Kingdom of God (Luke 9:62) (Note: See the KJV rendering on this verse).

#7. 1 John 3:15 says, "Whoever hates his brother is a murderer: and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him."

#8. Galatians 5:19-21 says, "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." Meaning, those who do these kinds of sins will not inherit (enter) God's kingdom (i.e. they will not be saved). For entering God's kingdom is associated with salvation in Matthew 25:34 (Note: Paul is mentioning the violation of the Moral Law. The Moral Law is the same equivalent as loving your neighbor; See Romans 13:8-10).

#9. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Revelation 21:8).​

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Minor infractions or faults of character is another name for a "sin not unto death" (i.e. not unto death = not unto spiritual death or the second death) (Note: While the "sin not unto death" mentioned in 1 John 5:17 is in context to confessed sin in John's epistle (See: 1 John 1:9), it can be extended loosely to refer to the kind of sins that do not lead to spiritual death by it's very name).

"Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults."
(Psalms 19:12).​

Examples of Sins That Do Not Lead Unto Spiritual Death:

#1. 1 John 5:17 mentions the "sin not unto death."
In context to 1 John 5: This would be talking about confessed grievous sin that one is striving to overcome with the Lord's help (1 John 2:1) (1 John 1:9) (Romans 13:14). In 1 John 5, the brethren are praying for this believer to have victory (life) over their sin as this believer confesses their sin (Note: Grievous sin are sins the Bible warns with punishment by hellfire, or spiritual death, etc.; These would be sins like murder, hate, adultery, theft, idolatry, etc.). If these sins are confessed with the intention of forsaking them, the individual is not abiding in spiritual death.

#2. Psalms 19:12 says, "Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults." I believe these would be faults of character or minor errors that a person might make with people. Example: A person may not be a great listener, and they do not allow others to speak like they should. By not listening to others may come off a little like they do not care (even though they care in their own way or a different way). Paul wanted to go to Jerusalem. The Spirit warned Paul not to go. He was still determined to go because he loved His fellow Jews and wanted them to know the love of Jesus. The Spirit told the brethren that Paul will be imprisoned by his going to Jerusalem. The brethren warned Paul not to go. They were in tears and loved him and begged him not to go. But Paul did not listen. He would not hear them. He did not want to hear it. Fault of character. Hidden fault. Minor error of his character. It is not something that condemned him (See Acts of the Apostles 21, and read this article here by Ray Stedman; Note: There is even a better write up than this one by Bible commentator James Boice here; Please keep in mind I do not share their views on Soteriology, though; I merely agree with their view on what happened with Paul in Acts of the Apostles 21).

#3. The Command to Be Baptized.
Paul says Christ sent him not to baptize but to preach the gospel (1 Corinthians 1:17). If it was essential to salvation, then why would Paul say something like this? In 1 Peter 3:21: Peter says baptism is not for the putting away of the filth of the flesh. If you were to turn to 2 Corinthians 7:1, you would see that it uses similar wording ("filthiness of the flesh") that is clearly in reference to sin. So Peter is saying that baptism is not for the putting away of "sin" [i.e. filth of the flesh]. In other words, baptism is not a command that if disobeyed, leads to spiritual death.

#4. Other Commands in the New Testament that do not seem like a major violation of loving God and loving your neighbor that have no death penalties attached to them. One example would be the command to Rejoice when men persecute you or falsely accuse you of evil in Matthew 5:11-12.

Real world examples: Going 5 miles per hour over the speed limit in area that is not life threatening to others. Not taking out the trash yesterday when it was a little stinky. These minor transgressions would obviously not send a Christian to hell.

But we as Christians strive to obey and do good in all things in the Lord. We strive to keep His commandments. For it is written,

"For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.' (1 John 5:3).​

Side Note:

Please understand that it is not possible for a person to obey God's commands without them first being saved by Jesus Christ and His grace (i.e. by seeking forgiveness of their sin with Him, and believing in His death, and resurrection on their behalf). For Christians are initially and ultimately saved by Jesus Christ.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Not all sin is the same. In Matthew 5:22 we learn that Jesus teaches us about sins that do not lead to death and a sin that does lead to death.

“But I say to you that everyone who continues to be angry with his brother
or harbors malice against him shall be guilty before the court;
and whoever speaks [contemptuously and insultingly] to his brother,
‘Raca (You empty-headed idiot)!’ shall be guilty before the
supreme court (Sanhedrin); and whoever says,
‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of the fiery hell.”
(Matthew 5:22) (AMP).​

The words in blue above are “sins not unto death” because they are the kind of sins that lead to punishment in earthly courts, but the words in red above is a “sin unto death” because it involves punishment in the afterlife in fiery hell.

Of course a believer can confess and forsake sins unto death and be forgiven (as long as they are remorseful and they do not intend to sin again).

 

[Thatgirloncfforums]

I'm not sure I agree with citing OT examples of grievous sins as that which leads to spiritual death.
The death penalty was a physical death.
The OT Jews didn't have a strong concept of the Afterlife. Everyone went to the same place: Sheol. Only in the Inter-Testament time did Sheol get divided into compartments (paradise and hell respectively.

 

[chad kincham]

Grievous sin are sins the Bible warns with punishment by hellfire, or spiritual death, etc.; These would be sins like murder, hate, adultery, theft, idolatry, etc.). If these sins are confessed with the intention of forsaking them, the individual is not abiding in spiritual death.

Many call these sins ‘death penalty sins’ and they are the sins and works of the flesh that Paul lists, and warns the brethren and saints will keep us out of heaven.

Maranatha

 

[Thatgirloncfforums]

Why is heaven and the Kingdom synonymous bc I'm not sure it is, although heaven is a part of it.

Many call these sins ‘death penalty sins’ and they are the sins and works of the flesh that Paul lists, and warns the brethren and saints will keep us out of heaven.

Maranatha

 

[JustSomeBloke]

#6. No man who puts his hand to the plow (i.e. one who spreads the gospel and teachings to lead men of God into holiness by His Word) and looks back (turns away from doing so) is fit for the Kingdom of God (Luke 9:62) (Note: See the KJV rendering on this verse).

Does that mean that once you've entered professional ministry, you can never leave?

 

[Bible Highlighter]

I'm not sure I agree with citing OT examples of grievous sins as that which leads to spiritual death.

Not counting how that sin was punished, there are sins that are the same, and sins that are different between the OT and the NT. I believe Christians primarily follow Jesus and His followers and not the Torah. I don’t believe Christians have to keep the Saturday Sabbath, be circumcised, make animal sacrifices, and or keep any of the holy days or dietary laws.

The death penalty was a physical death.

I agree that there were death penalties for certain sins in the OT and this is not the case under the NT.

The OT Jews didn't have a strong concept of the Afterlife. Everyone went to the same place: Sheol. Only in the Inter-Testament time did Sheol get divided into compartments (paradise and hell respectively.

Well, that’s another interesting topic for another thread.
Anyways, blessings be unto you in the Lord.

 

[Thatgirloncfforums]

What do you mean by 'spiritual death' if not Gehenna?

Not counting how that sin was punished, there are sins that are the same, and sins that are different between the OT and the NT. I believe Christians primarily follow Jesus and His followers and not the Torah. I don’t believe Christians have to keep the Saturday Sabbath, be circumcised, make animal sacrifices, and or keep any of the holy days or dietary laws.



I agree that there were death penalties for certain sins in the OT and this is not the case under the NT.



Well, that’s another interesting topic for another thread.
Anyways, blessings be unto you in the Lord.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Does that mean that once you've entered professional ministry, you can never leave?

I think it means that a believer will always desire to want to save others and or evangelize in some way.

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I am to live in flesh, this is the fruit of labor for me. And what shall I choose? I do not know. But I am pressed between the two, having the desire to depart and to be with Christ, indeed very much better, but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.” (Philippians 1:21-24).

I will quote one of my favorite lines from the Polycarp film.

“If we live we live unto the Lord,
if we die, we die unto the Lord.
Therefore, either way, we are the Lord’s.” ~ Polycarp (from the Polycarp film).

Great film, by the way.
I would highly recommend it, if you have not seen it.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

What do you mean by 'spiritual death' if not Gehenna?

I see Gehenna as another way of saying Lake of Fire. The Lake of Fire is the second death.
I believe hell is a real and literal place of torments, but I believe the wicked will perish or be erased from existence at some point in the Lake of Fire (after the Judgment).

 

[Thatgirloncfforums]

Is the hell people are experiencing now distinct from or the same as the Lake of Fire?

I see Gehenna as another way of saying Lake of Fire. The Lake of Fire is the second death.
I believe hell is a real and literal place of torments, but I believe the wicked will perish or be erased from existence at some point in the Lake of Fire (after the Judgment).

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Many call these sins ‘death penalty sins’ and they are the sins and works of the flesh that Paul lists, and warns the brethren and saints will keep us out of heaven.

Maranatha

Thank you for the term.
May the Lord bless you this evening in Christ Jesus.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Is the hell people are experiencing now distinct from or the same as the Lake of Fire?

I believe it is distinct because hell is cast into the Lake of Fire (See: Revelation 20:14).

 

[Thatgirloncfforums]

I believe it is distinct because hell is cast into the Lake of Fire (See: Revelation 20:14).

Ok. Thanks. I'll reread the OP tomorrow.
Gn and God bless

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Is the hell people are experiencing now distinct from or the same as the Lake of Fire?

Officially, I believe in Dualistic Conditional Immortality.

You can learn more about that here if you are interested.

A Defense of Dualistic Conditional Immortality

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Ok. Thanks. I'll reread the OP tomorrow.
Gn and God bless

May the Lord bless you and your family greatly;
And good evening.

 

[Mark Quayle]

Not all sin is the same in Scripture.

#1. There is a sin unto death, there is a sin not unto death (1 John 5:16-17).
#2. Jesus says there is a greater sin (John 19:11).
#3. Sin is transgression of the Law (1 John 3:4), and Jesus said that the Pharisees ignored the weightier matters of the Law (Matthew 23:23, Luke 11:42).
#4. Accidental manslaughter and being able to flee to cities of refuge (Deuteronomy 19:1-13); Contrast this with intentional murder which results in capital punishment (See: Deuteronomy 19:21, Numbers 35:31).
#5. The wickedness was so bad in Noah's time that God destroyed the whole world with a global flood; And the sin at Sodom and Gomorrah was so bad that it was destroyed by fire from heaven. Surely the flood would not have happened if sin was not so bad in Noah's day, and Sodom and Gomorrah would not have been destroyed if it was not so perverse. Other cities that were pagan had obviously sinned, but they were not as grievous as the sin at Sodom and Gomorrah.
#6. Unintentional Sins could be atoned for by certain types of offerings, and yet high handed sins could not be atoned for in this way (See: Numbers 15:22-31).
#7. There are unforgivable sins like blasphemy of the Spirit (Matthew 12:32), and worshiping the beast (Revelation 13:8) (Revelation 17:8).
#8. Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Spirit and they were instantly killed, and yet (Acts of the Apostles 5:1-11), Simon the sorcerer was not killed when he tried to offer money for the Spirit; For Simon was told by Peter that he could pray and hope that he may be forgiven for what he had done (Acts of the Apostles 8:9-24). No threat to Paul's standing with God was ever made when he did not listen to the Spirit's warnings in going to Jerusalem; Although he knew he would be in prison if he decided to go (Acts of the Apostles 21:1-6, Acts of the Apostles 20:22-23) which is exactly what happened to him (by which he later regretted such imprisonment - Acts of the Apostles 26:29). So not all forms of disobedience or sin merits the same form of punishment.

Agreed that not all sins are of the same degree, though they are all of them, each a transgression against the whole law.

A comment or two:

#8. A matter of consistency: if Peter said Simon the sorcerer could pray and hope that he may be forgiven, is that with the authority of apostleship? If so, how is Paul going to Jerusalem in spite of the Spirit's warning, disobedience —was he not also an apostle? Regardless, how was it sin? Did the Spirit say he should not go? Or just that if he did, he would be imprisoned?

#8 also. The Lord looks on the heart to judge the deeds. If Ananias and Sapphira had (which I disagree it is comparable) committed the same sin as Simon the sorcerer, it would still not be the same from God's POV.

But my remarks don't undo any point you made as to whether a sin can be worse than another sin —on the contrary, they seem to support the notion.

To me it seems important to note, though, that while God does this or that differently from one person to the next, this is not necessarily the whole judgement against that person's sin. Life is not made of God giving laws, and we variously obeying or disobeying, and God reacting accordingly. Life is about God accomplishing his work. He does as he wishes with anyone he pleases to do it to, and what we see him doing is not necessarily relevant to what he thinks of that person or that person's deeds. Ask Job.

Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Spirit, conspired to lie, and that if front of many witnesses to the act. God put the fear of God in the witnesses to the event. It was not the degree of the sin, but the choice of God, that decided the severity of the punishment. Simon the sorcerer was in a completely different situation, and who knows?, it may be that he eventually repented and came to love Christ.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

#8. how is Paul going to Jerusalem in spite of the Spirit's warning, disobedience —was he not also an apostle? Regardless, how was it sin? Did the Spirit say he should not go? Or just that if he did, he would be imprisoned?

I would recommend RayStedman’s article here. Yes, I know he is a Calvinist (and I am strongly against Calvinism), but he does offer great insight on what was going on with the apostle Paul (that I agree with). There is even a better write up than this one by Bible commentator James Boice here. I also do not agree with Boise’s view on Soteriology, either. But he does offer some great insight on the apostle Paul in the book of Acts.

#8 also. The Lord looks on the heart to judge the deeds. If Ananias and Sapphira had (which I disagree it is comparable) committed the same sin as Simon the sorcerer, it would still not be the same from God's POV.

I am not saying it was the same sin. I am saying one sin is greater in punishment than the other. Think Sodom. The sin in that city was considered to be very grievous. Sodom was destroyed in an extreme way unlike other cities that were depraved by sin. Why? Because of the type of sin and the degree of it going on.

Life is not made of God giving laws,

I would say it is an extremely important part of life because Jesus said, if you love me, keep my commandments (John 14:15).

and we variously obeying or disobeying, and God reacting accordingly.

But God does not change. We read in the Bible about how men disobey and obey and God acting accordingly. God is pleased when we obey Him. That is a constant theme from beginning to end in the Scriptures.

Life is about God accomplishing his work. He does as he wishes with anyone he pleases to do it to, and what we see him doing is not necessarily relevant to what he thinks of that person or that person's deeds. Ask Job.

All things work together for good to those who love God. God only does things in our lives for a greater good to be brought about because God is good and God is love. No offense, but I believe Calvinism attacks the good character of God. But that is just my belief (of course), so again, please do not take offense.

Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Spirit, conspired to lie, and that if front of many witnesses to the act. God put the fear of God in the witnesses to the event. It was not the degree of the sin, but the choice of God, that decided the severity of the punishment.

Ananias and Sapphira are proof that salvation is conditional.
If one were to think like a detective and replay the scene over in their mind like a true detective and truly analyze the reality of how things work in the real world, the motivation behind the believers being in fear only makes sense if they could also potentially fall away due to some similar sin. For if Ananias and Sapphira were fakes and they knew that, then they would not experience fear, but they would either feel a sense of justice done, or they would have some kind of pity upon them. If Ananias and Sapphira were safely in the arms of Jesus, then the church would not experience the emotion of fear, but they would either be sad by missing their friends, or they would be rejoicing that their friends are now with God in paradise.

Simon the sorcerer was in a completely different situation, and who knows?, it may be that he eventually repented and came to love Christ.

Yes, we really do not know what happened with Simon the sorcerer according to Scripture. But the point I brought him up is that his punishment was not cookie cutter like many believers like to make sin out to be like. They think… sin is death and that’s it. They think all sin is the same and it’s not. Even real life teaches us that not all offenses are the same. I say this because Jesus illustrates spiritual truth with real world examples (i.e. parables).