holo said:
That's an interesting idea, btw, that all sins are "the same" - who figured that out, and how?
Well I didn't figure it out, but I'm the one who said it. I came to that conclusion by reading the Bible and understanding what it says.
If one sin was worse than another, then wouldn't there be varying degrees of punishment from a just God? Wouldn't there be different levels of salvation, depending on what you need to be saved from? But that's not the case. There's one salvation - Jesus' death on the cross - and, if we don't accept that free gift, there's one punishment.
You don't get the same sentence for a speeding ticket as you do murder, and you don't get the same commendation for saving a kitty in a tree as you do for rescuing 38 kids from a burning building.
Then there are these verses:
Leviticus 18:22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.
Deuteronomy 7:25 The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therin: for it is an abomination to the LORD thy God.
Deuteronomy 27: 15 Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen.
In fact, there are a ton of things under the law that are mentioned in Deuteronomy that are called abominations.
Proverbs 3:31-32 Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways. For the froward [disobedient] is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous.
Proverbs 6:16-19 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
Proverbs 11:1 A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.
Proverbs 12:22 Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.
Proverbs 16:5 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.
And a ton more in Proverbs that are an abomination, too.
My point is that the Bible uses the same descriptions for all these sins in God's eyes:
- lying
- pride
- disobedience
- homosexual behavior
- idolotry
- greed
- murder
- gossip
- injustice
and a whole lot of other things. If all these things are abominations to God, then how can any of them be better or worse than others? They are all the same to him, murder just the same as gossip, homosexual sex just the same as pride.
And again, I think this mentality of some sins being worse than others perpetuates the mindset of "Your sin is worse than mine" that causes people to judge each other, look down on each other, and protest against others' sins - but never their own. Just once, I'd like to see all the Christians in downtown D.C. who are protesting against homosexuality, or anti-hate laws, or abortion, instead pick up signs protesting against the corrupt government, lying politicians, or gossipping knitting club. The reason they don't is because they believe some sins are worse than others, and as long as those sins aren't theirs, they aren't as "bad". But that's just not what the Bible says.
I've probably ranted enough on this, so I'll stop now.
It's my view that to conquer an enemy first requires knowledge. Part of that knowledge is identifying every aspect of how he can attack you.
