When is it a sin?

[paul becke]

It is true that sin, by definition, is acting contrary to God's will (God is righteous, so anything not in compliance is unrighteous). But the "form"/"act" of sin, or what Monna described as "sub-sins", are different. Their severity and their punishment from God are different, as stated in the Old Testament.

I do agree OP that people should not ignore sins they themselves consider as "little". After all, how many of us will ever try to commit murder, adultery etc.? These "big" sins are mostly irrelevant to our spiritual lives. May our spirits be purified in the Lord day by day, and give no opportunity to even the slightest sin.

No. that is not right at all. Indeed, there are major sins and minor sins, even trifling ones.

 

[Tharseo]

No. that is not right at all. Indeed, there are major sins and minor sins, even trifling ones.

Isn't that the same as what I just said, that sins have different severity? Could you explain your disagreement?

 

[SkyWriting]

Where did you get the idea scripture says we ignore it ?

We are not qualified to identify the sin of other people.

 

[SkyWriting]

No. that is not right at all. Indeed, there are major sins and minor sins, even trifling ones.

Or they are treated all the same:

James 2:10
For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.

 

[SkyWriting]

We are all equally precious in God's eyes, who alone, moreover, is able to judge them

And we are not able.

 

[SkyWriting]

This is of course, one way to summarize all sins. But the description of "the Fall" as given in Genesis allows a multitude of "sub-sins" if you will in its interpretation.

James 2:10
For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.

 

[Tharseo]

We are not qualified to identify the sin of other people.

True. But it does not mean that we should ignore the sins of other people.

James 5:19-20 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

So how would you help other people without observing the sins of a person? Do you just ignore a person when he/she is committing a sin? Do you call this love?

For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.

This verse does not support the equality of sins. Mind you that this verse speaks to people who "keeps the whole law", which is not what a normal Christian would do. IMO it is for those who want to be saved by the law, as in Galatians 5:2-3, then failing one law is the same as failing all of the laws, since you can no longer be saved by the law. So it has nothing to do with the severity of sins.

 

[friend of]

Even adultery can get glossed over!

No way. This is easily up there with the first list. Adultery is enormously big.

Proverbs 6:32
But a man who commits adultery has no sense; whoever does so destroys himself.

 

[Daniel Martinovich]

In today's world, there's "big sins" and "little sins". Homosexuality, fornication, murder, etc. are the "big ones". These are the sins that we focus on most, the ones that make us cover our mouths and look away in horror.

But what about the other sins that no one talks about? Little white lies, acting out in anger, hating someone (which is the same as murder!), disobeying our parents, pride, laziness...all these things are listed in the Bible as wrong. Yet we don't talk about them. Even adultery can get glossed over!

So when is it a sin? Why do we decide that some sins are more important than others and when does a sin become important? Why do we excuse hatred but stamp out homosexuality?

Alls sins are not equal. That is ridiculous thinking by those who conscience of sinfulness in their life rather than conscience of innocence and acceptance through the death of the lamb.
As an example: “There is a sin unto death. I do not say you
Should pray for that, (person.)”

The reason all sin is not equal before God is because of the effects of sin are not equal. Nor is the amount of light a person must reject to commit a sin equal.

 

[SkyWriting]

True. But it does not mean that we should ignore the sins of other people.

James 5:19-20 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

So how would you help other people without observing the sins of a person? Do you just ignore a person when he/she is committing a sin? Do you call this love?

You are reading about advice given to one church about other members.
We assume that the people inside ones church group have similar goals.
And there are big restrictions on including leaders before confronting
other about their "vile" sins.

That advice to that church ignores other comments about your own sins being the size of a log, and the others sins being the size of a splinter.

That's not a judgment call on your part. It says YOUR sins are logs and others sins ARE splinters. Keep in mind the size of others sins as splinters, as a ready reference.

 

[SkyWriting]

Where did you get the idea scripture says we ignore it ?

Your sins are a log in your eye. Others sins are a splinter.
That comparison is always the same. splinter / log

 

[Tharseo]

That's not a judgment call on your part. It says YOUR sins are logs and others sins ARE splinters. Keep in mind the size of others sins as splinters, as a ready reference.

I am not saying we should judge. But if you read the passage carefully, the key idea is not to ignore your own sins but sees only others' sins (Matthew 7:3). It does not discourage the act of helping others to remove the splinters (Matthew 7:5). Helping each other is the fundamental part of the church.

That advice to that church ignores other comments about your own sins being the size of a log, and the others sins being the size of a splinter.

That is a dangerous thing to say, since "that advice" came from the word of James, a great servant of God.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

In today's world, there's "big sins" and "little sins". Homosexuality, fornication, murder, etc. are the "big ones". These are the sins that we focus on most, the ones that make us cover our mouths and look away in horror.

But what about the other sins that no one talks about? Little white lies, acting out in anger, hating someone (which is the same as murder!), disobeying our parents, pride, laziness...all these things are listed in the Bible as wrong. Yet we don't talk about them. Even adultery can get glossed over!

So when is it a sin? Why do we decide that some sins are more important than others and when does a sin become important? Why do we excuse hatred but stamp out homosexuality?

When you walk with the Holy Spirit you will know when to repent from your sin. Our walk with Him is to build Christian character and that takes time and the will to stay the course.

 

[archer75]

In today's world, there's "big sins" and "little sins". Homosexuality, fornication, murder, etc. are the "big ones". These are the sins that we focus on most, the ones that make us cover our mouths and look away in horror.

But what about the other sins that no one talks about? Little white lies, acting out in anger, hating someone (which is the same as murder!), disobeying our parents, pride, laziness...all these things are listed in the Bible as wrong. Yet we don't talk about them. Even adultery can get glossed over!

So when is it a sin? Why do we decide that some sins are more important than others and when does a sin become important? Why do we excuse hatred but stamp out homosexuality?

My opinion: Christianity is often used as a cover for "opinions" and "stances" that people want to take anyway.

So those who like pride but are anxious about certain other things...excuse or promote pride and make a big deal out of those other things.

 

[Tharseo]

My opinion: Christianity is often used as a cover for "opinions" and "stances" that people want to take anyway.

So those who like pride but are anxious about certain other things...excuse or promote pride and make a big deal out of those other things.

It is a painful fact that Christians today stop being faithful to the word of God. Instead of being objective, we use the word of God to promote what we belief, by emphasising one point but ignoring other points.

 

[aiki]

In today's world, there's "big sins" and "little sins". Homosexuality, fornication, murder, etc. are the "big ones". These are the sins that we focus on most, the ones that make us cover our mouths and look away in horror.

Well, as far as I know, there aren't Gossip Pride parades, or festivals celebrating lying and arrogance. But I do see homosexuals (or, rather, the LGBTQ community) displaying and celebrating their sexual perversion in annual parades, and festivals, and prosecuting those who don't do cheer them on. When sin is shoved in peoples' faces this way, it tends to stand out in their thinking.

Certainly, murdering someone is a greater evil than stealing a cookie from Grandma's cookie jar. We ought to be horrified at murder and rape, sex slavery and violent robbery because they are "big" sins - clearly "bigger" than little Johnny pinching his sister in a childish fit of anger. We ought to focus on those sins that seriously endanger and/or cut short human life; we ought to be more concerned about the man who breaks into someone's home and robs them at gunpoint than the man who lets his poodle poop in the neighbor's yard.

But what about the other sins that no one talks about? Little white lies, acting out in anger, hating someone (which is the same as murder!), disobeying our parents, pride, laziness...all these things are listed in the Bible as wrong. Yet we don't talk about them. Even adultery can get glossed over!

??? Sure we talk about them. You're talking about them right now in this thread. I've also heard a great multitude of sermons over the years address the "lesser" sins you've listed.

So when is it a sin? Why do we decide that some sins are more important than others and when does a sin become important? Why do we excuse hatred but stamp out homosexuality?

When is sin a sin? When it's sin (James 4:17; Romans 14:23; 1 John 3:4).

Why do we make some sins more important than others? Because it is obvious that some sins are more serious, more damaging, in their consequences than others. Such sins we ought to take special pains to prevent and avoid. Doing so, though, doesn't mean we should neglect to address lesser sins.

 

[JacksBratt]

It is true that sin, by definition, is acting contrary to God's will (God is righteous, so anything not in compliance is unrighteous). But the "form"/"act" of sin, or what Monna described as "sub-sins", are different. Their severity and their punishment from God are different, as stated in the Old Testament.

I do agree OP that people should not ignore sins they themselves consider as "little". After all, how many of us will ever think about committing murder, adultery etc.? These "big" sins are mostly irrelevant to our spiritual lives. May our spirits be purified in the Lord day by day, and give no opportunity to even the slightest sin.

Did Christ not give us two new and more important commandments?

1/ Love the Lord your God with all your heart soul and mind.
2/ Love your neighbor as yourself.

Do not all commandments hinge on these...

Anything that you do contrary to these two.. is sin.

There are no actions that are half sin, 1/4 sin, 1/8 sin or 3/4 sin or 99/100ths sin..

There is just non sin and sin. God doesn't care if it's being rude and butting in line (not loving your neighbor as yourself - being selfish) OR doing three trips to the buffet..( not love your Lord God by disrespecting your body, the temple of the Holy Spirit) OR.. Killing 20 people with a pipe bomb.

 

[Tharseo]

Did Christ not give us two new and more important commandments?

1/ Love the Lord your God with all your heart soul and mind.
2/ Love your neighbor as yourself.

Do not all commandments hinge on these...

As a matter of fact these two commandments are not "new". They are in the OT.

Anything that you do contrary to these two.. is sin.

True.

There are no actions that are half sin, 1/4 sin, 1/8 sin or 3/4 sin or 99/100ths sin..

There is just non sin and sin. God doesn't care if it's being rude and butting in line (not loving your neighbor as yourself - being selfish) OR doing three trips to the buffet..( not love your Lord God by disrespecting your body, the temple of the Holy Spirit) OR.. Killing 20 people with a pipe bomb.

There is a difference. Read 1 John 5:16-17. For sins that leads to death (as defined in the OT), John says that he did not tell us to pray for that. Why? It is because they are sins that are unforgivable (See Matthew 12:31; Hebrews 6:6; Hebrews 10:26 and more passages in the OT) in the eyes of God. So we only pray if we know that the sinner is going to be forgiven by God. See Jeremiah 7:16 as well. It is clear that God cares about what sins a person has committed.

 

[Daniel Martinovich]

Did Christ not give us two new and more important commandments?

1/ Love the Lord your God with all your heart soul and mind.
2/ Love your neighbor as yourself.

Do not all commandments hinge on these...

Anything that you do contrary to these two.. is sin.

There are no actions that are half sin, 1/4 sin, 1/8 sin or 3/4 sin or 99/100ths sin..

There is just non sin and sin. God doesn't care if it's being rude and butting in line (not loving your neighbor as yourself - being selfish) OR doing three trips to the buffet..( not love your Lord God by disrespecting your body, the temple of the Holy Spirit) OR.. Killing 20 people with a pipe bomb.

That is just so contrary to scripture and the laws of nature and nature’s God it’s pathetic. Your mistaking the reason people commit known sin for the sin itself. God wants people to change the reason they are thinking they way they think and doing the things they do. Change the Ultimate aim or motive in life they have chosen with their will.
But that does not speak to the gravity, both in effects and the extent of the depravity in the commission of different kinds of crimes. Which is what sin is. The commission of a crime.

 

[JacksBratt]

That is just so contrary to scripture and the laws of nature and nature’s God it’s pathetic. Your mistaking the reason people commit known sin for the sin itself. God wants people to change the reason they are thinking they way they think and doing the things they do. Change the Ultimate aim or motive in life they have chosen with their will.
But that does not speak to the gravity, both in effects and the extent of the depravity in the commission of different kinds of crimes. Which is what sin is. The commission of a crime.

I disagree.... There are no "small" sins and "Big" sins.. there is just sin..

Being almost a sin is like being almost pregnant or a little pregnant or a lot pregnant... It's either an unrighteous act.. or it's not..