People often want to think of degrees of sin. They view some sins as particularly heinous (rape, murder, etc.), and others as being virtually innocent (“a little white lie”). Is it accurate to grade particular sins and judge them against one another in this way?
The fundamental question we have is this: Are some sins worse than others? Yes and no. It depends on what aspect of sin one has in mind. In this article, we will briefly examine this question.
In one sense, we could say that some sins are worse than others.
- Some sins have greater physical consequences associated with them – The proverb writer said, “The way of the treacherous is hard” (Proverbs 13:15). All sins have certain physical consequences that come with them. But naturally, some are worse than others (prison time, financial loss, injury, death, etc.).
- Some sins are more damaging to others – Our sin may cause others to feel forsaken (2 Timothy 4:16). It could be that others will follow us into sin (Galatians 2:13). Other consequences may arise from our sins that will have a devastating impact upon others (an innocent person losing his life to a drunk driver; children whose lives are turned upside down by their parents’ divorce; a Christian who falls away because of the sins of a brother, preacher, or elder they looked up to; etc.). We must never think our sins affect no one but ourselves.
- Repentance is more difficult for some sins – Some sins, by their very nature, are harder to give up than others. We must guard against behaviors that might be addictive. If we fail to exercise self-control, we will be lost (1 Corinthians 9:25, 27). Other sins are so contrary to nature that one must alter the way they think in order to practice them. Paul used the example of homosexuality on this point (Romans 1:26-27), but there are others that fall in this category as well (such as sexually abusing a child). One must change the way they think to practice these things. To repent, they must alter their minds back to the way they were before they were able to justify such actions.
On the other hand, there are certain facts that all sins have in common.
- All sins separate us from God – Sin is a violation of the law of God (1 John 3:4). Transgressing God’s law leads to our separation from Him (Isaiah 59:2). We must remember that whatever sin may be in our lives, whether it might be considered worse based on the list above or not, it can cause us to be lost. “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Do not think that your sin can be ignored because it is not as bad as the sins of others. Give up your sin and turn back to God.
- All sins can be forgiven by God – Paul described himself as the “foremost of all” sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). In showing mercy to Paul, Jesus demonstrated “His perfect patience” (1 Timothy 1:16). If we will repent of our sins and seek after God, He will forgive us. There is no sin we might commit that we cannot give up and receive forgiveness.
- All sins should be forgivable to us – While God is willing to forgive all sins, we must be willing to do so as well. Jesus said, “If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him” (Luke 17:3). Once someone repents, we must forgive him and not hold a grudge against him, no matter how severe his sin may seem to be. Even if he commits the same sin over and over, if he continues to repent and seek forgiveness, we must continue to forgive him (Luke 17:4).
Paul told the Romans, “Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts” (Romans 6:11-12). While it is true that some sins have greater consequences than others, we must strive to remove all sin from our lives (Matthew 5:48; 1 John 2:1). No sin is small enough to be tolerated. It is a cancer that will destroy us if it is not removed (James 1:15).
If you sin, repent and turn back to God. If the sin carries some severe physical consequences with it, do not let those consequences keep you from making your life right. Our lives may never be the same. But what is important is our life after death.
If others sin and they repent, forgive them. Even if their sin is great, their penitence requires us to forgive them (Luke 17:3). Lest we be tempted to refuse to forgive, remember Jesus’ warning: “If you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions” (Matthew 6:15).
