# Are all sins equally bad in God's eyes?



## DonP (Apr 2, 2009)

Num 15:27-31
27'And if a person sins *unintentionally*, then he shall bring a female goat in its first year as a sin offering. 28 So the priest shall make atonement for the person who sins unintentionally, when he sins unintentionally before the LORD, to make atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him. 29 *You shall have one law for him who sins unintentionally, for him who is native-born among the children of Israel and for the stranger who sojourns among them*. 

30'But the person who does anything *presumptuously*, whether he is native-born or a stranger, that one brings reproach on the LORD, and he shall be cut off from among his people. 31 Because he has despised the word of the LORD, and has broken His commandment, that person shall be completely cut off; his guilt shall be upon him.' " 
NKJV


----------



## KMK (Apr 3, 2009)

> LBC 15:5 Such is the provision which God has made through Christ in the covenant of grace for the preservation of believers unto salvation, that *although there is no sin so small but it deserves damnation,8 yet there is no sin so great that it shall bring damnation to them that repent*,9 which makes the constant preaching of repentance necessary.



I love the way the confessions put it.


----------



## DonP (Apr 3, 2009)

Back at you. 

Q. 150. Are all transgressions of the law of God equally heinous in themselves, and in the sight of God?

A. All transgressions of the law of God are not equally heinous; but some sins in themselves, and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others.[921]

Q. 151. What are those aggravations that make some sins more heinous than others?

A. Sins receive their aggravations,

1. From the persons offending[922] if they be of riper age,[923] greater experience or grace,[924] eminent for profession,[925] gifts,[926] place,[927] office,[928] guides to others,[929] and whose example is likely to be followed by others.[930]

2. From the parties offended:[931] if immediately against God,[932] his attributes,[933] and worship;[934] against Christ, and his grace;[935] the Holy Spirit,[936] his witness,[937] and workings[938] against superiors, men of eminency,[939] and such as we stand especially related and engaged unto;[940] against any of the saints,[941] particularly weak brethren,[942] the souls of them, or any other,[943] and the common good of all or many.[944]

3. From the nature and quality of the offense:[945] if it be against the express letter of the law,[946] break many commandments, contain in it many sins:[947] if not only conceived in the heart, but breaks forth in words and actions,[948] scandalize others,[949] and admit of no reparation:[950] if against means,[951] mercies,[952] judgments,[953] light of nature,[954] conviction of conscience,[955] public or private admonition,[956] censures of the church,[957] civil punishments;[958] and our prayers, purposes, promises,[959] vows,[960] covenants,[961] and engagements to God or men:[962] if done deliberately,[963] wilfully,[964] presumptuously,[965] impudently,[966] boastingly,[967] maliciously,[968] frequently,[969] obstinately,[970] with delight,[971] continuance,[972] or relapsing after repentance.[973]

4. From circumstances of time[974] and place:[975] if on the Lord’s day,[976] or other times of divine worship;[977] or immediately before[978] or after these,[979] or other helps to prevent or remedy such miscarriages;[980] if in public, or in the presence of others, who are thereby likely to be provoked or defiled[981].


----------



## KMK (Apr 3, 2009)

PeaceMaker said:


> Back at you.
> 
> Q. 150. Are all transgressions of the law of God equally heinous in themselves, and in the sight of God?
> 
> ...



All I can say is...Amen!


----------



## DonP (Apr 3, 2009)

It does seem a little strange that any sin is enough to send you to hell, but not the same punishment in society. 

I had a pastor who told me there was no difference in sin in church members and discipline. The only issue was did you repent. We only deal with whether they repent or not. Our goal is to get them to repent.


----------



## BobVigneault (Apr 3, 2009)

That is true Don however in discipline we need to consider the public effect a member's sin may have, or to put it another way, how much of a stumbling block to the Gospel is the sin and/or lack of repentance.

When a sin is public it must be dealt with publicly because it will be a stumbling block to the Gospel. The consequences of sin and level of discipline will be great for the church leader then it will be for a member who is not so visible.

In that respect, the church will deal more severely with sin than society will, for example, adultery and homosexuality.


----------



## DonP (Apr 3, 2009)

Great explanation and I think this points out why there is a great difference in how we should discipline in the church and God's forgiveness of all sin. 

The church does not use the same judgment as God, keys to the kingdom etc. 

We judge the visible God judges the heart. 

So it is not so much that a sinful thought of coveting is worse than acting on it, but that the church can not detect or discipline one's thoughts, unless they confessed them.


----------



## brianeschen (Apr 3, 2009)

> *Matthew 10:14-15*
> And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.





> *Matthew 11:21-24*
> Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.


----------



## DonP (Apr 4, 2009)

What about a sin unto death? Is that the unpardonable sin or just one so bad God takes you home. 1 John 5:16-17

16 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. 17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death. 
NKJV


----------

