The Greatest Sins

[Dr. Shane]

This thread is not intended to go any certain direction. It is not intended to be judgmental. One may choose the sins they personally would fear most falling into or fear facing judgment for. The Bible does indicate there are different levels of sin so one starts to wonder which are the worse.

Of course, the born-again Christian 1. is wash clean by the blood of Christ, 2. is covered with Christ's robe of righteousness, 3. wants to live in conformity with God's will and thus His law. One might say that if our good works cannot save us, our bad works cannot damn us - provided we are in Christ. However being in Christ, we are always striving for victory.

So while we are free from the curse of the law, that doesn't mean we shouldn't be concerned about sin. Let's try to have a healthy discussion and see where it goes.

[Woody]

Can't vote on this since I do not believe there is one sin greater than another. Any and ALL can cause equally cause our destruction. Satan can use any one and usually prefers the "lesser" ones to get us because we will think that it is a small one that does not matter.

Therefore I will not fall to the Devils temptation of figuring out which among them is the greater or lessor.

[Gene]

I agree with Redwood, but my thought is that whatever sin is seperating you from God, in you life, at the present time, is the greatist sin for You. So if I voted I would be voting for the ones that distance me from God, right now.

I'm working on My greatist sin(s);

Not loving people as I should, like Jesus did (1)

Quick angry responses to situations that arise (2)

Not being as good a witness, when the times arise (3)

Only scratching the surface,

But with His help all things are possible!

*Claiming This Promise*

Gene

[Dr. Shane]

Are Some Sins Worse Than Others?

by Martin G. Collins

Forerunner, "Ready Answer," November 1998

Are there varying degrees of sin? Is it worse to commit adultery than steal? Or to murder than lie? Or to commit idolatry than break the Sabbath? Does God make distinctions between different types of sin?

Romans 6:23 tells us plainly that "the wages of sin is death." Does this mean all sins are equal? Under the law is a gossip equal to a mass murderer? Is a petty thief just as sinful as a child molester?

Although all sin merits the death penalty and requires the blood of Christ for expiation, God's Word reveals that some sins are indeed worse than others. Some sins have greater consequences to the sinner, as well as to those his sin affects. From the judgments God makes regarding certain sins, we will see that some sins bring stiffer penalties and greater condemnation.

Some Examples

Israel's making of the Golden Calf while Moses spoke with God on Mt. Sinai is an Old Testament example of the sin of idolatry (Exodus 32). When he returned, Moses told the Israelites that they had "sinned a great sin" (verses 21, 30-31). The sin of idolatry is so terrible that Moses reports the Eternal as saying, "Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book" (verse 33). Being blotted out of the Book of Life may be the most horrible way to end one's existence.

James writes that if we disobey one commandment, we are guilty of all (James 2:10). One sin breaks the entire code of laws. Yet in some of the worse sins, we find that in one act, multiple sins are actually committed. In this example, by committing this great sin, the Israelites directly disobeyed the first two commandments and in principle the third and fourth.

They defied the first commandment, "You shall have no other gods before Me" (Exodus 20:2), when they turned from God in His seeming absence and raised up the Golden Calf to represent something they feared and respected more than God.

They disregarded the second commandment, "You shall not make for yourself any carved image, . . . you shall not bow down to them nor serve them" (Exodus 20:3-4), when they made the Golden Calf, placed it in a position of reverence and worshiped it instead of the Eternal God.

They broke the third commandment, "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain" (Exodus 20:7), when they referred to God as "the Golden Calf." They misappropriated the holy name of God for a profane use.

They transgressed the fourth commandment, "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy" (Exodus 20:8), when Aaron proclaimed a feast day on which to worship the Golden Calf. By this, the Israelites established their own day of worship to their false god.

In another example, David committed the sin of faithlessness by numbering Israel (II Samuel 24:1-17). Even though Hebrews 11:32 lists David among the faithful, he had his moments of weakness. In II Samuel 24:10 David admits to God that he had "sinned greatly." Because David numbered Israel and began to rely on his own military strength rather than God's power, his sin cost the lives of 70,000 men (verse 15)!

His actions showed a distinct lack of faith in God, who could protect Israel regardless of how many men Israel could field in its army or how many were arrayed against it. David was proudly counting on his own resources for protection, and it is exactly there that God took out his punishment of David for this sin. It reached out and afflicted the whole nation. Seventy thousand men of Israel and Judah—men that could have been counted on to fill out David's ranks—died of plague to teach David and us this vital lesson.

Finally, the apostle John records an example of differing degrees of sin from the life of Christ. Notice what Jesus says to Pilate during His trial: "Jesus answered, ‘You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin'" (John 19:11). Christ's statement to Pilate verifies that there are greater and lesser sins.

[Gerr]

"These 6 things the LORD hates,

Yes, 7 are an abomination to Him:

A proud look,

A lying tongue,

Hands that shed innocent blood,

A heart that devises wicked plans,

Feet that are swift in running to evil,

A false witness who speaks lies,

And one who sows discord among brethren." Prov 6:16-19 NKJ

Gerry

[Dr. Shane]

Quote:

And one who sows discord among brethren.

A gossip? Hmmm, I didn't list gossip. But what if the gossip is true? Can the truth cause discord among brethern?

[carolaa]

Quote:

And one who sows discord among brethren.

A gossip? Hmmm, I didn't list gossip. But what if the gossip is true? Can the truth cause discord among brethern?

I think most gossip has an element of truth to it.

[carolaa]

It seems like pride and selfishness are the root sins that lead to all the other sins. Maybe that can be boiled down to selfishness and self-centeredness. Or maybe just SELF.

[Woody]

Originally Posted By: Shane

Quote:

And one who sows discord among brethren.

A gossip? Hmmm, I didn't list gossip. But what if the gossip is true? Can the truth cause discord among brethern?

I think most gossip has an element of truth to it.

YES. That is just how the Devil can use it so effectively.

[Robert]

It seems like pride and selfishness are the root sins that lead to all the other sins. Maybe that can be boiled down to selfishness and self-centeredness. Or maybe just SELF.

tu

[Robert]

Coveting (10th Commandment):

Romans 7:7 What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “Do not covet.”....10 I found that the very commandment [i.e., the 10th] that was intended to bring life actually brought death....13 Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.

[pacunurse30]

What does the statement "does that which is good, then, become death to me" mean? I took this to mean that the commandments are not dead to him just because they condemn his sin. In other words, he is not free to disobey them. Anyone else get this impression from that statement? Or are there other interpretations?

[Nightingale]

I think it means something very close to what you say here. Paul is asking if the law of God is what brings death to us, and his answer is no. The law simply shows us what we already are, sinful. In that sense it is actually a good thing, because it tells us the truth by pointing out that we need a Savior. Apart from the law, we would be unaware of the "extreme malignity and immeasurable sinfulness of sin" (Amplified Bible).

Verse 12 says clearly that the law is "holy, and just and good," so that there is no question that we are not free to disobey it. God's plan through the gospel is for us also to be "holy, and righteous and good," like He is and like His law is. Romans 8: 1-4 shows this.

[Woody]

I will let Robert answer this. But I think he would say that WE are Dead. We are dead to the law. For Christ answered the curse. It's "curse" no longer applies to us who accept Him. Am I close Robert?

Actually this is far to complicated for me. I have recently tried to study some of the things that Robert has said ... but it is quite difficult for me to get my feeble brain around.

SO ... please Robert .... tell us once again.

[Robert]

I took this to mean that the commandments are not dead to him just because they condemn his sin.

[Woody]

Quote:

But no one is measuring up. The law doesn't care if you sin purposely or by mistake. If I am not free to disobey (purposely or by mistake) then that means I must die.

Good Point Rob.

The Law requires our death.

So, if it applies ... then we are lost without a Saviour.

In my mind ... it does apply for our benefit but not for our condemnation for those IN Christ Jesus.

[Norman Byers, N.D.]

Here's how Jesus put it,

Joh 16:8,9

And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me;

He pointed out that the Holy Spirit would come and part ot His work was to convict people of sin and than defined that sin, "Unbelief." Can there be a greater sin than not believing the character of God as revealed by Jesus at the cross? That will surely lead to being lost. Think of what the Father and Son went through to reveal to us the truth about God and to expose the lies of the devil; and then to look at them in the face and say,I don't believe You God is not love???? To know Him is to love Him.

All other transgressions are the result of not believing in Jesus. Which, when you think of it, applies to the first commandment. ..."Thou shalt have no other gods before Me" So unbelief and having other gods before Him takes place at the same time and cannot be separated.

Joh 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

What Jesus came here to do was to reverse what happend in Eden. What happened in Eden came as a result of a lie being believed. Don't believe in the truth about God in Christ and there's no hope for salvation.

Why? There are only two characters to believe in; Christ's or Satan's(which is selfishness). If you don''t believe in Christ, then you believe in Satan and what he stands for, his principles and what he does.

A lot more can be said about this, but it's late and I'm tired,

God bless and Merry Christmas to you all

Norman

[Robert]

I will let Robert answer this. But I think he would say that WE are Dead. We are dead to the law.

In other words Christ didn't do away with His law. He did away with the problem:

Rom 7:4 Therefore, my brethren, you [the problem] also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ....

So the believer is not under law. The law can't touch him for coming up short. Why? Because as far as the law is concerned I died to the law in the body of Christ.

[Robert]

God's plan through the gospel is for us also to be "holy, and righteous and good," like He is and like His law is. Romans 8: 1-4 shows this.

I disagree! It was because we could never save ourselves through law that Christ united His Deity to our corporate humanity that needed redeeming. Growth? Yes! Perfection? No!

Romans 7:6 But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit [i.e., not under fear], and not in the old way of the written code [obey and live, disobey and die - fear!].

[Robert]

There are only two characters to believe in; Christ's [which is selfless] or Satan's (which is selfishness). If you don't believe in Christ, then you believe in Satan and what he stands for, his principles and what he does.

The essence of Lucifer’s sin was self-exaltation, what the Bible defines as iniquity, which in Hebrew means bent to self [isaiah 53:6]. Hence, the love of self is the underlying principle of all sin, in complete opposition to the principle of God’s government which is founded upon selfless love or agape [see 1 John 4:7, 8, 16]. Sin therefore may be rightly interpreted as rebellion against God or His agape. According to 1 Corinthians 13:5, there is no love of self in agape.

At the heart of every sin is covetousness or self-seeking. Lust originated with the devil and is not of God [see 1 John 2:15-16].

[Robert]

Romans 7:6 But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit [i.e., not under fear], and not in the old way of the written code [obey and live, disobey and die - fear!].

Gal 5:13 You, my brothers, were called to be free [context: free from under law - see Gal 5:1]. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.

Not that I am perfect, or will ever be perfect this side of eternity, but I've noticed the less I feed my nature the weaker it becomes.

What do you guys think - do you find this true?

[Woody]

Quote:

Sin therefore may be rightly interpreted as rebellion against God or His agape.

Excellent Rob. I think this is a good definition of SIN.

Quote:

Gal 5:13 You, my brothers, were called to be free [context: free from under law - see Gal 5:1]. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.

This is also very true. If you combine all this ... you get a very balanced approach to faith and works.

Good work Rob.

[Robert]

If you combine all this ... you get a very balanced approach to faith and works.

A faith that works.....