A question from one of my readers:

“I have heard it said that “a sin is a sin is a sin” implying that all sins are of the same magnitude and that there are no “big” sins and no “small” sins. In essence they are all the same size. What may make one sin seem larger than another is the affects it has on the sinner, his family and the people around him combined with the consequences that may come about sometimes decades down the line as a result of this sin. Could you provide Scripture that would explain why you agree or disagree with that statement and why?  Thanks.”

RESPONSE:

The list of sins in Romans 1 would suggest that a “sin is a sin.” Paul puts murder and sexual sin (sins that humans usually think of as the big ones) on the same list as stuff like gossip and being disobedient to parents.

However, important to this discussion is defining what we mean when we say a sin is a sin. Sin is sin only in the sense that various sins equally alienate us from God. Certainly some sins are worse that others. It would be hard to say with a straight face that gossip or disobeying parents is as much of an offense as cold blooded murder. The only real similarity is that God is so holy, any sin keeps us just as far from Him and just as unqualified to enter His kingdom without forgiveness and atonement.

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