SermonIndex Audio Sermons
SermonIndex - Promoting Revival to this Generation
Give To SermonIndex
Discussion Forum : Scriptures and Doctrine : Big sins and Little sins

Print Thread (PDF)

Goto page ( 1 | 2 Next Page )
PosterThread
HopeinChrist
Member



Joined: 2005/8/8
Posts: 258


 Big sins and Little sins

I have always heard it said that there were no big sins and little sins, from God's perspective all sins were equal. I really had never questioned it before. Does anyone know of any scriptures to support this? The following two would seem to dispute this line of thinking.

Eph. 5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

1Cr 6:9-10 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
Hope

 2005/9/24 22:34Profile









 Re: Big sins and Little sins

If the definition of "sin" is to "Miss the Mark" and "The Mark" is coming into the IMAGE OF CHRIST .... then the best of us sin way too much, and that's easy to admit.


But I'd say you have hit on some truths here Hope.

We are "learning" what the Image of Christ is, and that's a progressive revelation (though sometimes can happen in a POW experience) and we're all going through a progressive 'sanctification', and we can stall that process with "self" or speed it up by Desiring to die to self ..... but in the meantime ....

God needed us to know that there are sins that He cannot accept, most especially in The CHURCH which is HIS BODY.

We're One Body, with One Head, so whatever we do in our bodies, or those listed in just those two references you've given,, is not only against Him, but against each other, Because, like it or not, we're connected. Truly connected. Definitely connected. No doubt about it connected.
Even if it seems like a "too spiritual" of a phenomena or concept, it doesn't make it any less true. WE are one.


I think of how much we are to love each other.
Today, again I was thinking of how we should love each other as much as our own children.
Willing to die for each-other.

It was neat to just recline there and dwell on those thoughts earlier.


Thanks for contributing to this place Hope :-) .

Love.

Annie

 2005/9/25 0:06
letsgetbusy
Member



Joined: 2004/9/28
Posts: 957
Cleveland, Georgia

 Re:

Agreements with that post, Gran.

While all sin is equal in God's sight, there are some sins that cannot be tolerated among church staff, and some sin that cannot be tolerated by anyone in attendance.

1 Tim 3 on the bishops/deacons:

[2] A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
[3] Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
[4] One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
[5] (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
[6] Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
[7] Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
[8] Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
[9] Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
[10] And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
[11] Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
[12] Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
[13] For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Titus on the bishop:

[6] If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
[7] For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
[8] But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
[9] Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

So while sin is sin, there is still a standard that must be upheld among the staff.

Matt 18 / 1 Cor 5 on how to deal with people in the church involved in certain sins:

Matt 18:

[15] Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
[16] But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
[17] And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

...remember that Jesus went to the heathen and the publicans to reconcile them, and was ridiculed for doing so.

1 Cor 18

[1] It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.
[5] To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
[11] But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

Most skip this, as I have done in the past, but this is how to reconcile those who have fallen in these sins:

2 Cor 2

[6] Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.
[7] So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
[8] Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.

2 Thes 3

[6] Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
[14] And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
[15] Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.



_________________
Hal Bachman

 2005/9/25 20:07Profile









 Re: Big sins and Little sins

I know of a few that go against it. Because someone last year brought this topic up and showed me a few scriptures..and now i've just kept it 'open' until further Truth from God.

Matt. 23:14, Mark 12:40, Luke 20:47, Lam. 4:6 (could be amount), John 19:11, Ez. 8:6 (NLT), Ez. 8:13 (NLT), Ez. 8:15 (NLT)

There might be others that have left my sight.

But in going to heaven and being right with God, there is not 'little sin'. If we aren't blameless before God, we are damned. Simple as that and Christ is our covering.

 2005/9/25 23:34
PaulWiglaf
Member



Joined: 2005/8/31
Posts: 61
Hartselle, Alabama

 Re:

Two wise words:

First from the Lord, "Be holy, for I am holy." (1 Pet. 1:16)

Also, from C.S. Lewis: "If we insist on keeping Hell (or even earth) we shall not see Heaven; if we accept Heaven, we shall not be able to retain even the smallest and most intimate souveneirs of Hell." (The Great Divorce)

 2005/9/26 0:53Profile
HopeinChrist
Member



Joined: 2005/8/8
Posts: 258


 Re:

Thank you YeshuaIsMyGd. Those are some good examples and bring more clarity on the issue.

Hope

 2005/9/26 6:46Profile
roadsign
Member



Joined: 2005/5/2
Posts: 3777


 Re: Jesus' views

Jesus has a way of flipping things over:
If we read the comments he made towards the Pharisees, we’d have to agree that to him the greater sins were those committed of the religiously upright. On the contrary, Jesus seemed to be very merciful towards the sinners – those who were the most condemned in their society. (They weren’t hiding behind any righteousness)

It seems as if it is not necessarily the “degree” of sin in itself that is the issue, but WHO commits it. Those in positions of authority are going to be judged more severely. That is because people look up to them and follow them. They have power to lead a lot of people off track, and to quench the spirit through wrong teachings, control, and domination if their hearts are not under the authority of Christ and the Word.

It also seems that those who have much, much is expected of them. So if we HAVE God’s truth ex Bibles, knowledge of right and wrong, a godly heritage, then more is expected of us than those who don’t have that. Those who have tasted the mercy of God, (like Israel in the desert) and then reject it have committed a greater sin than those who have as of yet not become aware of it. (Hebrews)

It seems like the biggest sin is refusing to admit one’s sinfulness, and see no need for Christ’s mercy. They always are defending their rightness, and can't admit their wrongs.

I don’t think we always catch this truth. We are too busy sizing up sins by degree and deciding what sins we can permit and what ones we must try to “stamp out”. We end up accepting the highly polished hypocrites and chasing away those who don't have the where-with-all to polish themselves, but desperately need the loving environment of the church in order to see a better way and discover God’s healing forgiveness (And that takes time)
Diane


_________________
Diane

 2005/9/26 9:53Profile









 Re: Big sins and Little sins

Quote:
Because, like it or not, we're connected. Truly connected. Definitely connected. No doubt about it connected.

Annie, I just had to quote that! :-)

And this, Yeshua,

Quote:
But in going to heaven and being right with God, there is not 'little sin'. If we aren't blameless before God, we are damned. Simple as that and Christ is our covering.

although you'll find 'covering' is an OT concept which has disappeared in the NT completely. The effect is still there - 1 John 1:7, 1 Cor 1:30, Heb 10:12 - 14, Eph 1:7 - there are many more.

Quote:
It seems like the biggest sin is refusing to admit one’s sinfulness, and see no need for Christ’s mercy.

John 16
8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
[b]9 Of sin, because they believe not on me[/b];
10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.


Y'all, I don't see the evidence for the sin itself being the critical factor.

There may be critical factors, such as responsibility and trust, but, I suspect they too are between the Lord and the person.

Even so, the punishment for those who don't make it is going to be the same = equal.

Jesus talked about being forgiven much or little but I don't think it was to do with varieties of sin.

Luke 7:47
Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.

This is a good question, Hope!

 2005/9/26 10:22
KingJimmy
Member



Joined: 2003/5/8
Posts: 4419
Charlotte, NC

 Re: Big sins and Little sins

All sin is sin. However, some sins are greater. Jesus spoke of in Matt 23:23 that there are weightier matters of law. If there are weigthier matters of the law, then it there are indeed greater degrees of sin. We tend to think of the big sins as being those sins that have an "icky" factor about them e.g homosexuality. However, Jesus said the weightier matters of the law are justice, mercy, and faithfulness.

It is a greater sin in the eyes of God to show favoritism than a homosexual (justice). It is a greater sin in the eyes of God to be unmerciful than a homosexual (mercy). It is a greater sin in the eyes of God to be wishy-washy and untrustworthy than a homosexual (faithfulness).

Such "gross" sins, usually ones sexual in nature, we tend to think the worse of. But God does not. Such "icky" sins ultimately have their roots in these graver matters of God's law, and a lack to adhere to them.


_________________
Jimmy H

 2005/9/26 11:18Profile
Eli_Barnabas
Member



Joined: 2005/2/16
Posts: 621
Cache Valley, Utah

 Re:

What about this Scripture? I haven't figured it out yet:

[i]"If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death."[/i] - 1 John 5:16-17


_________________
Eli Brayley

 2005/9/26 11:20Profile





©2002-2024 SermonIndex.net
Promoting Revival to this Generation.
Privacy Policy