No, All Sin Is Not the Same

Proverbs 6:30 (KJV) Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;

Proverbs 6:32 (KJV) But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.

One concept that I have heard often through my life is that all sin is the same.  I believe James says that if you break one law you have broken them all.  His point is that if you sin then punishment can be expected.  Of course, that does not close the door to repentance, confession and forgiveness.  That is not James point.

This verse gives one of the places in the Bible, where it is demonstrated that some sins are much more serious than others.  This approach is it from the point of view of how we as humans feel.  Other places talk about God’s view.  Both of them agree on the fact that some sins are just more damaging than others.

Here it says that people can understand you stealing to feed your family in times of hardship.  Making the same claim when you commit adultery is silly.  No one will buy that.  There is something about sexual sin that goes down into the soul.

So?  If you’re looking for excuses, there’s nothing anyone can say to you.  We have great ability to rationalize.  Just file away that God wants you to live above sin.  He wants you to live righteously.  He wants you to be upright.  Jesus did not say to the woman caught in adultery, “Oh, well,” but “Go and sin no more.”