There is a concept that we have created in our mind that sins have levels or degrees. Murder, we think, is an ultimate sin which most of us would not commit but lying well, that is a small sin and because everyone does it, it is more likely excusable.
So we judge each other based on what we consider is a more of a sin than the one that we’ve committed. We have categorized sin by degree. Only the problem with this is that sin is sin. There isn’t one that is more offensive than the other. It’s doing something that we know is wrong and just because everyone is doing it doesn’t make it right. We often can justify our sin until that sin is committed on us, then all of a sudden it becomes wrong. In the case of lying, we can say we lied to save feelings but when we are lied to why are we outraged?
Sin is simply defined as rebellion or lawlessness, missing the mark. It means we know something is not right and we do it anyway. The argument then becomes who sets up right and wrong? What if I don’t think it’s wrong? Remember that God set it up and whether you believe in God or not, you can’t deny that it’s basic humanity to live above the law that God set forth. You may not believe that sleeping with a married man is wrong because after all, he’s miserable in his marriage, but when he becomes your husband you’ll have a different perspective when you find out about his new girlfriend. Wouldn’t staying away from him be just the basic common courtesy you would give a fellow human being? You may not think telling a private matter of one girlfriend to another is wrong, until she tells your dirty little secret and then it’s heinous.
Does God forgive everybody? Everyone who asks for forgiveness with a repented heart is forgiven always. Even the most horrible of people and even the things we think we could never forgive a person for God is able to do so. On the surface of things it doesn’t seem fair does it? A person can live their life so horribly and then, finds God, and asks for his forgiveness and gets it. It would seem like God would say no, sorry that is too harsh of a thing to be forgiven for. Only what makes murder with a gun worse than murder with your words? Don’t they both have the same effect? Vicious actions are vicious actions regardless of the tools used. So let’s stop judging motive, see sin for sin and quit excusing our own.
Pastor Susan 