The Size of Sin

I posed a question on Facebook yesterday asking if God can forgive Ted Haggard. It didn't draw a lot of response, I understand it's a controversial topic. But I was glad to see that all the responders agreed that Mr. Haggard can be forgiven, no matter what he has done. Examples of David and Paul were brought up. David committed adultery and murder. Paul committed murder. God forgave both of them.

Then I posed the question asking whether there are bigger sins and smaller sins. Again, glad to see that the response was that God forgives all. But I can't keep from thinking that people view someone like Ted Haggard a little differently than someone that gets a speeding ticket. And I think that view colors their thinking of how God feels about those sins, as well.

I ask you, do you feel a sorrow and shame before God when you speed? When you tell a little white lie? When you break your word to someone? (I'm sure you had a good excuse.)

I say we should. Because there are no big sins or little sins with God. Sin is sin. If we break one law, we have broken all. Think of God's law as a whole, like a big glass window. Whether you put a tiny hole in it or a big hole, it is still broken. (And by God's law, I mean the whole Bible, not just the Old Testament law.)

Now, man does look on things differently. There are definitely different worldly consequences to speeding or committing murder.

I think when we change our paradigm in this matter, it helps tremendously. It will answer a lot of questions for you.

This will change your thinking on separation from God. I guarantee that most people feel more of a separation from God over so-called big sins, but not too much over so-called small sins. I came up with a little list (I'm quite sure it's not all-inclusive) of areas of my life that are not right. I have pride in many areas, I try to impress, which is really just looking for man's approval, I'm critical, can be judgmental at times, I can get caught in comparison to others, I shift blame, I bristle with authority, procrastinate, I'm inefficient with my time, I have fears, I'm not a good listener because I'm too self-centered and would rather just talk about myself all the time, I lack self-control, of my tongue, and in the area of food. There, that was not pleasant. Do I look at myself and say, "at least I've never killed anyone." Do I brush these things off? Do I diminish them? What does the Bible say?

All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23

For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. 2:10

Think of a high ceiling. You may be able to jump within one inch of it, or 1 foot of it, but if you don't reach the ceiling, you don't reach the ceiling. God doesn't say that those that are in the top 10% are accepted, He says ALL fall short. His standard is perfection and therefore we HAVE to rely on the perfection of Jesus, as our Savior. Referring to my list, Proverbs 16:5 says that pride is an abomination.

Questions to consider:

--Does this make a difference in how you will treat others?

--Does it make a difference in your pride, your ego, in how much you think you have it together?

--Does it make a difference in your condemnation of yourself?

--Does this cause you to have compassion on the unbeliever? Knowing that the only difference between you and he/she is that you have accepted the gift of salvation. There is no difference in the amount of sin in your lives.

--Does this change your thinking on sin separating you from God? If sin separates you, is it all sin, or just the so-called big sins?

--Does this change the way you view eternal security? Can you lose your salvation if you sin? If so, which sins?

--Does this change the way you view being a little dishonest with someone, breaking your word? That God views it the same as murder and adultery? Do you think you should take that a little more seriously?

The bad news is none of us can ever come up to God's standard. The good news is that Jesus did and became our substitute. We need only accept that He died for our sins, and gives us His righteousness, to be in right-standing with God.