Comments on: AtA: Are All Sins Equal?

By: Is This Blog Evil?

Is This Blog Evil? — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:52:38 +0000

[...] previous discussions contemplating evil and sin (the equality/inequality of) and “not-good-behaviour”, we explored to some [...]

By: Hugo

Hugo — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:38:56 +0000

A discussion I discovered on 16 November:
Equality of sin – TheologyWeb Campus. I read a couple of those forum posts and think it covers the question pretty well from a Christian theology perspective. The views shared there agree with Wouter and Michael’s views above.

I’ll be happy to discuss this more if I discover there is more interest in this discussion.

By: wouter

wouter — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:17:35 +0000

My understanding of the equality of sin from a christian perspective is that all sins have an eternal consequence and are thus “equal” in the sense that they lead to separation from God but all sins are not “equal” when it comes to relationships with others and ourselves. Being rude or selfish can damage a relationship but murder can erase it completely.

As far as I understand there is a different emphasis on old and new testament laws from a christian perspective but as to what exactly this difference is when it comes to sin I am not sure. Some scripture describes the old testament law as a shadow but not the reality (collosians 2:17, hebrews 8:5) and others that the law is not abolished (matthew 5) .

As far as forgiveness goes: all sins can be forgiven but the sin of blasphemy against the holy spirit (matthew 12, mark 3, luke 12) seems to be different. It does not appear to be a single act but rather a continuous condition that makes it impossible to repent. I must admit this is confusing to me. Not sure when you reach this point. It seems like it is very hard to reach this point as Paul described himself as a blasphemer but was forgiven (1 timothy 1:13). It seems like there is no forgiveness left for this condition but all other sins can be forgiven. How to get to this point? I have no idea … I don’t exactly understand.

By: Michael

Michael — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:50:33 +0000

From an evangelical point of view:

The idea that all sins are equal is not biblical.

Several distinctions are made in both testaments:

1) between deliberate sins and sins unknown to the sinner.
2) between sins against God, against other people, and against your self.
3) between religious self-righteous sin and indulgent fleshly sin.
4) between sin in what you do do and sin in what you don’t do.

The only way in which ’sin is sin’ is that all sin leads to death.

The English word ’sin’ means literally ‘to miss the mark’ (The sin of an arrow was the distance between the bulls-eye and where your arrow landed). Sin is thus conceived of relationally. Sin is not a thing you do or don’t do (“do not touch! do not taste!”) so much as it is an orientation towards God.

There’s the kick-off…