"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart."
Matthew 5:27 & 28
Is all sin equally bad in God's eyes?
I know that God cannot abide sin no matter how small, but is it reasonable to think that he looks at all sin in the same light? Many people read the verse above and would say that he would see them as equal.
Personally, I have a hard time believing that God would not distinguish between levels of sin. Again, I understand that all sin separates us from God, but is it reasonable to think that God looks at the sin of a child molester as equal to that of someone who deals with selfish pride? Does God's heart grieve equally when he sees a brutal murder and a guy cheating on his taxes?
I think the verse above is not intended to insinuate that physical adultery and lust are one and the same. I believe that Jesus is simply trying to get us to think about the origins of sin's footholds. We don't commit sins by random chance. Sin first plants its roots in our hearts and then grows itself into full-blown active sin.
A person isn't dedicated to a church one day and then cursing the pastor and leaving in a huff the next -- bitterness has to steep in that heart for a while before the sin takes action. A man doesn't just have an affair all of a sudden -- he allows his mind to wander in forbidden fantasies for a while before the sin takes action. It seems to me that all sin is committed only after first being committed in the heart.
Perhaps Jesus was merely trying to give us insight into the origin of our sins rather than to say that both are 100% equal in God's eyes. If we are able to stifle the "sins of the heart" before they become "sins of the flesh", I think that we are making steps toward the holiness that Christ calls us to.
More thoughts on this topic to come...
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3 comments:
Brilliant. I love your insights, Michael.
Great topic, Michael!
I'd never presume to have a complete "God perspective" on anything but I think trying to see this through His eyes is worth a gander...
If God knows (and has known since time began) everything that will happen, then how much does he mourn for someone who's been unjustly murdered? He created that person and solely dictates the length of that person's life. As mournful and hurt as we may be, God's known all along; this is part of His plan. As for the murder, does God mourn for him?
Sin is anything that separates us from God. I believe that's why God mourns those who have sinned; not because of the act but because of our choice to operate apart from Him.
I find it dangerous to weigh our sin against another sin. To me, it lessens the burden of the suggested lesser sin; a frightening place to be from my perspective.
Being apart from God is far worse than any crime against humanity you could commit.
Great discussion Michael! My struggle with this I believe is human. Conceptually I have a hard time thinking of a little white lie in the same context as a mass murderer. Unfortunately, God doesn't see things as we see them. I certainly don't have it all figured out, but I believe that God sees all sin for what it is, missing the mark of God's perfection. A good framework for our understanding of sin comes from the O.T. and the understanding of covenant. To sin is to break the covenant. It doesn't matter the level of brokenness, just that it's broken. Like a glass dropped on the floor. It may only be chipped or cracked, or it may shatter, but it is still broken. In the same way Paul writes that we are all sinners. He doesn't distinguish between more or less sin, only that we all deserve to die. Sorry this is long and theological, and sorry I didn't include specific passages (I'm willing to go there in a discussion of the issue though).
My concern is that in our culture of relativism, a graduated view of sin can easily lead to a how good is good enough mindset for followers of Christ.
Thanks for the candor. The openness with which you share struggle with Spiritual issues is refreshing!
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