It's one of those questions that's yes and no. IMO, sins are on an
absolute basis scaled differently. As others have helpfully pointed out, lying in some cases is less bad than murder, and sins with knowledge are clearly less horrendous than sins with knowledge, and are treated less harshly, which is clearly spelt out in both the OT and NT, particularly in regards to the Mosaic law (cf Leviticus 4, Luke 12:42-48). However, what is also clear is that sins of ignorance still incur wrath and guilt, just to a lesser degree. So, on this absolute basis, yes, clearly some sins are worse than others.
However, on a
pragmatic basis, there is no difference, because God's standard is perfect, because God himself is perfect, blameless, holy.(Matthew 5:48). Because God is holy, and made his creation to be holy, any failure to meet that standard because of sin incurs the same wages - death, judgement and the wrath of God, all of which stem from the inability to be in God's presence (Romans 6:23).
Regardless of how much or how little sin you have committed, you are still unable to be with God, demonstrated so clearly in the OT sacrificial system. God is so holy, a complex and detailed system of ritual cleansing was required to even enter into the holy of holies, where God's presence was. Even the likes of Moses and Elijah were unable to clearly to see God's face, because of their sin.
Paul and James also make clear that if
one wishes to justify themselves by the Law, they must keep all of it, or be judged by all of it (Galatians 3:10, James 2:10). Only committing minor sins is not sufficient if one wants to be right with God through how they live. They must be perfect.
So, to summarise:
yes, there are differences in seriousness of sin, but pragmatically, any sin will bring us under the judgement of God. But thanks be to God, who has given us a way of grace and forgiveness through Christ Jesus, who really DID fulfill the law, and did so in our place. As Paul says right after the Galatians verse I cited above:
Galatians 3:11-14 said:
Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because the righteous will live by faith. But the law is not based on faith; instead, the one who does these things will live by them. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, because it is written: Everyone who is hung on a tree is cursed. The purpose was that the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles by Christ Jesus, so that we could receive the promised Spirit through faith."
Big sin or no sin, justification comes only through Jesus Christ, to Jew and Gentile.
