Levels of Sin?

[perdonato]

Alright...

I recently slightly heard a conversation related to levels of sin. One of the speakers was convinced there are levels of sin and the other speaker was convinced they are not.

What do you think?

I want your opinions and I want scriptural evidence for them in order to have a firmer grasp on what I believe to be right.

Thanks

 

[Mysterymark]

This might help you:

Are all sins equal to God?

I thought it was good information

 

[Full-4ce]

King James Bible:
Matthew 5:19
"Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach [them], the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."

James 2:10
"For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."

 

[FSUBoy966]

This isn't at all scriptural based, but it's interesting to note that even early Christians (Dante) believed in levels of sin. In Dante's Inferno, he talked about there being different levels of sin, lust being a more minor one and betrayal/deception being the worst of them all. I know it's just a fun fiction novel but he may have actually believed that.

 

[perdonato]

This might help you:

Are all sins equal to God?

I thought it was good information

Despite the main point listed in that link, with which I'm sure most can agree, that all sins will keep us from God and all sins are forgivable by God, each time that is says there are levels to sin it does not give a scriptural reference.

I want the scriptures behind the belief of levels of sins. Or the scripture behind the beliefs of equality of sins.

 

[dewba]

Matthew 12:31


Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.

1 John 5:17

All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death [blasphemy against the Holy Spirit].

So all sins are equal on one level, except that ONE that leads to death which is on a level of its own. So technically there are two levels.

 

[Consumed]

Joh 16:8And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Joh 16:9Of sin, because they believe not on me; the world
Joh 16:10Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; His righteousness
Joh 16:11Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. Rejecting God

 

[Mark777]

"Jesus answered, 'You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.'" (Jn 19:11)

"And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more." (Lk 12:47-48)

It would seem clear that Jesus taught there were greater and lesser levels of sin and also degrees of punishment. All sin is offensive to God, let us not ever think that some sin does not really matter. That would be exceedingly foolish. I think one of the key factors in the levels of sins is the issue of knowledge. Judas had spent over three years with Jesus and the Jewish council had knowledge of the law and ample opportunity to hear Jesus' teachings and see the signs He performed; they therefore had the greater sin than Pilot. Those of us who have spent considerable time studying the word and seeking God in prayer should therefore be all the more diligent to live a holy life, as we have been given much and God is looking for a greater return than from those who have had little opportunity to even hear the gospel preached.

 

[thimsrebma]

I think that different sins have different effects on people. So in that case sins may have a different degree on how they impact your life and the life of others

Example 1-Theft
Theif steals a TV from Walmart. Walmart loses a few hundred dollars or theif gets caught and has alot of legal fees.

Example 2-Domestic Battery
Wife beats her husband within an inch of his life because he didnt take out the garbage. This effects the entire family as well as friends and possibly coworkers. Dad's in the hospital can't return to work for 2 months so he is behind on the mortgage, mom goes to jail, kids have to stay with grandma and they cant get that picture out of their head of Dad lying on the floor in a pool of blood.

 

[eternally-gratefull]

I think that different sins have different effects on people. So in that case sins may have a different degree on how they impact your life and the life of others

Example 1-Theft
Theif steals a TV from Walmart. Walmart loses a few hundred dollars or theif gets caught and has alot of legal fees.

Example 2-Domestic Battery
Wife beats her husband within an inch of his life because he didnt take out the garbage. This effects the entire family as well as friends and possibly coworkers. Dad's in the hospital can't return to work for 2 months so he is behind on the mortgage, mom goes to jail, kids have to stay with grandma and they cant get that picture out of their head of Dad lying on the floor in a pool of blood.

You have shown correctly I believe.

There are different ways God looks at sin. One is in the eternal way. and this was, as has been shown, there are no levels (If you break even the least you have been found guilty of all the law)

Yet here on earth, we see in Gods setting up the nation of Israel God made differing punishments for different sins. Some his has more affect on our lives, and the lives of those around us, and society. Thus not only as you say are temporal results more severe for some than others. But God instituted a federal system that has differing punishments for some than others (some had death penalty, some had a slap on the wrist etc etc.

 

[Red33]

Jn 19:10,11
10Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?
11Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.

 

[dewba]

Why is it even important to know the levels of sin, if Jesus has explained that being angry at your brother is EQUAL to murder? I mean, RIGHT THERE, explains that ALL sins are equal, with the exception of blasphemy towards the Holy Spirit. May God forgive me if I'm wrong but it so obviously states in:

Matthew 12:31


Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.

1 John 5:17

All wicked actions are sin, but not every sin leads to death.

wicked is WICKED.
good and is good.
there ISN'T A GRAY area.

Red33:
I think, the scripture that you quoted, Jesus was putting Pilate in his place.
Pilate was being arrogant when he said, "I can do what I want with you, don't you see that?" (1 John 19:10) He felt almight, essentially, by saying that he could keep Him alive or take his life, like ACTUALLY, only GOD can do (which was what Jesus was saying in 1 John 19:11).

Pilate was being ARROGANT because he flaunted his "power" in Jesus' face when He essentially humiliated Pilate, demeaned his power, when He "refused to speak to him" (1 John 19:10). Jesus was essentially saying, "you don't have as much power as you think, just because you are a ruler and think you have the power to keep me alive," Even though, the Jews had "no right to execute them," they had more knowledge than Pilate (who was NOT a Jew and was NOT aware of prophecies and scripture) to have known he was the Messiah, and THEY were the ones that actually killed Him, THROUGH Pilate. And SO, Pilate WASN'T the one who killed Jesus and DIDN'T have the "power to free Him or crucify Him," as he claimed.

THEREFORE, those Jews committed the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, the sin of DEATH, the "GREATER" sin.
Pilate was guilty of abuse of power and cowardice (failure to stand up against the Jews) and essentially of third-degree murder, WHICH is forgivable, ACCORDING TO JESUS CHRIST.

1. FORGIVABLE = ALL SINS EXCEPT #2
2. DEATH/NOT FORGIVABLE = ONLY THE SIN OF THE BLASPHEMY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

terrifying, huh?

ONLY TWO LEVELS!!!!!

 

[stone]

SIN IS UNBELIEF. ATTRIBUTES OF SIN ARE MANIFESTED IS GALATION 5 V 18. WORKS OF FLESH IS IDOLATRY WITCH CRAFT HATRED VARIANCE EMUILATIONS WRATH STRIVE SEDITIONS HERESIES ENVYINGS MURDERS DRUNKENNESS REVELLINGS AND SUCH LIKE OF THE WHICH I TELL YOU BEFORE AS I HAVE ALSO TOLD YOU IN TIME PAST THAT THEY WHICH DO SUCH THINGS SHALL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD. THE WOMEN CAUGHT IN ADULTRY. REMEMBER JESUS TOLD HER SIN NO MORE ELSE A WORSER THING HAPPEN TO YOU. CAUSE SHE DISBELIEVED SHE WAS DOING DOES THINGS.

 

[Red33]

Why is it even important to know the levels of sin, if Jesus has explained that being angry at your brother is EQUAL to murder? I mean, RIGHT THERE, explains that ALL sins are equal, with the exception of blasphemy towards the Holy Spirit. May God forgive me if I'm wrong but it so obviously states in:



wicked is WICKED.
good and is good.
there ISN'T A GRAY area.

Red33:
I think, the scripture that you quoted, Jesus was putting Pilate in his place.
Pilate was being arrogant when he said, "I can do what I want with you, don't you see that?" (1 John 19:10) He felt almight, essentially, by saying that he could keep Him alive or take his life, like ACTUALLY, only GOD can do (which was what Jesus was saying in 1 John 19:11).

Pilate was being ARROGANT because he flaunted his "power" in Jesus' face when He essentially humiliated Pilate, demeaned his power, when He "refused to speak to him" (1 John 19:10). Jesus was essentially saying, "you don't have as much power as you think, just because you are a ruler and think you have the power to keep me alive," Even though, the Jews had "no right to execute them," they had more knowledge than Pilate (who was NOT a Jew and was NOT aware of prophecies and scripture) to have known he was the Messiah, and THEY were the ones that actually killed Him, THROUGH Pilate. And SO, Pilate WASN'T the one who killed Jesus and DIDN'T have the "power to free Him or crucify Him," as he claimed.

THEREFORE, those Jews committed the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, the sin of DEATH, the "GREATER" sin.
Pilate was guilty of abuse of power and cowardice (failure to stand up against the Jews) and essentially of third-degree murder, WHICH is forgivable, ACCORDING TO JESUS CHRIST.

1. FORGIVABLE = ALL SINS EXCEPT #2
2. DEATH/NOT FORGIVABLE = ONLY THE SIN OF THE BLASPHEMY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

terrifying, huh?

ONLY TWO LEVELS!!!!!

You made some good points.

 

[FaithfulChristianMan]

I was raised as a Catholic to believe there were 3 types of sins:
Social- Swearing, thinking bad thoughts about others.
Venial- Hurting other people through words or actions, disrespecting God or the Bible, purposely violating God's law
Mortal- Murder, Suicide
It was taught that all but mortal sins were forgivable through confession and repentance.

I would now consider myself non-denominational Christian and have a slightly different view on sin. I believe that any sin against the teachings of Jesus is a sin which we should try to avoid at all costs. However, I believe that Jesus forgives us of our sins by His death on the cross. Our belief and dedication to his ways are our path to salvation.

So, I guess I believe that there are not actual classifications of levels of sin, but rather they are all equally deviations from God's instruction. Regardless of what you have done in your past, I feel that what you practice and believe in your heart in the present day- to live for Jesus means to have forgiveness.

 

[dewba]

You made some good points.

May God bless you, Red33. I appreciate that.

 

[dewba]

John 3:18
He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

1. If you believe, you are saved.
2. If you don't, you are not saved; you die (blasphemy of the Holy Spirit)
   1. The Jews that persecuted Jesus never believed that he was God, and even went so far as to kill him, therefore committing the unforgiveable sin.
      1. Yet God is SO GREAT that even if the Jews decided to believe and ask for forgiveness before the very moment of their death, Jesus would forgive them:
         1. Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know NOT what they do." Luke 23:34
            1. NO ONE is forgiven against their will.
               1. So the one unforgivable sin is not believing (which INCLUDES not asking for forgiveness)

 

[eternally-gratefull]

1. If you believe, you are saved.
2. If you don't, you are not saved; you die (blasphemy of the Holy Spirit)
   1. The Jews that persecuted Jesus never believed that he was God, and even went so far as to kill him, therefore committing the unforgiveable sin.
      1. Yet God is SO GREAT that even if the Jews decided to believe and ask for forgiveness before the very moment of their death, Jesus would forgive them:
         1. 1. NO ONE is forgiven against their will.
               1. So the one unforgivable sin is not believing (which INCLUDES not asking for forgiveness)

Think of the verse you posted. "father forgive them" That is what a mediator does. When the accuser comes and accuses one of Gods children of not being worthy because of sin. Jesus mediates by saying, Your right, they are not worthy. But I paid the price.

Us asking forgiveness has no bearing. The penalty was paid for by Christ on the cross. If we could be saved by just asking forgiveness (the law) Christ came for nothing.

 

[SantoSubito]

I was raised as a Catholic to believe there were 3 types of sins:
Social- Swearing, thinking bad thoughts about others.
Venial- Hurting other people through words or actions, disrespecting God or the Bible, purposely violating God's law
Mortal- Murder, Suicide
It was taught that all but mortal sins were forgivable through confession and repentance.

I would now consider myself non-denominational Christian and have a slightly different view on sin. I believe that any sin against the teachings of Jesus is a sin which we should try to avoid at all costs. However, I believe that Jesus forgives us of our sins by His death on the cross. Our belief and dedication to his ways are our path to salvation.

So, I guess I believe that there are not actual classifications of levels of sin, but rather they are all equally deviations from God's instruction. Regardless of what you have done in your past, I feel that what you practice and believe in your heart in the present day- to live for Jesus means to have forgiveness.

Your above classification is wrong and you were either taught by an inept teacher or you don't correctly recollect what you were taught.

Catholicism teaches that there are two types of sin; Venial (sin that does not lead to spiritual death and the falling of the soul from a state of Grace) and Mortal sin (which leads to spiritual death and the falling of a soul from a state of Grace)

Venial sin can be forgiven by praying, making the sign of the cross with holy water, attending Mass, and so on. Mortal sin can only be forgiven by going to confession. Which leads me to this particular passage of scripture.

Douay-Rheims: I John 5:16. He that knoweth his brother to sin a sin which is not to death, let him ask, and life shall be given to him, who sinneth not to death. There is a sin unto death: for that I say not that any man ask.

 

[angelos]

For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. James 2:10

Meaning that all those who break one part of the law are then accountable for the punishment of the law which is found in Ezekiel

The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. Ezekiel 18:20

As for levels of sin there is the mention of the Holy Spirit being blasphemed which will never be forgiven. Matthew 12:31 This verse has multiple interpretations to it but regardless it is still unforgivable.

There is the mention of sexual sin which is inside the body and desecrates a temple unto YWHW. 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 Now I am aware it does not outright say it is worse but I am making an inference.

There is also the mention that those who have no knowledge of the law will be beaten with few blows rather than many as if they will be excused in a sense of their sin yet still have to pay for it none the less. Luke 12:48

There is also the mention of Jesus saying those who have handed him over to Pilate have the greater sin. John 19:11

There is also the mention of sins that do lead to death and those that don't. 1 John 5:16-18 also there are varied interpretations as to what those sins are but nonetheless apparently not all sins lead to death while some do.



I'm sure there are many other verses that relate to "levels" of sin yet it should be reasoned that without Christ all sin is worthy of death and only Christ can save us from that death. I hope I have answered well and have answered the question. Be blessed Perdy.