There is a common phrase I have heard a hundred times that says, “sin is sin.” The idea is that all sin is equal since all sin is wrong, and wrong is wrong. Whether it is used to minimize a greater sin or highlight a smaller sin, the idea is still flawed in its meaning and its purpose.
Saying sin is sin is like saying a creature is a creature, which places a lion on equal footing with a mouse. It is true that they are both creatures, but the danger they pose to us and the consequences of being attacked by each one are as different as the sun is from the moon.
Sometimes, God uses the consequences of your sin to teach you a lesson. “…be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23 NKJV).
We can say that every sin, small or large, is a sin, for surely anything that goes against the will of God is a sin against God. But we cannot say that all sins are equal, both in terms of how the Lord views each sin and how each sin will have consequences on our lives or the lives of others.
Sometimes, God will turn you over to your sin, so the consequences will bring you back to Him. “For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems sad and painful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness [right standing with God and a lifestyle and attitude that seeks conformity to God’s will and purpose]” (Hebrews 12:11 AMP).
It is true that the Blood of Christ can cover any sin, no matter how great or how small. And we can most certainly find forgiveness in the mercy of Christ, who paid the price that we can enter into heaven. But there is most often still a price we must pay for our sins here on earth.
It’s better to pray about decisions than consequences. “With every step you take, think about what he wants, and he will help you go the right way” (Proverbs 3:6 ERV).
When I was in the prison ministry, the organization I served in had the tagline, “justice with mercy.” The idea is that when you commit a crime, then it demands that there be justice here on earth for what you have done, but there should also be mercy in the punishment.
It’s not justice or mercy; it’s justice and mercy. “Then the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying, this is what the Lord of armies has said: ‘Dispense true justice and practice kindness and compassion each to his brother; and do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the stranger or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another’” (Zechariah 7:8-10 NASB).
We tend to desire mercy and not justice for all we have done wrong and desire justice without mercy for what others have done against us. But both justice and mercy are needed, whether it be for what we have done to others or what they have done to us.
Justice only stings when you’re on the wrong side of the spear. “When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers” (Proverbs 21:15 NIV).
You might think as a Christian that if God forgave you of your sin, then there should not be any consequences for it, but you would be wrong. The greater the sin, the greater the consequences will often be; what you do matters.
Don’t blame God for the consequences you brought on yourself. “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Galatians 6:7 NKJV).
When the Lord gave the laws surrounding justice, He tempered the punishment to not be greater than the crime. He knew that in our anger, we might escalate the punishment. The Lord tempers His discipline for your sin in the same way; the greater your sin, the greater His discipline must be.
The proof of God’s love is God’s discipline. “For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child” (Hebrews 12:6 NLT).
Too often, we point out a bigger sin in someone else to minimize the sin we are doing ourselves. God doesn’t need your help judging others, and He isn’t grading us based on a curve. He will hold you accountable on the last day for everything you alone have done.
Stop judging your sin that you see in other people. “Some of you accuse others of doing wrong. But there is no excuse for what you do. When you judge others, you condemn yourselves, because you are guilty of doing the very same things” (Romans 2:1 CEV).
The hyper-grace message tries to make us feel good about our sins, while the legalistic message tries to condemn us for it. We are saved by grace to live holy lives. We are covered by the righteousness of Christ, called blameless, and filled with the Holy Spirit that we might walk in.
It is not grace or obedience, but grace and obedience. “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Romans 6:1-2).
Stop thinking your sins are too small to be noticed. Stop minimizing the big sins that you do that are especially offensive to your Father in heaven. Start confessing each sin and start allowing the Holy Spirit to fill you with the power to overcome them.
You’ll overcome sin when you let the Holy Spirit overcome you. “Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace” (Romans 8:5-6 NLT).
Blessings to you always,
Paul Balius