Bob Prichard

Topic(s): Sin

There are different types of sin, and sins have varying earthly consequences, but there are not degrees of sin. We sometimes think of “little white lies,” which we think are not as bad as other “big lies,” but the Bible simply says, “The fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8). The eternal consequences for sin are the same for all sins, even if they are sins that we want to think of as only “minor sins.”

John wrote that “sin is the transgression of the law” (1 John 3:4). To transgress the law of the land is to commit a crime. To transgress the law of God is to commit sin. The literal meaning of the word “sin” is “to miss the mark.” When we sin, we have “missed the mark” of following God’s will. While there are not degrees of sin, sins may still be classified in certain ways. Some sins are moral sins, such as adultery and drunkenness, specifically condemned by the Bible. Other moral sins such as gambling are condemned in principle by the Bible. John sums up these “works of the flesh,” saying “All unrighteousness is sin” (1 John 5:17).

Sins of commission are sins of disobedience to God’s will. When Lot and his family escaped from the wicked city of Sodom, God warned that they were not to look back. When Lot’s wife looked back, she turned into a pillar of salt. Her sin was not a moral sin, but was simply disobedience to God’s command (Genesis 19). Having lost the ark of the covenant in battle to the Philistines, the Israelites were returning it to Jerusalem. It was on an ox cart, instead of being carried on poles by the priests as God had commanded. As it was traveling, “Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God” (2 Samuel 6:6-7). Uzzah lost his life for disobeying God (He had forbidden that the ark ever be touched by man), even as he did what he thought was “right,” by steadying the cart.

Another type of sin is sins of omission (not doing right). It is not good enough just to refrain from doing those things God has condemned. James wrote, “to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin” (James 4:17).
The Bible warns, “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). It also warns, “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The foremost problem in the world today is a sin problem. Man is a sinner, and must pay the consequences. The wonderful news however, is that even though man sins against the infinite God Who created the universe, He has provided a means of escape. Paul wrote, “the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). By obeying the commands of the gospel of Christ, we can have that eternal life through Christ.