Are all sins equal?

TL;DR:

While all sin is equally against God, equally separates us from Him, and will equally result in judgement, not all sins are equal.

All sin is sin against God. Sin is everything we think, say, do, or feel that is against God’s character and His commands. All sins are categorically equal and deserving of eternal separation from Him. Our sinful nature creates a great chasm that only the cross of Christ can bridge. Because of this, cheating on a test is just as severe as a violent murder, as they both separate us from Him. However, cheating on a test has a very different consequence and impact than a violent murder. The test cheater will get an “F” if caught. The murderer will get life in prison. In the sense of sin’s impact and consequences, all sins are not equal.

from the old testament

Adam and Eve wanted to be like God and were removed from His presence (Genesis 3:6-24).
Cain killed his brother Abel and was sent further from God’s presence (Genesis 4:8-16).
The people of Noah’s day were continuously evil and were wiped out with a global flood (Genesis 6:5-7).
In the ceremonial laws given by God through Moses, all sin against God required sacrifices (Leviticus 1:4; 3:2; 4:22-26).
In the same laws, sins against people were judged based on the offense. Intentional murder required death (Leviticus 20:2; 24:17), but simple matters concerning land and animals usually only demanded compensation (Exodus 22:1-15).
David recognized that no one does good before God (Psalm 14:3).
Jeremiah said that the heart of man is desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9).

from the new testament

Jesus called people to repent of their sin toward God (Mark 1:15).
Jesus said that anger is the same as murder (Matthew 5:21-22) and lust is the same as adultery (5:27-28). Categorically, all sin is equal in the sense that all sin will be punished and that it all separates us from God. All sin is not equal in the sense that lust occurs in the mind and has less consequence (though it is not less sinful, will be judged, and can lead to more sin) than actually acting on that lust and committing adultery.
Zacchaeus was a tax collector who robbed people. Jesus forgave him spiritually, but he still made amends to those he harmed (Luke 19:2-10).
Paul said that the law condemns all lawbreakers equally (Romans 2:12).
He also echoed David’s words that no one is righteous (Romans 3:10).
James declared that breaking one law is breaking all of it (James 2:10).

implications for today

In regards to salvation, all sins are equal. James 2:10-11 explains, "For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. For he who said, 'Do not commit adultery,' also said, 'Do not murder.' If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law." Disobeying one part of the law puts us in a state of having transgressed the law. If we lie, we're not only guilty of lying; we're guilty of breaking the law as a whole. Romans 6:23 explains that the appropriate punishment for sin—any sin—is death. This is an on/off, either/or situation. Either we are guilty of disobeying the law or we are not. Every single thought or action motivated by selfishness or greed or anger is as condemning as any other. Fortunately, Jesus is willing and able to forgive every sin (1 John 1:9).

However, all sins do not have the same consequence and impact. When Moses saw the Israelites worshiping the golden calf, he declared, "You have sinned a great sin" (Exodus 32:30). And Jesus' reaction to the adulterous women He encountered (John 4:4-42; 8:1-11) was much different from how He interacted with the Pharisees (Matthew 3:7; 12:34; 23:33; Luke 3:7). He explains this in Matthew 23:23-24: "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!"

We can also see a distinction in how God allows us to experience the earthly and relational repercussions of our sin. The desire for a friend's car may drive a wedge in a relationship but not as much as the theft of that car. An angry thought may be quickly forgotten while murder leaves much deeper wounds. God's acknowledgement of this is seen in the laws He gave the Israelites. Transgressions had different punishments depending on how badly they injured relationships and the stability of Israel as a society.

Every sin condemns us equally, but every sin does not hurt others equally. Fortunately, God is more powerful than any sin. He can always forgive, and He can always heal relationships—with Himself and others.

understand

All sins equally separate us from God and merit judgment.
Different sins result in varied consequences and impacts on earth.
God's forgiveness and restorative power remains constant and available for all who turn to him.

reflect

How does the understanding that all sins equally separate us from God challenge or affirm your perception of sin and its consequences?
Reflecting on your own life, do you see evidence of the diverse earthly impact of different sins? How does this shape your understanding of sin's consequences?
How does God's mercy and healing in the face of sin resonate with your own experiences of forgiveness and restoration?

engage

What are some examples where different sins have resulted in varied consequences? How does this reflect the idea that all sins are equal before God but that they do not hold the same weight in terms of consequence and impact?
Considering the principle that all sins merit judgment, how can we reconcile this with the notion that some sins seem to have more severe earthly consequences than others?
How does the understanding of God's constant mercy and healing power impact our response to sin, both in our personal lives and in our relationships with others?