Does God View Sins Equally?

Many Christians believe that all sins are equal in God’s eyes. Whether someone steals a paperclip or murders someone, it’s no different in God’s eyes. Unless they repent, they will receive the same punishment.

Those who hold this view often cite Jesus’s words from the Sermon on the Mount, in which he says:

“But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matt. 5:28).

This passage is often interpreted to mean: In God’s eyes, looking at a woman lustfully is equal to committing adultery with her. All sins are equal in God’s eyes. Sin is sin.

But is this really what Jesus meant? I don’t think so. Notice the very last part of the passage: “in his heart.” It’s true that the guy in Jesus’s illustration committed adultery in his heart…but he did not do so in his flesh. There’s a huge difference between the two!

Common sense is enough to show this. Imagine two scenarios: (1) Someone looks at your child lustfully; and (2) Someone molests your child. While both are wrong, the two are vastly different—and everybody knows it. I know it. You know it. Our justice system knows it. And God knows it. Saying the two sins are equal flies in the face of common sense.

It’s true that either sin is enough to sever one’s relationship with God; but that does not mean these sins are equally bad. Some sins are worse than others. And the greater the sin, the greater the judgment.

Degrees of Sins

There are many passages showing that some sins are worse than others. For example:

Pilate said to Jesus: “‘Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?’ And Jesus answered, ‘You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin’” (John 19:11).

The Lord says: “You who judged your sisters, bear your own shame also, because the sins which you committed were more abominable than theirs; they are more righteous than you” (Ezek. 16:52).

When discussing the city of Sodom, the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know” (Gen. 18:20–21).

“Every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven [because it is worse]. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come” (Matt. 12:31).

These kinds of passages clearly show that some sins are worse than others. And the greater the sin, the greater the punishment.

Degrees of Punishment

There are many passages showing there are degrees of punishment. For example:

“The dead are judged according to their works” (Rev 20:11–15).

“He will render each according to his deeds” (Prov 24:12; Rom. 2:5–6).

“Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment” (James 3:1).

“The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows” (Luke 12:47–48).

“But I [Jesus] say to you [Scribes and Pharisees] that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you” (Matt. 11:24).

“Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?” (Heb.10:28).

“Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love respectful greetings in the market places, and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets, who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation” (Luke 20:46).

I could go on and on with examples. These kinds of passages clearly show there are degrees of punishment. Saying otherwise not only flies in the face of common sense, but it also flies in the face of Scripture.

It’s time Christians dropped the silly notion that sin is sin.

By Alex Polyak, Director of The Bible Fulfilled, 1/4/24