The Weight of Sin

Is All Sin Equal?

First, I want to answer whether all sin is equal or not. This can be confusing because in some ways all sins are equal, but in other ways they're not. 

How Sins Are Equal

Sins are all equal in the way that they are all evil and opposed to God. God sees sin as equal in the way that every sin we commit, no matter how bad, separates us from him. No matter the sin, we need to take them all seriously, and turn away from them all. 

We are all inherently sinful, and all sin keeps us out of heaven, which is why we need to repent and follow Christ, so through his grace, by our faith, we can be saved. 

How Sins Are Different

Different sins are unequal in their moral weight. For example, murder is a much morally worse sin than stealing or lying. Often the way we judge moral weight comes from the consequences of that sin. Murder is worse because it ends another life, and results in grief, sadness, and depression in others. Something like stealing would be less severe, because the consequences of stealing are less severe. 

Another example of this is lust and adultery. These are both sins that equally separate us from God, but lusting in your mind, and physically committing adultery, both can have much different consequences. Adultery can separate families, start arguments, and stir anger, while lust doesn't always have a direct effect on others. 

Overall, sin is sin, all sin separates us from God, but all sin doesn't result in the same consequences in the world. 

Do All Sins Take the Same Amount of Forgiveness?

Yes. Accepting forgiveness isn't about how bad our sin is, but about the true depth of God's love and mercy. All sin requires the same amount of forgiveness, which is complete forgiveness. God doesn't ever partially forgive us.

1 John 1:9: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

When we genuinely follow Christ and seek forgiveness, no matter the sin, we are completely and totally forgiven. There's no sin that's too big or too small for God to forgive. Our ability to receive forgiveness comes from our willingness to acknowledge our sin, confess it, and give it to God. 

Can You Lose Salvation by Committing a Certain Sin?

There is no sin bad enough that we can lose our salvation because of it. Now if we are not willing to repent of a sin, then it's possible that we won't receive salvation. No matter what sin you commit, as long as you repent from it, and truly ask God for forgiveness, then it wont result in losing salvation. The only sin that could technically make you lose your salvation is apostasy, which is literally the act of rejecting God's grace and forgiveness, and turning away from Him. The reason this makes us lose our salvation is because we're literally just denying God, and not accepting his forgiveness. 

Grace Greater Than Our Sin

Ephesians 2:8-9: "For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift — not from works, so that no one can boast."

In the end, all sin separates us from God, but no sin is beyond His forgiveness. Through Christ's grace, through out faith in Him, we can find freedom, no matter the weight of our sin.

Related Article: Repentance