Am I confused or is sin, sin? For some reason people think that maybe that’s not the case. As Christians we have allowed ourselves to be duped into thinking that, “It’s only a little white lie. It’s not like I murdered someone.” I can’t find anywhere in my Bible where it talks about one sin being worse than another. As a matter of fact, my good old King James quotes Jesus as saying:
27Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
28But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Matthew 5:27-28
So, sin is sin, but it is deeper than our outward appearance, it is our heart, our mind, our attitude?
7But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.
1 Samuel 16:7
True, lying is much “easier” to do, than murdering someone. But God says if I hate my brother, I have already killed him…
15Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer…
1John 3:15
Ok, I am getting off track here. My point is, sin is sin. One is no worse than the other, regardless of what our human nature tells us.
So, having established that fact, let’s move on to another thought. Regarding our children, when our children disobey is sin still sin? Let’s look at 2 scenarios, shall we?
Scenario #1 – I make it abundantly clear to my children they are not to eat on the couch. Let’s say Bubba eats on the couch. Can we all agree that he disobeyed his mother? Good!
Scenario #2 – I make it abundantly clear to my children that they are never to play with matches. Let’s say that Sugar Belle decides to light a candle and sets the house on fire. Can we agree that she disobeyed? Good!
Why is it then, that parents whose children “only” ate on the couch are “better parents” or have “better behaved” or “more obedient” children than the ones whose child burned the house down? Yes, I understand that the repercussions of playing with matches are much greater than eating on the couch. I am still trying to figure out how I am suddenly a better parent because my child hasn’t played with matches? Or how suddenly my child is “out of hand” or “rebellious” or “a handful” because that particular choice of disobedience has affected her entire family. Because let me tell you, it is by the grace of God that my children haven’t had or caused catastrophes, not because they are so well behaved, or are so obedient. They are children!!!! Children are going to disobey! Just like their parents who disobey their Heavenly Father on a regular basis.
We need to be so careful not to speak (or think) evil of one another or exult ourselves because “my child would never…”
Never what? Disobey?