Do Some Sins Matter More Than Others?

People naturally rank sin. Murder feels worse than gossip. Adultery feels worse than lying. And because of that, it’s easy to compare ourselves to others and feel spiritually safer.

In this episode of FaithFuel, Bob Shaw talks about the danger of pride, self-righteousness, and comparing ourselves to other people instead of recognizing our own need for God’s grace.

Using a real-life conversation about Jeffrey Dahmer and biblical teaching from Jesus, this devotional explores earthly consequences, forgiveness, humility, and why every person stands in need of Christ.

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Transcript

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Most people rank sin, whether they admit it or not. And usually the comparison sounds something like, well, at least I'm not as bad as that guy. I'm Bob Shaw, and this is Faith Fuel. People naturally categorize sin. Murder feels worse than gossip, adultery feels worse than lying, and of course, sin absolutely carries different earthly consequences. Murder destroys lives differently than pride or selfishness, obviously. But problems start when people compare themselves to others as a way of feeling spiritually secure. That kind of thinking can easily lead to pride and self righteousness. Romans 3 verse 23. For everyone has sinned, we all fall short of God's glorious standard. I remember a non believer asking me one time whether somebody like Jeffrey Dahmer could go to heaven. And when I said yes, if someone genuinely repents and puts their faith in Christ, it really bothered her. Because in her mind, certain people had crossed a line where forgiveness should no longer apply. Sometimes we have that way of thinking as well. We naturally rank sins according to how shocking or visible they are. But one of the uncomfortable truths of Christianity is this the ground is level at the foot of the cross. That doesn't mean every sin affects people the same way. A lie and murder do not carry the same earthly consequences, but every one of us still stands in need of God's grace. And the danger is not only the obvious sins everybody notices, sometimes it's the attitudes people justify because they seem more acceptable on the surface. Pride, bitterness, envy, refusing to forgive someone. Jesus addressed this in Matthew 23, verses 27 and 28, when he told the religious leaders, You are like whitewashed tombs, beautiful on the outside, but filled on the inside with dead people's bones and all sorts of impurity. Interesting mind picture, huh? Jesus was confronting people who looked spiritually clean outwardly while ignoring what was happening in their hearts. And it's easy to fall into that same trap today. The goal is not to become better than somebody else. The goal is to become more like Christ. And the closer people grow to God, the more aware they usually become of their own need for grace. Lord, thank you for your grace and mercy toward all of us. Forgive us for pride, self-righteousness, and comparing ourselves to other people. Help us grow in humility, repentance, and dependence on you. And remind us that every one of us needs your grace every single day. In Jesus' name, Amen. Instead of measuring yourself against somebody else this week, maybe spend some time asking God to continue shaping your heart and making you more like Christ. And if Faith Fuel has encouraged you, share it with someone who could use encouragement in their walk with God too. I'm Bob Shaw. Peace and joy.