I’m not a bad person. I’ve never stolen anything. At least not anything significant. There was that time I took candy out of my brother’s Easter basket. And I’m pretty sure I’ve walked off with a pen from the bank on more than one occasion. Maybe I even “borrowed” a friend’s Netflix password once upon a time. But I heard you can do that? I wouldn’t call myself a thief. Oh, great. Am I a bad person? Are some sins worse than others?
I mean, it’s not like I’m a serial killer. Once or twice I might have entertained some less-than-friendly thoughts about someone I didn’t get along with. I may have even shared those thoughts with other people to get them to agree with me. But I’m definitely not a murderer.
I’ve never been arrested for anything. Ever. I did have detention in school once. I got caught passing notes in class. And I’ve had my share of speeding tickets. (I may have even tried to get out of them by stretching the truth a bit.) But I’m certainly not a criminal.
So, of course God agrees that I’m totally not a bad person. Right?
Well, maybe not.
When compared to God’s holiness, there’s no difference between hurling an insult and attempting murder.
God is actually the opposite of all sins, no matter how “minor” they seem to be. While the physical and emotional consequences for various sins are different, and some are far more severe, He sees it all as sin, and God has nothing to do with sin. When compared to God’s holiness, there’s no difference between hurling an insult and attempting murder. Sin is nowhere on the spectrum of godliness. It’s all equally opposed to everything God is. Ouch. Are some sins worse? Compared to God, no.
Why is God so opposed to sin, anyway? Remember, sin––any sin––is the opposite of God. If we sin, that separates us from God, and that’s the last thing God wants. In order to bridge the separation, the same amount of God’s grace is required. Romans 3:23 NLT says, For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yup. I’m definitely a bad person compared to God’s perfection.
Are some sins worse? Nope. Am I a bad person? Yup. But even in the midst of my sin, your sin, regardless of what it is, God loves you and me completely. He showed us His love by sending Jesus, the only one who never sinned, to take on our sin so we could be on God’s side. Without this gift of love, we would live on the opposite side of God forever.
For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23 NIV
Jesus gave up His life to take on every one of our sins, no matter what they are, and put them in a grave. He made a place for us to join Him as one of God’s kids. So, no. By God’s grace, I’m not a bad person—I’m a forgiven person. God offers you forgiveness freely. Will you take it?