Donna Danna (17 June 2006)
"DOES GOD RATE SIN?"


If God doesn't rate sin, then why did Jesus tell Pilate about "the greater sin" in John 19:11?  It sounds like one sin is greater than another and that there are different categories of sin.  In John 19:11, Jesus said to Pilate,  "Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto to thee hath the greater sin."  So Pilate had a lesser sin than the one who delivered Jesus to Pilate.
 
Also if God doesn't rate sin, why did Jesus say in Matthew 23:14, Mark 12:38-40, and Luke 20:45-47 that the scribes and Pharisees would receive "the greater damnation"?  I would think that the greater the sin is then the greater the damnation would be if sin was rated by God.  In Matthew 23:14, Jesus said, "Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation."  Mark 12:38-40, "And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, And the chief seats in the synagougues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation." Luke 20:45-47, "Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples, Beware of the scribes which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogue, and the chief rooms at feasts; Which devour widows' houses, and for a show make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation."
 
Also, if God doesn't rate sin, why then in Matthew 10:15 and in Mark 6:11 did Jesus said "It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city" (which refers to the city in verse 14 in which "whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when you depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.")  If it is going to be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, it sounds like they are going to be judged less harshly than those who wouldn't receive the 12 disciples or hear their words.
 
And if God doesn't rate sin, then why did Jesus say in Luke 12:47-48, "And that servant which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.  But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes.  For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask more."  So if God doesn't rate sin, why did the servant who knew God's will and did it not get beaten with more stripes than the person who was ignorant of God's will and got beaten with less stripes?  It sounds like it is a greater sin to know God's will and do it not and end up beaten with more stripes than to be ignorant of God's will and not do God's will due to your ignorance, and you end up with less stripes.  If God didn't rate sin, then I would think they would both end up with the same punishment and the same amount of stripes.