My friends, do not fall for the devil's lie.
The Bible teaches that there are
degrees of sin and
degrees of punishment.
Take time to read and study this biblical treatise by Thomas Watson on;
Degrees of Sin
Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous?
Some sins in themselves, and by reason of several aggravations,
are more heinous in the sight of God than others.
‘He that delivered me unto thee, has the greater sin.’
John 19: 11
The
Stoic philosophers held that all sins were equal; but this Scripture
clearly holds forth that there is a gradual difference in sin; some are
greater than others; some are
‘mighty sins,’ and '
crying sins.’ Amos 5: 12; Gen 18: 21.
Every sin has a voice to speak, but some sins cry. As some diseases are worse than others, and some poisons more venomous, so some sins are more heinous.
‘Ye have done worse than your fathers, your sins have exceeded theirs.’ Jer
16: 12; Ezek 16: 47. Some sins have a blacker aspect than others; to
clip the king’s coin is treason; but to strike his person is a higher
degree of treason. A vain thought is a sin, but a blasphemous word is a
greater sin. That some sins are greater than others appears,
(1) Because there was difference in the offerings under the law; the sin offering was greater than the trespass offering.
(2)
Because some sins are not capable of pardon as others are, therefore
they must needs be more heinous, as the blasphemy against the Holy
Ghost. Matt 12: 31.
(3) Because some sins have a greater degree of punishment than others.
‘Ye shall receive the greater damnation.’ Matt 23: 14.
‘Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?’ God would not punish one more than another if his sin was not greater. It is true,
‘all sins are equally heinous in respect of the object,’ or
the infinite God, against whom sin is committed, but, in another sense,
all sins are not alike heinous; some sins have more bloody
circumstances in them, which are like the dye to the wool, to give it a
deeper colour.
[1] Such sins are more heinous as are
committed without any occasion offered; as when a man swears or is
angry, and has no provocation. The less the occasion of sin, the greater
is the sin itself.
[2] Such sins are more heinous that
are committed presumptuously. Under the law there was no sacrifice for
presumptuous sins. Num 15: 30.
What is the sin of presumption, which heightens and aggravates sin, and makes it more heinous?
To sin presumptuously, is to sin against convictions and illuminations, or an enlightened conscience.
‘They are of those that rebel against the light.’ Job
24: 13. Conscience, like the cherubim, stands with a flaming sword in
its hand to deter the sinner; and yet he will sin. Did not Pilate sin
against conviction, and with a high hand, in condemning Christ? He knew
that for envy the Jews had delivered him. Matt 27: 18. He confessed he
‘found no fault in Him.’ Luke 23: 14. His own wife sent to him saying,
‘Have nothing to do with that just man.’ Matt
27: 19. Yet for all this, he gave the sentence of death against Christ.
He sinned presumptuously, against an enlightened conscience. To sin
ignorantly does something to extenuate and pare off the guilt. ‘
If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin,’ that
is, their sin had been less. John 15: 22. But to sin against
illuminations and convictions enhances men’s sins. These sins make deep
wounds in the soul; other sins fetch blood; they are a stab at the
heart.
How many ways may a man sin against illuminations and convictions?
(1)
When he lives in the total neglect of duty. He
is not ignorant that it is a duty to read the Word, yet he lets the
Bible lie by as rusty armour, seldom made us of. He is convinced that it
is a duty to pray in his family, yet he can go days and months, and God
never hears of him; he calls God Father, but never asks his blessing.
Neglect of family-prayer, as it were, uncovers the roof of men’s houses,
and makes way for a curse to be rained down upon their table.
(2)
When a man lives in the same sins he condemns in others. ‘Thou that judges, does the same things.’ Rom
2: 1. As Augustine says of Seneca, ‘He wrote against superstition, yet
he worshipped those images which he reproved.’ One man condemns another
for rash censuring, yet lives in the same sin himself; a master reproves
his apprentice for swearing, yet he himself swears. The snuffers of the
tabernacle were of pure gold: they who reprove and snuff the vices of
others, had need themselves be free from those sins. The snuffers must
be of gold.
(3)
When a man sins after vows. ‘Thy vows are upon me, O God.’ Psa
56: 12. A vow is a religious promise made to God, to dedicate ourselves
to Him. A vow is not only a purpose, but a promise. Every votary makes
himself a debtor; he binds himself to God in a solemn manner. Now, to
sin after a vow, to vow himself to God, and give his soul to the devil,
must needs be against the highest convictions.
(4)
When a man sins after counsels, admonitions, warnings, he cannot plead ignorance. The
trumpet of the gospel has been blown in his ears, and sounded a retreat
to call him off from his sins, he has been told of his injustice,
living in malice, keeping bad company, yet he would venture upon sin.
This is to sin against conviction; it aggravates the sin, and is like a
weight put into the scale, to make his sin weigh the heavier. If a
sea-mark be set up to give warning that there are shelves and rocks in
that place, yet if the mariner will sail there, and split his ship, it
is presumption; and if he be cast away, who will pity him?
(5)
When a man sins against express combinations and threatening. God has thundered out threatenings against such sins.
"But God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses." Psa
68: 21. Though God set the point of His sword to the breast of a
sinner, he will still commit sin. The pleasure of sin delights him more
than the threatenings affright him. Like the leviathan, ‘
he laugheth at the shaking of a spear.’ Job 41: 29. Nay, he derides God’s threatenings.
‘Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it:’ we
have heard much what God intends to do, and of judgement approaching,
we would fain see it. Isa 5: 19. For men to see the flaming sword of
God’s threatening brandished, yet to strengthen themselves in sin, is in
an aggravated manner to sin against illumination and conviction.
(6)
When a man sins under affliction. God
not only thunders by threatening, but lets His thunderbolt fall. He
inflicts judgements on a person so that he may read his sins in his
punishment,
and yet he sins. His sin was uncleanness, by which
he wasted his strength, as well as his estate. He has had a fit of
apoplexy; and yet while feeling the smart of sin, he retains the love of
sin. This is to sin against conviction.
‘In his distress did he trespass yet more; this is that king Ahab’ 2 Chron 28: 22.
It makes the sin greater to sin against an enlightened conscience. It is full of obstinacy. Men
give no reason, make no defence for their sins, and yet are resolved to
hold fast iniquity. Voluntas est regula et mensura actionis
[An action can be measured and judged by the will involved], the more of the will in a sin, the greater the sin.
‘We will walk after our own devices.’ Jer
18: 12. Though there be death and hell at every step, we will march on
under Satan’s colours. What made the sin of apostate angels so great was
that it was wilful; they had no ignorance in their mind, no passion to
stir them up; there was no tempter to deceive them, but they sinned
obstinately and from choice. To sin against convictions and
illuminations, is joined with rejection and contempt of God. It is bad
for a sinner to forget God, but it is worse to condemn him.
‘Wherefore does the wicked condemn God?’ Psa
10: 13. An enlightened sinner knows that by his sin he disobliges and
angers God; but he cares not whether God be pleased or not, he will have
his sin; therefore such a one is said to reproach God.
‘The soul that does ought presumptuously, the same reproacheth the Lord.’ Numb
15: 30. Every sin displeases God, but sins against an enlightened
conscience reproach the Lord. To condemn the authority of a prince, is a
reproach done to him. It is accompanied with impudence. Fear and shame
are banished, the veil of modesty is laid aside.
‘The unjust knoweth no shame.’ Zeph
3: 5. Judas knew Christ was the Messiah; he was convinced of it by an
oracle from heaven, and by the miracles he wrought, and yet he
impudently went on in his treason, even when Christ said,
‘He that dips his hand with me in the dish, he shall betray me:’ and
he knew Christ meant him. When he was going about his treason, and
Christ pronounced a woe to him, yet, for all that, he proceeded in his
treason. Luke 22: 22. Thus to sin presumptuously, against an enlightened
conscience, dyes the sin of a crimson colour, and makes it greater than
other sins.
[3]
Such sins are more heinous than others, which are sins of continuance. The continuing of sin is the enhancing of sin. He
who plots treason, makes himself a greater offender. Some men’s heads
are the devil’s minthouse, they are a mint of mischief.
‘Inventors of evil things.’ Rom
1: 30. Some invent new oaths, others new snares. Such were those
presidents that invented a decree against Daniel, and got the king to
sign it. Dan 6: 9.
[4]
Those sins are greater which proceed from a spirit of malignity. To
malign holiness is diabolical. It is a sin to want grace, it is worse
to hate it. In nature there are antipathies, as between the vine and
laurel. Some have an antipathy against God because of his purity.
‘Cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.’ Isa 30: 11.
Sinners, if it lay in their power, would not only dethrone God, but annihilate Him; if they could help it, God should no longer be God. Thus sin is boiled up to a greater height.
[5]
Those sins are of greater magnitude, which are mixed with ingratitude. Of
all things God cannot endure to have His kindness slighted. His mercy
is seen in reprieving men so long, in wooing them by His Spirit and
ministers to be reconciled, in crowning them with so many temporal
blessings: and to abuse all this love — when God has been filling up the
measure of His mercy, for men to fill up the measure of their sins — is
high ingratitude, and makes their sins of a deeper crimson. Some are
worse for mercy.
‘The vulture,’ says Aelian,
‘draws sickness from perfumes.’ So
the sinner contracts evil from the sweet perfumes of God’s mercy. The
English chronicle reports of one Parry, who being condemned to die,
Queen Elizabeth sent him her pardon; and after he was pardoned, he
conspired and plotted the queen’s death. Just so some deal with God, He
bestows mercy, and they plot treason against Him.
‘I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against Me.’ Isa
1: 2. The Athenians, in lieu of the good service Themistocles had done
them, banished him their city. The snake, in the fable, being frozen,
stung him that gave it warmth. Certainly sins against mercy are more
heinous.
[6]
Those sins are more heinous than others which are committed with delectation. A child of God may sin through a surprisal, or against his will.
‘The evil which I would not, that I do.’ Rom 7: 19. He is like one that is carried down the stream involuntarily.
But to sin with delight heightens and greatens the sin. It is a sign the heart is in the sin.
‘They set their heart on their iniquity,’ as a man follows his gain with delight. Hos 4: 8.
‘Without are dogs, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.’ Rev 22: 15. To tell a lie is a sin; but to love to tell a lie is a greater sin.
[7]
Those sins are more heinous than others which are committed under a pretence of religion. To cheat and defraud is a sin, but to do it with a Bible in one’s hand, is a double sin. To be unchaste is a sin; but to put on a mask of religion to play the whore makes the sin greater. ‘I have peace offerings with me; this day have I paid my vows; come let us take our fill of love.’ Prov
7: 14, 15. She speaks as if she had been at church, and had been saying
her prayers: who would ever have suspected her of dishonesty? But,
behold her hypocrisy; she makes her devotion a preface to adultery. ‘
Which devour widows’ houses, and for a show make long prayers.’ Luke
20: 47. The sin was not in making long prayers; for Christ was a whole
night in prayer; but to make long prayers that they might do unrighteous
actions, made their sin more horrid.
[8]
Sins of apostasy are more heinous than others. Demas forsook the truth and afterwards became a priest in an idol temple, says Dorotheus. 2 Tim 4: 10.
To fall is a sin; but to fall away is a greater sin.Apostates cast a disgrace upon religion.
‘The apostate,’ says Tertullian, ‘
seems
to put God and Satan in the balance; and having weighed both their
services, prefers the devil’s, and proclaims him to be the best
master.’ In which respect the apostate is said to put Christ to
‘open shame.’ Heb
6: 6. This dyes a sin in grain, and makes it greater. It is a sin not
to profess Christ, but it is a greater to deny him. Not to wear Christ’s
colours is a sin, but to run from His colours is a greater sin.
A pagan sins less than a baptised renegade.
[9]
To persecute religion makes sin greater. Acts
7: 52. To have no religion is a sin, but to endeavour to destroy
religion is a greater. Antiochus Epiphanes took more tedious journeys
and ran more hazards, to vex and oppose the Jews, than all his
predecessors had done to obtain victories. Herod
‘added this above all, that he shut up John in prison.’ Luke
3: 20. He sinned before by incest; but by imprisoning the prophet he
added to his sin and made it greater. Persecution fills up the measure
of sin.
‘Fill ye up the measure of your fathers.’ Matt 23: 32.
If you pour a porringer of water into a cistern it adds something to it,
but if you pour in a bucketful or two it fills up the measure of the
cistern; so persecution fills up the measure of sin, and makes it
greater.
[10]
To sin maliciously makes sin greater. Aquinas,
and other of the schoolmen, place the sin against the Holy Ghost in
malice. The sinner does all he can to vex God, and despite the Spirit of
grace. Heb 10: 29. Thus Julia threw up his dagger in the air, as if he
would have been revenged upon God. This swells sin to its full size, it
cannot be greater. When a man is once come to this, blasphemously to
despite the Spirit, there is but one step lower he can fall, and that is
to hell.
[11]
It aggravates sin, and makes it greater, when a man not only sins himself, but endeavours to make others sin.
(1)
Such as teach errors to the people,
who decry Christ’s deity, or deny His virtue, making Him only a
political head, not a head of influence: who preach against the morality
of the Sabbath, or the immortality of the soul; these men’s sins are
greater than others. If the breakers of God’s law sin, what do they that
teach men to break them? Matt 5: 19.
(2)
Such as destroy others by their bad example.
The swearing father teaches his son to swear, and damns him by his
example. Such men’s sins are greater than others, and they shall have a
hotter place in hell.
Use. You see all sins are not equal; some
are more grievous than others, and bring greater wrath; therefore
especially take heed of these sins.
‘Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins.’ Psa
19: 13. The least sin is bad enough; you need not aggravate your sins,
and make them more heinous. He that has a little wound will not make it
deeper. Oh, beware of those circumstances which increase your sin and
make it more heinous! The higher a man is in sinning, the lower he shall
lie in torment.
Excerpted from:
The Ten Commandments
by
Thomas Watson
Chapter 3.2
www.biblebb.com/files/TW/tw-commandments.htm
