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From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Dear Rev. Graham: I resent when someone tells me that I am just as bad of a sinner as someone who has committed murder. The worst thing I’ve done is lie to my parents. Where in the Bible does it say that a liar is as bad as a murderer? – A.C.

Dear A.C.: From the human standpoint, some sins seem worse than others – sins like murder, assault or stealing that deeply hurt others. But the Bible doesn’t tell us which sin is worst in God’s eyes, because God hates all sin. God is absolutely pure and holy; even the smallest sin is evil in His sight. When we observe what the Bible says about various sins, we notice even the order in which they are placed. The Lord hates “a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood …” (Proverbs 6:17, NKJV). Why is this? Often, pride and lies come before the murder!

We have largely lost sight of the holiness and purity of God today. This is one reason why we tolerate sin so easily and casually dismiss so many sins as minor or insignificant. It is also the reason why we ignore sin in our lives and neglect to repent of it. We need to read God’s own words [in the Bible] and ask Him to show us that in His eyes all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory.

No matter how good we think we are, God’s judgment still stands: “There is no one who does good, not even one” (Romans 3:12, NIV). But God loves us despite our sin, and He yearns to forgive us and welcome us into His family forever. We must never diminish our sins, we must never excuse our sin or tolerate it any longer; rather, we must repent of it, and with God’s help begin following Christ every day.

(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)