Lies in Disguise: Think All Sins Are the Same in God's Eyes?

How often have you heard the claim that “all sins are the same in God’s eyes”? 

Let me share the first time that statement really got my attention and led me to study what Scripture actually teaches: 

“My husband was a career soldier. In the early 1980s, we lived at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, where he attended the Command and General Staff College. Ft. Leavenworth is also the location of the military prison, and that’s why we met “Bob.” He was out of prison appealing a rape charge, and he’d successfully convinced several local Christian leaders that he was a genuine believer who had been falsely accused. 

“These leaders encouraged Bob to attend our small neighborhood Bible study. After we’d fellowshipped with him for several weeks, we heard he was back in prison. He’d been arrested for raping a local woman, and he was clearly guilty.

“When our Bible study met a few days later, we expressed shock and confusion regarding the behavior of this man who had sat in our midst one week earlier. One woman in our group said something Christians often say when they want to sound fair-minded and forgiving: ‘Well, I know he sinned, but when I gossip, I am no different. God sees all sins the same.’”   – from Lies in Disguise, Half-Truths Many Christians Believe 

This wasn't the first time I'd heard this statement, but it troubled me, and I started researching it with God's Word.  

It became very clear that, according to Scripture, all sins are the same in two ways, but beyond that, God judges sins quite differently.

When Christians correctly handle God's Word (2 Timothy 2:15), we can understand this “lie in disguise” and explain it to others. And that's extremely important. 

All sins are sinful, and all need forgiveness, but God does not see murder the same as childish irresponsibility. God sees sins differently according to a person's knowledge, their ability to understand Scripture, their motives, and their heart. He also judges sins differently by how much they damage individuals and culture. For a few of the Scriptures that address this, see Luke 12:47-48, James 3:1, and 1 Corinthians 6:18.

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To gain a deeper, more thorough understanding of this half-truth, I encourage you to check out Lies in Disguise. 

It will help you understand this truth as well as give you the Scriptures you need to help others understand it.

 💙 Currently available from the publisher with a discount: Lies in Disguise. Also available on Amazon and CBD. And in the UK: CLC-UK or Eden UK.

 
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When We Don't Agree with Fellow Believers

Are you sometimes confused by disagreements and conflict between Christians? Shouldn't believers all get along?

Applying biblical principles to our relationships will definitely help us get along with people, especially other believers. But do we all have to agree with each other?

No.

Paul and Barnabas, both mighty men of God, had a strong disagreement about John Mark joining their team, and they parted ways (Acts 15:36-41).

John Mark had proved unfaithful in a previous journey, and Paul didn't think he was trustworthy. But Barnabas strongly disagreed.

Barnabas took on challenging mentoring projects. After all, he mentored Paul, the former persecutor of Christians (Acts 9:26-27; Acts 11:25-26; Acts 13-14). Paul, on the other hand, mentored Timothy (Acts 16:1-5) and Titus (Titus 1), who seemed more compliant.

So who was wrong in this situation? Paul? Barnabas? Both of them? Neither of them?

We don't know. Perhaps God was showing us we don't all need to agree about ministry methods because he can use different personalities and methods for His purposes. 

There's nothing in Scripture that talks of ongoing animosity between Paul, Barnabas, and Mark. And in 2 Timothy 4:11, Paul praises John Mark.

Reading between the lines, we'd find similar situations in missionary biographies and present-day ministry situations.*

We may not work well with everyone, but we must “get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:31-32).  

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In the video linked to this devotion, I also share my opinion about a recently published book that shares the differences between Elizabeth Elliot and Rachel Saint.

For additional insights, see these one-minute devotions:

Difficult Relationships: Important for Our Growth

When Boundaries are Bitter Barriers

Movin' On

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Greed Takes Two Very Different Forms: Wealth and Welfare

“I have never understood why it is ‘greed’ to want to keep the money you have earned but not greed to want to take somebody else's money.” Thomas Sowell  

Greed takes several forms: Some are greedy to accumulate wealth and possessions. Some are lazy and expect others to provide for them.

Thomas Sowell is an African American, born in 1930, raised in poverty in the Harlem ghetto. However, he went on to earn multiple degrees, including a PhD in economics. At 95, he’s still a well-respected, award-winning economist, having held university and government positions and authored 45 books.

There are people who genuinely need help to survive. But we live in a culture where some people claim they are victims of circumstances, demanding food, clothing, and housing without attempting to support themselves. In addition, many adult children raised by hard-working parents expect their parents to make their lives easy for them.

God says:

“Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” Colossians 3:23

“The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” 2 Thessalonians 3:10

 And God gives this strong warning: “Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

Important aspects of our character are revealed in our attitude toward work, money, and possessions (Matthew 6:24), and also in our ability to recognize true treasure (Matthew 6:19-21).

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For more biblical insights, see 6 Biblical Principles About Money & Possessions and The Poison of Entitlement.

Note: There was a time when the majority of couples wanted children, but statistics show many are purposely remaining childless because children would interfere with their financial, leisure, and career goals. And the majority of mothers now work outside their homes even when it's not necessary. Many Christians have let culture discredit a role that God values (Titus 2:3-5).

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” 1 John 2:15-17

Sowell quote source

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Why Questions and Confusion About God Can Lead to Deeper Faith

When I took the GRE exam to get into seminary, my best scores were on the analytical questions. I'm always analyzing things. 

It's a blessing when my research helps me find solid biblical answers to troubling questions. It's a problem when I try to understand things beyond my grasp.

God gives us all the knowledge we need to live for Him:

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”  2 Peter 1:3

But our earthly lives still contain some mystery:

“For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” 1 Corinthians 13:12

After all, we're finite beings and our God is infinite: 

“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.” Deuteronomy 29:29

When we trust God with things we can't fully understand, deeper faith begins because “faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1).

If mystery causes us to doubt the character of God, then we need more faith, not more answers.

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Lies in Disguise: Salvation for God-Haters??

“Non-Christians from various backgrounds have long held universalist beliefs, claiming that all people will pass from life into eternal paradise, no matter what they believe. 

“And when it became popular to define God’s love as unconditional, an increasing number of professing Christians adopted the modified version of universalism, which is called ‘universal salvation.’”  

Chapter 9, Lies in Disguise.   

Universal salvation has grown in popularity with the assistance of books like The Shack, which fictionally portrayed God as forgiving and saving everyone according to the author's beliefs (source).

How can we believe that someone who has spent their whole life rejecting God will end up in heaven with missionaries, martyrs, and faithful Christians?

It can be hard to see past the errors promoted in modern "Christian" culture, but it's absolutely critical that we do it.

Those who promote universal salvation use out-of-context Scriptures to claim Jesus will save everyone because of His unconditional love. This is one of many ways this description of God's love leads to false beliefs. See Lies in Disguise: Unconditional Love.

Besides giving unbelievers false hope, universal salvation encourages them to be content in their sins.

These strong influences in our culture deserve our attention so we can correct them. But to do that, we need to learn truth from God's Word (2 Timothy 2:15). We need Berean skepticism, carefully checking everything a teacher says against Scripture (Acts 17:11). 

So let's do our best to learn God's Word so we can refute things like this that distort and disguise God's truth.

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Chapter 9 in Lies in Disguise gives us solid biblical help by thoroughly exposing the way Scripture is manipulated to support universal salvation. 

And it offers Digging Deeper questions that can be used individually or in small groups to better understand this half-truth belief.

Even if you haven't been confused or convinced of this half-truth, Lies in Disguise will give you Scriptural wisdom for refuting it.

💙 Currently available from the publisher with a discount: Lies in Disguise. Also available on Amazon and CBD. And in the UK: CLC-UK or Eden UK.

 

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