Typically, humans seem to have two rule books: one for self and one for everyone else! The human condition seems to affect us all, where we are disgusted by the behavior of others, but we easily can overlook the same behavior in ourselves. Christians are not left out in this behavior, either. Though God didn’t rank the 10 Commandments in order of which sins made Him the angriest, Christians have a tendency to weigh sins. An example would be the difference between venial sins and mortal sins in the doctrine of Catholicism, where venial sins are forgivable, not causing complete separation from God, and mortal sins will cause eternal damnation without forgiveness. Personally, I cannot find a Bible verse using either of those phrases; nor can I find a Bible verse teaching that God punishes sins differently. In God’s eyes, a white lie is a lie, and carries the same punishment as a bold-faced lie.
Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. 2 But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. 3 And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
Romans 2:1-5
Along the same lies, the Bible teaches that the degree of judgment we have of others is the same degree that God will judge us.
37 “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
Luke 6:37-38
One of the best examples that Jesus gave us involved the woman caught in adultery in the Gospel of John. It does not sound like there was any doubt that the woman had been caught in adultery. Certainly, it was not just catching her in a lie, with another man’s message on her mobile phone. Instead, the scribes and Pharisees had caught this woman in the act. Yet as it takes two to tango, there is a missing piece to the puzzle. Where is the man who also had to be discovered at the same instant? Was it more of a sin for a woman to commit adultery than for a man to be in the same sin? Could the man have been part of a plot to trip up Jesus in the subsequent questioning? In that case, was it intended that he escape without acknowledgment while they took the woman for punishment (and death)? Obviously, there is more to the story, but when questioned, Jesus went directly to the heart of the matter when asked if she should be stoned, by the Old Testament law.
5 Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” 6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.
7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” 8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”
11 She said, “No one, Lord.”
And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”
John 8:4-11
What did Jesus write on the ground? Many guess that it was the name of the missing man, but whatever He wrote, it had an immediate effect on the accusers. Jesus did not condemn the woman, though caught in sin, but instead, gave her encouragement in changing her ways. That is what repentance is all about, a change of direction. God does not snap His mighty fingers to perfect us when we decide to follow Him, but instead, a lengthy path begins. Along that path, He cleans us, convicting us to walk away from old, sinful habits. Sadly, many Christians look at their fellow, imperfect brothers and sisters and condemn them. “If you are still involved in that sin, you must not be saved.” Sadly, even pastors are guilty of that judgment. Since only God can see inside of the heart, only God knows where each of us will spend eternity.
Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
Matthew 7:20
We should be able to see the presence of God in the lives of mature believers, and along with that presence, should be able to see the fruits of the Spirit discussed in Galatians 5: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Yet lest we forget, even the strongest Christian has times in their walk with the Lord when none of those fruits are noticeable. That does not mean that the believer is destined for hell. Instead, it is part of the learning process as failure leads to brokenness, and brokenness, by the goodness of God, leads us to repentance.
By self-reflection, we can see many problematic areas in our lives and in our walks with the Lord. Yet we also can see sinful behaviors that Jesus has helped us to conquer. As we continue to walk with the Lord, there should be more of those areas! Unfortunately, sin will continue in each of our lives until we see our Savior face to face. That continuing presence of sin in our lives can sometimes feel like a heavy burden, but God wants us to let Him carry the load. It is a reminder of the brokenness of the present world, as well as a reminder of the blessing of an eternity when we no longer will have to worry about sin.
9 Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. 10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.
2 Corinthians 7:9-11
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