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Originally posted by Nemesio
Originally posted by Coletti
[b]If you know it is a greater crime, then what is your question? Murder is punishable by death, lying is not. One may look up the different penalties for different forms of sin to see that they are not all treated the same.

These are all man-made constructs -- crime, punishment and so forth. We are talking spe as it pertains to his Christian-ness.

Or do you read that passage differently?

Nemesio[/b]

These are all man-made constructs -- crime, punishment and so forth.

No, these are God-made laws - just as Jesus illustrates in Matthew 5.

Jesus was concerned with the state of one's soul.

Jesus is showing how the Law does not just apply to out-right murderers, but also to those who harbor hate without cause.

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.' (Mat 5:21 NKJV)

"But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire. (Mat 5:22 NKJV)

The examples he gave illustrate that one may not excuse his sins with legalistic loopholes. The Pharisees were notorious for thinking up loopholes - saying one was excused from keeping his word as long as he didn't swear by "God's throne", or by "heaven". They would come up with all sorts of evil machination to get away with things like not taking care of one's elderly parents, or divorcing without cause, or hating or anything they could get away with. The issue was the false teaching of the Pharisee - which was leading other's to sin.

"Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Mat 5:19 NKJV)

Jesus did not make all sins equal, but all sins inexcusable.


P.S. Another verse for greater and lesser sins:

Jesus answered, "You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin." (Joh 19:11 NKJV)