Matthew 5:21-22: Grading sins! Which one is the worst?
- Vicent Nemeyimana
- August 21, 2018
- Word of Life
“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ However, I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell” (Matthew 5:21-22)
Exactly, what is Jesus trying to say? He is simply saying that, yes, anyone who commits murder is liable to judgment. And so is anyone who abuses another friend using words like “Mbwa gwe.”
Yesterday, I was discussing with a friend concerning the sin of homosexuality. This person said that homosexuality is a great sin. He added; it is the only reason people of Gomorrah were destroyed! He went on and narrated how homosexuals have no reason for what they do. All these were good points until I asked him; so what about prostitutes, thieves, and all liars?
He tattled; “99% of prostitutes and thieves have been forced into that life by poor living circumstances. Besides, those sins are still less dangerous. And I am sure homosexuals have a separate burning fire in hell!”
I later asked him; so, what about the 1% of prostitutes and thieves who just do it as a profession not because they are poor? Is being poor or any other reason a justification for any sin? Are you sure homosexuals do not have serious reasons if justification would base on our supporting reasons?
Questions were many and, happily, we all agreed that all sins are horrible and punishable by God. Thus, none of us has any satisfying reason (s) to do evil.
However, is he alone? Never!
You see, every day, we are tempted to think that our sins are not as worse as our neighbors are. We grade sins! Nuwamanya Mategyero shared some interesting quote yesterday (God is not in need of your good actions, but your neighbor is!). We grade sins basing on how our society looks at them or simply based on the effects of those sins to our neighbors, but God grades them differently! (Does He grade them anyway? Yeah, probably! We will come back to this later).
All Jesus was pointing out was this tendency of us pointing fingers at murderers and marking them as hell candidates and not us, the liars and gamblers. This was the sin of the man in church, who bragged about his reverence for Sabbath and tithes! Do you know the story? And, most importantly, in that story, do we know who was accepted as the righteous one?
Jesus is saying that judgment is upon all sinners irrespective of who murdered many or just stole once. You think it is unfair, right? Why don’t you request for our last Christmas offer and see who we really are without God? Or, better still, you can purchase The Story Of Christmas on Amazon now
Of course, you know, our sin is not necessarily our evil actions but who we really are without God. However, our evil actions are the perfect representations of our dead soul and thus equally clear and helpful to simply mark the effects of sin (our lying, killing others, homosexuality, pride, love for money, devil worshipping etc) as the sin itself or as sins themselves.
What am saying today? (It is not I speaking; it is the gospel)
The above verses cautions us to be careful with the tendency of thinking that our sins are not that dangerous like the ones of murderers, homosexuals, and those worshiping Satan.
Jesus is saying this; telling lies, undermining someone or having no humility, extorting money from the troubled and poor, selling unqualified products, exploiting clients and getting excess profits out of a product, paying your maid peanuts and mistreating her with daily beans & posho as meal while you eat meat and chicken, looking at a sexy woman with the wish or lust of sleeping with her, denying people the opportunities they deserve or receiving a bribe before you can act are all as dangerous as being homosexual, murderer, and worshiping devil or idols openly.
In other words, we are (without Christ) as evil as homosexuals and murderers. We are all sinners (Romans 3:23). Logically, you and I are murderers, are homosexuals, are prostitute, and are sinners! This is serious, isn’t it?
Last Christmas, we wrote a serious small e-book entitled ‘How far had I fallen that I desperately needed a Savior and thus should celebrate incarnation’. In that e-book, we went deep and examined the Bible’s definition of who we are, basically before conversion. And it was humbling to discover that we are all born sinners, live our all lives as rotten, smelly, and disgusting enemies of God, and we all deserve eternal death or punishment after here. This included even those who we think are earthly little angels (those who sacrifice their lives for others; devote a lot to charity; who smile and help everyone, and yes, all of us).
NB: I will send you the book if you ask for it or, better, get it yourself at small fee from our amazon bookstore.
Bottom line: We are all murderers as long as we have not yet accepted Christ. We are all homosexuals as long as we have not yet yielded to the mercy of God. We are all devil and idol worshipers as long as Christ Jesus is not the King and central to all our being or businesses. We all need His mercy and forgiveness.
And today is the best day to seek out His forgiving heart and face. My brother and sister, restrain from the temptation of feeling and thinking that others or your neighbors are the worst sinners and, instead, humbly come to Jesus and seek out forgiveness. And you know what! He forgives those who seek His forgiveness. He will receive you and your life will not be the same again.
God Bless You
Miklah, www.miklahlife.com
