I love religion threads. I'm fascinated with religion. However, my fascination has kept me from choosing a faith, believing and following it. I over analyze everything dealing with religion when in all honesty it seems like a person should just pick one and follow it blindly.

 

I have a hard time believing that telling a lie and raping and murdering a family are equally bad in gods eyes.

 

This thread makes me think of my problems with the whole being baptized deal. I often wonder if it is truly necessary to be baptized. I have a very hard time believing that a man who has lived his entire life stealing and murdering (or any combination of horrible acts) would get into heaven based on the fact that he said he was sorry and was dipped in some water while a man who lived his life as a decent, giving man would go to hell based purely on the fact that he has not been baptized.

 

 

You sound like my Dad. My dad has never become a member of any religious denomination, although he's attended every significant religious event in all of his kids' and grandkids' lives (first communions, etc.). He simply doesn't believe in organized religion, that his relationship with God is personal.

 

I remember being so insanely fearful that my dad wouldn't go to heaven because he hasn't been baptized.

 

This is one area I struggle in my faith. I do believe that one must be baptized to go heaven. But how can a man as good, as decent and caring as my dad not go to heaven?

My opinion is probably much different than what you will hear from others

 

I don't think there are sins, I think there is SIN.

 

I think there is evil in the world that distracts us and keeps us from living the "eternal/full life" that God has intended for us. This is SIN - the thing that separates us from God. If I tell a lie is that a sin??? I don't know, but if I am lying because it will improve my lot in life and I am being greedy, then the greed is definitely SIN because it causes me to treat someone poorly and does not allow me to live in close association with God.

 

Paul tells us that everything is permissable but not everything in beneficial. Motivation is the big facture for me. That is the way that I live and pushes me. Bad motivation is SIN.

 

Without going into too deep of a thought about this, I think what you say is accurate...at least for the most part. The only part I would disagree with is your statement, "I don't think there are sins..." I think there are both sins and SIN, as you put it. There are individual acts that classify as sins, IMO...but there is the greater overriding idea of SIN itself.

As for the question of the thread...

 

In one sense, all sins are equal. I believe that any sin, no matter how significant or insignificant it seems to me, will keep me from heaven without accepting the work Jesus Christ accomplished with His death and resurrection. So, in that sense, telling a small lie or committing a murder are equal. Either separates us from God and condemns us for eternity apart from Jesus.

 

On the other hand, I question whether God views all sin as equal. I believe there are some sins that He views as worse than others.

The Bible says the wages of sin is death.

 

I think it was comedian Paula Poundstone who said that once the government takes out taxes, it's just a really tired feeling.

Just food for thought from Jesus:

 

21"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder,[a] and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' 22But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brotherwill be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,[c]' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.

 

 

27"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.'[e] 28But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

 

These are in the fifth chapter of Matthew if anyone wants to look them up.

Just food for thought from Jesus:

 

21"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder,[a] and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' 22But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brotherwill be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,[c]' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.

 

 

27"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.'[e] 28But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

 

These are in the fifth chapter of Matthew if anyone wants to look them up.

 

 

To whom was Jesus talking?

 

What was happening in that culture?

 

What point was he trying to make?

To whom was Jesus talking?

 

What was happening in that culture?

 

What point was he trying to make?

 

Ahhhhh, the old contextual approach to the Bible . . .

To whom was Jesus talking?

 

What was happening in that culture?

 

What point was he trying to make?

 

He was speaking to the the disciples (not the 12 but the band of followers mentioned in Matthew 5:1, maybe 2 as well)

 

The Pharisees (among others) were skirting the letter of the law and neglecting the heart of it. In other words - It was okay to think something, just don't act on it. Jesus was saying it begins as a thought and that was no different in the eyes of God.

 

See above for point he was trying to make.

 

(Privately Acemona, you need to watch the video your Father-in-Law made on the Sermon on the Mount. I've still got it in our church library. )

Without going into too deep of a thought about this, I think what you say is accurate...at least for the most part. The only part I would disagree with is your statement, "I don't think there are sins..." I think there are both sins and SIN, as you put it. There are individual acts that classify as sins, IMO...but there is the greater overriding idea of SIN itself.

 

I agree. I also view all embodiments of sin as equal.

He was speaking to the the disciples (not the 12 but the band of followers mentioned in Matthew 5:1, maybe 2 as well)

 

The Pharisees (among others) were skirting the letter of the law and neglecting the heart of it. In other words - It was okay to think something, just don't act on it. Jesus was saying it begins as a thought and that was no different in the eyes of God.

 

See above for point he was trying to make.

 

(Privately Acemona, you need to watch the video your Father-in-Law made on the Sermon on the Mount. I've still got it in our church library. )

 

 

Thanks Hatz - the point you have now articulated for me, because I couldn't remember the context was the point I tried to make in my first post. It is really about what is in your art. Sometimes it may appear to people that actions are righteous, but it still comes down to motivation. Am I a great TV preacher b/c I want to reach all kinds of people with the GOOD NEWS or do I do it to make money? I think God uses both, but the "sin" comes in the motivation or what is in the heart. (That is the trouble that Jesus continually had with many of the Pharisees). Their actions were right most of the time, but their motivation was way off.

 

I do stupid stuff all of the time and I am sure that God gets exhausted with me just like I do my children. But these stupid things do not separate me from God just as my childrens stupid stuff does not separate them from me. When my heart gets set on evil then I have commited/loved/given my life over to SIN - but as long as my heart is turned toward good, even though I mess up I keep myself close to GOD.

 

FWIW I think God ALWAYS keeps Godself close to me.

I don't see how any religion could possibly equate rape/murder at the same level of sin as stealing/lying, etc.

 

JMVHO

 

But... there's a lot of things about religion(s) that have confused me since my college days in the '70s. :confused: I'm still trying to come to an understanding.

I think it is clear that there is one unpardonable sin.

 

I thought Acemonia did a nice job with his answer to the question.

 

My opinion is probably much different than what you will hear from others

 

I don't think there are sins, I think there is SIN.

 

I think there is evil in the world that distracts us and keeps us from living the "eternal/full life" that God has intended for us. This is SIN - the thing that separates us from God. If I tell a lie is that a sin??? I don't know, but if I am lying because it will improve my lot in life and I am being greedy, then the greed is definitely SIN because it causes me to treat someone poorly and does not allow me to live in close association with God.

 

Paul tells us that everything is permissable but not everything in beneficial. Motivation is the big facture for me. That is the way that I live and pushes me. Bad motivation is SIN.

 

The only thing I would caution is the line from Randy Travis song. Road to Hades is paved with Good Intentions.

I think it is clear that there is one unpardonable sin.

 

I thought Acemonia did a nice job with his answer to the question.

 

 

 

The only thing I would caution is the line from Randy Travis song. Road to Hades is paved with Good Intentions.

 

 

Not fair. You are citing Apocrophyl Writings!! :lol:

I think it is clear that there is one unpardonable sin.

 

I thought Acemonia did a nice job with his answer to the question.

 

 

 

The only thing I would caution is the line from Randy Travis song. Road to Hades is paved with Good Intentions.

 

I haven't seen a country music reference on here in a long time:ylsuper:

The Thief on the cross didn't get baptised but he went to Heaven.