More evidence has come out that Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias was engaged in sexual abuse for many years, which is sad and terrible. However, some Christians have argued that while he sinned, “all sins are equal” or “sin is sin,, so we should not be so quick to judge. I find this claim to be very counter-intuitive, unbiblical, and unhelpful. Still, it’s actually a widespread belief, so it’s worth taking some time to discuss why many Christians believe it and why it’s wrong.
I think many Christians are motivated by good intentions when they say this, even if they are confused. The main motivation is to keep people from being self-righteous and viciously condemning. They are right that one does not earn salvation by comparing one’s righteousness with another’s, which I believe is one of the main lessons in the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector in Luke 18:9-14. In the parable, Jesus says that the Pharisee proudly prays to God that he’s thankful he isn’t like terrible sinners like the tax collector. The tax collector instead is bowed down in shame before God and pleads for mercy. The tax collector walks away justified while the Pharisee does not because the tax collector humbled himself. It is a warning to anyone who thinks they can earn justification by “being better” than someone else.
However, notice what Jesus did not say: He didn’t say that the Pharisee was wrong in his assessment that he’s more righteous than the tax collector. It’s just not a difference that’s going to justify him. Avoiding the pitfall of comparing one’s righteousness with others does not require the belief that all sins are equal. That is not taught anywhere in Scripture; in fact, Jesus says this to Pilate in John 19:11:
“You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.”
The scriptural case is echoed by the philosophical and intuitive case. To say that lying about doing one’s homework is the same as raping a child seems preposterous on the face of it, and it’s why such things are treated very differently. Therefore, some sins are worse than others and should be treated as such. Obviously, we should not be self-righteous, but we risk naively treating horrific sin in an irresponsible way if we can’t identify them as worse, and we also risk pushing away the victims of such sin who have to deal with extreme trauma.
Facing that fact does not diminish the gospel but helps us deal with such sin when we encounter it more responsibly. In fact, when “the worst of sinners” like Paul are saved, it magnifies the gospel: Some sins are worse than others, but even a mountain range of sin can be overcome by the flood of grace that comes from Christ Jesus our Lord. -EM Pastor Isak Lee
One Light Church 