Relative sins

We really think sin is relative, don't we?

Oh, we understand intellectually that all sin is equally bad, because what makes sin really sin is that you're disobeying God. But in practice we see little white sins and big black sins.

I ran into these verses today: Romans 13:12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

I've read this before, as a warning about being ready, but today I was struck with the list of sins in verse 13. Orgies and drunkenness -- yeah, that's bad. Shouldn't be doing that. Sexual immorality and sensuality -- ahuh, that sex stuff is bad too, and just plain icky to talk/think about. But quarreling and jealousy? What's that doing in there? Jealousy is my default reaction every time something good happens to someone else, and quarreling is our denominational sport.

And yet, there it is in black and white. Us Christians, who will quarrel about music, about whether to sprinkle or dunk and when, about things as inane as the time for the worship service - we're listed right there with the drunks and the perverts.

I think maybe that's because God really values fellowship as a trait of a healthy church. But I think it's also because any sin fractures our relationship with Him -- that's the really sinful part of sin. And it's why there are no little white ones.