The Worse Sins a Christian Can Commit

When you see polls on such items as the best restaurant in your area, the best doctor, or who can win a sports championship, you are dealing with a lot of subjectivity. Rarely, if ever, is there 100% agreement on anything that is a matter of choice.

When it comes to this blog, you have the same subjective dilemma. For me or anyone else to say that something is the worse sin, hopefully you have Scripture to back you up.

Initially you might think, aren’t all the sins equally guilty before God? In fact James 2:10 says, “For the person who keeps all of the laws except one are as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws.” This is true from an eternal perspective.

We do know in the Old Testament, there is an extensive list of sins and the penalties associated when committing them. The penalty can range from a fine or death. So we know that in the Old Testament there is a grading of sins committed simply by the degree of penalty.

But we are New Testament believers, so how do you judge sins by bad, worse, or worst? For openers, it would be obvious to say if someone murders another, or commits gross sexual sins, like sexual abuse of a child, those would have to be the worst? In terms of the pain it causes others, you would be right.

I will contend that the underlying sins that create these heinous acts towards others are the worst.

For my vote I start with hypocrisy! According to Dictionary.com, a Biblical definition is “a pretense of having a virtuous character, moral or religious beliefs or principles, etc., that one does not really possess.”

In Matthew 23, the Bible devotes an entire chapter to Jesus railing against the Pharisees. When you see the litany of subjects that Jesus castigates the Pharisees for, it accompanies a wide range. This is how he begins his judgment in verses 1-3. “Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, ‘the teachers of religious law are the official interpreters of the Scriptures. So practice and obey whatever they say to you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach.”

When Jesus starts in on specifics he nails them on pride, ignoring justice and mercy, greed, and justifying murder. So this is why I vote for hypocrisy. When Christians commit heinous sins, like murder and adultery, it starts with the thought life, but also teaching one thing and doing another.

Romans 2:1-5 also talks about believers who condemn others for the same sins they are committing. How often do we know of ministers who have committed repeated adultery condemn sexual sin from the pulpit?

Yes, while sins such as murder and adultery in and of themselves are horrible, the Christian who says one thing and does another brings not only God’s judgment, but totally damages their credibility with non believers.

Another sin I would vote for as the worst is pride! With pride comes a whole host of additional sins. Pride justifies what is wrong. Pride says “I am right” or “I deserve to do these sins because of who I am.”

Pride is what got Lucifer (Satan) kicked out of heaven. In the book of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian king, when he got prideful, he became insane for a season. In Acts 12:20-23, Herod Agrippa makes a great speech and those listening to him say that this is a voice of a god. Verse 23 tells us that an angel strikes him with sickness and dies because he accepts their worship instead of glorifying God.

Pride is the antithesis of humility. Humble people experience the outpouring of God’s grace, mercy, and favor. Prideful people do not!

One more sin I might add is something I call not being open to the Bible’s teaching. When Christians think something is right and try to justify it by twisting Scripture that can lead to a whole host of dangerous outcomes. Believers need to come to the Bible and ask the Lord what is he saying and how do I need to change my life to identify with His ways.

So what is the solution for hypocrisy, pride, and not being open to the Bible’s teaching? First is a prayer all the time that asks God to show truth. Psalm 139: 23-24 states, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” Second is to have an accountability structure be it individual or in a small group. James 5:16a: “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so you can be healed.” Being totally open to God and others is a solution that will make us more like Jesus. Nothing is more important!