Year 7, Day 93: Leviticus 4

Theological Commentary: Click Here

This chapter deals with people who sin.  It’s interesting to note that we don’t get a breakdown of sinfulness based upon the type of sin but rather by the doer of sin.  We don’t hear about little sins, big sins, sins that hurt nobody, sins that hurt everyone.  We hear about when the whole community sins, when a leader sins, and when an individual sins.

This is a sin that from God’s perspective sin is more about the breaking of relationship than anything else.  When we sin, we are breaking relationship with God.  When we have sin in our life we are damaging – if not breaking entirely – relationship with the people around us.  All sin breaks relationship.  Big sins don’t break it more and little sins don’t break it less.  All sin breaks relationship with God.  The type doesn’t matter nearly as much as we would like it to matter.

We would prefer to think that the little lie is far less harmless than the adultery of another.  We would prefer to think that our envy over others is a far better option than stealing.  We would prefer to think that our internal anger is a far better choice than outright murder.  In human terms, we absolutely like to think that.

For the record, Jesus specifically equates the last two examples in His teaching in the New Testament.  He equates them; He doesn’t prioritize them.

From God’s perspective, all sin is dangerous.  All sin breaks relationship.  All sin is troublesome and in need of being dealt with properly.  It is a flat out lie to talk about little sins and sins that don’t hurt anyone but me.  All sin breaks relationship.

<><