Are there sins that God hates more than others?

on Apr 20, 2023

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Q: Adultery used to be considered bad — even illegal — but in our more progressive society, it seldom raises an eyebrow. Are there sins that God hates more than others and if so, which ones are they? – W.S.

A: From the human standpoint, some sins are certainly worse than others are — sins like murder, assault, or stealing; actions that cause anger and hurt. But the Bible doesn’t tell us which sin is the worst in God’s eyes. The reason is because God hates all sin. God is absolutely pure and holy; even the smallest sin is evil in His sight.

We have largely lost sight of the holiness and purity of God today. This is one reason why we tolerate sin so easily and casually dismiss so many sins as minor or insignificant. It is also the reason why we ignore sin in our own lives and neglect to repent of it. We need to open our hearts to who God is, and who we are as sinners in His sight. No matter how good we think we are, God’s judgment still stands: “There is none who does good, no, not one” (Romans 3:12). But God loves us and He yearns to forgive us and welcome us into His family forever. To excuse sin or tolerate it is sin itself. The enemy attempts to blur the lines between right and wrong until we are able to convince ourselves that our sin isn’t that bad or, perhaps, not even sin at all.

Sin has progressed and gained momentum; people seem to have lost the ability to be shocked. Behavior that was once considered abominable is now acceptable.

A life touched by the Holy Spirit of the living Christ will tolerate sin no longer, and will rejoice that God helps us in weakness. “Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me” (Psalm 19:13, NIV).

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(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)