[NYer]

But in so reminding them we are confronted with a question: namely, what does Jesus mean in making a distinction between "little" and "much?" Why did He say that the one who knows his Master's will and does not do it will be beaten with many blows but the one who does not know his Master's will and does not do it will be beaten with few blows (Luke 12:47-48)? If "sin is sin," why this distinction? Moreover, if all sin is really identical in God's eyes, what on earth is the Apostle John getting at when he writes: "If anyone sees his brother commit sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those who sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death"? (1 John 5:16-17)

Ping!

[Greetings_Puny_Humans]

Going further, which I should have mentioned in my previous post, he writes:

“The question immediately answered itself with another question: Do Evangelicals—does anyone—really believe that a five year old who steals a cookie is the moral and spiritual equivalent of Jeffrey Dahmer?”

This really demonstrates a lack of understanding of what sin is, since whether it is stealing a cookie, or putting a head into a fridge, it is still sin, and therefore repugnant to the eyes of an absolutely holy God.

The Catholic must downplay sin in this way because he believes that he must be justified by his works— but if we acknowledge all sin as damning, that, indeed, breaking the law even on one point makes you “guilty of all,” then their project of self-justification is in vain.