Michael Patton masterfully wrestles with this important and practical topic in Part 2 of his blogs on this subject. He skillfully dismantles this piece of common folk theology, getting to the heart of the matter. Starting with a powerful reductio ad absurdum …….

“I often ask people who say that all sin is equal in the sight of God if they live according to their theology. Think about this. If all sin is really equal in the sight of God, and one really believes this, then God’s consternation and anger will be equal for whatever sin we commit. Equally important is the fact that our relational disposition before God should suffer from the conviction of the Holy Spirit for all sins equally. Most Christians understand what it means to have a conscience weighed down by unrepentant sin. But this weighing down normally only comes from those sins that we perceive to be more severe. However, if it is true that all sin is equal in the sight of God and one actually lived according to that theology, they should be just as troubled spiritually and just as repentant before God when they break the speed limit as when they commit adultery. After all, breaking the speed limit, even by 1mph, is breaking the law and breaking the law is sin (Rom 13).”

I argue this traditional Evangelical folk-lore - saying that all sins are equal in the sight of God - actually impedes the work of grace and the spread of the gospel. Tell it like it is, Michael.
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Bob Pratico
Fides Quaerens Intellectum
(my Sojourn blog)