If you ever spend much time around teenagers, you’ll quickly discover just how creative those still-forming minds can be. Over the years, I’ve had many conversations about the degrees of sin—specifically, which sins are worse than others. It makes for an interesting philosophical discussion, but it really boils down to two areas. The first is what we see Solomon dealing with in this portion of Scripture. If someone steals food to feed their family, there will be consequences. However, they won’t be as harsh as those for a person caught in an affair with someone else’s spouse. Back in his day, that was true. I’m not so sure it’s the same today, but the point is clear: the punishment and human consequences can vary depending on the action. It’s the second area that matters most to us as followers of Jesus. Every single sin—no matter how big or small we perceive it to be—is responsible for a hammer strike in the nails that pierced our Savior’s body on the cross 2,000 years ago. That is the truth, and it should shape our perspective whenever we find ourselves tempted to sin. Today, flee temptation. #BeTheEdge
““He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”” 1 Peter 2:24 NIV
