The Doctrinal Heading for this section of questions (Q82-84) is Man’s Free Agency and Ability; Guilt and its Degrees. (see Harmony Index)
WSC Q83. Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous?
As we commence our consideration of Question 83, first read it and take a moment to ponder the question. Are you surprised that it is asked? Consider for a moment the next question, Q84: “What does every sin deserve? Answer. Every sin deserves God’s wrath and curse, both in this life, and that which is to come.” Now, if every sin deserves God’s wrath, both now and in eternity, then what’s the point of Q83? That query provokes considerable thought and might open a discussion of rewards and punishments. But without going further in that direction, what offenses are the offenses which the Lord considers “more heinous…than others”?
There is plenty of confessional information to consider, and of course, the Scriptures present even more. Again, let us together consider these things prayerfully, with submissive and obedient hearts, to our Lord’s honor and praise.
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Westminster Shorter Catechism Q83
Illustrations by John Whitecross – #3 of 5: Edmund Bonner, Bishop of London, was one of the most bloody instruments of persecution during the cruel reign of Mary Tudor of England. Being confined in the Tower of London upon the accession of queen Elizabeth, which was the highest punishment inflicted on him, he went to visit some of the criminals kept in that prison, and wishing to ingratiate them, called them his friends and companions. One of them bade him begone, for they were none of his friends; adding, ‘I killed but one man on a provocation, and do truly repent of it; but you have killed many holy persons of all sorts, without any provocation from them, and are hardened in your impenitence.’ This fact is told by Bishop Jewel, in a letter to Peter Martyr.
John Whitecross – 1828
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WSC Q83. Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous?
Answer: Some sins in themselves, and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others[a].
[a] Ezek. 8:6, 13, 15; Matt. 11:20-24; John 19:11
Question 83 asks if all sins are equally evil, and answers that in the eyes of God, some sins in themselves are more evil than others, and some are more evil because of the harm that results from them.
Comment and considerations:
We know that all sin deserves God’s wrath (WSC Q84); that sin consists both of actions that oppose God’s revealed will and of failure to perform it; and that God’s Law doesn’t allow for gray areas, since all areas of sinful behavior are touched upon in the Ten Commandments. So what is at issue here, and why did our fathers consider this question significant? First notice that the answer sets up two propositions: 1) some sins are—as our paraphrase says—more evil in themselves, and 2) some sins are more evil because of what results from them. Next, think carefully about the paraphrase: is evil an acceptable synonym for heinous, the word used in the original question? Not really. Words like wicked, infamous, atrocious, villainous, nefarious, and even monstrous are more in line with the meaning of heinous. You see, the word heinous does not mean evil; it means hateful. It is a very old word that has fallen into disuse; its root is hate, and it means “hateful; hatefully bad; odious; atrocious; great [enormously aggravated] offense” (Webster’s 1828 Dictionary). Yes, our God of infinite love does indeed hate, and not dispassionately; and though all sin deserves judgment, God hates some sins even more than others.
The Larger Catechism provides further insight, and it covers this topic in two questions. WLC Q150 is very similar to WSC Q83; there is some variation in the Scripture references, simply to make a stronger case that there are sins more hateful to God than others. However, WLC Q151 (followed by 60 Scripture references) expands upon the topic by considering four kinds of aggravations which make some sins more heinous.
WLC Q151. What are those aggravations that make some sins more heinous than others?
Ans. Sins receive their aggravations,
1) From the persons offending: if they be of riper age, greater experience or grace, eminent for profession, gifts, place, office, guides to others, and whose example is likely to be followed by others.
Comment: To whom much has been given, of him much is expected (Luke 12:48). God grants blessings of material, time, place, and profession to be “paid forward,” to use a modern analogy. I heard a prominent individual once say he prayed every day for blessings so as to be a blessing to others. Those given place and prominence, as a head of a household, business, institution, or state, are to be an example and an encouragement to others. Jesus warned, “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea” (Mark 9:42). How hateful it is to God when leaders sin!
2) From the parties offended: if immediately against God, his attributes, and worship; against Christ, and his grace; the Holy Spirit, his witness, and workings against superiors, men of eminency, and such as we stand especially related and engaged unto; against any of the saints, particularly weak brethren, the souls of them, or any other, and the common good of all or many.
Comment: Need I make comment here? Meditate on what is said. I have not included the Scripture references, but let me select just a couple from the deep pool of wisdom our fathers drew upon. Prov. 30:17 says, “The eye that mocks his father, and scorns obedience to his mother, the ravens of the valley will pick it out, and the young eagles will eat it.” And I Cor. 8:12 warns, “But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.” It would be well worth your time to look up the 29 other verses associated with this point.
3) From the nature and quality of the offense: if it be against the express letter of the law, break many commandments, contain in it many sins: if not only conceived in the heart, but breaks forth in words and actions, scandalize others, and admit of no reparation: if against means, mercies, judgments, light of nature, conviction of conscience, public or private admonition, censures of the church, civil punishments; and our prayers, purposes, promises, vows, covenants, and engagements to God or men: if done deliberately, willfully, presumptuously, impudently, boastingly, maliciously, frequently, obstinately, with delight, continuance, or relapsing after repentance.
4) From circumstances of time and place: if on the Lord’s day, or other times of divine worship; or immediately before or after these, or other helps to prevent or remedy such miscarriages; if in public, or in the presence of others, who are thereby likely to be provoked or defiled.
Certain aggravations cause weightier and more serious offense to God’s purposed loving-kindness and tender mercies. James 4:17 says, “Therefore to him that knows to do good, and does it not, to him it is sin.” We should consider somberly the fact that God takes special note of sins against the weaker brethren, those in authority, and even solemn occasions, both public and private.
In closing, let us review Prov. 6:16-19, which clearly states, “Six things does the Lord hates”—notice that word again—“yes, seven are an abomination [disgusting] unto him.” What sins does God find more heinous than others? The list in Prov. 6 provides a place to start: The list starts out with “a proud look [arrogance]” and ends with “one who sows discord [disharmony, disunity] among the brethren.” Sowing discord is condemned twice in Prov. 6, the first time in vss. 12-14: “A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth; he winks with his eyes, he shuffles his feet, he points with his fingers; perversity is in his heart, he devises evil continually, he sows discord.” We serve a God of unity, redemption, and reconciliation, seeking those of a humble and contrite spirit (Ps. 34:18; 51:17). He commands his people to endeavor to maintain “the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3) in opposition to the proud and self-centered, intent upon discord and disunity.
Training Hearts and Teaching Minds Questions:
1) The Scriptures teach that to break even one of God’s commandments makes us guilty before God and places us under his anger. We may see something as a small sin, but since all sins are against God, it would appear that there is no such thing as a small sin. All sin makes us guilty of being lawbreakers. But in reality we also learn that some sins will be punished even more severely than other sins, because in God’s eyes, they are more heinous. What kinds of sin are more heinous than others? Read and carefully consider I Sam. 2:17, 23-25.
There are sins against others which are not directed towards God. But the Bible teaches that ultimately even these sins are against God. Then there are sins deliberately against God, like those that defile his name or worship. And then there are those sins that cause others to stumble in their relationship to God and his commandments. What are some of the ways these three categories of sin can be expressed in sinful behavior? How are some more heinous than others, and why?
2) When we consider that some sins are more grievous then others, one way to acknowledge this is seeing the degree in which harm is done to another by a particular sin. For example, see how two different sins are viewed in terms of the eventual outcome of each in Prov. 6:30-35.
3) What point does James 3:1 make regarding those in authority or given teaching responsibilities?
4) Why is sin done by those who say they know and worship God more heinous by degree? See Rom. 2:23-24 and Luke 12:47-48.
5) It is a great blessing to be raised in a Christian home, to be taught the truth of God as we grow. But there is also a great danger. How does Heb. 10:26-31 describe this danger?
Harmony of the Standards: WSC Q81 and WLC 149
WSC Q83. Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous?
A. Some sins in themselves, and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others[a].
[a] Ezek. 8:6, 13, 15; Matt. 11:20-24; John 19:11
WLC Q150. Are all transgressions of the law of God equally heinous in themselves, and in the sight of God?
A. All transgressions of the law of God are not equally heinous; but some sins in themselves, and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others[a].
[a] John 19:11; Ezek. 8:6, 13, 15; 1John 5:16; Ps. 78:17, 32, 56
WLC Q151. What are those aggravations that make some sins more heinous than others?
Sins receive their aggravations,
1. From the persons offending[a] if they be of riper age[b], greater experience or grace[c], eminent for profession[d], gifts[e], place[f], office[g], guides to others[h], and whose example is likely to be followed by others[i].
2. From the parties offended[j]: if immediately against God[k], his attributes[l], and worship[m]; against Christ, and his grace[n]; the Holy Spirit[o], his witness[p], and workings[q] against superiors, men of eminency[r], and such as we stand especially related and engaged unto[s]; against any of the saints[t], particularly weak brethren[u], the souls of them, or any other[v], and the common good of all or many[w].
3. From the nature and quality of the offense[x]: if it be against the express letter of the law[y], break many commandments, contain in it many sins[z]: if not only conceived in the heart, but breaks forth in words and actions[aa], scandalize others[bb], and admit of no reparation[cc]: if against means[dd], mercies[ee], judgments[ff], light of nature[gg], conviction of conscience[hh], public or private admonition[ii], censures of the church[jj], civil punishments[kk]; and our prayers, purposes, promises[ll], vows[mm], covenants[nn], and engagements to God or men[oo]: if done deliberately[pp], willfully[qq], presumptuously[rr], impudently,[ss] boastingly[tt], maliciously[uu], frequently[vv], obstinately[ww], with delight[xx], continuance[yy], or relapsing after repentance[zz].
4. From circumstances of time[aaa] and place[bbb]: if on the Lord’s day[ccc], or other times of divine worship[ddd]; or immediately before[eee] or after these[fff], or other helps to prevent or remedy such miscarriages[ggg]; if in public, or in the presence of others, who are thereby likely to be provoked or defiled[hhh].
[a] Jer. 2:8
[b] Job. 32:7, 9; Ecc. 4:13
[c] 1Kng. 11:4, 9
[d] 2Sam. 12:14; 1Cor. 5:1
[e] Jam. 4:17; Luke 12:47-48
[f] Jer. 5:4-5
[g] 2Sam. 12:7-9; Ezek. 8:11-12
[h] Rom. 2:17-24
[i] Gal. 2:11-14
[j] Mat. 21:38-39
[k] 1Sam. 2:25; Acts 5:4; Ps. 51:4
[l] Rom. 2:4
[m] Mal. 1:8, 14
[n] Heb. 2:2-3; 12:25
[o] Heb. 10:29; Mat. 12:31-32
[p] Eph. 4:30
[q] Heb. 6:4-6
[r] Jude 8; Num. 12:8-9; Isa. 3:5
[s] Prov. 30:17; 2Cor. 12:15; Ps. 55:12-15
[t] Zeph. 2:8, 10-11; Mat. 18:6; 1Cor. 6:8; Rev. 17:6
[u] 1Cor. 8:11-12; Rom. 14:13, 15, 21
[v] Ezek. 13:19; 1Cor. 8:12; Rev. 18:12-13; Mat. 23:15
[w] 1Thes. 2:15-16; Josh. 22:20
[x] Prov. 6:30-33
[y] Ezra 9:10-12; 1Kng. 11:9-10
[z] Col. 3:5; 1Tim. 6:10; Prov. 5:8-12; 6:32-33; Josh. 7:21
[aa] Jam. 1:14-15; Mat. 5:22; Micah 2:1
[bb] Mat. 18:7; Rom. 2:23-24
[cc] Deut. 22:22, 28-29; Prov. 6:32-35
[dd] Mat. 11:21-24; John 15:22
[ee] Isa. 1:3; Deut. 32:6
[ff] Amos 4:8-11; Jer. 5:3
[gg] Rom.1:26-27
[hh] Rom. 1:32; Dan. 5:22; Tit. 3:10-11
[ii] Prov. 29:1
[jj] Tit. 3:10; Mat. 18:17
[kk] Prov. 27:22; 23:35
[ll] Ps. 73:34-37; Jer. 2:20; 42:5-6, 20-21
[mm] Ecc. 5:4-6; Prov. 20:25
[nn] Lev. 26:25
[oo] Prov. 2:17; Ezek. 17:18-19
[pp] Ps. 36:4
[qq] Jer. 6:16
[rr] Num. 15:30; Exod. 21:14
[ss] Jer. 3:3; Prov. 7:13
[tt] Ps. 52:1
[uu] 3John 10
[vv] Num. 15:22
[ww] Zech. 7:11-12
[xx] Prov. 2:14
[yy] Isa. 57:17
[zz] Jer. 34:8-11; 2Pet. 2:20-22
[aaa] 2Kng. 5:26
[bbb] Jer. 7:10; Isa. 26:10
[ccc] Ezek. 23:37-39
[ddd] Isa. 58:3-5; Num. 25:6-7
[eee] 1Cor. 11:20-21
[fff] Jer. 7:8-10; Prov. 7:14-15; John 13:27, 30
[ggg] Ezra 9:13-14
[hhh] 2Sam. 16:22; 1Sam. 2:22-24
Question(s) for further study:
The Larger Catechism questions expand at length upon the Shorter in this harmony. What is unusual in how our fathers present the answer to question being asked “What are those aggravations that make some sins more heinous” and how many scriptures references do they list in making their points.
