is all sin equal in GOD's eyes?

one of the topics of our monthly small group was whether or not in GOD's eyes all sin was equal. for most us murder and lying are not the same thing, but they are both sin.

we will all be held accountable for each sin we commit, but are we going to be judged on the degree of the sin? by accepting HIM we are washed of our sins by HIS blood. take for example, the criminal that hangs beside CHRIST during the crucifixion.

"one of criminals who hung there hurled insults at HIM: aren't YOU the CHRIST? save YOURSELF and us! but the other criminal rebuked him. don't let you fear GOD, he said, since you are under the same sentence? we are being punished justly, for we are getting what are deeds deserve. but this MAN has done nothing wrong. then he said, JESUS remember me when YOU come into YOUR kingdom. JESUS answered him, I tell you the truth, today you will be with ME in paradise." luke 23:39-43

i put the question to you then; are you more righteous than a man that commits murder and accepts CHRIST? according to scripture; NO. if you have learned the words of GOD, but aren't trying to live in CHRIST's image and accept HIM as the truth then you are failing in GOD'S eyes. HE gave HIS only SON so that you could be saved. GOD knows your hearts. each one us is equal in HIS eyes.

below is an excerpt from john piper's www.desiringgod.org website. john piper is a very well respected theologian and pastor. his interpretation of sin in the bible is one of the best i've read and it confronts how GOD will view our sin whether it be small or large.

"I've often heard it said that all sins are equal before God. But this just doesn't seem right. What would you say?

I have heard that too. And the reason people have said that is because of James 2:10 where it says, "If you have committed one sin you are guilty of all." Which seems to mean that, whether small sin or big sin, I'm totally guilty of all the commandments. Therefore every sin is equally damning to me.

That's not the whole story, is it?

First, not everybody is hurt in the same way by every sin. In other words, if I shoot Michael dead right now, or if I just spit on him, both are very ugly sins and Jesus calls hatred murder. But he's not dead if I only spit on him!

So worse sin—meaning worse in its effect—would be killing over spitting. And I think we should say that. It is! Because consequences matter—at least for you!—and for me, I think, because here is another text we have to bring in.

Jesus taught that there would be degrees of punishment. If you know the right and don't do it, you'll be beaten with more stripes than if you don't know the right and do wrong.

So there's degrees of punishment, which must mean degrees of guiltiness, which must mean that some sins are more blameworthy than others.

Let me go back to James and just say what I think is meant there. The argument is, The reason why you are guilty of all if you do one sin is because one God said all.

Therefore, what he is drawing attention to is, if I say to God, "I'm going to do this against you"—this small sin, say, spitting on somebody—"and I'm going to do this big sin against you," in both cases you've defied God. In both cases you've said no to God. That's what he's saying. He wants us to feel that every sin, from the smallest to the greatest, is against God and not just against people and their consequences.

And in that sense every sin is infinitely heinous.

So you just have to carve this up and say that when it comes to God being defamed in my heart, I am committing an infinite evil against him if I do a small sin or a big sin."