THE Greatest Sin

While I was on vacation recently, I was watching television with my Dad and we watched recent news about murder and abortion. What was being reported was extremely evil. This prompted me to ask him what he thought was THE greatest evil in the world. I wanted to know what evil thoroughly disgusted him. As I suspected, he brought up the evil of murder. He spoke about a particular murderer who was also given to eating his victims. That is absolutely monstrous and he thought that was THE greatest evil. I told him he was wrong. That is not the greatest evil in the world. How could I be so sure?

If I asked some Christians, they would probably bring up similar issues, but others would no doubt bring up the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Since it will never be forgiven, they would reason that it must be the greatest sin. However, the text does not say that it cannot be forgiven, but that it will not be forgiven. I do not think that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is THE greatest sin, even though it is, according to scripture, a very great evil.

I would argue that, according to Christianity, failure to love God with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength is THE greatest evil. Since loving God with all that we are is the greatest commandment according to Jesus, I think that sinning against that commandment is the greatest evil. Notice what Jesus says:

NKJ Matthew 22:34 But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 36 "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" 37 Jesus said to him, " 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38 "This is the first and great commandment. 39 "And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 "On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

NKJ Mark 12:28 Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of all?" 29 Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. 30 'And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. 31 "And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." 32 So the scribe said to Him, "Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. 33 "And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." 34 Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." But after that no one dared question Him.

Jesus grants the view that some commandments are greater than others, and then points to love of God as the greatest. If that's true (and it must be), then I would argue that the violation of that commandment is the greatest sin. How radically different is that from what people think is the most evil in our culture today? Are we just as disgusted by our failure to love God as we are by murder and other horrible sins? We should be, according to scripture. Failure to love God with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength is the greatest sin. Away with all self-flattery that we can somehow please God and fail to do that constantly and perfectly. Whoever expects to stand before God must either love him perfectly from the day of their birth, or flee to Christ for mercy and grace in order to escape the consequences of committing THE most evil sin in the world.

p.s. I vaguely remember reading that Martin Luther thought the same thing as I do about the greatest sin, but I cannot find the reference. If my readers know where I might find his comments in that regard, please let me know. Thanks.