God, I thank you that I am not like other men.
—Luke 18:11
Jesus called out some things that corrupt us: theft, murder, adultery—big sins. But those weren’t the only evils on his list. It included greed, deceit, envy, slander, arrogance—little sins. (See Mk. 7:20-23.)
Paul scratched out a list too: idolatry, homosexuality, murder—big sins. Other things he named were greed, envy, strife, deceit, gossip, slander—little sins. (See Rom. 1:26-30.)
Categorizing sins as “big” and “little” is dangerous business—it leans toward censure of the big ones and license for the little ones.
You’re probably not going to get tripped up by the so-called big sins. Be careful not to stumble over the deadly little ones.
Sin is not harmful because it is forbidden;
it is forbidden because it is harmful.