“Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.”

1 John 3:4 NIV.

Disobeying God's laws is a sin. The individual commandments and directions, a specific order just for you.

Generally, these individual directions are answers to a prayer or something that you didn't even pray for but felt in your heart (like your intuition), something telling you “don't go that way”, “something is wrong”, “don’t accept it”, or an impulse/desire to do something “help so-and-so”, “apologize to so-and-so”, etc.

One thing is for sure: God's laws and directions are good and He will NEVER ask us to do something bad that harms anyone - ourselves or others.

“So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.”

Romans 7:12 NIV.

I want to correct something I said before: “There is no such thing as a small sin or a big sin, a sin is a sin”... There are indeed grave sins. Below are some verses that prove this.

• In the old testament:

“Then the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous 

That I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know."

Genesis 18:20,21 NIV.

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“Then say to them, ‘It is because your ancestors forsook me,’ declares the Lord, ‘and followed other gods and served and worshiped them. They forsook me and did not keep my law. 

 But you have behaved more wickedly than your ancestors. See how all of you are following the stubbornness of your evil hearts instead of obeying me.”

Jeremiah 16:11-12 NIV.

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“Keep your servant also from willful sins;

    may they not rule over me.

Then I will be blameless,

    innocent of great transgression.

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart

    be pleasing in your sight,

    Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”

Psalms 19:13-14 NIV.

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“Then he said to me, “Son of man, look toward the north.” So I looked, and in the entrance north of the gate of the altar I saw this idol of jealousy.

And he said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they are doing—the utterly detestable things the Israelites are doing here, things that will drive me far from my sanctuary? But you will see things that are even more detestable.” 

Ezekiel 8:5-6 NIV.

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“Samaria did not commit half the sins you did. You have done more detestable things than they, and have made your sisters seem righteous by all these things you have done. 

Bear your disgrace, for you have furnished some justification for your sisters. Because your sins were more vile than theirs, they appear more righteous than you. So then, be ashamed and bear your disgrace, for you have made your sisters appear righteous.”

Ezekiel 16:51-52 NIV.

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"Go, take to yourself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness, because the land is guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the LORD.”

Hosea 1:2 NIV.

• In the new testament:

“If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. 

Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.”

Matthew 10:14-15 NIV.

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“And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 

Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.”

Matthew 12:31-32 NIV.

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“Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. 

“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 

  But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. 

And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. 

But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”

Matthew 11:20-24 NIV.

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“The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here. 

The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.”

Matthew 12:41-42 NIV.

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“Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.

They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

Luke 20:46-47 NIV.

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“If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that. 

All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.”

1 John 5:16-17 NIV.

God is no respecter of PEOPLE, He does not treat someone worse for being poor or better for being rich, The Lord does not judge by appearance or wealth - He judges by actions and the heart. So yes - there are light/minor sins and serious/major sins, and they are judged differently by God.

“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

1 Samuel 16:7 NIV.

Taking advantage of my mistake, I want to draw your attention to be careful who you are listening to, always check if the teachings match those of the Bible because the Word of God is our guide, not people. 

If you have to choose between believing what a person says or what God says - let God be true and every man a liar!

That's why it's important to set aside time to study your Bible, this will help you avoid believing in teachings that are contrary to the Word.

If you hear someone teaching and preaching things that contradict the Word of God, pray for these people so that the Lord will open their eyes and they can repent and finally change.

Also pray for all of us, including yourself that God will give us wisdom and discernment to practice His Word as it truly is.

We have a most trustworthy teacher, master, guide and leader of all - one who never fails - The Holy Spirit. When meditating on the Word, ask for His help to understand and put it into practice.

“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”

John 14:26 NIV.

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“As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.”

1 John 2:27 NIV.

It's good to watch a sermon, read a Bible study… but it is also very good to use your time to study and meditate just you and God - This way you will know how to discern a teaching that is 100% in accordance with the scriptures from a strange, wrong or mistaken teaching ( without intent to deceive, the person misunderstood and did not know it).

Of course, this doesn't mean you should stop going to church - it' s not good to isolate yourself. No church is perfect, but we need to be close to people who share our faith. Many times, there are things that we only see when someone shows us. God uses people to bless, teach and correct us - just as He uses you to bless, teach and correct others. Together, we all grow. Now those who isolate themselves become increasingly bitter in solitude - wither instead of growing.

“Not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Hebrews 10:25 NIV.

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“Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment.”

Proverbs 18:1 ESV.

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“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”

Proverbs 27:17 NIV.

Don't hold hurt or anger towards others, these are usually the reasons why someone wants to distance themselves from others. We were not created to live alone and isolated, God made us to have contact and coexistence with other people.

Sure, we all need alone time (just you and God), but we also need to enjoy good company. We are human beings - we make mistakes, so we cannot act as if only others make mistakes with us, at some point we too, even without meaning to, end up hurting someone.

Don't hold resentments or dwell on the past, forgiving takes a weight off our shoulders and heals us. Only then can we move forward.

“The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” 

Genesis 2:18 NIV.

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“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! 

It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe. 

It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.”

Psalms 133:1-3 NIV.

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"For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 

But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

Matthew 6:14-15 NIV.