This is an important study because Jesus repeatedly confronted selective righteousness—seeing another person’s sin clearly while becoming comfortable with our own. The answer is not to stop calling sin sin. The answer is to let Jesus deal with all sin, beginning with mine.
- Sin Is Sin Because God Says It Is — 1 John 3:4. We do not get to decide which sins matter.
- Start With the Sin in Me — Matthew 7:3–5. Jesus tells me to examine myself before correcting another.
- The Speck Is Real, but So Is the Log — Matthew 7:5. Another person may truly be wrong, but that does not excuse my own sin.
- We Easily Condemn What We Do Not Struggle With — Romans 2:1. It is easy to be severe about someone else’s weakness.
- Jesus Calls Out Hypocrisy — Matthew 23:27–28. Looking righteous is not the same as being righteous.
- Pride Is a Serious Sin — Proverbs 16:18. Pride may appear respectable, but God opposes it.
- Gossip Is Not a Small Sin — Ephesians 4:29. Words can destroy people while we pretend we are only talking.
- Bitterness Cannot Be Excused — Ephesians 4:31–32. Being hurt does not give me permission to hold hatred.
- Unforgiveness Matters to Jesus — Matthew 6:14–15. I cannot celebrate forgiveness while refusing to forgive.
- Greed Can Hide Behind Respectability — Luke 12:15. Jesus warned about greed because possessions can quietly possess us.
- Lust Begins Before the Act — Matthew 5:28. Jesus deals with the heart, not simply outward behavior.
- Anger Also Begins in the Heart — Matthew 5:21–22. We cannot condemn sexual sin while excusing uncontrolled anger.
- Dishonesty Is Still Dishonesty — Colossians 3:9. A convenient lie does not become acceptable because it helps me.
- Self-Righteousness Blinds Us — Luke 18:11–14. The Pharisee saw the sinner but could not see himself.
- Religious Sin Is Still Sin — Matthew 23:23. Religious activity can coexist with neglect of justice, mercy, and faithfulness.
- Neglecting Love Is Serious — John 13:34–35. Correct doctrine without Christlike love misrepresents Jesus.
- Failing to Help Can Be Sin — James 4:17. Sin includes not doing the good we know we should do.
- Partiality Is Sin — James 2:1–4, 9. Jesus does not permit us to value people according to status, appearance, or usefulness.
- Our Tongue Reveals Our Heart — James 3:9–10. Praising God and tearing people down should trouble us deeply.
- Jesus Was Hardest on Religious Pretending — Matthew 23:13. He showed great compassion to broken sinners but confronted those who hid behind religion.
- Grace Does Not Make Sin Unimportant — Romans 6:1–2. Jesus saves us from sin, not so we can become comfortable with it.
- Truth Does Not Give Us Permission to Be Cruel — Ephesians 4:15. We are called to speak truth in love.
- Love Does Not Require Us to Call Sin Good — John 8:11. Jesus showed mercy and still said, “Go and sin no more.”
- We Must Not Rewrite Scripture Around Our Preferences — 2 Timothy 4:3–4. God’s Word corrects us; we do not correct God’s Word.
- Every Sin Must Be Brought Into the Light — 1 John 1:7–9. Hidden and favored sins need the cleansing of Jesus too.
- Repentance Is Personal Before It Is Public — Acts 3:19. Before I call the world to repent, I must stay repentant before Jesus.
- The Cross Leaves No Room for Boasting — Galatians 6:14. I stand before Jesus only because He died for me.
- Remember What Jesus Forgave in You — Titus 3:3–5. Remembering where Jesus found us should make us truthful without becoming harsh.
- Restore People Gently — Galatians 6:1. When someone falls, spiritual maturity is shown by restoration, not humiliation.
- Keep Short Accounts With Jesus — Psalm 139:23–24. Ask Jesus regularly to expose whatever you have begun excusing.
- Be Tender With People and Fierce With Your Own Sin — Matthew 7:12; Hebrews 12:1–2. Love people, tell the truth, refuse compromise, confess quickly, and keep your eyes on Jesus.
The central issue is not, “Which sins should we stop condemning?” We should never make peace with what God calls sin. The better question is, “Why am I outraged by their sin while becoming comfortable with mine?”
Jesus does something much better than either condemnation or compromise. He tells the truth about our sin, takes that sin to the Cross, forgives the repentant sinner, and then says, “Follow Me.” No favorite sins, no favorite sinners to condemn, no lowering of Scripture, and no self-righteousness—just all of us needing Jesus.