Sin of Commission – doing something which God forbade and Sin of Omission – not doing something which God demanded
While I was meditating on the Word of God once, I experienced a thought banging my mind – how should I categorize the sins.
‘Big and Small sins’, ‘Exposed and hidden sins’ or ‘Acceptable and abominable sins’ and many more categories passed through my mind in which I could categorize them. Usually, the most soothing classification to our conscious is ‘big and small sins’ as we normally do classify them for ourselves for the ease of living. Though it is much easier to handle, it is not biblical. There are no sins which are small in God’s eyes, SIN IS SIN.
As much as a small pebble of stone when thrown in the pool of water, sinks, so does the large boulder of stone or even a rock. They all drown equally, similarly, all sins, however, small or big they look, puts us in enmity with God and brings us lower than the God’s standards of holiness.
Yet very often, we do categorize them in this unbiblical way. When we just look at someone lustfully, we think it is still not as sinful as committing physical adultery, when we just covet something we still think it is yet acceptable in comparision to stealing it and when we just get angry on someone and scolded him calling him idiot or giving him a similar title because he/she did something wrong against us, we still are at ease compared to if we had committed his/her murder. But Bible says that lustful look is equally abominable to God as much as fornication is, coveting is equally wrong as much as stealing is and degrading our brother and damaging his prestige by calling him by names (fool/idiot/stupid etc) is equal to killing him.
When we do such things, if we are committed and God fearing believers, followers and disciples of Jesus Christ, we do confess such sins before God, ask forgiveness and go on. These are the sins of commission. The sins that we commit. The things we do about which God has said – do not do it. But what about the sins of NOT DOING the things which God has asked us to do. They are the sins of omission and the sad part is – most of us live in ignorance of such sins and keep doing throughout our lives. God says rejoice always – we do not, pray unceasingly – we do not, forgive – we keep grudges, live by faith – we live by our emotions and circumstances, be filled by Holy Spirit – we are ignorant of Him, give thanks in everything – yet we murmur over several things and much more.
God reminded me to remain conscious of His Spirit, not to quench Him, listen to what He says whether in His word or deep in my heart regarding my christian living, I must do what He says DO and do not do what he says DO NOT DO.
May God bless and strengthen you to as you do the same.