Sin and Death (Now & Then)

You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day must be a Sabbath day of complete rest, a holy day dedicated to the Lord.  Anyone who works on that day must be put to death. [Exodus 35.2]

I was involved in a conversation recently among Christian friends and the topic of sin came up.  It was mentioned by one that all sin is equal in God's eyes - in other words, no sin is greater than another. (This conversation might have happened because I blurted out that a certain kind of sinner had no social purpose to continue to live...)

While, on one hand, my friend's statement above sounds right, on the other hand, why would God pass an immediate verdict of death of some sins (like working on the Sabbath) and not so on others?

I have no quarrel that all sin is ultimately unacceptable to God, whether its taking a cookie without asking or brutally murdering another - all sin qualifies mankind for death.  However, we do have some idea from the Bible that some sins just simply require immediate death while others default to a less-immediate death.  There IS a reason for this!

Usually this topic comes up because one sinner (like me) declares that another sinner (like a child molester) shouldn't be allowed to live.  In certain company, I will be immediately scolded and told that all sin is punishable by death in God's eyes and I therefore have no ground to pass judgment on another.

Technically, I am not passing judgment, but simply stating what God has already said.  But be that as it may...

The fact is, almost every person who has ever lived, has, or will die.  No, check that, every person has died including Jesus (He just resurrected).  So, in that way, judgment has in fact already been passed.  For those of us who are alive now, we know for absolute fact, that we are in the process of dying (just check your microscope -what I am saying is verifiable).  We are dying for lots of explainable reasons, the least visible of which is sin (thanks Adam & Eve for getting this ball rolling).  Although aging and death have been attributed to natural processes, it was not planned that way in the beginning (as in, Genesis 'beginning').  Physical aging and death are resultant to sin.

So there, I am dying, you are dying, we are all dying.  We are dying because we are sinners.  We can't help it, we were born that way...  My point is, if we could just all get along as the dying sinners we are - and embrace the limited journey of life we are gifted with in search of redemption (spelled J-E-S-U-S - and yes, He is the only historical 'messiah figure' who actually demonstratively laid claim to being God's one and only Way to God and then laid down His life to seal the deal and then rose from the dead to prove His claims), then we are all, in fact, in the same boat.  Each of us exercises some degree of self control in order to live in an acceptable degree of community and unity. 

But then someone abducts a child...  Can the whole of those 'on the journey of life and death' (all in the same boat, so to speak) tolerate a fellow journeyman overtly impeding the journey of others?

I know I have opened a can of worms here.  But, we should think sometimes before we make stupid religious statements! (that includes me too).  God knew everyone was a sinner and therefore all destined to die, but still God demanded immediate death for some trespasses.... 

There is "sin and death now" and "sin and death then."

Father, I lay no claim to sinlessness.  I know Jesus is my only hope both in this life and that which follows.  I realize I probably won't change a single person's mind about this topic, but at least help me to have some peace between my own ears in regard to right and wrong - justice and mercy.  By the way, what business did Moses have in killing that Egyptian?