LITTLE SINS – Charles Spurgeon
Little Sins
I. The Temptation of “Little Sins”
“Is it not a little one?” (Genesis 19:20). These words we shall take as a slogan, rather than as a text in the usual sense. I shall not this morning attempt to explain the context in which it was uttered. It was Lot’s plea for the salvation of Zoar, but I shall take the phrase far from its original context and apply it in another fashion.
The great Father of Lies has many devices by which he seeks to ruin the souls of men. He uses false weights and false balances to deceive them. Sometimes he uses false timings, declaring at one moment that it is too early to seek the Lord, and at another moment that it is now too late. He also uses false quantities, for he will declare that great sins are merely little ones and that what he admits as little sins are nothing at all—mere trifles almost worthy of forgiveness on their own!
Many souls, I doubt not, have been caught in this trap, and being snared by it, they have been destroyed. They have ventured into sin thinking that the stream was shallow, and fatally deceived by its depth, they have been swept away by the current into that waterfall which is the ruin of so many souls.
This morning, I will address this temptation and try to give you the means to resist it. When Satan comes upon you with this cry, “Is it not a little one?” and tries to convince you that there is little harm in it, I hope to help you reply, “No, Satan, I will not fall into this trap.”
II. The Holiness of the Best of Men
In response to this temptation, I will first say: The best of men have always been afraid of little sins. The holy martyrs of God have been ready to endure the most terrible torments rather than step even an inch aside from the path of truth and righteousness! Take, for instance, Daniel. When the king’s decree went forth that no man should worship God for a specified time, Daniel still prayed three times a day, as was his custom, with his window open towards Jerusalem. Why did he not pray quietly in an inner chamber? Why did he not cease from vocal prayer, keeping his petitions in his heart? Could he not have been as well accepted in that way?
Ah, but Daniel knew that, though the offense seemed small, he would rather suffer death at the jaws of the lions than provoke the anger of his God, or lead men to blaspheme His holy name by failing to obey. Daniel, though he faced certain danger, chose to honor God over self-preservation.
Similarly, the three holy children, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, were asked by King Nebuchadnezzar to bend the knee and worship the golden image he had set up. It seemed like such a small act—a single bend of the knee, and all would be well. Yet, they refused. They would not worship the image. They could burn for God, but they could not turn from God. They would rather face the fiery furnace than sin against the Most High. Though the world might have excused them for their expedient act of bowing down, they chose to stand firm in their faith.
Consider Martin Arethusa, a bishop among early Christians. When the apostate emperor Julian came to power, he commanded the rebuilding of the idol temple, and Martin’s people were forced to obey under the penalty of death. However, Martin protested the evil action. He was offered his life on the condition that he would either pay a small amount to aid in the temple’s rebuilding or offer a single grain of incense to the false god. But Martin, fearing God, refused to commit even this smallest act of idolatry. Instead, he suffered great torment and death for his refusal.
III. The Dread of Small Sins
If men, when confronted with even the smallest of sins, were willing to endure tortures rather than commit them, surely there must be something dreadful in the very thing Satan tempts us with when he whispers, “Is it not a little one?”
When men’s eyes are opened by divine grace, they see an entire hell lying hidden in even the minutest of sins. Gifted with spiritual sight, they see the vast iniquity hidden in a single sinful thought or action. Thus, they avoid it with horror. They would rather endure any suffering—be it fire, flood, or death—than commit even the slightest offense against God.
And so, when Satan tempts us with small sins, we can respond, “No, Satan. If God’s people consider sin great, they know better than you. You are a deceiver. They are true.” We must shun all sin, even those which seem small, for God’s people know the danger they pose.
IV. Little Sins Lead to Greater Ones
Another answer to Satan’s temptation is that little sins lead to great ones. When Satan asks you to commit a small sin, he is merely trying to insert the thin end of the wedge. Once that is in, he will drive it further, splitting your soul in two. No, stand back, Satan! Though the temptation seems small, I fear you, for your little temptation often leads to something far greater and more destructive.
We see in nature how little things often lead to larger ones. Take, for example, the construction of a bridge. The process often begins with a thin string shot across a gap, followed by a small rope, then a larger cable, and finally the massive suspension bridge that enables passage for thousands. So, too, Satan works. It begins with a simple thought, then a desire, then a glance, followed by a touch, a deed, and a habit. Before you know it, the sin grows and escalates until you are overwhelmed with iniquity.
Think of a small spark dropped in dry grass. It may seem insignificant—“Is it not a little one?” But that spark, though tiny, can set an entire prairie on fire, destroying forests, homes, and livelihoods. The smallest of sparks can lead to devastating destruction. So it is with sin. If we do not stop it at the start, it can lead to a raging inferno that consumes everything in its path.
V. The Perils of Small Beginnings
Take heed of small beginnings. A small act of sin may seem insignificant at first, but it is the gateway to greater transgressions. Consider Achan, who first saw a beautiful Babylonian garment and a wedge of gold. At first, it seemed harmless to look at it, and then it seemed trivial to touch it. But once he took it and hid it, it led to his downfall and death.
Small sins, like water seeping out, can grow into floods that overwhelm you. They are like burglars entering through a small window and allowing greater evils to follow. A little sin may seem insignificant, but it can open the door to a host of greater transgressions.
VI. Little Sins Multiply and Bring Greater Harm
Little sins also multiply very quickly. They grow exponentially, just as a small insect infestation can quickly overwhelm a land. Remember the story of the locusts. These small creatures can strip entire fields and leave devastation in their wake, not because they are large, but because of their sheer numbers. Similarly, small sins, when multiplied, cause great damage.
Therefore, we must be vigilant. One small sin can quickly multiply, and the consequences can be as severe as those of greater sins. We must guard against the small, seemingly harmless sins, as they will surely grow and multiply into greater iniquities if left unchecked.
VII. The Principle of Obedience
Finally, little sins, though small in their outward appearance, are still great because they involve the breaking of a great principle. A small breach of a treaty, though seemingly minor, is still a breach, and it cannot be tolerated. In the same way, a small sin, though it may seem insignificant, is still a violation of God’s law.
When we sin, no matter how small the act, we break the principle of obedience to God. We dishonor Him, and His wrath abides on us. A little sin is great in that it breaches the principle of obedience, and we must treat it as such.
VIII. Conclusion: The Dangers of Little Sins
Little sins are great in the eyes of God, not because of their outward magnitude, but because of the principle they represent. Even though they may seem small, they are significant in the eyes of God. As Christians, we must be cautious, for little sins can have immense consequences, leading to greater iniquities and breaking the principle of obedience to God.
To the children of God, I say: if Satan tempts you with the question, “Is it not a little one?” respond with firm conviction that even little sins are dangerous. They can mar your fellowship with Christ, hinder your peace, and disrupt your relationship with God. Sin, no matter how small, is an offense to a holy God, and we must reject it.
To those who are yet to know Christ, I urge you to take heed of the small sins you may be tempted to commit. Do not let them multiply and grow, for they may keep you from the salvation God offers. Turn to Christ, who offers forgiveness for all sin, and find peace in His grace.
Let us all, in the strength of Christ, reject the temptation of small sins, for they are the gateway to greater destruction. May we seek to live in holiness, avoiding even the smallest sin, and drawing nearer to God in obedience and love.
I. The Consequences of Harboring Sin
But if you keep one sin to yourself, you shall never have mercy at His hands. If you forsake all your ways and turn with full purpose of heart to Christ, even the biggest sin you’ve ever committed shall not destroy your soul. However, if a little sin is harbored, your prayers will be unheard, your sighs disregarded, and your earnest cries shall return to you without a blessing!
You have been in prayer lately, seeking Christ with all your might, praying that God would meet with you. Now months have passed, and you are still not saved; you have not received the comfortable assurance of your pardon. Young man, could it be that there is still some little known sin harbored in your heart? Know this—God will never be at one with you until you and your sins are two. Part with your sins, or else part with all hope!
Even if you hide but a single grain of sin from God, He will not, He cannot have mercy on you! Come to Him just as you are, but renounce your sins. Ask Him to set you free from every lust, every false way, and every evil thing. Otherwise, you shall never find grace and favor at His hands!
The greatest sin in the world, if repented of, shall be forgiven, but the least unrepented sin shall sink your soul lower than the lowest hell! Mark this again, sinner, you who sometimes indulge in little sins—these little sins show that you are yet in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity!
II. The Nature of “Little Sins”
Rowland Hill tells a curious story of one of his hearers who was a member of the church but would sometimes visit the theater. When Rowland Hill went to speak with him, he asked, “I understand, Mr. So-and-So, that you are very fond of frequenting the theater.” The man responded, “No, sir, that’s false. I go now and then just for a great treat, but I don’t go because I like it. It’s not a habit of mine.”
Rowland Hill responded, “Well, suppose someone said to me, ‘Mr. Hill, I understand you eat carrion,’ and I said, ‘No, no, I don’t eat carrion. It’s true I now and then have a piece of stinking carrion for a great treat.’ Why, they would say, ‘You’ve convicted yourself! It shows you like it better than most people, because you save it for a special treat.’”
In the same way, those men who claim that little sins have no vice in them at all give clear indications of their own character! They show which way the stream runs. A small straw can show the direction of the wind, or even a floating feather. And so, a little sin can be an indication of the prevailing tendency of your heart.
My hearer, if you love sin, even though it’s a little one, your heart is not right in the sight of God! You are still a stranger to divine grace. The wrath of God abides on you, and you are a lost soul unless God changes your heart!
III. Little Sins and Eternal Consequences
And yet, I have another remark here. Sinner, you say, “It is but a little one.” But do you know that God will damn you for your little sins? Look angry now and say the minister is harsh, but will you look angry at your God in the day when He shall condemn you forever?
If there were a good man in prison today and you didn’t visit him, would you think that a great sin? Certainly not, you might say. What if you saw a man hungry and didn’t feed him—would you think that a great sin? Again, no, you might say. Nevertheless, these are the very things for which men are sent to hell.
What did the Judge say? “I was hungry and you gave Me no meat; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was sick and in prison, and you visited Me not. Forasmuch as you did not do this to the least of these, My brethren, you have not done it unto Me.”
Now, if these things, which we only consider to be small sins, are enough to send many people to hell, ought we not to stop and tremble before we talk lightly about sin? Little sins can be our eternal destroyers! The pit of hell is dug for small sins. An eternity of woe is prepared for what men call little sins! It is not just the murderer, the drunkard, or the whoremonger who will be sent to hell; the wicked will be sent there, yes, but so will the “little sinner” alongside all the nations that forget God.
Tremble, therefore, on account of little sins!
IV. The “Bottomless Pit” of Little Sins
When I was a little lad, I once read at family prayer a chapter in the book of Revelation concerning the “bottomless pit.” Stopping in the midst of it, I said to my grandfather, “Grandfather, what does this mean—‘the bottomless pit’?” He replied, “Go on, child, go on.” So I continued reading, but I made sure to read the same chapter again the next morning.
Stopping again, I said, “Bottomless pit; what does this mean?” “Go on,” he said. And so it went on for a fortnight. Every morning, I read this same chapter, stopping to ask my grandfather about its meaning.
I can still remember the horror of my mind when he explained what it meant. There is a deep pit, and the soul is falling—oh, how fast it is falling! There—the last ray of light at the top disappears, and it falls on—on—on, and continues falling, without end. “Is it not near the bottom yet?” the soul cries. “I have been falling a million years, is it not near the bottom?” But still it falls, on and on, into the “bottomless pit.”
This dreadful idea is captured in the words, “The wrath to come.” Hell is always “The wrath to come.” Even if a man has been in hell a thousand years, it is still “to come.” What he has suffered in the past is as nothing in the dread account, for still, the wrath is “to come.” And when the world grows old and the sun’s fire is quenched, still, it is “The wrath to come.”
It is an eternity of torment, an endless falling into darkness. And all of this, remember, is because of little sins. The very thought is enough to make one’s heart ache! Yet, for little sins, you incur “The wrath to come.”
V. The Call to Flee From “The Wrath to Come”
Oh, what a thought! I would rather be damned for something grand, for something that might make me famous as a rebel. But to be condemned for little sins, which do not even make me stand out as a notorious sinner—that would be to be damned indeed! Oh, that you would arise, that you would flee from the wrath to come! Forsake the little sins that so easily entangle you, and fly to the great cross of Christ, where little sins can be blotted out and washed away!
For if you die with little sins unforgiven, unrepented of, there shall be no small hell. There will be no little punishment—only the great wrath of the great King, an eternal pit, a fire that never shall be quenched, and a worm that never shall die! This is the “wrath to come!” It is enough to make your heart ache to think of it. God help you to flee from it now, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.