I've had many discussions with my friends who are Christian about sins, whether some are worse than others, and if so, how this differentiation is manifested.
One of my friends basically explained that the Bible states that indeed not all sins are the same and some do more harm than others. As a result, the consequences that the sinner must face to atone, if possible, for the sin are varying in degree as well, whether legal, emotional, spiritual, etc.
Another friend of mine explained it in a different way: All of us are born to sin. Although some sins are admittedly worse than others, there is no sin great enough that cannot be forgiven. As long as one believes in the Lord and His teachings, and repents for their sins, he will eventually go to Heaven. So in essence, the greatest sin is being a non-believer (which I find difficult to accept).
Which of these explanations are accurate? Are both accurate (they don't necessarily conflict)? Is there a more Biblically thorough way to explain this?