Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.
Romans 5:12-15 ESV
When my kids were really little, I learned quickly that white clothes was probably not a good choice. If you’ve held a newborn, you know that without notice “accidents” of all sorts can happen. Having yet to master the concept of a napkin, toddlers are no better. Their sticky little adorable hands touch everything, and they are oblivious to the destruction they leave behind them. Young children are messy beings. Common sense tells us that if we spend much time around small children, darker, easy-to-clean clothes are a better choice. Chocolate-covered fingerprints were not that big of a deal on my everyday blue jeans that needed a good washing anyway. However, those same stains are much more offensive on a white or light shirt.
Likewise, our sin is a big deal. The gravity of our sin stems back to who God is. A smudge against that which is already dirty appears not to be that big of a deal. But the same smudge of sin is infinitely offensive to our infinitely holy God.
The deceiver would like you to think that your sin is no big deal. He would love us to believe the lie that our sin is just a mistake. But the Bible teaches us differently. Sin is awful in God’s sight, so much that He had to give His only begotten Son to die for us. Do you see your sin as a small blemish or a spiritually deadly business? Do you tend to compare your sin to the standards of those around you or to the standard of our perfect God?