Read
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…
Romans 5:12
Reflect
“Sure, I’ve done some bad things, but they aren’t all that bad.”
Have you ever said that, or something close to it? Most of us have, because we look around and notice something. There are murderers and rapists and thieves. There are people who seem to care nothing for others and would steal the last few pennies from a poor old lady’s bank account.
Then we look at ourselves and think, “Well, I’m not as bad as they are.”
Taking the last cookie, disobeying your parents, lying to stay out of trouble, or even cheating on a test may not seem as serious as killing someone or robbing a bank. And in earthly terms, they are not the same. A murderer may go to prison for life. A thief may serve years in jail. A speeder may pay a fine.
We have to make distinctions between sins when it comes to earthly consequences.
But Romans 5 reminds us that every sin points to the same deeper problem: separation from God. God is perfectly holy, and sin cannot remain in fellowship with Him. That is why Adam and Eve’s first sin mattered so much. When sin entered the world through Adam, death came with it. And that same brokenness spread to all of us.
That first sin cost Adam and Eve the Garden of Eden. It also showed the condition we all share. We are not sinners only because we do bad things. We do bad things because sin has already marked the human heart.
But Romans 5 does not stop with Adam.
Paul points us from Adam’s failure to Christ’s victory. Through Adam came sin and death. Through Jesus came grace and life. Adam’s sin brought condemnation, but Jesus’ obedience opened the way back to God for everyone who receives Him.
So whether our sins seem “big” or “small,” they are still sins. They still need forgiveness. They still point to our need for a Savior.
If you have accepted Jesus as your Savior, keep your account with the Lord small. Confess your sins regularly. Don’t excuse them just because they seem smaller than someone else’s. Bring them to Him.
And if you’ve never accepted Him, now is an excellent time to do that. You can send me a message to ask me to pray for or with you about your relationship with the Lord.
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Reflection copyright © 2026 Doug DeBolt.
Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
