Sin

I Timothy 5:24-25
The sins of some people are blatant and march them right into court. The sins of others don't show up until much later. The same with good deeds. Some you see right off, but none are hidden forever.

This is the most difficult teaching to get across to new Christians, non-believers, and immature believers. We have categorized sin like there are degrees. Level one-minor sins, like sins of omission, ungodly thoughts, attitudes; Level two-lying, cheating; Level three-sexual sins, Level four-murder. (I made all those up.) The main point is that the only sin that matters is blaspheming the Holy Spirit. OK, what is that? That is ignoring God, refusing his salvation. When God is trying to get our attention, we find all kinds of ways to ignore Him. We compare ourselves to the people around us--I'm better than that guy--is a dangerous thought.
My dad did not become a Christian until he was seventy years old. Daddy was just like many people I know today. He was a good man, a good husband, a good father, a good citizen, but he was just as lost as the people he compared himself to until he accepted Jesus as his savior. It really doesn't seem fair to us because we are geared to make the punishment fit the crime. We have misdemeanors and felonies with fines and sentences set up according to how severe the offense. If we are in big trouble, we hire an attorney to go before the judge and plead our case. That makes sense to us, but God's plan of salvation goes against human nature. We go before our judge without an attorney because Jesus is our mediator. It doesn't matter how minor or severe our sins are; it doesn't matter how many sins we have committed. The only thing that matters is that Jesus has already paid the penalty for us if we believe.
Thank you, Jesus, for taking my place.