The first sin committed by man was infinite in nature because it was committed against God who is infinite. (The status of the person sinned against always figures into the nature of a crime. For example, assassinating a king is a worse crime, legally speaking, than killing someone with no status because the crime is committed not just against the person wearing the crown but also against the state he represents.) Original sin opened an infinite gulf between God and man. But since man is not infinite, he could do nothing to close the gulf. Only God could do that. So God the Son became man and died to reconcile man to God. As man, he could act on our behalf; as God, his act has infinite value.
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