What is the difference between iniquity, sin, and transgression? | GotQuestions.org
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What is the difference between iniquity, sin, and transgression as in, Psalm 32:5? in that verse is says: I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah Do you know the difference? Watch this video to find out!
Source: https://www.gotquestions.org/iniquity-sin-transgression.html
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- What is the difference between iniquity, sin, and transgression? In Psalm 32 5, the psalmist says,
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- I acknowledged my sin to you, and you did not cover up my iniquity. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the
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- Lord. In this one verse, sin, iniquity, and transgression are all mentioned.
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- Basically, the three words communicate the same idea, evil and lawlessness, as defined by God.
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- However, upon closer examination, each word also carries a slightly different meaning. The word sin and its cognates are used 786 times in the
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- New International Version of the Bible. Sin means to miss the mark. It can refer to doing something against God or against a person, doing the opposite of what is right, doing something that will have negative results, and failing to do something you know is right.
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- In the Old Testament, God even instituted sacrifices for unintentional sins. Sin is the general term for anything that falls short of the glory of God.
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- Sin leads to a downward progression that, without the restoring power of the Holy Spirit, we all tend toward.
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- The sin nature is present in every human being born since the fall of Adam. If left unchecked, continual sin leads to a reprobate mind, spoken of in Romans 1 .24.
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- Our sin nature causes us to gravitate naturally toward selfishness, envy, and pride, even when we are trying to do good.
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- The Apostle Paul alluded to his propensity to sin when he wrote, For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.
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- For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. The sin nature leads to trespassing.
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- A trespasser is someone who crosses a line or climbs a fence that he should not cross or climb. A trespass may be intentional or unintentional.
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- Trespass can also mean to fall away from being close beside. Peter trespassed when he denied
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- Jesus. We all cross the line in thought, word, or attitude many times a day, and should be quick to forgive others who do the same.
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- Transgression refers to presumptuous sin. To transgress is to choose to intentionally disobey.
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- Transgression is willful trespassing. Samson intentionally broke his Nazarite vow by touching a dead lion and allowing his hair to be cut.
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- In doing so, he was committing a transgression. David was referring to this kind of sin when he wrote,
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- Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. When we knowingly run a stop sign, tell a lie, or blatantly disregard an authority, we are transgressing.
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- Iniquity is more deeply rooted. Iniquity refers to a premeditated choice. To commit iniquity is to continue without repentance.
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- David's sin with Bathsheba that led to the killing of her husband, Uriah, was iniquity. Micah 2 .1
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- says, In David's psalm of repentance, he cries out to God, saying,
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- Wash away all my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. God forgives iniquity, as He does any type of sin when we repent.
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- However, iniquity left unchecked, leads us to a state of willful sin with no fear of God.
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- The buildup of unrepentant sin is sometimes pictured as a cup of iniquity being filled to the brim.
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- This often applies to nations who have forsaken God completely. Continued iniquity leads to unnatural affections, which leads to a reprobate mind.
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- Romans 1 .28 -32 outlines this digression in vivid detail. The sons of Eli are biblical examples of reprobates whom
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- God judged for their iniquities. Rather than repent, Eli's sons continued in their abominations until repentance was no longer possible.
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- The biblical writers use different words to refer to sin in its many forms. However, regardless of how depraved a human heart may become,
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- Jesus' death on the cross was sufficient to cover all sin. Psalm 32 .5,
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- quoted at the beginning of this article, ends with these words And you forgave the guilt of my sin.
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- The only sin that God cannot forgive is the final rejection of the Holy Spirit's drawing to repentance, the ultimate fruit of a reprobate mind.