The Difference between Iniquity, Sin and Transgressions

 WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INIQUITY, SIN, AND TRANSGRESSION? 

In Psalm 32:5, the psalmist says, "I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD." 

In this portion, “SIN,” “INIQUITY,” and “TRANSGRESSION” are all mentioned. All three words are used to describe the same basic concept: evil and lawlessness, as defined by God (see 1 John 3:4). However, upon closer examination, each word also carries a slightly different meaning.

*SIN

The word SIN and its cognates are used 786 times in Bible. From a Hebrew perspective, sin "chet" is defined as "missing the mark" of God's will and standard of righteousness or "falling short."  It can refer to doing something against God or against a person (Exodus 10:16), doing the opposite of what is right (Galatians 5:17), doing something that will have negative results (Proverbs 24:33–34), and failing to do something you know is right (James 4:17). Sin is the general term for anything that “falls short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

*TRANSGRESSION 

The Hebrew word for "transgression" is "pesha," and it means "rebellion" or "revolting." Transgression is a willful act of violating God's law or commandments. It is a conscious choice to rebel against God's standards and to turn away from his will. Transgression is seen as a particularly serious form of sin, because it involves a deliberate decision to rebel against God. 

To transgress is to choose to intentionally disobey; transgression is willful trespassing. Samson intentionally broke his Nazirite vow by touching a dead lion (Numbers 6:1–5; Judges 14:8–9) and allowing his hair to be cut (Judges 16:17); in doing so he was committing a transgression. David was referring to this kind of sin when he wrote, “Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered” (Psalm 32:1). When we knowingly run a stop sign, tell a lie, or blatantly disregard an authority, we are transgressing.

*INIQUITY 

The Hebrew word for "iniquity" is "avon," and it means "perversity" or "crookedness." It refers to a state of being bent away from God's perfect standard of righteousness. Iniquity is often seen as a deeper and more serious form of sin, because it involves not only the act of wrongdoing, but also a state of being that is bent away from God. It can be seen as a state of being morally crooked or twisted.

And Iniquity refers to a premeditated choice; to commit iniquity is to continue without repentance. David’s sin with Bathsheba that led to the killing of her husband, Uriah, was iniquity (2 Samuel 11:3–4; 2 Samuel 12:9). Micah 2:1 says, “Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it.” In David’s psalm of repentance, he cries out to God, saying, “Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin” (Psalm 51:2).

God is gracious and merciful, and he is able to forgive all forms of wrongdoing. The Bible says that God "forgives all your sin" (Psalm 103:3) and that "he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities" (Psalm 103:10). The New Testament says that "if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). So, no matter how great our sin, transgression, or iniquity, God is able and willing to forgive us when we come to him with a repentant heart. This forgiveness is made possible through Jesus Christ, who died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. So, we can be forgiven and made right with God through faith in Jesus Christ. 

Nb: 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 (Matthew 12:32; Luke 12:10)

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Prophet Holly Van