Truth 3: Iniquities

What Are the Terms for Sin?

The word “Iniquity” appears throughout the Bible but is often misunderstood as merely sin, overlooking its full meaning. The Bible uses various terms for sin. In the two verses above, three terms for sin are used: "Sin," "Transgression," and "Iniquity." Though often used interchangeably, they reflect different aspects. Regardless of the word, all need to be “broken” to walk in repentance for Transformation.

Psalm 32:1-2, NKJV: “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.”

Exodus 34: 6-7, NKJV: “And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sins, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the third and fourth generation.’"

SIN means missing the mark through unrighteous actions, consciously or not. God's Word shows Jesus has taken away the world's sins (John 1:29; 1 John 3:5, NKJV). This includes your, my, and everyone's sin. Because of Jesus, you can aim for God's righteousness and attain it, no more lining up, aiming, shooting, and missing!

TRANSGRESSION is a deliberate act of defiance, like refusing to love God or your neighbor. It involves targeting, recognizing, and redirecting away from what is right (1 Timothy 2:14, KJV). Though you desire God's righteousness, you turn away in rebellion. Admit your transgressions and accept Christ's cleansing blood, which offers redemption and helps you stop turning away from what is right.

What Does the Bible Say About Iniquity?

INIQUITY is not just about doing wrong, but a tendency to repeat wrongs, a weakness inherited from ancestors. It involves knowing what is right yet missing the mark due to misalignment (Eph. 2:3, NKJV). Even with repeated efforts, you may still miss God's righteousness because of a crooked, deceitful 'bow'. This cycle of repenting and returning to sin is rooted in Iniquity.

Iniquity differs from sin as it encourages further sin and involves Satan tempting you to break God's laws. It arises from deliberate disobedience or rebellion and can cause anger, substance abuse, divorce, and sexual impurity. True freedom comes when you realize these tendencies are inherited from your father and forefathers. Recognizing their weaknesses helps break their influence. Overcoming iniquities is like repentance—rejecting the old self and embracing renewal. God offers forgiveness for iniquities (Jer. 33:8, NKJV), through Jesus's suffering (Isa. 53:5, NKJV).

Jeremiah 33:8, NKJV: “I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned and by which they have transgressed against Me.”

Isaiah 53:5, NKJV: “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.”

Iniquities are inherited across generations, passed down from father to child. They began with Adam, who represented all humanity with his sin. These sins can remain hidden for years, spanning multiple generations. Scripture states that two factors contribute to family iniquities.

Idolatry - The bowing down and worshiping of graven images. (Exo. 20:4-5, NKJV)
Rebellion - Blaming or hating God due to stubbornness (1 Sam. 15:23, NKJV)

A "godless" ancestor can cause descendants to suffer from anger, rebellion, pride, lust, greed, racism, anxiety, depression, alcoholism, sexual immorality, and death for generations. When you can change this inherited negativity, your relationships will improve, reducing overreactions, making your words seem like acts of love, trust, and respect.

How Do You Break an Iniquity?

Iniquities can remain unseen for years, even generations. In families of four children facing similar struggles, only two might be involved in sin. Single mothers report that children often behave like their absent fathers—sharing anger and fears. Adopted children raised in godly environments can still be affected if iniquity comes from their biological father.

As God's creation, you are responsible for your own thoughts, words, actions, attitudes, and motives. Iniquities cannot be blamed on ancestors once you are aware of them. The sins of your ancestors do not affect your relationship with God or your judgment (Eze. 18:19-22, NKJV).

Eze. 18:20, NKJV: “The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.”

To attain God's righteousness, let go of inherited iniquities and bring them to Christ. God promises that confessing sins, including those of ancestors, will remind Him of His covenant with Abraham (Lev. 26:39-40, 42, NKJV). Believing in Jesus as Savior makes you part of Abraham's family (Gal. 3:29, NKJV). Jesus alone can break iniquities' power through God's forgiveness, as He was bruised for our sins (Isa. 53:5, NKJV), washing them away (Jer. 33:8, Heb. 8:12, NKJV).

Hebrews 8:12, NKJV: “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

To overcome iniquity, acknowledge and confess it as sin. Note each iniquity the Holy Spirit highlights. This guides you to righteousness, breaks sin cycles, and promotes holiness. Pray for deliverance in Jesus' name and walk in repentance! You are in a covenant with the Lord, and your iniquities, fears, and anxieties are gone.

1 John 1:9, NKJV: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

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