UNLOCK THE POWER OF REPENTANCE:
Understanding the Wisdom of David's Prayers: Exploring Sin, Iniquity, and Transgression.
David the servant of the Lord was a man full of Godly
wisdom and we can learn so much from his prayers. In Psalm 32:5 David says, ‘I
acknowledged my sin unto thee and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will
confess my transgressions unto the Lord, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my
sin. Selah.’ He isolates three different kinds of wrongdoing - sin, iniquity
and transgression but adds an angle to sin by revealing that there is iniquity
of my sin meaning that there can be sin devoid of iniquity and sin accompanied
by iniquity.
It is crucial for
every believer to understand the meaning of each tenet and how to address them
in their own lives.
Understanding
Sin
Briefly, sin is the transgression of the law of God
which is written in the tablets of the hearts of men. For instance, the law
says do not kill, therefore, when you kill or take another person’s life, you
have committed sin. This is regardless of the motive or circumstances of the
incidence. The fact that the law says do not kill and you have killed means
that you have committed a sin.
Unpacking Transgression
Transgression or to transgress on the other hand is to
rebel or revolt or trespass against the known law or norm. For instance, when
someone steals from another, the act of stealing is the sin but the decision to
steal knowing well that it is a sin to do so is the transgression. You see how
the thief disregards the law of God, rebels against it and goes ahead to commit
the forbidden act. This revolt in full knowledge of what is right represents the
transgression. Sometimes a sin can be committed without transgression. Think
about that beloved.
The Lurking Evil: Iniquity
Iniquity, often considered the mother of all evil, is
what we will address in this teaching. Iniquity in the Strong’s concordance
H5771 is called ‘Awvone’ which means perversity, evil fault, depravity, wickedness,
or guilt. The magnitude of your sin before God is usually measured against the
presence of iniquity in you. Your sin is often serious if there is iniquity
accompanying it. Usually, iniquity is what governs every evil person and from
it, they commit many unspeakable acts.
Understanding Sin, Iniquity, and
Transgression:
|
Tenet |
Definition |
|
Sin |
The transgression of God's law written in the
tablets of human hearts. Sin breaks divine commandments regardless of motives
or circumstances. |
|
Transgression |
Rebellion or trespass against known divine laws,
consciously defying moral standards, such as stealing with full knowledge
that it is wrong. |
|
Iniquity |
The root of evil, dwelling deep within the human
soul, leading to acts of perversity, wickedness, and guilt. It magnifies the
seriousness of sin and governs the hearts of evil individuals. |
Understand the mystery of the Selah Psalm verses Here
The Path to Repentance
As
believers, it is essential to know what plagues us so that we can acknowledge
the presence of sin, transgression, and iniquity in our lives. Only by
recognizing and understanding these tenets can we strive for repentance and
seek God's forgiveness.
In Psalm
32:5, David sets a powerful example. He confesses his sins and transgressions
to the Lord and experiences the forgiveness of his iniquity. This act of
genuine repentance paves the way for reconciliation with God and the
opportunity to live a life free from the bondage of wrongdoing.
In our
journey of faith, let us remember the wisdom found in David's prayers. May we
constantly examine our hearts, identify areas of sin, transgression, and
iniquity, and seek forgiveness and transformation through the grace of God.
Recognizing Iniquity:
The problem with iniquity is that it is found in the
inward parts of a being. It inhabits the core of a person from where the issues
of life flow. It dwells in the well or belly of which Jesus said that a fig
cannot produce olives, and neither can a salty fountain produce fresh water!
It is the opposite of righteousness, and anyone can
either have iniquity or righteousness dwelling in their inward parts, which
determines their actions, whether good or evil. This is what distinguishes the
children of light from those of darkness.
The children of light, who have their inward parts
purged and cleansed, have righteousness dwelling within them, from where flows
rivers of living water. However, those in darkness have iniquity dwelling in
their inward parts, leading to wickedness.
Jesus said it is what comes out of a man that defiles
them for out of those depths flows murders, sexual pervasion, and the like.
Notice that it is iniquity that was first found in the
devil while he was still a resident in heaven. Ezekiel 28:15…. And that is why
he was kicked out if holiness. The presence of iniquity in a man is the corrupt
or fallen state of man which Jesus came to pay for.
His death on the cross ensured that whosoever took him
up as their ransom, would be purged of the corrupt nature and created afresh
with a clean heart which is after righteousness.
Iniquity is not the act but the motive behind the act.
This is what the carnal law attempts to establish when they seek to understand
the motive behind say a murder; but their investigations only scratch the
surface of the whole scenario.
A conviction may be secured but believe me the problem
is much deeper than that single act- the heart is corrupt and the likelihood of
the person repeating the mistake or committing worse mistakes is likely because
the heart is sick! There is iniquity in it.
A
case of iniquity
In most cases, people commit sins that are fueled by the
iniquity in them. That is why David in Psalm 32 seeks God to forgive the
iniquity of his sin. An example of a sin committed from iniquity is - you are
jealous of a coworker; then out of this jealousy you fabricate lies and report
him to your boss and gets him fired - so sad!
For this act, you need to repent for the iniquity
which was jealousy that led you to witness falsely against your neighbour which
is a sin (Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour) Iniquity
manifests as strong feelings or emotions of jealousy, envy, hate, sexual perversion,
immorality, pride, and all manner of evil feelings that come from within as
recorded in Galatians 5:19-21.
A lot of people
will usually say this is who I am! Which is true because the corrupt nature is
in their core. Every believer must examine themselves to see whether they are
plagued by iniquity then repent, now that they know what iniquity is then put
on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true Holiness. Ephesians
4:24
When this is done, you will be rid of jealousy,
competition, strife, envy, hatred, immorality, and the like. From your core
will flow love, care, genuine concern, goodness, chastity, and all things pure
for the Glory of God. So that the child of God can be an example to the world.
Understand
the mystery of the Selah Psalm verses Here!
Can someone commit sin without iniquity?
Absolutely! As we know, iniquity is the guilt of sin,
but it is possible to commit sin without any guilt. There are many occasions
where people sin without iniquity. For instance, killing someone accidentally
through an act or omission is a sin, but it is not because the driver had
hatred or had vowed to eliminate someone. It was an accident.
God in His eternal wisdom, having foreknown that there
would be instances where people commit sin without iniquity, made a way out for
the children of Israel when He commanded that safe havens be set aside in every
tribe that had been allocated an inheritance.
Numbers 35:6 ‘And among the cities which ye
shall give unto the Levites there shall be six cities for refuge, which ye
shall appoint for the manslayer, that he may flee thither: and to them ye shall
add forty and two cities.’
This is how it worked, say for instance I am from
Judah and I accidentally through an act or omission cause the loss of life of someone.
The law of Moses then demanded that I had to be killed too.
However, knowing that I did not intend to kill my
brother, I was allowed to run to another tribe, say Ephraim and seek refuge
there from the people vying for my blood. My pursuers were not allowed to
follow me there and Ephraim was tasked with taking care of me and protecting me
until my accusers died or the king of my people died, then I would be free to
return to my people.
This model established by God is the same one used in
international law for protection of political fugitives or political prisoners.
What to do when you commit a sin without iniquity
Whenever you find yourself in a situation where you
have committed a sin without iniquity, repent for the sin for God is your
witness that you never meant to harm anyone. Offer your heartfelt apologies and
express your innocence. Be at peace even if you must bear the punishment for
the sin.
Use the model of pacification used by Jacob to bring
down his brother Esau’s anger in Genesis 32:20. This will ensure that you avoid
vengeful attacks on you as well as restore your relationship with the offended
as it is written in Proverbs 21:14 that a gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a
reward in the bosom strong wrath.
How to deal with iniquity.
The only sure way to deal with iniquity is repentance,
followed by a complete purge, a death to the old man and the rebirth of a new
man who is made with a heart after God. This usually happens when someone is
exposed to the truth of the condition of their heart, when they realize that
they have iniquity in them then repent and deliberately turn away from their
wicked ways as it is written in Proverbs 16:6 'By mercy and truth iniquity is
purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.’
Motivational speakers will tell you to always choose
to be the best version of yourself and to choose the good inside you over the
bad indicating that you have both evil and good inside but let me submit to you
that good and evil are mutually exclusive. You either have good inside or evil
at any given time. We all start with evil for we are shaped in iniquity and in
sin do our mothers conceive us according to Psalm 51:5.
After exposure to the truth through salvation in Jesus
Christ who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and
purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works-Titus 2:14, we are then
purged to acquire the good nature.
Anything in between is hypocrisy, lukewarmness and the
Lord shall spit such out of his mouth. The purged can occasionally experience
strong emotions of anger but they should not let the sun set while still angry
as it is instructed in the word. They can have fleshly desires on some occasions,
but the fear of the Lord keeps them from sinning against Him just like Joseph
in the case of Potiphar’s wife.
Note: As you reflect on the complexities
of sin and iniquity, take a moment to examine your own heart. Are there areas
of iniquity that need to be addressed? Are you willing to surrender them to God
and embrace His transformative work in your life? Let this be a season of
renewal and restoration as you journey deeper into the heart of God.
How to repent from iniquity (5 Steps)
1. Recognition:
Recognize that the anger, wrath, vengeance,
immorality, hatred, jealousy, strife, competition, envy, malice, or seduction
are not a onetime feeling but rather an evil, corrupt nature, and then desire
to have the opposite of these vices. Just like David recognized while repenting
in Psalm 51 that the immoral act and murder were stemming from iniquity in him thus,
he asked for the recreation of his heart and the renewal of his spirit.
2. Declaration:
Declare thy iniquity - Psalm 38:18 ‘For I will declare
mine iniquity: I will be sorry for my sin.’ Hide not thy iniquity before the
Lord; say Lord I have harboured hatred, I have exercised seduction and caused
others to stumble, I have been jealous and have used my tongue to cast others
down instead of edifying them. Lay it all bare and lose all these bands of
wickedness. Just like the prodigal son said in his heart, what he would tell
his father, be deliberate about your disclosure and ask for help to change.
3. Faith:
In faith, take up Jesus Christ as thy ransom for the
remission of thy sins. There is no remission of sin without shedding of blood
therefore present Christ Jesus as your substitute by asking for the forgiveness
of sins in the Name of Jesus Christ. Mention the sins if you can remember them.
Be open for you can hide nothing from the Lord. He sees your heart and your
reins. Repentance is a turnaround thus walk away from your wicked ways. Be keen
to terminate habitual sin.
4. Renewal:
Ask the Lord for a new heart and a right spirit. Jesus
came to recreate all things that is why it is written that you must be born
again. With exposure to the truth of the goodness of God who gave His son so
that we can be forgiven through him and the understanding that we have sinned
and perverted that which is right comes true repentance.
Now that the tree of evil has been uprooted, ask God
for the tree of righteousness to be planted in your core and outwardly announce
to the powers of darkness that you are a new creature through water baptism.
Because the presence of a wicked heart attracted wicked spirits, ask for the
filling of the Spirit of God to dwell in this reborn tabernacle so that he may
help and lead you in the paths of righteousness.
5. Transformation:
Walk ye as children of light. Know for sure
that your body is the house or tabernacle of the Holy Spirit therefore offer
your members as instruments of righteousness to always work what is pleasing
unto God. Put away all evil like Paul instructs in Colossians 3:8-10. Be
intentional with your change by studying the word of God even if it is a verse
at a time.
The word is the water that you need for it washes your
inner man clean and soon you realize that your character is changing, your
interests are shifting, your desires and reactions to different situations are equally
changing.
Always ask for help;
pray, ‘Holy Spirit, help me’ for it is a process but one that is not painful,
whose results are so wonderful and pure. Know that people around you will
notice this change. Most will remark that you are a good person for surely, you
are purged, and it cannot be hidden.
Conclusion
Now, in your walk with Christ, you will commit sin but
let it always be devoid of iniquity. Confess those sins always so that the
blood of Jesus can continually cleanse you of all unrighteousness. 1John 1:9.
Never let
iniquity reign in you ever again for God has forgiven the iniquity of your sin.
Shine on O child of light and be ye led by the Spirit of God for as many as are
led, they are the sons of God. Amen.
Frequently Asked Questions About Repentance, Sin, Iniquity, and Transgression
Q1: What's the difference between sin, iniquity, and transgression?
A: These three terms represent different aspects of wrongdoing before God. As David demonstrates in Psalm 32:5, they are distinct yet interconnected:
- Sin is the transgression of God's law written in our hearts. It's the actual breaking of divine commandments, regardless of motives or circumstances. For example, killing someone is sin because God's law says "do not kill."
- Transgression is the conscious rebellion against known divine law. It involves willfully defying moral standards with full knowledge that the action is wrong. Using the theft example from the blog: stealing is the sin, but the decision to steal knowing it's wrong is the transgression.
- Iniquity is the root of evil dwelling deep within the human soul—what the blog calls "the mother of all evil." It's the corrupt nature that motivates and magnifies sin. As the blog explains, iniquity is not the act but the motive behind the act, manifesting as jealousy, hatred, pride, and other evil emotions that flow from within.
Q2: Can someone commit sin without iniquity?
A: Absolutely! As the blog clearly explains, it's possible to sin without iniquity. The key example given is accidental killing—such as a car accident where someone dies due to the driver's unintentional act or omission. This is sin because life was lost, but there's no iniquity because there was no malicious intent, hatred, or evil motive.
God's wisdom in establishing cities of refuge in the Old Testament (Numbers 35:6) demonstrates His understanding that sin can occur without iniquity. These safe havens protected those who caused accidental death, showing that God distinguishes between sins motivated by evil intent and those that occur without malicious purpose.
Q3: What is true biblical repentance?
A: Biblical repentance is changing your mind about your sin—no longer is sin something to toy with; it is something to be forsaken. The blog emphasizes that repentance involves five crucial steps:
- Recognition - Acknowledging that negative emotions and actions stem from a corrupt nature
- Declaration - Openly confessing your iniquity before God without hiding anything
- Faith - Accepting Jesus Christ as your ransom for sin's remission
- Renewal - Asking God for a new heart and right spirit
- Transformation - Walking as children of light with intentional change
True repentance is not just feeling sorry but involves a complete turnaround—a death to the old nature and rebirth of a new one created in righteousness.
Q4: How do I know if I have iniquity in my heart?
A: The blog provides clear indicators of iniquity's presence. Examine yourself for these manifestations:
- Strong feelings of jealousy, envy, or hatred toward others
- Pride and competitive spirit that seeks to diminish others
- Sexual perversion or persistent immoral thoughts
- Malice and desire for revenge
- Using your tongue to tear others down rather than build them up
As the blog states, iniquity dwells in the "inward parts" and determines whether your actions flow from darkness or light. If you find yourself consistently motivated by these negative emotions, it indicates iniquity that needs to be addressed through repentance and spiritual renewal.
Q5: Is repentance necessary for forgiveness?
A: Yes, repentance is essential for receiving God's forgiveness. Forgiveness can only be given when the sinning party truly repents of sin, as Jesus taught in Luke 17:3-4. Forgiveness must be desired and accepted if the sinner is to be forgiven by God.
The blog emphasizes that David's example in Psalm 32:5 shows the path: he acknowledged his sin, confessed his transgressions, and received forgiveness for his iniquity. This pattern of recognition, confession, and faith in Christ's sacrifice is essential for experiencing God's forgiveness and transformation.
Q6: What should I do if I've committed sin without iniquity?
A: The blog provides specific guidance for this situation:
- Repent for the sin - Acknowledge before God that you never intended harm
- Offer heartfelt apologies - Express your innocence and genuine remorse
- Be at peace - Accept any consequences while maintaining your clear conscience
- Use pacification - Follow Jacob's model with Esau (Genesis 32:20) to restore relationships
- Give gifts in secret - As Proverbs 21:14 teaches, this can pacify anger and restore harmony
Remember, God is your witness that you meant no harm. While the consequences may still need to be faced, your heart can be at peace knowing there was no evil intent.
Q7: Can I ever be completely free from the tendency to sin?
A: The blog teaches that through genuine repentance and spiritual renewal, you can be purged of iniquity and receive a new heart created in righteousness. However, it also acknowledges that even the purged may occasionally experience strong emotions or fleshly desires.
The key difference is that those with renewed hearts don't let these temporary struggles control them. Like Joseph with Potiphar's wife, the fear of the Lord keeps them from sinning. The blog concludes by noting that in your walk with Christ, you may still commit sin, but it should be "devoid of iniquity"—meaning without the evil motives that once drove your actions.
Q8: How can I maintain my transformation after repentance?
A: The blog emphasizes that transformation is an ongoing process requiring intentional effort:
- Study God's Word - Even one verse at a time helps wash your inner man clean
- Pray for help - Regularly ask "Holy Spirit, help me" as you navigate challenges
- Offer your body as an instrument of righteousness - Remember your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit
- Put away evil - Actively remove sinful practices from your life
- Confess ongoing sins - Maintain cleansing through confession (1 John 1:9)
- Never let iniquity reign again - Remain vigilant against the return of corrupt motives
The blog assures that this process, while requiring effort, is not painful and produces wonderful, pure results that others will notice.
Q9: What if I forget to confess a sin?
A: While the blog doesn't address this specific concern, common questions include "what happens if I commit a sin, but then forget about it and never remember to confess it to God?" The blog's emphasis on God's complete forgiveness through Christ's sacrifice suggests that genuine believers who maintain a heart of repentance need not fear forgotten sins.
The key is maintaining the transformative relationship with God described in the blog—walking as children of light with hearts purged of iniquity. This ongoing relationship of confession and cleansing (1 John 1:9) covers both remembered and forgotten sins.
Q10: How do I help someone else understand the need for repentance?
A: The blog's approach suggests leading by example and sharing the distinctions between sin, transgression, and iniquity. Help others understand:
- That everyone starts "shaped in iniquity" (Psalm 51:5)
- The difference between surface-level behavior change and heart transformation
- That true change requires more than willpower—it requires spiritual renewal
- The five-step process of repentance outlined in the blog
Most importantly, demonstrate the transformation in your own life. As the blog states, when you're purged and walking as a child of light, "people around you will notice this change" and "remark that you are a good person."
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