What is the difference between transgression and iniquity

What is the difference? Why transgressions for his people, but sins of the world? As I dug into this, I noticed other verses where there was a distinction of sorts made between these terms and sometimes the word iniquity was also used. Look at this verse:. Exodus For a comprehensive search of these verses, plug this search into your search box to find the combinations.

To start, lets be clear that any act of wickedness is sin. However, there seems to have been in the mind of the scripture writers some type of distinction which upon further review you can clearly see. Until I started looking things up in the Blue Letter Bible I had no idea there were so many different words used for these terms. God has nuances to describe sin which is just as plentiful yet equates to the same thing.

Sin is sin no matter what degree of wickedness it is. Perhaps by having multiple terms to describe sin, prophets could take away the excuses the people might have to nuance a justification for their sin.

These are partial lists of definitions for each word to summarize. In Leviticus , notice the 4 times sin is used and 1 time sinned is used. Try to read the verse looking up each of the meanings of those words from the definitions above and see if that gives it a little different flavor for you. This is undoubtedly a poor analogy as an oversimplification but here goes anyway Please feel free to improve on it in the comments below. The only perfect shot was Christ right in the bullseye. When we talk about debt and transgressions, the Scriptures say that we are debtors who cannot pay their debts.

God and God alone has the absolute right to impose obligations on His creatures. And He has done that.

The only way I can stand before a just and holy God is if somebody else pays the debt. Christ alone has the merit to pay for us. He is the treasury of merit. These words are often translated as sin, iniquity, or transgression. Chattah, which is most often translated as sin, means to miss the mark. Awon, often translated as iniquity, relates more to the inner character and points to an intentional twisting of a given standard. Pesha, often translated as transgression, is more of a willful rebellion against the given standard.

We see these words in their nuances and also used interchangeably in Psalm 51 :. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my pesha [transgressions]. Wash me thoroughly from my awon [iniquity], and cleanse me from my chattah [sin]! For I know my pasha [transgressions], and my chattah [sin] is always before me.

Against you, you only, have I chattah [sinned] and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. I have often wondered about the difference between these three words.

My brain pondered the idea that surely if I had sinned then I had transgressed and also committed iniquity. Surely it is this simple? Some would argue that these three words are the same: sin, transgression and iniquity? However, we find these three words used simultaneously in many scriptures denoting that they do not have the same meaning. One such scripture is Psalm :. I acknowledge my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden.

Selah NKJV. Consider also one more scripture in Exodus :. From these two scriptures alone, one should be able to see that these words mean different things. So, what is the difference and why is it important in understanding sin? I hope I can break this down in a simple fashion so that it will bring a real clarity. It is my opinion from studying these three words that a person can be a sinner that is they have sinned without being a transgressor or having committed iniquity.

Please allow me to explain. The word sin denotes to miss the mark. It is likened unto an archer aiming at a target. Every time a person any human being performs an action which violates a law of God that person has missed the mark.