Amos Ministries

Ask any Christian why Jesus died, and they are most likely to say “for our sin”. But did you know that there are 3 kinds of sin and Jesus died for a particular one, called iniquity?

Why did Jesus die for us? In order to understand the significance of Jesus’ death, we need to understand why he died. Jesus died due to our iniquity. What is iniquity? We often think of sin as being one ‘general’ kind. However, the bible teaches us that there are 3 different types of sin, all of which are dealt with differently. The three types of sin are: 

1. Transgression: sins you know you are committing, you can confess these to God and receive forgiveness. For example: lying, stealing, etc.

• Transgression is generally what we think of when we hear the word ‘sin’. Once you can identify a sin in your life, it is a transgression. 

2. Iniquity: sins you don’t know you’re committing. Jesus died to wash away this iniquity. He died for speaking the truth so that we can believe in his words and have eternal life through receiving the Holy Spirit.

• For example, the Children of Israel had iniquity because they were compromising and twisting God’s word, the way they wanted to see it. Like when, Jesus showed them that hate was equal to murder. They hated what Jesus had to say and they did not agree with him. The Jews wanted to kill Jesus because they had different opinions and interpretations.

• Once you encounter Jesus and do not twist his teachings, you will no longer have iniquity. Your iniquity is converted into either a transgression or the last sin; blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.

3. Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit: an unforgivable sin you commit when you apply the words of Jesus to your life; but in a compromised way. You change his words and add exceptions to make yourself appear innocent and suit your way of living and thinking.

• When you twist the words of Jesus, you are calling the Holy Spirit a liar. That is why blasphemy cannot be forgiven as the scripture above says “…either in this age or the next.” It is better to accept Jesus’ teachings and not agree with them or fall short of them, than to deny their true meaning by compromising the truth. 

• In the Old Testament, blasphemy was referred to as iniquity because Jesus had not yet come to reveal the true way of interpreting God’s word and ways. Jesus could have never atoned for their sins if they had already blasphemed against God. But through Jesus, they had a chance for salvation back then and so do we today!

This page will mainly focus on iniquity. There will be more posts on my blog about Transgression and Blasphemy. 

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What Is Iniquity & How Did It Begin?

Isaiah 53:5 & 6 tells us that Jesus specifically died for our iniquity; the things we didn’t know were a sin:

The bible tells us that iniquity is:

• when we, meaning mankind, have ‘gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way’, as the above passage indicates.
• Iniquity is a subtle sin that no one realizes they have because it develops in our own philosophy and understanding of God.  Proverbs 16:25
• Iniquity is the sins you have committed unintentionally, in ignorance, without knowing it was a sin. 
• Before we hear and actually understand the words of Jesus, we have iniquity.
• Iniquity is also described as sin that has not been admitted. 
• According to Leviticus 26:40, Numbers 14:18 and 1 Peter 1:18, our iniquity is passed down from our ancestors. Because of man’s fall, our forefathers taught us iniquity. Iniquity creeps in through our traditions, culture and past (more about this in another post – sign up to be notified)
• Psalm 51:5 says we are born in iniquity. 
• Iniquity carries condemnation and is worthy of punishment. Matthew 7:23, Isaiah 65:7. 
• Sin must be confessed in order to be forgiven 1 John 1:9
• Iniquity can only be forgiven through the words of Jesus.
• Only Jesus can wash away iniquity. His sole purpose was to bring us back to the true ways of God and remove our iniquity. Isaiah 53:6
• Since iniquity begins in our philosophy, only a change in your understanding of God can remove iniquity. Jesus’ teachings are that change. He is the only way to truth and eternal life. His teachings are the only way to uncover iniquity in our philosophy or lives.

Bottom Line: Unless we have aligned our lives with the doctrine of Jesus, we have iniquity. We are still falling short of the glory of God; even if we are living the most perfect, morally and ethically just, kind-hearted life. Romans 3:23

A Brief History of Iniquity 

Eve

Eve passed on iniquity to us when she sinned against God in the Garden of Eden. Her disobedience created a separation between mankind and God. This became iniquity. 

• Sign up to be notified of my upcoming blog about Adam & Eve.

Moses

Before the Temple Of God was built, iniquity was dealt with through sacrifices performed on altars which were built on high places (mountains) during the time of Noah & Abraham. Moses also created a sacrificial system in Leviticus. 

When the Temple of Solomon was built, the Hebrews would perform a yearly sacrifice there to atone for their iniquity. In the Temple, an animal would be sacrificed. The High Priest would present the blood to God in order to atone for the iniquity of all the people. This would wash away the iniquity of the people for the year. 

Hebrews 9:7 says: “But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.” 

THE PROBLEM: INIQUITY SEPARATES US FROM GOD

“For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.” 

Hosea 6:6, 1 Samuel 15:22, Jeremiah 7:22-23, Hebrews 10:6

When you have a flawed understanding of God’s word, you have iniquity which separates you from being able to reconcile with God. The problem with iniquity is since it is an unintentional sin that begins in the very heart of us (our philosophy), it is extremely difficult to identify. How can you feel sorry and ask for forgiveness, if you didn’t know you did anything wrong?

The Psalmist writes ‘How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults.’ Psalm 19:12.

Further in Psalm 130:3, we read “If you, LORD, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand?”.

Even though there was a system of the yearly atonement for iniquity, the people of Israel began abusing the process. Performing the yearly sacrifice to God became a ceremonial and traditional act. The people were just ‘going through the motions’. They lived how they felt was right, according to their own interpretation 364 days of the year.

Ultimately, iniquity was being dealt with after it was committed instead of before. The temple system created a ‘band-aid’ solution which was only temporary and incomplete until Jesus arrived. Once Jesus came, he replaced the temple (more about this in another post – sign up to be notified).

Hebrews 9:15 says “For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance–now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.”

How Did Jesus Die For Our Iniquity?

Jesus brought peace between man and God. But it came at a price to him. Removing our iniquity cost Jesus his life. Isaiah 53:11 puts it beautifully:

“After he [Jesus] has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.”

As Jesus was beaten and abused, people thought he was being punished for something he did. But Jesus was without iniquity, transgression or blasphemy. 

2 Corinthians 5:21 says 

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Jesus was perfect, sinless, blemish free. He had the correct understanding of God the Father and was completely obedient to Him. Isaiah 53:9 says “…he had done no violence, nor was any deceit found in his mouth.”  

Jesus was being punished for OUR iniquity.

Isaiah 53:3-5 says He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. 4 Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.

THE SOLUTION: Jesus Turns Our Iniquity Into Transgression Or Blasphemy

Jesus said  “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”

John 14:6

Now that we have the words, teachings and example of Jesus, we have no more iniquity. Our iniquity is turned into either transgression or blasphemy.  Jesus’ teachings show us how to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Once you begin to learn about Jesus, your iniquity will either be converted into transgression or blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. 

Iniquity to Transgression

Iniquity comes from unknowingly adding exceptions to the teachings of Jesus. The only way you can change iniquity to transgression is by believing in his teachings in it’s uncompromising, osteir, organic way. Jesus came to show us our iniquity and convert it into a transgression so we can be forgiven. We may not agree with all of his teachings. Through our actions, we will inevitably fall short but we cannot deny what Jesus said by twisting it to suit us.

When you accept Jesus’ teachings into your heart, you are allowing him to reveal all of the areas of your life that have iniquity. For example, we all know it is a sin to murder, but Jesus reveals that hating is also equal to murder. Now that you have come to know the true standard through Jesus, your iniquity is removed. The next time feelings of hate emerge in your life, you will recognize it as a transgression. This can be forgiven because it has been confessed. Jesus changes your iniquity into transgression when you don’t compromise or twist his words.

If you believe the teachings of Jesus without compromise, your iniquity will become transgression. Only Jesus can remove your iniquity when you align your philosophy or interpretation of God’s word with his. To remove our iniquity, we need to declare our philosophy as completely wrong and take on Jesus’ teachings. 

For example, where once you believed road rage is normal; if you believe in Jesus you’ll know hate is wrong. The next time you find yourself hating someone for cutting you off in traffic, you’ll understand that it is a sin (just like murder). Being able to identify this as a sin turns your iniquity into a transgression. Now, you can ask God for forgiveness and be forgiven. God always forgives transgressions if they are confessed.

The Goal: To Be Perfect In Understanding NOT Action 

We can never be perfect in action. As followers of Christ, we will continue to fall short of God on a daily basis; these are called transgressions or trespasses. That’s why when Jesus teaches us to pray, he says to ask God for forgiveness for our transgressions/trespasses. Transgressions are always forgiven, if they are confessed.

However, by accepting Jesus’ teachings, we can be perfect in our understanding of God just like Jesus was. As a result, whenever we fall short (and we will fall short continuously, until the end of time), we will be conscious of it, repent and God will be faithful to forgive us.

It is important to remember that continuing to sin even though you follow Jesus is not wrong. We’re not here to defend ourselves in front of God; we’re here to admit we did wrong and receive forgiveness. Once you read Jesus’ words and realize that what you initially thought was right, is actually wrong, your iniquity is converted to a transgression, which you can ask God for forgiveness for. 

As you learn about Jesus and grow deeper in your faith, don’t be afraid to allow Jesus to touch every area of your life. Let his teachings expose your inadequacies and let Jesus’ words judge you. Let him make you feel ashamed, guilty and disciplined. It is only through this kind of repentance that you can ask for forgiveness and receive the Holy Spirit.

It’s okay to let the ‘bar’ be unattainable as long as you continue to strive for it. The important thing is to not compromise to make yourself feel better or appear innocent. It is vital to read God’s word with a spirit of repentance. Without a spirit of repentance, you won’t be able to understand or accept what Jesus is saying. 

1 Corinthians 2: 14 says “The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.”.

Psalm 32: 1-5 – Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit. 3 When I kept silent, my bones grew old Through my groaning all the day long. 4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was turned into the drought of summer.  5 I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” And You forgave the iniquity of my sin!”

Iniquity into Blasphemy

“And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.”

Matthew 12:31

Your iniquity can also be turned into blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. This is the only unpardonable sin.  Subscribe here to be notified of the new blog post about blasphemy.

The moment you no longer agree with Jesus’ teachings in its pure and organic form, you know you have committed blasphemy. If you don’t like to feel bad or admit when you have understood something to be wrong, you will not be able to receive complete forgiveness and enter eternal life.

Blasphemy is:

• when you add in and justify exceptions to Jesus’ words/teachings.
• when you reject Jesus’ teaching by twisting or compromising what he said, to appear innocent. 
• you are calling the Holy Spirit a liar when you don’t believe what Jesus said. Jesus said the words that I speak are spirit and life John 6:63
• The only sin that can never be forgiven is blasphemy. In Matthew 12: 31 & 32, Jesus says “So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven—except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven. 32 Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come.”

A Blasphemer is anyone who understands Jesus’ teachings and instead of repenting; has compromised his words to suit themselves and appear innocent.

As followers of Christ, we are all in danger of trying to follow our own interpretation of Jesus’ words. This is because we don’t like to feel bad and change (repentant). But our salvation depends on our repentance.

Hebrews 10: 26-29 “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. 28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?”

The deliberate sin in this passage is not referring to action, it is about beliefs and philosophy. If you refuse to accept the teachings of Jesus as the truth, the only thing that remains is punishment. Jesus spoke what was revealed to him by God through the Holy Spirit. Everything Jesus said came from God. Rejecting Jesus is to call God a liar and that is blasphemy.

Romans 10:10 says: ”For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

Only a sin that has been confessed can be forgiven. That is why God can never forgive blasphemy, because it has not been admitted.

Blasphemy Is Due To The Absence Of Repentance

The moment you no longer agree with Jesus’ teachings in its pure and organic form; you know you have committed blasphemy.

Nobody likes to feel guilty or ashamed. We don’t like to admit we are doing anything wrong. Our society teaches us to have high self esteem. Just like Adam and Eve hid themselves from God when they sinned; we tend to cover up our guilt with excuses and exceptions for fear of punishment. One of the biggest misconceptions we have about God is that if we admit our sin, we will be punished. This is false! Punishment and condemnation come only to those who don’t admit they are sinning. It is important to believe that God is merciful. He will forgive any sin that you bring before him as many times as we ask.

When you get tired of feeling bad and falling short of God, we are in danger of committing blasphemy. We blaspheme when we refuse to accept Jesus’ interpretation but we don’t want to admit it. Then we decide to twist and compromise his words and convince ourselves that we are not sinning.

With iniquity gone, we no longer have the excuse of saying “I didn’t know”.

In John 15:22, Jesus says “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.”

Now that Jesus has revealed the truth to us; shown us what is right and wrong, we no longer have iniquity. According to God, there are 2 options:

1. Believe what Jesus said. Our iniquity becomes transgression – Admit where you have gone wrong in your philosophy according to Jesus. Ask God for forgiveness. Know that your actions may not always be perfect but your understanding will. Strive to imitate Christ and where there will be transgressions, don’t be afraid to confess to God. Don’t try to hide, deny, justify or cover-up your shortcomings. 

God always forgives transgressions. We transgress God on a daily basis. Which is why we must remain repentant and allow Jesus to show us our shortcomings. We should not tire of feeling repentant. Repentance leads to eternal life. It is only through repentance that we will change.

Acts 11:18says “When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

In Luke 3:8 & 9, Jesus said “8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance… 9 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

OR;

2. Commit blasphemy – refuse to accept Jesus’ interpretation of God’s word and instead, establish your own understanding. 

Romans 10:3 says “Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.”

It is not a sin to fall short of God’s glory. It is a sin to not ask forgiveness and appear self-righteous. We must continue to aspire to Jesus’ standards. 

Blasphemy cannot be forgiven.

In Matthew 7:21-23 Jesus said “21 Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

Once you have committed blasphemy, you cannot be redeemed. 

Hebrews 6:4-6 says “4 For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come— 6 and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame.”

The Final Word

Ever since Jesus began his ministry, mankind has been given the gift of grace. This grace is the system of repentance that Jesus has given us. Jesus teaches us not to focus on our actions. Instead, we should focus on the intentions of our heart for that is what God judges. 

Hebrews 4:12 says “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

If we continue to stay repentant to the words of God through Jesus’ interpretation, we will ask for and receive forgiveness whenever we fall short. 

My prayer for us all is that the Holy Spirit gives us the desire and the ability to have and keep a heart that is sensitive and repentant to Jesus. That we may keep all of Jesus’ commandments, teachings and words, pure, unadulterated and holy. May we never malign them with our own interpretation. And lastly, that we never lose the courage and the faith to come before God and admit our shortcomings even if it is a thousand times a day. If we hide our shame, we will not inherit eternal life.

As it says in Peter 1:18-21 “18 knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. 20 For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you  21 who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.” Amen.

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