Jaus' Notebook

Q : Please explain the difference between sin, trespass and iniquity. "When David offered his prayer, he named all three. He said, 'According unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgression. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.' (Psalm 51:1,2). Three words; they are all akin but of varying severity. In Greek, the word for trespass means mistake; we make plenty of those. The one for sin (hamartia) means to 'miss the mark' and iniquity is the worst one. The words to 'miss the mark' suggest shooting an arrow and a bow. This analogy will help you understand it: If you are totally unskilled and unused to a bow and arrow and you miss the mark, that is trespass. If you have the strength to hit it and you just miss it, that is sin. But if you have the skill and the strength and you deliberately miss it, that is iniquity. Iniquity is sinning against light. It is sinning against knowledge. You disobey

" Side by side we stand " is one song that tells us of the value of unity. As David says, it is "good and pleasant" (Psalm 133). This standard of unity passes human understanding for quite often we only come together physically for convenience. When things go haywire, we easily scatter apart. Even worse is that everyone reminds their brother, "Everyone for himself; God for us all." The kind of unity I am talking about is that which is inspired and blessed by God's presence. He promises and keeps; He who cannot lie; that such assembly will stand the stand the test of time "for where two or three gather in my name , there am I with them." (Matthew 18:20). He is no gatecrasher. He never barges in when not welcome. He petitions us, "Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends." ( Revelation 3:20) Such a gathering will be "in His nam