Iniquities vs sins

 Essentials of Effective Prayer 

Week 5

Today in class we covered week 5 of our study, Essentials of Effective Prayer. We were discussing about how our relationship with God affects our prayers.  More specifically, the thought that when we harbor sin in our hearts, God will not listen to what we have to say.

One of the Bible verses we looked at was Isaiah 59:1-2:

Behold, the Lord’s hand is not so short that it cannot save; Nor is His ear so dull
That it cannot hear. ² But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His ^[a]face from you so that He does not hear.

 Look more closely at verse 2 -  the prophet used the words "iniquities" and "sins".  Someone in class today questioned this - aren't they the same word?  But if so, why were two different words used.  Let's use some inductive study methods and see if we can figure this out. 

First, I like to check Webster's 1828 dictionary online. http://webstersdictionary1828.com/
Iniquities - means injustice, unrighteousness, wickedness.
Sins - the voluntary departure of a moral agent from a known rule prescribed by God.

 Next, I like to check www.blueletterbible.com:
Iniquities = Strong's Number H5771 - perversity, depravity;
Sins = Strong's Number H2403 - to miss the mark, to wander from the way;

Then, let's do some cross referencing where sins and iniquities are mentioned in the same passage:
Iniquities:
Psalm 51:2: “Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin”
Psalm 32:5: "I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.’"

Here's another verse that sheds a light on iniquity:

Micah 2:1: “Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it.”.  So from this passage we see iniquity means a premeditated choice.

Now, let's go back to our passage in Isaiah 59:2 and apply these truths to the passage and see what we can learn.  We can also look at the passages from Psalm as they both mention iniquity and sin together.   By looking at all these verses, the meaning is clear:  Iniquity is clearly meditated and detestable acts.  Sin is knowing God's law and being disobedient to that law.

 Repeating in Isaiah 59:2 -  But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His ^[a]face from you so that He does not hear.
 Conclusion:   your willful detestable acts have separated you from God.  You knew God's law and you disobeyed.  Therefore, God has hidden his face from you so that He does not hear.

Do you wish to have a close relationship with God?  He's always there - it's you that has moved away.  Confess your sins, ask for forgiveness and get your relationship right with God.  Time is short, my friends!