The Difference Between Sin, Transgression, and Iniquity — and the Mystery of Inherited Sin

 

The Difference Between Sin, Transgression, and Iniquity — and the Mystery of Inherited Sin

When we read the Bible, we often see the words sin, transgression, and iniquity used together. Though they all relate to wrongdoing, each reveals a deeper layer of how humanity fell and why we so desperately need Jesus. Understanding these terms helps us grasp both the depth of our need and the greatness of God’s mercy.

1. Sin – Missing the Mark

The word sin in Hebrew (chattah) means to miss the mark.
It describes falling short of God’s perfect standard — like an archer whose arrow misses the target.

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” — Romans 3:23

Sin is not only doing wrong; it is failing to do what is right. Every time we live beneath God’s design, we sin. It shows our inability to reach God’s holiness by our own effort.

2. Transgression – Crossing the Line

The Hebrew word pesha means rebellion or willful disobedience.
Transgression is not just missing the mark — it is knowing the boundary and crossing it anyway.

“Blot out my transgressions.” — Psalm 51:1

When David prayed this, he wasn’t confessing ignorance. He knew God’s command, yet he chose to rebel. Transgression breaks trust and violates covenant relationship. It’s an act of deliberate defiance.

3. Iniquity – The Crooked Nature Within

Iniquity comes from the Hebrew avon, meaning to twist or bend.
It describes our inner corruption — the warped moral nature inherited from Adam that distorts our perception of right and wrong.

“Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” — Psalm 51:5

While sin is the act and transgression is the choice, iniquity is the condition of the heart. It is the inward twisting that makes us prone to sin in the first place.

4. Inherited Sin – The Root of Iniquity

When Adam sinned, the entire human race inherited his fallen nature.

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men…” — Romans 5:12

This inherited nature — this bent toward sin — is the essence of iniquity. It’s why even children, without being taught, naturally lean toward selfishness or deceit. It’s the spiritual DNA of Adam passed to all humanity.

Some call this “original sin,” while Scripture also calls it the iniquity of the fathers visited upon the children (Exodus 34:7). This doesn’t mean God punishes children for their parents’ sins; rather, patterns of sin and brokenness often flow through family lines — until someone surrenders that pattern to Jesus.

5. Redemption Through Christ

The beauty of the Gospel is that Jesus didn’t only forgive our sins — He dealt with the root cause.

“He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities.” — Isaiah 53:5

He bore our acts, our rebellion, and even our inner corruption on the cross. Through His blood, He not only forgives what we’ve done but also transforms who we are.

When we are born again, the inherited nature of sin is replaced by the indwelling Spirit of Christ — making us new from the inside out.

“If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” — 2 Corinthians 5:17

6. Reflection

  • Do I recognize areas in my life that stem from inward iniquity rather than outward actions?

  • Are there generational patterns in my family that Christ wants to redeem and restore?

  • Am I walking daily in the freedom of the new nature Christ has given me?

Closing Prayer

Abba Father, in the name of Jesus,
thank You for revealing the depth of Your mercy.
You forgive my sins, cleanse my transgressions,
and heal the iniquity within me.

Lord Jesus, thank You for bearing my crookedness and breaking every inherited chain.
By Your blood, I am free — not only from the acts of sin but from the nature that once ruled me.
Teach me to walk uprightly in Your truth and holiness,
so my life may reflect the righteousness of Christ.

In Jesus Almighty name, Amen.

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