I guess I feeling kinda dense but I am just not getting the whole iniquity thing. I feel like you are agreeing with me but the semantics/ terminology / vocabulary is throwing me off.
It feels like you are saying that "iniquity" - aka wickedness - should more properly be defined as intentionally failing to follow God rather than our usual definition of intentionally not living up to some ethical or moral standard that exists independent of God....
And therefore - failing to recognize and follow God's true calling for us (which in Abrahams case was to wander around in the land of Canaan for example) should properly be characterized as wickedness even though there is no prima facia overstepping of a garden variety moral standard such as murder, rape, or idolatry...
Am I anywhere in the vicinity?
Iniquity is when a man decides on his own to do any works that the Bible describes as holy, and just. Even Jesus, the Son of God said
"Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord (John 5:19) Of course the man part Jesus could have decided to do his own thing with out the direction of His Father, or the Holy Spirit, and if he would have that would have been called iniquity. As a Christian it is not our decision when, how, or where God himself decides to use us for his Glory. It is as the Spirit wills. Very few brothers and sisters in the Lord understand this, and they go about doing things without the Lord guiding them, or even telling them to do such things. This is also called
"iniquity". A son of God is someone who is lead by the Spirit of God in all they say or do. Abraham fully understood this when in Romans it says...
Rom 4:20.. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
Rom 4:21.. And
being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
Rom 4:22.. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
Abraham was fully persuaded that what God had promised, (in which Abraham had faith in) that he (God) was able to perform. Only God can perform the works of our faith, not us, that is not our job. God the Father was the one working through his Son Jesus. Jesus simply had faith and trust in his Father to perform his works through him. It is exactly the same for all Christians today, it is never our works but the Lord who works through us.
The Apostle Paul also understood this when he said.......
1Co 15:10.. But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out His special favor on me—and not without results. For
I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by His grace. (NLT)
Paul worked and labored more than all the other Apostles put together, but he understood that it was never himself that was doing the works, but God himself.
If Paul or Abraham ever believed it was by their own works that got them where they were they would have been doing
"iniquity", but they didn't because they knew it was God who was performing his works through them.
How many times have we heard preachers tell us just read the Word of God, and then do it? No you don't, unless the Holy Spirit moves you to to do them. and if he (Holy Spirit) does there will power and authority that flows through that person.
