NAME CHRIST! DEPART FROM INIQUITY.

2 Timothy 2:19 KJV “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this deal, The Lord knoweth them that are His. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”

In a nutshell, sin/iniquity is whatever God hates, whatever is against the Word of God, whatever God has commanded against, whatever will displease God, whatever is against His Will for your life. It doesn’t matter if the world considers it “cool” or it’s so common now that people have forgotten that it is sin, the foundation of God standeth sure, His Word can’t be changed, it doesn’t conform to the passage of time or the desires of man. A sin is a sin is a sin.

A number of iniquities can be found in the Bible. Some are still frowned upon in our contemporary world today but unfortunately, many have become acceptable. It is therefore expected of all that call the name of Christ to not conform to the falling standard of the world but to stand firm on the Word of God and set our eyes steadfastly upon Him.

Lying/Deceit/Dishonesty: Leviticus 19:11, Proverbs 12:22. Whatever isn’t true falls under this. Claiming to be younger in age so as to obtain or retain a job falls under this. Claiming to be someone else falls under this. Even something as simple as giving a false excuse at work to escape sanction falls under this.

Stealing: 1 Corinthians 6:10. Taking whatever doesn’t belong to you, whatever you didn’t gain honestly, is stealing. When they’re “sharing” money in the office that you very well know should be returned and you partake to get your cut, it is stealing.

Adultery: 1 Corinthians 6:9. It seems this has been overemphasized but surprisingly, it remains a common problem plaguing our society. Married people ought to be careful to not only keep the matrimonial bed holy, but also take great care to be faithful with their emotions as well. Christ bluntly warned that whosoever looks at a woman lustfully, has already committed adultery (Matthew 5:28). This means that adultery doesn’t only cover the actual act of having sex with someone who isn’t your spouse, it also includes every sexual thought and motive/intent targeted towards someone who isn’t your spouse. 

Pornography: This isn’t directly stated in the Bible but the Bible tells us to flee from sexual immorality (Ephesians 5:3; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5; Colossians 3:5). To make it really simple for us, any sexual activity that isn’t between a husband and his wife, falls under sexual immorality. Therefore, watching other people having sex, reading about it, looking at pictures of it, all to gain pleasure is impure, immoral and vile. As Christians, followers of Christ, we are to desist from these.

Masturbation: Just like the above, this is a form of sexual immorality (Ephesians 5:3; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5; Colossians 3:5). Sadly, many consider it as normal, some even brag about it, songs have even been made to celebrate it. Masturbation is the act of sexually stimulating oneself usually by touching one's own sexual organs. As mentioned earlier, any sexual activity outside that which is between a husband and his wife, is immoral. God created sex to be enjoyed only between a man and a woman who are lawfully married to each other.

Idolatry: 1 Corinthians 6:9. In the past, this started out as making graven images of stone, gold, iron, etc. to bow down to them. In our contemporary days, people no longer mould images to worship instead they set them up in their hearts. Whatever you value above God becomes your idol. This could be your job, money, your marriage/spouse/children, your time, sleep, food, possessions, and so on. Whatever it is that is number one priority in your life takes the place of God and has become a graven image to you. We are enjoined to take a pause and examine our lives. We are to set our priorities right and give God the proper position in our lives—number one!

Pride: This has quietly crept into many hearts and worsens if unchecked. As Christians, we are to be careful not to be proud. We should regularly check ourselves—do we now ascribe achievements, exploits done, possessions, to ourselves? Do we consider ourselves to be better than others? Have we dissociated ourselves from certain people simply because we feel they are below our class? The Lord resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6b). Be humble!

Astrology: Deuteronomy 18:10-11. This is another common practice. It is now common for people to make statements such as “What is your sign?” “I’m a cancer/libra/leo” There are also online games that are played to attempt to predict/foretell a person’s future or those claiming to read a person’s star. Some use subtle language, others directly state their purpose. Whichever it may be, dear followers of Christ, desist and flee from all.

Drunkenness: 1 Corinthians 6:10. Indulging in alcohol is iniquity. Many consider it as enjoying life, others quickly turn to it as a means of forgetting their problems. But there is no excuse for drunkenness. Children of God, flee.

Being fearful: This may sound surprising. But the Bible tells us that the fearful have no place in the kingdom of God (Revelation 21:8). What this refers to is a consistent lack of faith in God. When you persistently disbelieve God, His promises, His Word and you allow doubts to cloud your mind and question Him or wonder if He is capable, then you are being fearful. Child of God, without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6), increase your faith!

Disobedience: Disobeying God, His Word, parental authority and whomever God has placed as a superior over you, is sin. Obey God, obey His Word, obey your parents, be a law abiding citizen, obey constituted authority. The Bible warns that disobedience/rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft (1 Samuel 15:23a).

Greed: A constant state of discontent leading one to always want/desire more, is iniquity. Godliness with contentment is great gain (1 Timothy 6:6).

Divorce: This is so popular these days. Christ was direct in stating one condition under which divorce is permissible (Matthew 5:31-32) but alas, people continue to rush into marriage and get divorced citing so many reasons, some too ridiculous to even mention. As followers of Christ, we aren’t to follow this trend, do not conform!

Homosexuality/lesbianism/bisexuality/transgenderism: Romans 1:24-28. This has become acceptable in so many countries and even in some religions. The Word of God remains constant and doesn’t change. This will never be acceptable. This iniquity doesn’t become acceptable because world powers accept it or because your sibling/parent/friend comes out as gay or bi or trans or non-binary or whatever term they use—you can love them without accepting that they are right.

And many others such as murder, covetousness, being unforgiving, malice, ungodliness, lust, prayerlessness, envy, judging others, indulging in idle words, filthy conversation (e.g. rude/immoral jokes), witchcraft, gluttony, and so on. We are to depart from all iniquity!