Harmful Toil and Drudgery
Dear Reader,
On my continuing quest to clarify the Bible, here is the definition of “iniquity”: https://biblehub.com/greek/4189.htm — Cognate: 4189 ponēría (from 4192 /pónos, “pain, laborious trouble”) — properly, pain-ridden evil, derived from 4192 (pónos) which refers to “pain (pure and simple)” — resulting in “toil, then drudge…”
Instead of the simplistic understanding that “sin” is doing something “bad,” and “iniquity” is the accumulation of planning to do bad things, it is better for us to broaden our concept of the word’s meaning to “doing harm to oneself or to others.” And there are iniquitous people who actually plan to cause harm to others.
Such clarifications of those words fits in much better with the character of God being our heavenly Father, a father who only wants what is best for us, for all of us, and freedom from those laborious troubles, escape from those who wish us harm.
If we would only turn from our mindsets and cynicism (“repent” is the word used in the Bible, meaning “to turn”). If only we would earnestly and persistently seek to know Him… “Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!” — Psalm 34:8, New Living Translation. Or do we so prefer this world which is filled with harmfulness and continual pain and drudgery? Will we cling to our current mindsets and cynicism until the day we die?
As I see it, there are two options that we are living with: One, “pain-ridden evil, resulting in toil and drudgery or two, turning from our harmful self-defeating ways exchanging them for “the fruit of the Spirit…love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” — Galatians 5:22–23.
Maybe there’s a third possibility for you? There is nothing harmful in your world? No pain ridden toil? You’ve never hurt inside or hurt other people? Your world is perfect? Just peachy-keen? Well, then, good for you! I really don’t know. But you just might be deceiving yourself. It might do you well as something to consider, though.
Well, I crawled out from under the mess of hurt in my life, and I hope you will too.
Give Jesus a call. Get right with God. It’s joy beyond words and awesome as can be.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” -Jesus of Nazareth.
