Workers of Iniquity Meaning in the Bible? What is a Worker of Iniquity?

Those who disobey God.

Matthew 7:24; John 14:15, 23; Luke 6:46; Hebrews 5:9; James 1:22, 2:18-24; Revelation 22:12

Although I could look those up, if you're doing a study that's a good place to start. Usually workers of iniquity hide it as grace and love.

Seeking836 said:

I've been wondering what is a "worker of iniquity" exactly. There's a passage in revelations where Jesus will say to many, "Depart from me, cursed, you that work iniquity?" Not sure if that's how exactly he will say it. Plus I've gotten that far into the Bible yet. I'm in Chronicles in the OT.

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It's about pride, or self-righteousness.
Technically, we are all workers of iniquity.
But how one responds to their sin determines whether or not they will be judged as a worker of iniquity.
If you think of yourself as sinless, then you will be judged as a worker of iniquity.
If you think of yourself as a sinner, then you will be abundantly pardoned, and ultimately received into glory.
God resists the proud, but he gives grace unto the humble.

The following Scriptures are very informative about the topic of self-righteousness.
Luke 18:9-14
Matthew 25:31-46
John 9:39-41

What I've had explained to me, and it sounds right in my heart, is simply this:

Take a look at this verse for a sec, real quick:

Matthew 7:22-23

Basically, what Jesus is saying here, is that there are a lot of people who are going to claim to know Him, they're going to say "Didn't we talk about You? Didn't we profess You? Didn't we do great things in Your name?"

And He is going to say "Depart from Me, I never knew you."

What that means, is that there are many... many... MANY people who will call themselves "Christians". They will tell you that they are saved, they will tell you that they know Christ, but yet they have loads of unrepentant sin in their lives. Part of coming to Christ, is repenting for your sin and what you've done.

Every single person is a sinner, and remains a sinner until they die. Those who are Saved, are those who realize they are dead in their sin, they realize there's nothing they can do to fix this, and they realize that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Saviour, and the only way out of this is to come to Him, and seek His divine love, mercy and grace.

In doing so, the person needs to realize that their sin will lead them to hell if they don't Repent. To Repent, you actually need to be sorry about you sins, you need to realize that you've done evil, you need to hate the evil things you've done in your life, but most importantly, one needs to make an effort to turn away from these sinful things in their lives. Once the person has done this, the person needs to ask for Forgiveness, they need to profess with their lips that Jesus is Lord, and ask Him to come into their lives and take control. That is when they become Born Again and Saved, when they receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Now, note earlier where I said "make an effort". Some sins are incredibly powerful and incredibly difficult to overcome. That is why the Holy Spirit justifies us (the act of being "saved") upon becoming Born Again, but yet Sanctifies us over time. This act of sanctification over time makes us more like Christ with each passing day, gradually erasing sin out of our lives and making us more holy and guiding us to do good rather than evil.

Those who will get told on the Last Day, "Depart from Me, I never knew you." are the people who claim to be Christians, they might have even said things like the Sinner's prayer, or did altar calls or even people who say all the words, do all the motions... but they leave out the "feel sorry for their sins" part and continue their in their sinful ways. They think they are saved, but they really aren't, because their prayers of repentance weren't from the heart, they weren't true, and they didn't truly believe in faith that they were dead in their sin, or that there's anything at all wrong with the way they are living their lives.

Therefore, they claim to know Christ... but Christ never knew them, because they never came to Christ, truly. They asked for Him to come into their lives, but yet they had no intention of doing what Christ instructed them to do (turning away from their sin).

Also, I would like to add that the word "iniquity" is a synonym for "sin", however it goes deeper than that. Usually when you see "iniquity" in the Bible, God is talking about a long-term pattern of sin. Someone who habitually and regularly sins without repentance.

People like these can still be saved, but they have to truly repent, and truly turn away from these sins in their lives. It could be anything -- sexual sin, greed, lack of charity, lack of brotherly love, whatever it is. Doesn't matter. He will forgive, but a person has to come to Him truly from the heart, and not just repeat some group of words without emotion.

EDIT: Also, take a look at these two verses:

Matthew 7:16-17

He says "you will know them by their fruits" as an evil tree can only produce evil fruit, a good tree can only produce good fruit. So, if a Christian is truly saved, if you look at his life, you will know it -- said Christian should show some evidence of changing, some evidence of turning away from sin, some evidence of doing things for Jesus and God. If they don't show any of these things whatsoever, then there's a chance they might not be saved.

We cannot judge either way, though. That isn't our place.

You can also use this on yourself -- do you see change in your own life? Do you show a pattern of turning away (or at the very least, trying to) from former sins, or are you still doing the things you've been doing even after your attempt to come to Christ?

Seeking836 said:

I've been wondering what is a "worker of iniquity" exactly.

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It is basically a person who has not trusted in Christ > Ephesians 1:12, and the person is living for oneself, depending on oneself and maybe supposing he or she is a child of God.

There's a passage in revelations where Jesus will say to many, "Depart from me, cursed, you that work iniquity?" Not sure if that's how exactly he will say it.

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The scripture I think you are thinking of is Matthew 7:22-23 >

"'Many will say to Me in that day, "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?" And then I will declare to them, "I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!"'"

He says these people "practice lawlessness". So, I think this means they have no rules that are of God. They do their own thing, depend on themselves. "They are not ruled by God's peace in their hearts >

'And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.' (Colossians 3:15)"

Jesus says He "never" has known these people; so I consider these are ones who never have trusted in Jesus for salvation, and they have not gotten our Father's correction > Hebrews 12:4-11.

They themselves say they have cast out demons and prophesied and done wonders for Jesus. But Jesus does not say they are telling the truth. In interpreting the Bible, please be careful not to make doctrines based on quotes of what Satan and evil people say!! Because Satan and his people can be lying; the Bible may be correct about what the person is quoted to have said, but this does not mean the person is telling the truth. Jesus says He "never" even knew those people; so this can mean that no way have they ever done anything that was for Him and by His power and authority.

They could have done fake things but did not realize they were false.

They could have been hanging out with real ministers who did those things, and they supposed they were doing it with those ministers.

And they could be simply lying to Jesus.

If we trust in Christ (Ephesians 1:12), I understand that this includes that we are trusting Him to correct us; because Hebrews 12:8-11 says,

"But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it."

So, if people do not have our Father's "chastening, of which all have become partakers" then those people are "illegitimate and not sons." So, possibly the ones Jesus "never" knew were people who practiced religion and maybe humanitarian practices, but they never were "in subjection to" our Father, for His correction.

I think this means we need to actively seek our Father for His correction; "assume" we still need correction which we don't know about. "He knows, better than we can."

God's "chastening" corrects us so we are "partakers of His holiness"; so this chastening results in us sharing with God in His own holiness. So, this is not only changing and reforming of our beliefs and behavior, but this is correction which cures our character to be holy in God's own love > Romans 5:5, 1 John 4:17.

So, instead of just saying we are "sinners" and keeping on failing, we need to seek You, God our Father, for Your real correction, not our do-it-ourself stuff which fails.

Also, His "chastening" "yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness" in us. And so, we need to "be in subjection" to Him, it says. To me, this means we need to actively seek our Father's correction which results in us sharing with Him in His own holiness which is in His love, and so that in our character we are corrected to have "the peaceable fruit of righteousness" > this is also in His love which cures our nature so that "as He is, so are we in this world." (in 1 John 4:17)

God loves us; so He not only forgives us but corrects us to be holy like He is > "in this world."

And Jesus says,

"'Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.'" (Matthew 11:29)

So, I see that this "rest" for our souls has to do with "the peaceable fruit of righteousness". As we get our Father's correction and learn from Jesus, we enjoy peace and rest in us.

Because God loves us, He corrects us to become peaceful in rest in His love's righteousness. But a number of people do not actively seek our Father's correction, but they try to use Him for what they want and they excuse how they keep on being in a mess, deep inside themselves.

We need to be "in subjection to the Father of spirits", Hebrews 12:9 says. But ones have claimed to be Christians, then have been busy only or mainly with pointing at how others are wrong, instead of first and mainly seeking our Father's correction for themselves and one another children of God; such self-righteous judging of others is also working iniquity >

"For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God." (1 Peter 4:17)

So, real correction is not only guilt-tripping and criticizing our own selves, but we need to submit to You, our God and Father, "and how You will succeed and we won't only bleed".

Seeking836 said:

I've been wondering what is a "worker of iniquity" exactly.

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Matthew 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.


We’re called to be a living sacrifice, which Paul said is our reasonable service. It's part of being baptized with the Spirit and with fire. But in the above scripture they are trusting in other works like preaching and casting out devils, to obtain an entrance into the kingdom. And they were found to be workers of iniquity.

I think they preached Christ but themselves did not eat his flesh and drink his blood. It was like the blind leading the blind into a ditch, and worked iniquity in perverting the ways of God.

I think workers of iniquity serve mammon, trust in riches, live in the flesh…with a pretext of godliness. They profess godliness but deny the power, and encourage others to do the same. So it is with false prophets in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.

Well, look up "iniquity" and you have "workers of" it....

in·iq·ui·ty
iˈnikwədē/
noun

1. immoral or grossly unfair behavior.
   "a den of iniquity"
   synonyms: wickedness, sinfulness, immorality, impropriety; More

God Bless!

Neogaia777 said:

Well, look up "iniquity" and you have "workers of" it....

in·iq·ui·ty
iˈnikwədē/
noun

1. immoral or grossly unfair behavior.

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Iniquity is not the same as transgressions, and workers of iniquity are not every sinner.

They preach another Christ, bring another spirit, preach another gospel....such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

The son of perdition is a worker of iniquity, responsible for the falling away prophesied in the bible.

2 Thessalonians 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

Xalith said:

To Repent, you actually need to be sorry about you sins, you need to realize that you've done evil, you need to hate the evil things you've done in your life, but most importantly, one needs to make an effort to turn away from these sinful things in their lives.

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When Jesus died for us, we were dead in sin. When we were dead, we cried out for help from God because the Holy Spirit convicted us and opened our eyes to the damage done. This is a work of God. Being sorry for your sins is purely a work of the Holy Spirit working in our hearts. An unregenerate dead person can't be sorry for anything. God slowly gets us to the point where we are sorry, and eventually we hate the sins we've been involved with. Also, it is all God who gives us the ability or even the desire to turn away from sin. The effort is not self acquired. The effort is a response to God's encouraging conviction. So I'm not disagreeing with you at all, but I'm just pointing out that none of this is possible without the work of the Holy Spirit of God. We respond to God's moving in our lives.

So what I'm also saying is that repentance comes after salvation. With some people it's right away, though with others, depending on the depth of wickedness, it takes a while. Like you said, the Spirit sanctifies. Over time you see the results.

So like a timeline, first we are alive without the commandment, then the commandment came and we died. Then God calls or draws a person to Him. He responds to the Light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ by either rejecting or receiving it. If he receives it by faith, he has passed from death to eternal life. He is saved, as long as he keeps the words of Jesus. Then he learns more about God and His Son, repents as God moves him and sanctifies him, and learns to trust his heavenly Father, and is inspired to do good to his neighbor.

I always have to go back to this timeline because I grew up in a church where they literally scared you into repenting before you saw the Light. Or at least that was the way it was for me. Then repenting of sin was impossible, because you didn't have a connection to God yet. They either assumed you knew this stuff, or they had the order messed up on how to turn to God. I got so screwed up. They had you repent of your sins for 6 months or so while they referred to you as a "convert", and then when you "came clean" of your sin, and they sometimes preached this that you didn't sin anymore, you would go through a proving in front of the elders and the congregation to "prove" you were fit for baptism. Then they baptized you and you promised not to sin anymore, or at least had you denounce sin (I think it's important to denounce sin, but to say in the future I'll probably never sin again is crazy), then you were a "member". The term "member" stuck as a label more than "Christian" or "follower of Christ."

I eventually got out of this church. It reminds me of when Jesus said, "Clean the inside of the cup first, then clean the outside."

Thank you, Seeking 4 Joy So, possibly those people were very into dealing with sins, but not with how we become in God's love. So, if I give attention only to sins, I could be a worker of iniquity, because of not getting into how we become like Jesus in God's love.

A worker of iniquity is someone who sins regularly or someone who practices lawlessness.

Once in a while I have seen a person who made friends with someone, then takes the words they have spoken and turn them around in a way that hurts them very deeply leaving the person in tears, devastated. Then make no effort to apologize, they seem to not personally be upset that they just hurt this person. When I've obsevsed this person there is a line of people hurt behind them. To me those are the people who work iniquity. Its not the person who forgot someone's birthday and correct it as soon as they know about it.

A "worker of iniquity" is someone who sins habitually.

GracetotheHumble said:

A "worker of iniquity" is someone who sins habitually.

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Does iniquity mean whatever we or Webster's say it means? No, the bible defines its own terms. You can find the words, iniquity, sin, and transgression in one sentence, with each representing something different. So what is the difference?

Free at Calvary said:

Does iniquity mean whatever we or Webster's say it means? No, the bible defines its own terms. You can find the words, iniquity, sin, and transgression in one sentence, with each representing something different. So what is the difference?

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There is no difference. Sin, iniquity, and transgression are the same.

I think they are the same things as well. Its like looking at an event from different sides tho. Sin - miss the mark, transgression - break the law, iniquity is the translation of sever Heb and Gr words. One has the idea of crookedness.

GracetotheHumble said:

There is no difference. Sin, iniquity, and transgression are the same.

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Hi Gracetothehumble, what do you think.

Transgression is breaking the law
Sin includes breaking the law but covers all unrighteousness
Iniquity is.......couldn't it be a specific type of sin?

looking4joy said:

I eventually got out of this church.

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Yea!!

Free at Calvary said:

Hi Gracetothehumble, what do you think.

Transgression is breaking the law
Sin includes breaking the law but covers all unrighteousness
Iniquity is.......couldn't it be a specific type of sin?

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There may be some minute differences in the definitions of each but in essence it boils down to the fact that those who habitually sin will not inherit the kingdom of God.

GracetotheHumble said:

There is no difference. Sin, iniquity, and transgression are the same.

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In the Bible, several times you will find the three different words being used in different ways.

A lot of times, if you see the word "sin", it is either used as a verb "go and sin no more" or when used as a noun, it usually refers to our general "falling short" that everybody is guilty of. Everybody falls short of God's holy standards and it is only through Christ that we ever have a hope of being Saved from the death that sin brings.

When you find the word "Transgression" being used, it is always used to describe a willful evil act committed by a person. Yes, Transgressions are sins, however not every sin is transgression. The general "falling short" that everybody is guilty of is not necessarily a "Transgression". A Transgression is something you do willfully that violates a law or a commandment (in this case, God's).

And that leaves us with Iniquity. This word is used 262 times in the KJV version of the Bible (15 times in the New Testament). Each time that it is used in the New Testament, you can replace "iniquity" with the word "(moral) Lawlessness" and it will fit quite well and keep the same meaning.

This tells me that at least in the New Testament, anytime you see "Iniquity", it is really talking about either habitual sin, or moral lawlessness.

Everybody has broken a law or two in their lives. How many people here have never broken the Speed Limit law? However... how many people here live their lives in complete disregard for the law? Not very many, right?

The biggest "Iniquity" verse that most people know is Matthew 7:23 (and it's sister verse, Luke 13:27), where Christ lays out very clearly what Iniquity means:

Many people are going to come to Him and go "Lord, Lord" and they're going to be told to "Depart from me ye workers of iniquity: I never knew you."

What He's saying there, is basically the same thing in Luke 6:46: Lots of people claim to know Christ, but they continue to live in habitual sins without even acknowledging their sins or attempting to turn away from them. Those who claim to know Christ, but haven't Repented are quite likely the ones who are going to be told "Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity".