by Steve Hale
Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity" ( 2 Timothy 2:19, NKJV).
The term iniquity as used here in by Paul is from the Greek word adakia. The word means "bending the right and making it crooked." In other words, it is sinful to take something righteous, like the name of Christ, and bend it, and make it crooked.
Simon the Sorcerer did this very thing when he sought to buy the power to impart the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands. His desire was for usury, not the glory of God. He was taking something holy, Bending it, and making it crooked ( Acts 8:23).
We do the same thing when we wrongly accuse righteous men ( 2 Corinthians 13:6). Paul had just told us to "examine yourselves to see if you are in the faith" ( 2 Corinthians 13:5). As supposed defenders of the faith attacked Paul's apostleship, they were again taking something holy, bending it, and making it crooked.
This sin is devastating to the church, and to the sinner individually. It leaves the wrong impression with those around us. It lets them think that we can play legal semantics with God. We cannot, because God is no respecter of person ( Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; 1 Peter 1:17).
In a society filled with legal litigation and "fine points of the law," it is easy to get caught up in the same fervor in our religion. We cannot wear the name of Christ, and fail to forsake umighteousness. Don't bend what's right and make it crooked!