But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

Isaiah 53:5

The Hebrew word picture for “iniquity” is “bent”.  Iniquity is the being “bent” from straight, twisted from the upright, and made crooked from the pure.  While transgression are our comissions of sin, our iniquity is the propensity, or proneness to continue to sin.

Jesus, when He died, paid for our entire nature.  He covered our individual sins, and our sinfulness.  He, through His righteous act and sacrificial offering, made peace with God for us, by taking upon Himself the punishment we deserved.

For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

Galatians 1:10

When one gives way before wickedness, Proverbs says that that individual is as a polluted well (Proverbs 25:26).  We are called to defend the weak, to stand for righteousness, and to do it openly.

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Matthew 15:14-16

When Christ paid for us, He unbent our hearts.  He straightened out the crooked place.  In the practice of most people, the working of this out into the entire soul takes a while, so that the whole fruit of the Kingdom becomes visible in the lives of Christ’s men.  But, the heart that fully trusts, that totally relies upon Christ, does not bend again.

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Galatians 5:1

Giving way to any other’s wishes or any one else’s desires or spirit, other than the Lord Christ, is to put onesself into subjection and slavery to them (Romans 6:16).  Jesus wants Himself to be our only head, at all times (1 Corinthians 11:3).  No wife should rule over her husband (2 Timothy 2:12), no man should rule over another.  For, we are all brothers (Matthew 23:8).

But, in the freedom in which God has given us, through Christ, we must serve Him, and Him alone.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.

Psalm 34:19

But, the Lord is on high, and He reigns, and He alone is the only one to serve.

Whether standing before kings, crowds, or cows, to yield to another is to allow oneself to come under bondage.  To submit to godly leadership is healthy in the Lord, but never to servitude to them, but to Christ.  As God said He would teach each person Himself, all we can do is point them to the source.

But, if the truth in your heart cannot be spoken, there is yet a place of bentness within.  For, to be upright in the Lord, you cannot tell a lie, for a lie is not in Him.

Nor, can you keep silent.  For, a deaf and a dumb man is a man in whose mouth are no reproofs, no rebukes (Psalm 38:14).

But, we are the light of the world, and we are that city on a hill.

No more can we be silent, or hold our peace, for that Spirit within desires the fullness.

I believed, therefore I spoke.