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How to deal with sin?

The easiest thing (although this can be difficult) is to prevent sin by deed; it is much more difficult not to sin in thoughts and feelings; and it is extremely difficult to change your heart’s disposition, that is, to heal your passions. How can we do this?

Every reason for doing things must be cut off, namely: not putting ourselves in a situation leading to a sinful act, predicting in advance the situations in which we may find ourselves in order to protect ourselves from temptations, and so on. This requires reasoning, consideration and attention.

Thoughts must be resisted, firstly, by not paying attention to them, by prayer, and secondly, by “counter-thoughts”, “counter-feelings” - that is, by opposing good to sin, cultivating in oneself the virtues that are opposite to sin. Finally, passions: fighting them is a real cross, it requires patience and humility, and most of all - prayer, trust in God and non-despair. Resistance to passions can last a very long time, a lifetime - this depends on the acquired strength of the passions before turning to God.

The fight against sin is a complex thing; here both victories and defeats are possible when we still commit sin - in deed, word, feeling, thought. When this happens, there is no need to fall into embarrassment, despair, etc., but you need to immediately resort to repentance.

About internal repentance

Repentance (here we are talking about an act of internal repentance, not about the Sacrament itself) is not something amorphous, like some kind of confused self-reproach of the soul. Nor is it some kind of internal hysteria. Repentance has its own internal rite and order, which is very well defined by St. Theophan the Recluse. This is what he writes.

There is repentance:

1. awareness of one's sin before God;
2. reproaching yourself in this sin with full confession of your guilt, without shifting responsibility to other people or circumstances;
3. the determination to leave sin, to hate it, not to return to it, not to give it room in oneself;
4. prayer to God for forgiveness of sin, until the spirit is pacified.

Let's look at this definition of St. Feofan.

1) Awareness of sin before God, - i.e. not just a statement of sin, but precisely sin before God. This assumes Firstly, faith, and secondly, Necessarily personal relationship with God, connection with Him, communication with God. And this awareness is not the recording of some formal violation, but a living feeling that sin has separated me from God, that what I have done is unpleasant to my God, that I have upset, offended, and offended God. Repentance is not digging into oneself or cold self-reporting, but a living feeling that sin has separated me from God. Whoever does not have such a feeling is in danger of formalizing his inner life.

2) Reproaching yourself that is, holding oneself responsible for sin. Very often we tend to shift responsibility to circumstances, to other people, to demons, and justify ourselves; but it is important to realize what exactly We not right before God.

3) Need to put decision to resist sin, do not return to him, no matter what the cost. Without this, repentance will not be repentance, but will simply turn into some kind of essentially hypocritical statement of fact. It is imperative to prepare yourself to resist sin. As experience shows, all of us are especially weak on this point.

4) Pray to God for forgiveness, - because we cannot do anything on our own, but only the Lord forgives us, pacifies our heart, returns Himself to us and consoles us.

This is such a repentant movement of the soul O we must go through every time our conscience convicts us of sin, even the smallest one. For, let’s say, “minor” sins, this internal repentance is often enough, but significant sins require that they be taken to confession, because the heart is not pacified by just going through the indicated repentant internal work.

"Gradation" of sins

Here we need to return again to what sin is. There are "sins unto death" mortal sins(cf. 1 John 5:16). These include, among others, two types of the most common and serious sins: prodigals sins And sins proudlysti. The deeds of fornication are clear to everyone, but the deeds of pride are often incomprehensible to those who repent. The sin of pride in relation to God is fierce resistance to God, and in relation to people it is cruelty and unmercifulness. Fornication deprives us of our human dignity, our integrity, and acts of pride decisively turn the humble, merciful and kind God away from us, as completely opposite to Him.

These are, so to speak, objective sins; they always produce their effect - they separate us from God - regardless of what we think about it. Other sins not mortals, increase or decrease their sinfulness in accordance with the moral state of the soul, that is, they depend on our subjective disposition. For example, I didn't read the rule in the evening. Is it a sin or not? If I came home from work barely alive, fell into bed and fell asleep - of course, this is not a sin. If I thought: “Oh, okay, the prayer rule is all a form, you need to live in the spirit,” and turned on the TV, watched it until midnight and fell asleep listening to it, filled with unclean images from what I watched, this is certainly a sin.

So, many things become classified as sin or go beyond it, depending on our internal disposition, and here it is up to our Christian conscience to determine what is sin and what is not. Eat sinssmall, for example, they said a taunt to someone, or became vain, or got angry, and so on, which happens a million times a day. Finally, there are lodgenew sins, that is, a person considers something to be a terrible sin, but this is not a sin at all. This applies primarily to the ritual sphere of church life.

Venerable Macarius of Egypt:

God alone can take away our sin; stronger than us are those who captured us and kept us in their kingdom; but God has given a promise to deliver us from this bondage.

Those who are not adorned with God’s word, who are not taught the Divine laws, think in vain, arrogant of their own freedom, to remove from themselves the reasons for sin.

It is impossible to separate a soul from sin unless God stops and stops this evil wind that resides in the soul and body.

Remember: it is not given to man and it is impossible to eradicate sin by one’s own strength. To fight sin, to resist, to bear and accept ulcers is within your power, but to eradicate it is God’s work.

Saint Theophan the Recluse:

“If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand” (Mark 3:24). As long as the unanimity of sinful wickedness remains, the kingdom of darkness and sin remains strong in us. But when the grace of God attracts the part of the spirit captive to sin to itself, freeing it from captivity, then a division occurs: sin on one side - good on the other. As soon as, as a result of this awakening, a person is united with goodness through consciousness and freedom, sin loses all support and goes towards decay. Consistency in good intentions and patience in labors completely upset and destroy sin. Then the kingdom of good begins and remains until some evil thought creeps in and, attracting the will to itself, again produces division. As soon as you combine with the emerging sinful delusion, you put it into practice, good will again begin to weaken, and evil will grow until it completely destroys it. This is an almost continuous history of the inner life of those who are weak-hearted and lacking in character.

“When a strong man guards his house with weapons, then his possessions are safe; but when his strongest attacks him and defeats him, then he will take all his weapons in which he trusted” (Luke 11:21-22).

This allegory explains how the Lord destroys the demonic power over souls. While the soul is in sin, it is possessed by an evil spirit, although it does not always clearly show this. He is stronger than the soul, therefore he is not afraid of rebellion on its part, he dominates and tyrannizes over it without resistance. But when the Lord comes into the soul, attracted by faith and repentance, then he breaks all satanic bonds, casts out demons and deprives them of all power over the soul. And while this soul serves the Lord, the demons cannot overcome it, for it is strong in the Lord, stronger than them. When the soul makes a mistake and recoils from the Lord, the demon again attacks and overcomes, and this poor soul is worse than before. This is the universal invisible order of phenomena in the spiritual world. If our intelligent eyes were opened, we would see the worldwide battle between spirits and souls, first one side or the other wins, depending on whether souls communicate with the Lord through faith, repentance and zeal for good deeds or fall away from Him through negligence, carelessness and cooling is good.

“...why does someone say: I’m overcome by a sinful habit, I can’t control myself. Because either repentance and confession were incomplete, or after precautions he holds on weakly, or he lets himself into a whim. He wants to do everything without effort and self-force, and we dare from the enemy. Decide to stand until death and show it by deed: you will see what power there is in this. It is true that in every irresistible passion, the enemy takes possession of the soul, but this is not an excuse, for he will immediately run away as soon as you do it, with God’s help; with help, turn inside."

Saint Gregory the Theologian:

Do not resist weakly what is unimportant, so as not to meet the worst.

Venerable Anthony the Great:

Truly blessed is he who watches over himself and fulfills the commandments of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Fear deviations from the faith as the beginning of all evil.

To err in deeds is a sign of weakness; to allow oneself to lack faith is a sign of impudent frivolity and recklessness.

The beginning of all virtues and the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord.

Pride and arrogance cast the devil from heaven to hell; humility and meekness lift man from earth to heaven.

Master the tongue and do not multiply words, so as not to multiply your sins.

The Lord guards your soul as long as you guard your tongue.

All sins are abominable before God, but the most abominable of all is the pride of the heart.

Do not make acquaintance with an evil person. Friendship with the evil one is friendship with the devil.

Always think and say to yourself: “I will not remain in this world longer than this day.” And you will not sin before God.

Both day and night, be sick about your sins.

Be careful that your mind is not defiled by the memory of past sins and that your sense of them is not renewed.

Venerable Isaac the Syrian:

We become sinners not when we commit a sin, but when we do not hate it and do not repent of it.

Every struggle against sin and lust begins with work, vigil and fasting.

Saint Gregory the Theologian:

Having been awarded the remission of sins as a gift, guard yourself with all diligence, so that the remission of sins depends on God, and the preservation depends on you. How can this be achieved? Always remember Christ’s parable, it will be the best and most perfect aid for you. An unclean spirit, driven out by Baptism, has come out of you (Luke 11:24-26). He cannot bear persecution, he cannot bear to be homeless and homeless. He walks “through waterless places” (Luke 11:24), where the Divine stream has dried up, for he loves to be there, wanders, looking for peace and not finding it. He approaches the baptized souls in whom the font has washed away the corruption. Afraid of water, stifling his purification - a whole legion died at sea. He returns again to the house from which he came, because he is shameless and stubborn, he starts again, makes new attempts. If he finds that Christ has settled in and taken the place left by him, then again, reflected, he leaves without success, continuing his miserable wandering. If he finds a place in you that has been swept and tidied up, but is empty, unoccupied, equally ready to receive one or the other, whoever comes first hastily enters and settles in with even greater convenience, and for that person the last is worse than the first. For before there was hope for correction and caution, but now the damage has become obvious, attracting the evil one to itself by moving away from good, therefore for the one who settled, the possession of the place became more reliable.

Venerable John Cassian the Roman (Abba Pinufius):

Sins can be atoned for, in addition to the universal grace of Baptism and martyrdom, by many deeds of repentance. For there are many means to eternal salvation:

1. First of all, the Apostle Peter speaks about repentance: “Repent and be converted, so that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:19), John the Baptist and the Lord Himself say: “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2) .

2. But “love also covers a multitude of sins” (1 Pet. 4:8).

3. And alms heal the wounds of our soul, because just as “water will extinguish the flame of fire,” so “alms will cleanse sins” (Sir. 3:30).

4. And tears wash away sins, for David, having said: “Every night I wash my bed, with my tears I wet my bed” (Ps. 6:7), further says that he did not shed them in vain: “Depart from me, all who do lawlessness, for the Lord has heard the voice of my crying" (Ps. 6:9).

5. In the same way, sins are blotted out by confessing them: “I said: I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and You took away from me the guilt of my sin” (Ps. 31:5); and again: “Speak about your iniquities, so that you may be justified” ( Isa. 43, 26).

6. Remission of sins is acquired through mental and physical sorrow: “Look at my suffering and my exhaustion and forgive all my sins” (Ps. 24:18).

7. Especially by correcting our morals, sins are destroyed: “remove your evil deeds from before My eyes; stop doing evil; learn to do good, seek justice, save the oppressed, defend the orphan, stand up for the widow. Then come and let us judge... If there are sins yours will be as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they will be as white as wool” (Isa. 1:16-18).

8. Sometimes the prayers of saints blot out sins...

9. Sometimes sin is healed by works of mercy and faith: “By mercy and righteousness sin is cleansed” (Proverbs 16:6).

10. Contributing to the salvation of others: for “he who converts a sinner from his false path will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins” (James 5:20).

11. Forgiveness of offenses inflicted on us: “if you forgive people their sins, then your Heavenly Father will also forgive you” (Matthew 6:14).

That's how many ways you can earn the mercy of the Creator! Seeing these paths, no one who wants salvation should despair. For if you cannot atone for your sins through the sorrow of fasting, because of bodily weakness, if you cannot say: “My knees are weak from fasting, and my body has lost fat” (Ps. 108:24), “I eat ashes like bread, and I dissolve my drink with tears" (Ps. 101:10), then redeem them with alms. If you don’t have anything to give to a beggar - although poverty does not exempt anyone from this matter, because the widow’s two mites are preferred to the large gifts of the rich, and the Lord promises to reward even a cup of cold water (Luke 21:2; Matt. 10:42) , then you can cleanse yourself by correcting your morals. If you cannot achieve the perfection of virtues by suppressing your passions and vices, then take pious care for the benefit and salvation of others. If you recognize yourself as incapable of this service, then you can cover your sins with deeds of love. If carelessness has made you weak for this, then ask for the healing of your wounds through the prayer and help of the saints. Further, who cannot humbly say: “I have revealed my sin to You and have not hidden my iniquity,” so that by this confession he may earn forgiveness of sins, about which it is said: “And You have taken away from me the guilt of my sin” (Ps. 31:5). If you are ashamed to reveal your sin to people, then do not stop revealing it to the One to whom it is known, say incessantly: “For I acknowledge my iniquities, and my sin is always before me. I have sinned against You, You alone, and have done evil in Your sight.” (Ps. 50:5-6). He, without shame by making it public, heals and forgives without reproach. In addition to this undoubted means of obtaining forgiveness of sins, the grace of God has given us an even easier one - this is the forgiveness of others of their sins: “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). So, whoever wants to receive forgiveness of sins, let him try to take advantage of this means. And there is no need to run away from the source of salvation, because, even if we have done everything necessary to cleanse our sins, if the Merciful One, who alone cleanses us from iniquities, does not cover them, they will not be erased. He who has received forgiveness of sins must satisfy them by fasting and mortification of the flesh and passions, for according to the words of Holy Scripture: “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Heb. 9:22). This is fair, because the one who does not allow the sword of the Spirit, “which is the Word of God” (Eph. 6:17), to shed blood, will be struck by the curse of Jeremiah: “Cursed is he who keeps His sword from bleeding!” (Jeremiah . 48, 10). For this sword exudes from us harmful blood, which serves as food for vices, and cuts off everything earthly and carnal in us. And he gives us, who have died to vices, the means to live for God and be adorned with virtues.

Saint Basil the Great:

The Lord says: “When you go with your rival to the authorities, then try to free yourself from him on the road, so that he does not bring you to the judge, and the judge does not hand you over to the torturer, and the torturer does not throw you into prison” (Luke 12:58 ). Take into account here your opponent and the path, then the prince to whom your opponent is subordinate. The path is our life; a rival is an opposing force that haunts all life, inventing every way to seduce us from the path leading to God; and the prince is the prince of this world, about whom the Lord said: “The prince of this world comes, and has nothing in Me” (John 14:30). He gained nothing in the Lord, because Jesus Christ “committed no sin, neither was deceit found in His mouth” (1 Pet. 2:22); found nothing in the Lord, “who was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15). When he finds much in us, he will attract us with many shackles of sins with which we have bound ourselves, and will betray us to the Judge. And the Judge, to whom the Father “gave all judgment” (John 5:22), having received us, convicted by the enemy and the local of many wines, will hand us over to the servant who is assigned to the punishments, and he will throw us into prison, that is, into a place of torment, exacting from us and subjecting us to severe scourging for the smallest sins, which we valued at nothing. That is why the Lord advises, while we are still on the road with the enemy, to take care of getting rid of him, that is, to do everything to get rid of the enemy. Otherwise, in the last hour, having taken care of us, the “prince” will carry out a study, and if he finds a lot of his own in our life, he will hand us over to the Judge, denouncing us and not allowing us to renounce, but also reminding us of the place where we committed the sin, because he was with us and helped us in everything bad, and how, in what state we sinned. So, while we are powerful in our affairs, let's try to get rid of our opponent!

We will not leave any time for sins, we will not give way to the enemy in our hearts, if through constant remembrance we infuse God into ourselves.

Although by human nature it is impossible not to sin, it is possible, having sinned through rashness or the passion of the evil one, to immediately change, repent and not add evil to evil.

If we discover sin through confession, we will make it dry reed, suitable for being burned in the cleansing fire.

We will be able to erase the stains of sin from ourselves through prayer and constant study of God's will.

If someone, having once repented of a sin, commits the same sin again, this is a sign that he has not been cleansed of the cause of this sin, from which, like from a root, shoots sprout again.

Sin, living in the depths of the soul, is killed in it by accepting such a fast that is truly worthy of this name.

Do not neglect any mistake, no matter how small, but hasten to correct it through repentance.

If you are wounded by the arrow of the evil one, do not fall into despair; on the contrary, no matter how many times you are overcome, do not remain defeated, but immediately get up and fight the enemy, because the Hero of Heroes is always ready to give you His right hand and restore you from your fall.

He who ignites a fire with his sins, if he prays, will extinguish it with his tears.

Anyone who is burdened with sins and wants to be freed from them needs only to acquire humility. It will bring him closer to God, from Whom he will receive remission of sins - the guarantee of a new life.

The wall of my sins is destroyed by tears and contrition.

Come, sinner, ask for mercy from God, who forgives sins. Do not put off repentance, for you do not know when the angel of death will overtake you and take your life.

The sins of the irritable power of the soul are the following: hard-heartedness, hatred, lack of compassion, rancor, murder and constant thoughts of the like. Treatment and healing from these sins are: philanthropy, love, meekness, brotherly love, compassion, patience and kindness.

The sins of the rational power of the soul are the following: unbelief, heresy, imprudence, blasphemy, promiscuity, ingratitude and consent to sins arising from the passionate orientation of the soul. Treatment and healing from these sins are served by: undoubted faith in God, true, without error Orthodox dogmas, constant study of the words of the Spirit, pure prayer, continuous thanksgiving.

The sins of the lustful power of the soul are the following: gluttony, gluttony, drunkenness, fornication, adultery, uncleanness, debauchery, covetousness, lust for empty glory, gold, wealth and carnal pleasures. Treatment and healing from them are: fasting, abstinence, suffering, non-covetousness, waste of money on the poor, desire for future benefits, desire for the Kingdom of God, desire for adoption.

Blessed is the one who constantly looks with tears at his iniquities and does not delight in the thought of those nasty sins that he has committed in the world. He will enter the palace of joys and enjoy bliss there with the hosts of all the righteous and saints in the new, eternal world, at that wedding supper, which those called to it never abandon.

What a horror! How painful this is to the heart! An invisible scribe always stands with each of us and writes down our words and deeds on the day of judgment.

Let us try to get rid of sins, for if we want, we will get rid of them, because the Lord Himself said: “Ask, and it will be given to you” (Matthew 7:7).

The evil enemy's every effort is to plunge you into hopelessness (after the Fall). Beloved, don’t believe him, but if you fall seven times a day, try to get up and appease God with repentance.

If you are deceived by the devil and fall into a small or great sin, do not fall into despair and do not bring yourself to destruction, but resort to confession and repentance, and God will not turn away from you.

If you have fallen into sin, do not remain stagnant in sin, but rise up and turn to the Lord with all your heart so that your soul may be saved.

Did you stumble? Sober up. Has it fallen? Turn, pray, ask, fall, covet, seek, receive, be convinced of what has been given to you, worship, beg for forgiveness, for salvation, appease the One who is willing to give and can save.

Saint Gregory of Nyssa:

So that the thorns of this life (sins) do not bite bare and unprotected feet, let us put hard boots on our feet, and this is abstinence and strict life, which by itself crushes and erases the edges of the thorns, prevents sin, starting from small and imperceptible, from penetrating into entrails.

The only reason for sin is that people do not want to add God’s help to the means of combating sin that they have at hand. If intense effort is preceded by prayer, then sin will not find access to the soul. As long as the remembrance of God is firmly in the heart, the plans of the enemy remain ineffective, because the truth intercedes for us.

Anyone who fights any sin with the help of virtue must destroy the beginnings of evil deeds in himself. For with the destruction of the beginning, what follows is destroyed. This is how the Lord teaches in the Gospel... speaking about the killing of the firstborn of evil, when he commands those who have killed lust and anger in themselves to no longer fear either the filth of adultery or the horrors of murder, because both do not happen by themselves if anger does not give rise to murder, but lust - adultery. Therefore... he who kills the firstborn, without a doubt, kills the generation following him, just as he who strikes the head of a snake kills it entirely.

Venerable Ephraim the Syrian:

Reproaching oneself at all times helps to cleanse oneself from sins.

If someone does not cleanse himself from every evil deed, from unclean thoughts, from vicious desires... God will not dwell in him.

Make efforts for your soul and do not be embarrassed by your fall, for there is shame, which leads to sin, and there is shame, from which glory and grace are born.

Reverend Abba Isaiah:

A sign that a sin has been forgiven is that it no longer produces any effect in your heart and you have forgotten about it to the point that when your neighbors talk about similar sins, you do not feel any sympathy for it, as it is completely alien to you. This means that you have been pardoned.

It is impossible for Christ to dwell in a person with sin. If Christ has dwelt in you, then sin has died in you.

Remember your sins before God if you want them to be forgiven you, and do not repay your neighbor with evil for evil.

But do not be too carried away by the memories of the misdeeds you have committed, so that your sins do not renew in you.

Everyone must take care of his own mental illnesses and everyone must mourn his own sins, regardless of the sins of his neighbor.

It is not change of place that destroys sins, but humility.

He who courageously resists sins sees and notices their poison.
He who despises the feat against sins prepares torment for himself.

Saint John Chrysostom:

Remember your end - and you will not sin. Always remember death and your thought will not hesitate.

Let us extinguish the fire of sin not with an abundance of water, but with small tears.

Let us undoubtedly believe and constantly talk about fiery hell, and then we will not soon sin.

And remember that confessed sin decreases, but unconfessed sin becomes greater.

It is much better not to sin at all, but it is also important for salvation that the one who has sinned should lament, condemn his soul and punish his conscience with great care; This is how sin is washed away, this is how the soul is cleansed.

Sin is a cruel ruler, giving wicked orders, dishonoring those who obey him. Therefore, I exhort you, let us avoid his power with great zeal, we will fight him, we will never put up with him, and having freed ourselves from him, we will abide in this freedom.

The memory of sins tames the mind, convinces one to be humble in wisdom, and through humility attracts God's favor.

He who is tormented for his sins is freed from punishment for deeds already committed and becomes safer in the future because of this sorrow.

Let us list the healing means for healing your wounds (mental, inflicted by sin) and we will continually apply them one after another: self-abasement, confession, kindness, thanksgiving for sorrows, helping the poor... and unceasing prayer.

Forgive the offender, give alms to the needy, humble your soul and, even if you were the greatest sinner, you can reach the Kingdom of Heaven, thus cleansing sins and washing away impurity.

If we abstain from small sins, we will never fall into big ones, and over time, with the help of heaven, we will achieve the highest virtue.

It is a sin to kill by confession, tears, condemnation of oneself, for nothing is so destructive for sin as its exposure and condemnation, with repentance and tears.

A meek and forgiving person significantly reduces the severity of sins; the cruel, harsh and unforgiving person adds a lot to his sins.

Do not despair because of sins: the worst thing about sin is when you remain in sin, and the worst thing about a fall is when you lie down after the fall.

He who fears sin will never be afraid of anything else, but will laugh at the blessings of this life and despise sorrow, because only the fear of sin shakes his soul.

Let us not present excuses for sins; it is a pretext and a deception that causes harm to ourselves.

Slavery to sin is the most difficult thing; only God can deliver the soul from it.

Just as fire, falling into thorns, easily destroys it, so the grace of the Spirit destroys sins.

Sin is a wound, repentance is a cure. In sin there is shame, in sin there is disgrace; in repentance - boldness, in repentance - freedom, in repentance - cleansing from sin.

Great sins require not so much care as small and insignificant ones. The very nature of sin makes one turn away from the former. And the small ones, precisely because they are small, encourage laziness and do not encourage us to courageously rise up to exterminate them. And therefore they soon become great if we sleep.

Venerable Neil of Sinai:

If you want to be above all sin, then do not try to find out about the sins of others; you have a lot of the same things in you that you suspect others of.

Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk:

It is not a multitude of sins that destroys a sinner, but unrepentance.

Stay away from evil and corrupt people. For even if a person is well-educated and lives piously, but by communicating with evil people, he can become corrupted, just as one who touches soot becomes dirty: “Bad associations corrupt good morals” (1 Cor. 15:33). Therefore, like Lot from Sodom, the good must flee from being with the evil, so as not to perish, corrupted by their iniquities.

You see your neighbor’s sins or hear about them - let this serve you not to condemn your brother - some have such an evil custom - but to the knowledge of your weakness, not to ridicule the sinner, but to regret and correction of yours. From him, look at yourself: weren’t you yourself in the same or similar sin or are you now? If not, then you can sin even worse. Our common weakness and sinfulness are within us: our enemies are our passions; the flesh enslaves us, and Satan, our enemy, constantly wants to devour us. We are all subject to every calamity and fall and we all fall; and we will fall if the grace of God does not support us. And from such a case, consider yourself, and after the fall of your brother, act more carefully with the help of God.

Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov):

Sin, through which our fall took place, so consumed our entire nature that it became, as it were, natural to us. Renunciation of sin has become renunciation of nature; renunciation of nature is renunciation of oneself.

Whoever confesses his sins, they retreat from him, because sins are based and strengthened on the pride of a fallen nature, and do not tolerate reproof and shame.

If you have acquired the habit of sins, then confess them more often, and soon you will be freed from the captivity of sin, you will easily and joyfully follow the Lord Jesus Christ.

He who wants to get rid of the sins living in him by crying gets rid of them, and he who wants not to fall into sins again by crying avoids falling into them. This is the path of repentance.

Sinful and vain thoughts, dreams and sensations can then undoubtedly harm us when we do not fight them, when we enjoy them and plant them in ourselves.

A person who sins arbitrarily and intentionally, in the hope of repentance, is suddenly struck by death, and he is not given the time that he expected to devote to virtue.

The general rule in the fight against sinful endeavors is to reject sin at its very appearance...

When we resist sinful thoughts, dreams and sensations, then the very struggle with them will bring us success and enrich us with an active mind.

Awareness of the damage caused to nature by original sin, and humble prayer for the healing and renewal of nature by its Creator is the most powerful and effective weapon in the fight against nature.

Whoever accomplishes a great deed - establishes enmity with sin, forcibly tearing away the mind, heart and body from it - God will give him a great gift: sight of his sin.

Sin and the state of fall have become so internalized to us, so merged with our existence, that renunciation of them became renunciation of oneself, the death of one’s soul.

No good deeds can redeem from hell a soul that has not been cleansed of mortal sin before separation from the body.

Hate sin with determination! Treason him by discovering him - and he will run away from you; expose him as an enemy - and you will receive from Above the power to resist him, to defeat him.
Repentance befitting a pious Christian living in the midst of the world: to reckon with his conscience every evening.

To take up your cross means to valiantly endure heavy invisible labor, invisible languor and martyrdom for the sake of the Gospel, while fighting your own passions, with the sin living inside us, with the spirits of evil that will rise up with rage against us... when we decide to overthrow ourselves the yoke of sin and submit to the yoke of Christ.

Victory over one's own sinfulness is also victory over eternal death. Anyone who has mastered it can easily evade public sinful infatuation.

Although sinfulness is defeated in righteous people, although eternal death is destroyed by the presence of the Holy Spirit in them, they are not given unchangeability in goodness throughout their earthly journey, nor is their freedom to choose good and evil taken away. Earthly life until its last hour is a field of voluntary and involuntary exploits.

To repel sinful thoughts and dreams, the Fathers offer two weapons: immediate confession of thoughts and dreams to the elder, and immediate appeal to God with the warmest prayer for the expulsion of invisible enemies.

There is no human sin that could not be washed away by the Blood of the Lord God our Savior Jesus Christ.

The repentance of a person who is in mortal sin can only be recognized as true when he leaves his mortal sin.

Constantly mourn your sin - and sin will become the guardian of virtue.

Mortal sin decisively enslaves a person to the devil and decisively breaks off fellowship with God until a person heals himself through repentance.

Through Holy Baptism, original sin and sins committed before Baptism are washed away, and sin’s violent power over us is taken away.

Sin is the parent of crying and tears, it... is killed by its children - crying and tears.

Saving for us, deadly for sin - the memory of death born of sin.

Nothing, nothing helps as much to receive healing from the wound inflicted by mortal sin as frequent confession. Nothing... contributes so much to the mortification of passion... as a thorough confession of all its manifestations.

All the fathers agree that a new monk must reject sinful thoughts and dreams at the very beginning, without entering into debate or conversation with them.

The hope of all those who are saved is concentrated in God, the hope of those who overcome sin by the power of God, and the hope of those overcome by sin for a time, by God’s permission, through their own weakness.

Saint Ambrose of Milan:

""If your brother sins against you, reprimand him" (Luke 17:3). Jesus Christ prescribes the commandment on how to deal with a neighbor who, after an offense, brings repentance, so as not to lead him to despair. He prescribes the most prudent measures so that, on the one hand, relaxation does not give rise to a greater offense, and on the other, inappropriate severity does not irritate and harden the heart; in this case, He says this: “If he sins against you. your brother, go and convict him between you and him alone" (Matthew 18:15). Because a meek reproof is more effective than a severe accusation: the first can arouse shame, and the latter instills displeasure and forces the guilty person to hide his guilt. Show that the one being reproached your brother has found in you a sincere friend, and not an enemy: he would rather agree to follow the advice of a friend than leave the enemy’s offense without vengeance. Therefore, the apostle said: “But do not consider him an enemy, but admonish him as a brother” (2 Thess. 3,). 15). Fear makes a person cautious for a short time, while shame is the best mentor in goodness. Fear only keeps him away from vices for a short time and does not correct the vicious, but shame, on the contrary, can eventually turn into the habit of doing good.

Venerable Isidore Pelusiot:

“Do you want us to go and pick them out?” - the tares (Matthew 13:28), say the angelic forces, who always want to faithfully serve God’s will, because they see both our laziness and God’s great patience. But they are forbidden to do this, lest they pull up the wheat along with the tares, kidnap a sinner who gives hope for correction, and, together with the parents who have become vicious, innocent children are destroyed - even those who are still in their father’s loins, but already stand before God, who sees the unseen. The ranks of angels, as servants of God, like any nature, do not know what does not yet exist, but the Lord knows this and often brought it to fruition. He did not take the life of the sinning Esau while he was still childless, so as not to destroy with him Job, who was born of him. He did not put the publican Matthew to death, so as not to hinder the work of the Gospel. He did not kill harlots, so that there would be images of repentance in the world. He did not punish Peter’s denial either, because he foresaw his bitter tears. He did not exterminate, punishing with death, the persecutor Paul, so as not to deprive the universe of salvation. Therefore, those tares that remain until the harvest and do not change, that is, do not bear the fruit of repentance as completely barren, are preparing themselves for the great burning.

Saint Demetrius of Rostov:

How many immortal sins? It is impossible to count them, according to the words of the Psalmist: “Who can consider his own mistakes?” (Ps. 18:13).

How many mortal sins? There are seven mortal sins, or the most important ones: pride, covetousness, fornication, envy, gluttony, rancor and despondency. These sins are called the most important, major or major because other sins stem from them.

How are these sins overcome? The opposite virtues, namely: pride is overcome by meekness or humility; covetousness - generosity; fornication - by curbing the flesh, or by purity; envy - love; gluttony - by abstinence and sobriety, rancor and anger - by patience and forgetting of insults; despondency - diligence and hard work.

What other sins are there? There are the following six sins, called sins against the Holy Spirit: excessive reliance on the mercy of God; despair of one's salvation; opposition to the established truth and rejection of the Orthodox Christian faith; envy of neighbors who receive spiritual benefits from God; remaining in sins and stagnant in malice; neglect of repentance until the end of this life. There are four more sins that cry out to heaven for vengeance: intentional homicide; harming the poor; hurting widows and orphans; withholding payments to mercenaries.

How are these sins overcome? Virtues and observance of God's commandments, contrition of heart, repentance, confession and penance.

Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk:

A pious soul, when you stumble and sin, do not hesitate in your sin, so as not to deviate to a difficult fate, but immediately, having recognized your sin, repent and pray to the Lord: “I have sinned, Lord, have mercy on me,” and your sin will be forgiven. But in the future, beware of this, like the sting of a serpent: “The sting of death is sin” (1 Cor. 15:56). Beware of this thorn so as not to die. To sin is a human matter; but to remain in sin is the devil. The devil, having sinned, from that time on incessantly remains in sin and bitterness and will remain forever. Beware of adding sin to sin, so as not to remain with the devil.

In the hospital it happens that not everyone is healed: there are incurable diseases, and a person cannot do everything he wants, but in the Holy Church this is not the case. There is no mental illness that Christ would not want and could not heal, if only the sick person himself wanted it and earnestly asked Christ. For all things are possible through Him, whose word and command all things obey, whose word and will is work, by whose command the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised and the poor are preached to. Just know, Christian, and acknowledge your weakness, and humbly ask this Doctor for healing, and expect without a doubt - and you will certainly receive. Just beware of anything that interferes with His saving treatment.

The Holy Apostle John says: “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

Notice that the blood of Christ cleanses the sinner from all sin.

The Apostle Paul says: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Tim. 1:15). And Christ Himself says: “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Matthew 9:13). You see that there is no difference between sinners, but Christ came to call everyone to repentance, to save everyone. It is not said that Christ came to call such and such sinners to repentance and save, but all kinds of sinners, no matter what they were. And Christ also says: “The Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost” (Luke 19:10). You see that it is not said: he came to save such or other lost ones, but all kinds of lost ones, no matter what they were. All have sinned, all have perished: therefore Christ came to seek and save all the lost, who will repent and accept Him as their Savior. The Apostle Paul says: “Christ died for all” (2 Cor. 5:15). You see that there is no difference here either, but Christ died for each and every sinner, no matter what he was. Therefore, every sinner, when he truly repents, will be saved by the death of Christ.

Mortal sins in Orthodoxy are serious crimes in the face of the Lord. Redemption is achieved only through sincere repentance. A person who commits unpalatable deeds blocks the path to heavenly abode for his own soul.

Constantly repeating mortal sins lead a person to death and casting into the chambers of hell. Criminal acts find their first echoes in the ancient texts of theologians.

Characteristics of mortal sins

In the spiritual, as well as in the material world, there are laws, the violation of which leads to minor destruction or colossal catastrophes. Most of the moral principles are contained in the main commandments of the Christian religion. They have the power to protect the believer from harm.

If a person pays attention to the warning signs in the material world, he acts intelligently, ensuring a safe path to his true home. The criminal, reveling in mortal passions, dooms himself to a long illness with serious consequences.

According to the holy fathers of the Church, behind each special passion there is a certain fiend of the underworld (demon). This unclean makes the soul dependent on a certain type of sin, making it a captive.

Passions are a perversion of the pure nature of human qualities. Sin is a distortion of all that is best in the original state. It can grow one from the other: from gluttony comes lust, and from it the thirst for money and anger.

Victory over them lies in binding each passion separately.

Orthodoxy claims that unconquered sins do not disappear anywhere after death. They continue to torment the soul after it has naturally left the body. In the Underworld, according to the clergy, sins torment much more severely, not allowing rest and time to sleep. There they will constantly torment the subtle body and will not be able to be satisfied.

However, Paradise is considered a special place of the presence of Holy Knowledge, and God does not seek to forcibly rid a person of passions. He is always waiting for someone who has managed to overcome the attraction to crimes against body and spirit.

Important! The only Orthodox sin that is not forgiven by the Creator is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. No one will provide support to the apostate, because he personally refuses it.

List of sins for confession

The theological science that answers questions about sins is called asceticism. She gives a definition of criminal passions and ways to get rid of them, and also tells how to find love for God and neighbor.

Asceticism is similar to social psychology, since the first teaches how to overcome mortal sins, and the second helps to cope with bad tendencies in society and overcome apathy. The goals of the sciences are actually no different. The main task of the entire Christian religion is the ability to love God and one’s neighbor, and renunciation of passions is a means of achieving the truth.

The believer will not achieve it if he is subject to sin. The person who commits a crime sees only his own self and his own passion.

The Orthodox Church defines eight main types of passions, below is a list of them:

1. Gluttony, or gluttony, is excessive consumption of food, degrading human dignity. In the Catholic tradition, this includes debauchery.
2. Fornication, which brings into the soul lustful sensations, unclean thoughts and satisfaction from them.
3. The love of money, or self-interest, is a passion for profit that leads a person to dulling of mind and faith.
4. Anger is a passion that is directed against perceived injustice. In Christianity, this sin is a strong impulse against one's neighbor.
5. Sadness (longing) is a passion that cuts off all hopes of finding God, as well as ingratitude for previous and present gifts.
6. Dejection is a psychological state in which a person relaxes and begins to feel sorry for himself. Melancholy is a mortal sin in Orthodoxy because this depressive state is accompanied by laziness.
7. Vanity is a passionate desire to gain fame among people.
8. Pride is a sin, the function of which is to belittle one’s neighbor and impudently put oneself at the center of the whole world.

Note! The term “passion” in Church Slavonic is translated as “suffering.” Sinful acts torment people more than serious illnesses. The criminal man soon becomes a slave to the devil's passions.

How to deal with sins

The phrase “seven deadly sins” in Orthodoxy does not demonstrate a certain number of crimes, but only numerically indicates their conditional division into seven fundamental groups.

However, the church sometimes talks about eight sins. If we consider this issue in more detail, the list can be increased to ten to twenty.

Important! The daily struggle with sins is the most important task of every Orthodox person, and not just a monk. Soldiers take an oath to defend the fatherland, while Christians promise to renounce diabolical deeds (crimes).

After committing original sin, that is, disobedience to the Will of the Lord, humanity doomed itself to a long stay in the bonds of intractable passions. Let's look at them in order.

Confession of sins

Pride

This is the first sin and the most terrible sin in Orthodoxy, which was known even before the creation of mankind. He despises his neighbor, darkens the mind and makes his own “I” the most important. Pride inflates self-esteem and distorts the rational vision of the environment. To defeat the sin of Satan, you must learn to love the Creator and every creature. This will require great effort at first, but gradual purification of the heart will soften the mind towards the entire environment.

Gluttony

The need for drink and food is natural; any food is a gift from Heaven. By taking it, we gain strength and enjoy it. The line separating measure from excess is located within the soul of the believer. Everyone needs to be able to live both in poverty and in abundance, without taking more than they should.

Important! The sin is not in the food itself, but in the unfair and greedy attitude towards it.

Gluttony is divided into two types. The first includes the desire to fill the stomach with a colossal amount of food, the second is the desire to delight the tongue receptors with delicious dishes, without knowing the measure. Sated bellies do not allow their owners to think about the sublime and spiritual.

Gluttony reduces the quality of prayer and leads to desecration of body and spirit.

The demon of gluttony can only be overcome by prayer and fasting, which serves as a colossal educational tool. The one who is able to develop the skill of spiritual and physical abstinence, as well as strict adherence to church precepts, becomes blessed.

About spiritual life:

Fornication

The Holy Scriptures call sexual relations outside of marriage a grave sin. The Lord blessed only marital intimacy, where husband and wife become one flesh. An action blessed in marriage will be a crime if it goes beyond moral boundaries.

Fornication allows bodies to unite, but in lawlessness and injustice. Each such carnal relationship leaves deep wounds on the heart of the believer.

Important! Only divine marriage creates proper spiritual intimacy, spiritual unity, true love and trust.

Disorderly fornication does not achieve this and destroys the moral foundation. Adulterous people steal from themselves in an attempt to gain joy through dishonest means.

To get rid of passion, it is necessary to reduce sources of temptation to a minimum and not become attached to objects that irritate your attention.

Love of money

This is an indescribable love for finance and material acquisitions. Society today has created a cult of consumption. This way of thinking takes a person away from spiritual self-improvement.

Wealth is not a vice, but a greedy attitude towards property gives rise to the passion of love of money.

To get rid of sinfulness, a person needs to soften his own heart and remember that things are harder for those around you. The Lord, the Ruler of the Universe, will never leave a merciful and generous believer in trouble.

Happiness does not depend on financial wealth, but is achieved through softening your own heart.

Anger

This passion is the cause of most conflicts, killing love, friendship and human sympathy. In anger, a distorted image of the person with whom we are angry appears before the person.

The manifestation of passion, which often arises from pride and envy, traumatizes the soul and entails huge troubles.

You can get rid of it by reading the scriptures. Work and humor also distract from the effects of an angry mindset.

Sadness

It has many synonyms: melancholy, depression, melancholy, grief. It can lead to suicide if emotions take precedence over common sense.

Prolonged sadness begins to take over the soul and lead to destruction. This sin deepens the understanding of the present, making it harder than it actually is.

To overcome unpleasant depression, a person must turn to the Almighty for help and gain a taste for life.

Dejection

This passion is associated with bodily relaxation and laziness. It distracts from daytime work and prayer. In despondency, everything seems uninteresting and there is a desire to quit it. Everyone should understand: you cannot succeed in business if you are bored.

For the struggle, the cultivation of one’s own will is suitable, which will overcome all laziness. Every important matter, especially in honor of the environment, requires detailed coercion from the individual.

Vanity

Passion is the desire for vain glory, which does not provide any advantages or riches. Any honor is short-lived in the material world, so the desire for it distracts from truly correct thinking.

Vanity happens:

• hidden, dwells in the hearts of ordinary people;
• exposed, stimulates the acquisition of the highest positions.

To share the desire for empty glory, one should learn the opposite - humility. It is necessary to calmly listen to the criticism of others and agree with obvious thoughts.

Deliverance through repentance

Sins greatly interfere with leading a quiet life, but a person is in no hurry to get rid of them, as he is shackled by the force of habit.

The believer understands the inconvenience of his situation, but does not generate a desire to correct the current circumstances.

• To begin the process of cleansing from sinfulness, it is necessary to rebel against the passion itself, to hate and expel it by willpower. Man is obligated to take up the fight and place his own soul at the disposal of Almighty God.
• Those who begin to resist find salvation in repentance - the only way to overcome any passion. Without this, there is no way to prevail over sinful aspirations.
• The priest has the legal authority to relieve psychological criminal addictions if the person has sincerely confessed to him.
• A Christian who has followed the path of purification is obliged to destroy his sinful past and never return to it.
• The Lord knows about our passions and gives us freedom to enjoy them and drink the bitter cup. God expects from a person a sincere confession of his misdeeds, then the soul becomes closer to the heavenly abode.
• The path of deliverance is often accompanied by shame and difficulty. A believer is obligated to pull out sinful tendencies like weeds.
• Spiritually sick people do not see their deadly passions, so they remain ignorant. You can examine your own moral weaknesses only by approaching the source of true light, that is, God.
The struggle with sinful thoughts is difficult and lengthy, but he who finds peace in serving the Lord ceases to be a slave to passions. Spiritual work forces the believer to overcome and cleanse himself from vanity, which only destroys and does not give anything in return.

Watch a video about the eight deadly sins

What is the fight against sin, because it is only possible with the help of God? You can outwardly not commit a sin, but in your thoughts you desire it, what to do with your thoughts?

Experienced people say that no one immediately becomes a high-class athlete; this requires constant training. The word "asceticism" comes from the Greek "askeo", which means "I train." This means we need spiritual training. We simply do not set ourselves the goal of practicing prayer and thinking about God. No one has yet learned to pray without praying. No one has learned to deal with thoughts without fighting them. Reading spiritual books can be a great help in this activity. Don’t read books about miracles and myrrh-streaming, which give practically nothing. It is necessary to read spiritual books. For with whom we communicate, we are filled with that spirit. We must read the Holy Fathers, have their works as reference books: “Teachings” of Abba Dorotheus, “Letters of the Valaam Elder John” and others. These books do not replace prayer for us, but they also fill us with the Spirit of God and help us live as Christians. There should be a holy book on the table, which you need to look into every day, read one or two pages. You can't buy something without difficulty.

- What is the connection between passions and suffering?

Even etymologically, the word “passion” is associated with “suffering.” So your question is equivalent to: “What is the connection between torment and suffering?” And the connection is simple: when a person condemns, he already suffers. I suffer when I envy, hate. When I overeat, my poor stomach suffers and screams: “I can’t take it anymore, have mercy on me!” And I answer: “Wait, this dish is very tasty. I’ll serve it for you now, my dear, and don’t cry.” So the connection is very direct. Although there are things that are less obvious. But let us not be so blind as to live (feel) only through our skin. When I am being cunning within myself, being a hypocrite, condemning someone, I am violating the law of human existence. And any violation of the law is fraught with suffering. Sin is suffering. Therefore, for your own good, you need to avoid sin.

If sorrow appears from the action of obvious sins, such as drunkenness or fornication, is it the purifying sorrow about which the Holy Fathers and the Holy Scriptures write? Does sin humble you?

The appearance of sorrow is a natural consequence of sin. If someone is walking barefoot through the forest and suddenly steps on a pine cone, they may jump in pain. This pain is natural, but not purifying. Pain is a warning to a person: – Don’t do that. How terrible it would be if there were no pain, and disaster when the pain goes away. As long as the ear feels frost, nothing is lost, but the problem is when it stops feeling frost, you can be left without an ear. This is what sorrow is, which results from sin. This sorrow is a beneficial action for a living organism: I must pay attention to it and stop the action that brings me suffering. This is a signal: your ear is pinched - you need to immediately rub it or cover it with a hat. So it is when committing a sin. Christianity differs from other religions in that it offers an invaluable remedy: immediately repent before God, that is, change. Repentance in Greek is "metanoia", that is, "change". Repentance means changing my attitude towards what I have done. If you want, this is direct hatred of sin. Without it, repentance remains an empty phrase. Confession on the part of the priest, if he does not understand the essence of repentance, can turn into an interrogation, and on the part of the confessor - into a report on the sins committed. What is needed is repentance, and the priest can delicately help with this. Why am I talking about this? Once, after a confession with a priest, a woman said: “Thank God that I’m not a girl, otherwise I would have come out of this confession depraved.” I asked her what was the matter. She says: “He asked me about such vile sins that I had never heard of in my life.” This is not confession, it means dirtying a person, throwing mud at him. Therefore, caution should be on both sides: both the priest, so as not to desecrate the soul, not to give it bad and disgusting thoughts, and the side of the penitent should be an attempt to repent with all his heart before God, without going into details and details, especially when it is connected with sins bodily. And get into the habit: as soon as you have sinned, for example, deceived your neighbor, immediately immediately sincerely ask for forgiveness from God, and if possible, then from the deceived one. This will be repentance, healing and cleansing a person. Christianity provides an invaluable means of healing wounds, and where they are not healed, inflammation and decay begin. This is what you need to fear like fire. This rotting manifests itself in such a way that passions begin to develop with enormous force, and then, according to the words of John Climacus, a person may experience “petrified insensibility,” that is, sensitivity is lost, conscience stops speaking. This is terrible, and therefore the Fathers advise repenting immediately, as soon as you come to your senses. And then repent before the priest.

- Explain how to distinguish reasoning from condemnation?

Everyone knows when they are judging a person. The speaker feels ill will, contempt, and some hostility in his soul. What is reasoning? For example, a boss needs to hire a person for financial activities. And they tell him that this man is a big stealer, and he concludes that there is no need to take such a thing. Everyone has their own weaknesses: just as a lame man cannot run, so a thief cannot be an accountant. It’s one thing when we evaluate the business qualities of a person in the service and are forced to state that he has certain shortcomings in order to have the right view of the possibility of working with him. This is reasoning, and it always concerns a specific focus on some subject. And condemnation is associated with chatter, hostility and has no purpose.

You will have to warn your child: "Don't hang around with so-and-so." But to condemn is something completely different. The whole point, of course, happens in the human heart, and everyone feels when he is reasoning and when he is condemning.

Reasoning is conditioned by a life task, condemnation is not connected with this. You can talk about a person with green bitterness in your heart, or you can talk dispassionately, but this is very difficult for us. Therefore, you need to discuss as little as possible so as not to judge.

- Does the devil exist outside of human beings?

There were previously heated discussions about this in Western catechisms, but today they are silent about it. We can speak directly. All the Holy Fathers affirm from experience: yes, there are fallen spirits. But these fallen spirits have no power over us if we ourselves do not voluntarily follow their instructions, if we ourselves do not follow the path of violating God’s commandments. Therefore, the greatest sin is when a person may not sin, but he sins. Sometimes, of course, there is violence of passion. Here is a man sitting down at the table, he is used to overeating, theoretically he may not overeat now, but practically he cannot. And it’s another thing when he is free, when he can not sin. The Lord said: “He who is faithful in a little is also faithful in much, but he who is unfaithful in a little is also unfaithful in much” (Luke 16:10). The most terrible are the so-called “small sins” to which we are not yet enslaved, from which we are still free. The fight against them is where the construction and creation of our spirit begins. At home I may or may not turn on the TV. These small sins that we commit voluntarily are the cause of huge sins. Therefore, we need to be very attentive to these “grains of sand” of our passions.

Usually what is meant by sins is murder, theft, adultery. No, these are already consequences: when I got on the sleigh, I rolled down a steep mountain, now all that was left was to break my neck. You should have thought earlier, when you were free to decide whether to get on the sleigh or not. And when you rush down - here you are a slave - there is no escape from this sled.

Does a person’s behavior always depend on his spiritual state? There are people who do not raise their hand to do something evil, but you say that if a person has no sorrows, then he is a corpse, is that true?

Very different things: not doing evil and absence of sorrows. A person may not have sorrows for the reason that he is a spiritual corpse. For example, a kind person, his hand does not rise to do evil, but this is only his hand, and how does he live inside himself? The moral and spiritual sides of a person cannot be mixed. Morality is the nature of my relationship with the world around me, with society, the law, with another person, with my work, with my family. And what is inside me, when I can be arrogant, conceited, envious, feel hostility towards my neighbor - this is spiritual. So in a moral sense my hand may not rise to the bad, but spiritually I may be very sick. It is important to understand that one passion can replace all others, and, by the way, pride is exactly that. A proud person will not respond to empty insults.

There is an interesting example from Abba Dorotheus. He was surprised by the behavior of one young monk, who responded with silence to insults and slander. It seemed to the elder that the young man had achieved perfection. And he asked him: “Brother, how did you achieve the point that you don’t answer those who insult you?” Answer: “Should I pay attention to their shortcomings or accept insults from them as from people? These are barking dogs.” And Abba Dorotheos was horrified by this humility.

A person can be morally impeccable, but spiritually terrible.

A person comprehends his weaknesses, understands that he cannot overcome them, and through this he humbles himself. But can he not reach such a state that he loses the zeal to fight with himself? What comes out is not humility, but reassurance in the fact that he is a sinner. What to do in this case?

Imagine I’m walking and suddenly I step on a nail with my heel. Moreover, the nail has jagged edges and I can’t pull it out myself. Will my urge to go to the doctor weaken? No. When I feel the sharpness of the wound and pain, my jealousy will not subside. I will do everything I can myself and will be grateful to everyone who helps me.

The whole essence of Christianity can be reduced to one Greek word - synergy, that is, collaboration. Neither I can be saved without God, nor God can save me without me. This is one of the fundamental axioms of the Christian faith. Therefore, zeal can weaken only when a person ceases to feel sin. In the meantime, the nail is in the heel, he will jump on one leg until they help him pull it out.

If a person does not commit any special sins, lives a seemingly Orthodox life and thinks that he has already humbled himself and been saved, is this not a state when he has lost his zeal to fight sin?

Our human idea of ​​good and evil is one thing, and quite another (immeasurably deeper and more subtle) is the teaching of the Gospel about this. Sometimes it seems to a person that he is already kind if he does not kill anyone, does not rob, does not commit adultery, does not use drugs and does not lie drunk in a ditch. That's it, he is already “a virtuous person, there is no better person in the world.” And the Gospel says that if you just looked wrong, then you have already sinned (Matthew 5:28); if you have judged a person (Matthew 7:1), been cunning, or been a hypocrite, then you have already done an evil deed. Therefore, we must be guided not by our worldly ideas about good and evil, but by the gospel ones. Why St. Simeon the New Theologian writes: “Careful fulfillment of the commandments of Christ teaches a person his weaknesses”2.

People who come to confession for the first time in their lives usually say: “In general, I am not a sinner and I don’t know what to repent of,” and list their virtues. They do not know that even a bad thought about a bad person is already like a thorn in one’s own heel. Because they don't know what sin is.

If a person follows the Gospel commandments, then he will never come to the thought of his sinlessness, but if he relies on his own understanding of good, then, of course, it is easy for him to fall into pride.

By the way, there is a good term that defines a person who fulfills all external church instructions, but does not struggle with his passions - this is a state of arrogance, that is, an opinion about his righteousness. This one is called holy Satan. On the outside he is holy, but on the inside he is a real devil. Abbess Arsenia (Sebryakova), a remarkable ascetic at the end of the century, said to her sister nuns: “When will you become at least a little Christian?” They were terribly indignant and said about her: “She is a heretic. We fulfill all obediences, attend divine services, keep fasts, go to confession, take communion, we do everything, what else does she require of us?” And she keeps repeating to them: “Are you busy with your little mind? What’s in your head, what are you thinking about? So I pat one nun on the head, but what happens to the other? Are you ready, out of envy and jealousy, to tear to pieces the one who I stroked. How much hypocrisy you have! - “Well, it’s you, mother, how far you’ve climbed...”

Here's outward Christianity for you.

Let me remind you that Christ was crucified by such outward righteous people: high priests (bishops), Pharisees (monastics), scribes (theologians), all those who saw themselves as righteous, they did not need Christ, He is their enemy. Because He says: “Give me your heart, son,” and not “Give me your cauldrons, and mugs, and benches that you wash after the market.”

From your words we can come to the conclusion that God loves us, and only we ourselves put ourselves in one position or another, we either punish ourselves for violating the laws of nature, or, acting in accordance with the law of God, we receive benefit.

Your comment is very valuable. One of the most important characteristics of love is activity, reaching the point of sacrifice, to the giving of one’s life, which we see in the Incarnation, the Cross and the death of Christ Himself. We know from experience from our lives: the more love, the more this activity, the more sacrifices. Since God’s creation itself was created out of love, then the entire attitude of God towards man at any moment of his existence turns out to be love. But God cannot touch human freedom. Like the most tender love, He wants to do good, but does not dare to show violence. God says: “This is useful and this is good, but you, man, choose for yourself.” God, for His part, does everything possible for salvation, but it is up to man to accept it or not. One experienced priest, abbot Nikon (Vorobiev) noted that from now on, with the coming of Christ, our salvation is in our hands.3 God has done everything, He is open, He, like the sun, shines on all of us, open your curtains at least a little, let a little pass Sveta. God cannot use violence. It is we who can strangle a person with our love, but God cannot touch our freedom.

Alexey Osipov, professor

Moscow Theological Academy

Internet magazine "Russian Week" - 10/04/2007.

Literature used

1. Avva Dorotheos. Soulful teachings. The seventh lesson is about reproaching yourself and not your neighbor. – Pskov: Holy Dormition Pskov-Pechersky Monastery, 1994, p.89-90.
2. Ignatius (Brianchaninov), saint. Otechnik. St. Petersburg 1903; Creations. T. 4, chapter 9. St. Petersburg. 1905.
3. “No matter how hard it may be here, everything on earth will come to an end. And after death there will be an eternity without end, an eternity either in indescribable bliss or in terrible torment. The choice is in our hands. The Lord wants eternal joy for everyone, but does not force anyone to yourself. If you don’t want to be with the Lord in light and bliss, you will go to the devil in eternal darkness and torment.” – Hegumen Nikon (Vorobiev). We are left with repentance. Letters on spiritual life. – M.: Sretensky Monastery, 2006.

In the old days in Rus', the favorite reading was always “The Philokalia”, “The Ladder” of St. John Climacus and other soul-helping books. Modern Orthodox Christians, unfortunately, rarely pick up these great books. What a pity! After all, they contain answers to questions that are often asked in confession today: “Father, how not to get irritated?”, “Father, how to deal with despondency and laziness?”, “How to live in peace with loved ones?”, “Why?” Do we keep returning to the same sins? Every priest has to hear these and other questions. These questions are answered by theological science, which is called asceticism. She talks about what passions and sins are, how to fight them, how to find peace of mind, how to acquire love for God and neighbors.

The word “asceticism” immediately evokes associations with ancient ascetics, Egyptian hermits, and monasteries. And in general, ascetic experiences and the struggle with passions are considered by many to be a purely monastic matter: we, they say, are weak people, we live in the world, that’s just how we are... This, of course, is a deep misconception. Every Orthodox Christian, without exception, is called to daily struggle, war against passions and sinful habits. The Apostle Paul tells us about this: “Those who are Christ’s (that is, all Christians. – Auth.) crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts” (Gal. 5:24). Just as soldiers take an oath and make a solemn promise - an oath - to defend the Fatherland and crush its enemies, so a Christian, as a warrior of Christ, in the sacrament of baptism swears allegiance to Christ and “renounces the devil and all his works,” that is, sin. This means there will be a battle with these fierce enemies of our salvation - fallen angels, passions and sins. A life-or-death battle, a difficult and daily, if not hourly, battle. Therefore, “we only dream of peace.”

I will take the liberty to say that asceticism can be called, in some way, Christian psychology. After all, the word “psychology” translated from Greek means “the science of the soul.” This is a science that studies the mechanisms of human behavior and thinking. Practical psychology helps a person cope with his bad tendencies, overcome depression, and learn to get along with himself and people. As we see, the objects of attention of asceticism and psychology are the same.

Saint Theophan the Recluse said that it was necessary to compile a textbook on Christian psychology, and he himself used psychological analogies in his instructions to questioners. The trouble is that psychology is not a single scientific discipline, such as physics, mathematics, chemistry or biology. There are many schools and areas that call themselves psychology. Psychology includes psychoanalysis by Freud and Jung, and newfangled movements like neurolinguistic programming (NLP). Some trends in psychology are completely unacceptable for Orthodox Christians. Therefore, we have to collect some knowledge bit by bit, separating the wheat from the chaff.

I will try, using some knowledge from practical, applied psychology, to rethink them in accordance with the teaching of the Holy Fathers on the fight against passions.

Before we start talking about the main passions and methods of dealing with them, let's ask ourselves the question: “Why do we fight our sins and passions?” Recently I heard one famous Orthodox theologian, a professor at the Moscow Theological Academy (I will not name him, since I respect him very much; he was my teacher, but in this case I fundamentally disagree with him) said: “Divine services, prayer, fasting is all, so to speak, scaffolding, supports for the construction of the building of salvation, but not the goal of salvation, not the meaning of Christian life. And the goal is to get rid of passions.” I cannot agree with this, since deliverance from passions is also not an end in itself, but the Venerable Seraphim of Sarov speaks about the true goal: “Acquire a peaceful spirit - and thousands around you will be saved.” That is, the goal of a Christian’s life is to acquire love for God and neighbors. The Lord Himself speaks of only two commandments, on which the entire law and prophets are based. This “thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind" And “love your neighbor as yourself”(Matt. 22:37, 39). Christ did not say that these were just two of the ten, twenty other commandments, but said that “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets”(Matthew 22:40). These are the most important commandments, the fulfillment of which is the meaning and purpose of Christian life. And getting rid of passions is also only a means, like prayer, worship and fasting. If getting rid of passions were the goal of a Christian, then we would not be far from Buddhists, who also seek dispassion - nirvana.

It is impossible for a person to fulfill the two main commandments while passions dominate over him. A person subject to passions and sins loves himself and his passion. How can a vain, proud person love God and his neighbors? And the one who is in despondency, anger, serving the love of money? The questions are rhetorical.

Serving passions and sin does not allow a Christian to fulfill the most important, key commandment of the New Testament - the commandment of love.

Passions and suffering

From the Church Slavonic language the word “passion” is translated as “suffering.” Hence, for example, the word “passion-bearer,” that is, one who endures suffering and torment. And indeed, nothing torments people more: neither illnesses nor anything else, than their own passions, deep-rooted sins.

First, passions serve to satisfy the sinful needs of people, and then people themselves begin to serve them: “Everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin” (John 8:34).

Of course, in every passion there is an element of sinful pleasure for a person, but, nevertheless, passions torment, torment and enslave the sinner.

The most striking examples of passionate addiction are alcoholism and drug addiction. The need for alcohol or drugs not only enslaves a person’s soul, but alcohol and drugs become a necessary component of his metabolism, part of the biochemical processes in his body. Addiction to alcohol or drugs is a spiritual-physical addiction. And it needs to be treated in two ways, that is, by treating both the soul and the body. But at the core is sin, passion. An alcoholic or drug addict's family falls apart, he is kicked out of work, he loses friends, but he sacrifices all this to passion. A person addicted to alcohol or drugs is ready to commit any crime to satisfy his passion. No wonder 90% of crimes are committed under the influence of alcohol and drugs. That's how strong the demon of drunkenness is!

Other passions can enslave the soul no less. But with alcoholism and drug addiction, the enslavement of the soul is further intensified by bodily dependence.

People who are far from the Church and from spiritual life often see only prohibitions in Christianity. They say they came up with some taboos and restrictions to make life more difficult for people. But in Orthodoxy there is nothing accidental or superfluous, everything is very harmonious and natural. The spiritual world, as well as the physical world, has its own laws, which, like the laws of nature, cannot be violated, otherwise it will lead to damage and even disaster. Some of these laws are expressed in commandments that protect us from harm. Commandments and moral instructions can be compared to signs warning of danger: “Caution, high voltage!”, “Don’t get involved, it will kill you!”, “Stop! Radiation contamination zone" and the like, or with inscriptions on containers with toxic liquids: "Poisonous", "Toxic" and so on. We, of course, are given freedom of choice, but if we do not pay attention to the alarming signs, then we will only have to take offense at ourselves. Sin is a violation of very subtle and strict laws of spiritual nature, and it causes harm, first of all, to the sinner himself. And in the case of passions, the harm from sin increases many times over, because sin becomes permanent and takes on the character of a chronic disease.

The word "passion" has two meanings.

Firstly, as the Monk John of the Climacus says, “passion is the name given to the very vice that has been embedded in the soul for a long time and through habit has become, as it were, a natural property of it, so that the soul already voluntarily and by itself strives towards it” (Ladder. 15: 75). That is, passion is already something more than sin, it is sinful dependence, slavery to a certain type of vice.

Secondly, the word “passion” is a name that unites a whole group of sins. For example, in the book “The Eight Main Passions with Their Divisions and Branches,” compiled by St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov), eight passions are listed, and after each there is a whole list of sins united by this passion. For example, anger: hot temper, acceptance of angry thoughts, dreams of anger and revenge, indignation of the heart with rage, darkening of his mind, incessant shouting, arguing, swear words, stress, pushing, murder, memory malice, hatred, enmity, revenge, slander, condemnation, indignation and resentment of one's neighbor .

Most holy fathers speak of eight passions:

1. gluttony,
2. fornication,
3. love of money,
4. anger,
5. sadness,
6. despondency,
7. vanity,
8. pride.

Some, speaking about passions, combine sadness and despondency. Actually, these are somewhat different passions, but we will talk about this below.

Sometimes the eight passions are called mortal sins . Passions have this name because they can (if they completely take over a person) disrupt spiritual life, deprive them of salvation and lead to eternal death. According to the holy fathers, behind every passion there is a certain demon, dependence on which makes a person captive to a certain vice. This teaching is rooted in the Gospel: “When the unclean spirit leaves a person, he walks through dry places, seeking rest, and not finding it, he says: I will return to my house from where I came, and when he comes, he finds it swept and tidied up; then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter and live there, and the last thing for that person is worse than the first” (Luke 11: 24-26).

Western theologians, for example Thomas Aquinas, usually write about the seven passions. In the West, in general, the number “seven” is given special significance.

Passions are a perversion of natural human properties and needs. In human nature there is a need for food and drink, a desire for procreation. Anger can be righteous (for example, towards enemies of faith and the Fatherland), or it can lead to murder. Thrift can degenerate into love of money. We mourn the loss of loved ones, but this should not develop into despair. Purposefulness and perseverance should not lead to pride.

One Western theologian gives a very successful example. He compares passion to a dog. It’s very good when a dog sits on a chain and guards our house, but it’s a disaster when he climbs his paws onto the table and devours our lunch.

Saint John Cassian the Roman says that the passions are divided into sincere, that is, coming from mental inclinations, for example: anger, despondency, pride, etc. They feed the soul. AND bodily: they originate in the body and nourish the body. But since a person is spiritual and physical, passions destroy both soul and body.

The same saint writes that the first six passions seem to arise from one another, and “the excess of the previous one gives rise to the next one.” For example, from excessive gluttony comes prodigal passion. From fornication - love of money, from love of money - anger, from anger - sadness, from sadness - despondency. And each of them is treated by expelling the previous one. For example, to overcome fornication, you need to bind gluttony. To overcome sadness, you need to suppress anger, etc.

Vanity and pride are especially important. But they are also interconnected. Vanity gives rise to pride, and you need to fight pride by defeating vanity. The Holy Fathers say that some passions are committed by the body, but they all originate in the soul, come out of the heart of a person, as the Gospel tells us: “From the heart of a person come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, blasphemy - this defiles a person "(Matthew 15: 18–20). The worst thing is that passions do not disappear with the death of the body. And the body, as the instrument with which a person most often commits sin, dies and disappears. And the inability to satisfy one’s passions is what will torment and burn a person after death.

And the holy fathers say that there passions will torment a person much more than on earth - without sleep and rest they will burn like fire. And not only bodily passions will torment people, not finding satisfaction, like fornication or drunkenness, but also spiritual ones: pride, vanity, anger; after all, there will also be no opportunity to satisfy them. And the main thing is that a person will also not be able to fight passions; this is possible only on earth, because earthly life is given for repentance and correction.

Truly, whatever and whom a person served in earthly life, he will be with in eternity. If he serves his passions and the devil, he will remain with them. For example, for a drug addict, hell will be an endless, never-ending “withdrawal”; for an alcoholic, it will be an eternal hangover, etc. But if a person served God and was with Him on earth, he can hope that he will be with Him there too.

Earthly life is given to us as preparation for eternity, and here on earth we decide what O What’s more important for us is that O constitutes the meaning and joy of our life - the satisfaction of passions or life with God. Paradise is a place of God’s special presence, an eternal sense of God, and God does not force anyone there.

Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin gives one example - an analogy that allows us to understand this: “On the second day of Easter 1990, Bishop Alexander of Kostroma served the first service since the persecution in the Ipatiev Monastery. Until the last moment, it was unclear whether the service would take place - such was the resistance of the museum workers... When the Bishop entered the temple, the museum workers, led by the director, stood in the vestibule with angry faces, some with tears in their eyes: “The priests are desecrating the temple of art...” During the cross As I walked, I held a cup of holy water. And suddenly the bishop says to me: “Let’s go to the museum, let’s go into their offices!” Let's go. The Bishop says loudly: “Christ is risen!” – and sprinkles the museum workers with holy water. In response - faces distorted with anger. Probably, in the same way, those who fight against God, having crossed the line of eternity, will themselves refuse to enter heaven - it will be unbearably bad for them there.”