deadly sins: gluttony, anger, envy, lust, greed, pride and laziness. Everyone knows, but not all of us consider each of the seven on the list to be a sin. Some are guided by their personal views, others based on the realities of the structure of current society. Some people don’t understand, some are disingenuous, some don’t believe, but the main thing is that no one notices how these seven of us are slowly making slaves of our vices and multiplying and expanding the “range” of our sins. More details below.

There are seven mortal sins in Christian teaching, and they are called so because, despite their seemingly harmless nature, if regularly practiced, they lead to much more serious sins and, consequently, to the death of an immortal soul that ends up in hell. Deadly sins are not based on biblical texts and are not a direct revelation of God; they appeared in the texts of theologians later.

First, the Greek monk-theologian Evagrius of Pontus compiled a list of the eight worst human passions. They were (in descending order of severity): pride, vanity, spiritual laziness, anger, despondency, greed, voluptuousness and gluttony. The order in this list was determined by the degree of a person’s orientation towards himself, towards his ego (that is, pride is the most selfish property of a person and therefore the most harmful).

At the end of the 6th century, Pope Gregory I the Great reduced the list to seven elements, introducing the concept of vanity into pride, spiritual laziness into despondency, and also adding a new one - envy. The list was slightly reordered, this time according to the criterion of opposition to love: pride, envy, anger, despondency, greed, gluttony and voluptuousness (that is, pride is more opposed to love than others and is therefore the most harmful).

Later Christian theologians (in particular, Thomas Aquinas) objected to precisely this order of mortal sins, but it was this order that became the main one and is still in effect today. The only change in Pope Gregory the Great's list was the replacement of the concept of despondency with laziness in the 17th century.

The word translated as "blessed", is a synonym for the word "happy". Why doesn’t Jesus put a person’s happiness on a par with what he has: success, wealth, power, etc.? He says that happiness is a consequence of a certain internal state, which does not depend on what happens around, even if a person is slandered and persecuted. Happiness is a consequence of a relationship with the Creator, because it was He who gave us life and knows better than anyone what its meaning is, and therefore happiness. Envy appears only when a person does not love and is therefore not happy. An emptiness appears in the soul, which some unsuccessfully try to fill with things or thoughts about them.

A. B Old Testament
- examples of envy (Gen 37:11; Numbers 16:1-3; Ps 105:16-18)
- commandment not to envy (Proverbs 3:31; Proverbs 23:17; Proverbs 24:1)

B. In the New Testament
- examples of envy (Matthew 27:18; Mark 15:10; Phil 1:15-17)
- negative consequences of envy (Mark 7:20-23; James 3:14-16)
- positive consequences of envy (Rom 11:13-14)
- envy among other sins (Rom 1:29; Gal 5:20; 1 Pet 2:1)
- love does not envy (1 Cor 13:4)

ANGER

If a person sees himself in the mirror in a fit of anger, rage, he will simply be horrified and will not recognize himself, his appearance has changed so much. But anger darkens not only and not so much the face, but the soul. An angry person becomes possessed by the demon of anger. Very often, anger gives rise to one of the most serious sins - murder. Of the reasons that cause anger, I would like to note, first of all, conceit, pride, inflated self-esteem - common reason resentment and anger. It’s easy to be calm and condescending when everyone praises you, but if you touch us with a finger, you can immediately see what we’re worth. Hot temper and short temper may, of course, be a consequence of an overly temperamental character, but still character cannot serve as an excuse for anger. An irritable, hot-tempered person must know this trait of his and fight it, learn to restrain himself. Envy can be considered one of the causes of anger - nothing irritates more than the well-being of your neighbor...

Two sages lived in the same hermitage in the Sahara Desert, and one of them said to the other: “Let’s fight with you, or we’ll soon cease to really understand what passions torment us.” "I don't know how to start a fight", answered the second hermit. “Let’s do this: I’ll put this bowl here, and you’ll say: “This is mine.” I will answer: “She belongs to me!” We'll start arguing, and then we'll fight.". That's what they did. One said that the bowl was his, but the other objected. "Let's not waste time“, the first one said then. — Take it for yourself. You didn't come up with a very good idea about the quarrel. When a person realizes that he has an immortal soul, he will not argue over things.".

Dealing with anger on your own is not easy. Pray to the Lord before you do your work and the mercy of the Lord will deliver you from anger.

A. Human anger

1. The anger of people like
— Cain (Gen 4:5-6)
— Jacob (Gen 30:2)
—Moses (Exodus 11:8)
— Saul (1 Samuel 20:30)
— David (2 Samuel 6:8)
— Naaman (2 Kings 5:11)
— Nehemiah (Nehemiah 5:6)
— Jonah (Jonah 4:1,9)

2. How to control our anger
- we must refrain from anger (Psalm 37:8; Eph 4:31)
- we must be slow to anger (James 1:19-20)
- we must control ourselves (Proverbs 16:32)
- in our anger we should not sin (Psalm 4:5; Eph 4:26-27)

3. We can be cast into hell fire because of anger (Matthew 5:21-22)

4. We must allow God to avenge sin. (Ps 93:1-2; Rom 12:19; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-8)

B. The Wrath of Jesus

- to injustice (Mark 3:5; Mark 10:14)
- to blasphemy in the Temple of God (John 2:12-17)
- at the last trial (Rev 6:16-17)

B. The Wrath of God

1. God's Wrath is Righteous (Rom 3:5-6; Rev 16:5-6)

2. Reasons for His Wrath
- idolatry (1 Samuel 14:9; 1 Samuel 14:15; 1 Samuel 14:22; 2 Par 34:25)
- sin (Deuteronomy 9:7; 2 Kings 22:13; Rom 1:18)
- lack of faith (Ps 77:21-22; John 3:36)
- bad attitude towards others (Exodus 10:1-4; Amos 2:6-7)
- refusal to repent (Isa 9:13; Isa 9:17; Rom 2:5)

3. Expressing His Wrath
- temporary sentences (Numbers 11:1; Numbers 11:33; Isaiah 10:5; Lamentations 1:12)
- on the day of the Lord (Rom 2:5-8; Soph 1:15; Soph 1:18; Rev 11:18; Ps 109:5)

4. The Lord controls His wrath
- God is slow to anger (Exodus 34:6; Ps 102:8)
- God's mercy is greater than His wrath (Ps 29:6; Isaiah 54:8; Hos 8:8-11)
- God will turn away His wrath (Psalm 78:38; Isaiah 48:9; Dan 9:16)
- believers are delivered from the wrath of God (1 Thessalonians 1:10; Rom 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:9)

IDLENESS

Idleness is avoidance of physical and spiritual work. Dejection, which is also part of this sin, is a state of pointless dissatisfaction, resentment, hopelessness and disappointment, accompanied by a general loss of strength. According to John Climacus, one of the creators of the list of seven sins, despondency is “a slanderer of God, as if He is unmerciful and unloving of mankind”. The Lord has endowed us with Reason, which is capable of stimulating our spiritual quests. Here it is worth quoting again the words of Christ from the Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” ( Matthew 5:6) .

The Bible does not speak of laziness as a sin, but rather as an unproductive character trait. Laziness refers to a person’s lethargy and inaction. The lazy man should follow the example of the hardworking ant (Proverbs 6:6-8) ; lazy is a burden to other people (Proverbs 10:26) . By making excuses, the lazy only punishes himself, because... the arguments he gives are stupid (Proverbs 22:13) and testify to his feeble-mindedness, causing ridicule of people (Proverbs 6:9-11; Proverbs 10:4; Proverbs 12:24; Proverbs 13:4; Proverbs 14:23; Proverbs 18:9; Proverbs 19:15; Proverbs 20:4; Proverbs 24:30-34) . Those who lived only for themselves and did not realize the talent given to them will be subjected to merciless judgment. (Matthew 25:26 etc.).

GREED

You won't find the word "greed" in the Bible. However, this does not mean that the Bible has ignored the problem of greed. Quite the contrary, the Word of God takes a very close and careful look at this human vice. And it does this by breaking down greed into its components:

1. Covetousness (the love of money) and covetousness (the desire to get rich). “...for know this, that no fornicator, or unclean person, or covetous person, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God” ( Eph 5:5) .
The love of money, being the root of all evil (1 Tim 6:10) , is the foundation of greed. All other components of greed and all other human vices originate in the love of money. The Lord teaches us not to be lovers of money: “Have a disposition that does not love money, being content with what you have. For He Himself said: I will never leave you nor forsake you" ( Hebrews 13:5) .

2. Extortion and bribery
Extortion is the demand and collection of interest on a loan, extortion of gifts, bribes. Bribe - reward, remuneration, payment, retribution, gain, self-interest, profit, bribe. Bribery is bribery.

If the love of money is the foundation of greed, then covetousness is right hand greed. The Bible says about this vice that it comes from the heart of a person: “Further [Jesus] said: What comes out of a man defiles a man. For from within, from the human heart, come evil thoughts, adultery, fornication, murder, theft, covetousness, malice, deceit, lasciviousness, an envious eye, blasphemy, pride, madness - all this evil comes from within and defiles a person" ( Mark 7:20-23) .

The Bible calls covetous and bribe-takers wicked: "The wicked takes a gift from his bosom to pervert the ways of justice" ( Eccl 7:7). “By oppressing others, the wise become foolish, and gifts spoil the heart” ( Proverbs 17:23) .

The Word of God warns us that the greedy will not inherit the Kingdom of God: “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor wicked people, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God" ( 1 Cor 6:9-10) .

“He who walks in righteousness and speaks the truth; who despises the gain of oppression, keeps his hands from taking bribes, stops his ears so as not to hear about bloodshed, and closes his eyes so as not to see evil; he will dwell on the heights; his refuge is inaccessible rocks; bread will be given to him; his water will not run dry" ( Isaiah 33:15-16) .

3. Greed:
Greed is the thirst for profit. The nature of a greedy person is well described in the book of the prophet Amos “Hear this, you who hunger to devour the poor and destroy the needy, you who say: When will the new moon pass, that we may sell grain, and the Sabbath, that we may open the barns, and reduce the measure, and increase the price of the shekel, and deceive with unfaithful scales, that we may buy the poor with silver? and the poor for a pair of shoes, and sell grain from grain" ( Am 8:4-6). “These are the ways of anyone who covets someone else’s goods: it takes the life of the one who takes possession of it” ( Proverbs 1:19) .

Exodus 20:17) . In other words, this commandment appeals to a person: "Don't be greedy!"

4. Stinginess:
“I will say this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly; and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each one should give according to the disposition of his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion; For God loves a cheerful giver" ( 2 Cor 9:6-7) . Is stinginess different from greed? These words are almost synonymous, but there are still some differences between them. Stinginess, first of all, is aimed at preserving what is available, while greed and greed are focused on new acquisitions.

5. Selfishness
“For the wicked boasts in the lust of his soul; the self-interested man pleases himself" ( Psalm 9:24). “He who loves greed will destroy his house, but he who hates gifts will live” ( Proverbs 15:27) .

Selfishness is a sin for which the Lord punished and is punishing people: “For the sin of his greed, I was angry and struck him, I hid my face and was indignant; but he turned away and followed the path of his heart" ( Isaiah 57:17) . The Word of God warns Christians “So that you do not deal with your brother in any way unlawfully or selfishly: for the Lord is the avenger of all this, as we told you and testified before” ( 1 Thessalonians 4:6) .

Lack of selfishness is an essential characteristic of true servants of God: “But a bishop must be blameless, the husband of one wife, sober, chaste, decent, honest, hospitable, teacher, not a drunkard, not a murderer, not quarrelsome, not greedy, but quiet, peace-loving, not money-loving...” ( 1 Tim 3:2-3); “Deacons must also be honest, not double-tongued, not addicted to wine, not greedy...” ( 1 Tim 3:8) .

6. Envy:
“An envious person rushes to wealth, and does not think that poverty will befall him” ( Proverbs 28:22). “Do not eat food from an envious person and do not be enticed by his delicious dishes; because as the thoughts are in his soul, so is he; “Eat and drink,” he tells you, but his heart is not with you. The piece you have eaten will be vomited up, and kind words you will spend yours in vain" ( Proverbs 23:6-8) .

The Tenth Commandment prohibits us from coveting the good of others: “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” Exodus 20:17) . However, it is known that such desires most often arise in people due to envy.

7. Selfishness:
We have already had a fairly deep conversation about selfishness. We will not return to it, we will only remind you that components Selfishness is the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. We called this the triune nature of egoism: “For everything that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not from the Father, but from this world” ( 1 John 2:16) .

Greed is integral part selfishness, for the lust of the eyes is everything that the insatiable eyes of a person desire. It is against the lust of the eyes that the tenth commandment warns us: “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” Exodus 20:17) . So, selfishness and greed are two boots.

8. Gluttony:
The Word of God warns that the eyes of man are insatiable: “Hell and Abaddon are insatiable; so insatiable are human eyes" ( Proverbs 27:20). “Insatiability has two daughters: “come on, come on!”" ( Proverbs 30:15) “Whoever loves silver will not be satisfied with silver, and whoever loves wealth will not profit from it. And this is vanity!” ( Eccl 5:9) “And I turned and saw still vanity under the sun; a lonely person, and there is no other; he has neither a son nor a brother; but there is no end to all his labors, and his eye is not satisfied with wealth. “For whom am I toiling and depriving my soul of good?” And this is vanity and an evil deed!” ( Eccl 4:7-8) .

The main reason for greed is spiritual emptiness: spiritual hunger and thirst with which a person is born into the world. Spiritual emptiness formed in the human soul as a result of spiritual death, which was a consequence of his fall. God created man perfect. When man lived with God, he was not greedy, but without God, greed became a character trait of man. No matter what he does, he is unable to fill this spiritual emptiness. “All a man’s labor is for his mouth, but his soul is not satisfied” ( Eccl 6:7) .

A greedy person, not understanding the reason for his dissatisfaction, tries to drown it out with material goods and wealth. He, poor fellow, does not understand that spiritual poverty cannot be filled with any material benefits, just as spiritual thirst cannot be quenched with a bucket of water. All such a person needs is to turn to the Lord, who, being the only source of living water, is able to fill the spiritual emptiness in the soul.

Today the Lord addresses each of us through the prophet Isaiah: “Thirsty! go, all of you, to the waters; even you who have no silver, go, buy and eat; Go, buy wine and milk without silver and without price. Why do you weigh out money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen to Me carefully and eat what is good, and let your soul enjoy the fatness. Incline your ear and come to Me: listen, and your soul will live, and I will give you an everlasting covenant, the unfailing mercies promised to David." Isaiah 55:1-3) .

Only the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is able to satisfy the spiritual hunger and spiritual thirst of everyone who comes to Him: “Jesus said to them: I am the bread of life; He who comes to Me will never hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst" ( John 6:35) .

Of course, it is impossible to get rid of greed in one day, especially if you have been in slavery to this vice for a long time. But it's definitely worth a try. (Deuteronomy 24:19-22; Matthew 26:41; 1 Tim 6:11; 2 Cor 9:6-7; Col 3:2; Rom 12:2; 1 Tim 6:6-11; 3John 1:11; Hebrews 13:5-6)

The next time you have a desire to profit from someone or have a reluctance to share with someone, remember the words of Christ: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” ( Acts 20:35)

A. The commandment about greed

- in the Old Testament (Exodus 20:17; Deut 5:21; Deut 7:25)
- in the New Testament (Rom 7:7-11; Eph 5:3; Col 3:5)

B. Greed leads to other sins (1 Tim 6:10; 1 John 2:15-16)

- to deceive (Jacob) (Gen 27:18-26)
- adultery (David) (2 Kings 11:1-5)
- disobedience to God (Achan) (Joshua 7:20-21)
- hypocritical worship (Saul) (1 Samuel 15:9-23)
- murder (Ahab) (1 Samuel 21:1-14)
- theft (Gehazi) (2 Kings 5:20-24)
- troubles in the family (Proverbs 15:27)
- lies (Ananias and Sapphira) (Acts 5:1-10)

B. Being satisfied with what you have is a remedy against greed.

- commanded (Luke 3:14; 1 Tim 6:8; Hebrews 13:5)
- Pavel's experience (Phil 4:11-12)

GLUTTONY

Gluttony is a sin against the second commandment (Exodus 20:4) and there is one type of idolatry. Since gluttons value sensual pleasure above all else, then, according to the words of the apostle, they have a god in their belly, or, in other words, their belly is their idol: “Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in shame, they think about earthly things” ( Phil 3:19) .

Sweets can become an idol, an object of desire and constant dreams of a person. This is undoubtedly gluttony, but already in thoughts. This is also something to beware of. “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation: the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” ( Matthew 26:41) .

Gluttony literally means immoderation and greed in food, leading a person to a bestial state. The point here is not only about food, but also about the uncontrollable desire to consume more than is required. However, the fight against the vice of gluttony involves not so much the volitional suppression of the urge to eat, but rather reflection on its true place in life. Food is certainly important for existence, but it should not become the meaning of life, thereby replacing concerns about the soul with concerns about the body. Let us remember the words of Christ: “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will wear. Is not the life more than food, and the body than clothing" ( Matthew 6:25) . This is very important to understand because... in modern culture, gluttony is defined more as a medical illness than as a moral concept.

voluptuousness

This sin is characterized not only by extramarital sexual relations, but also by the very passionate desire for carnal pleasures. Let us turn to the words of Jesus Christ: “You have heard that it was said to the ancients: You shall not commit adultery. But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Matthew 5:27-28) . A person whom God has endowed with Will and Reason must be different from animals who blindly follow their instincts. Also included in lust is various types sexual perversions (bestiality, necrophilia, homosexuality, etc.), which are inherently contrary to human nature. (Exodus 22:19; 1 Tim 1:10; Lev 18:23-24; Lev 20:15-16; Deut 27:21; Gen 19:1-13; Lev 18:22; Rom 1:24-27; 1 Cor 6:11; 2 Cor 5:17)

The list of sins is contrasted with a list of virtues. To pride - humility; greed - generosity; envy - love; to anger - kindness; voluptuousness - self-control; to gluttony - moderation and abstinence, and to laziness - diligence. Thomas Aquinas especially highlighted Faith, Hope and Love among the virtues.

Contrary to popular belief, the expression “seven deadly sins” does not at all indicate some seven actions that would be the most serious sins. In reality, the list of such actions can be much longer. And the number “seven” here indicates only the conditional unification of these sins into seven main groups.

For the first time such a classification was proposed by St. Gregory the Great in 590. Although, along with it, there has always been another classification in the Church, numbering not seven, but eight main sinful passions. Passion is a skill of the soul that was formed in it from repeated repetition of the same sins and became, as it were, its natural quality - so that a person cannot get rid of passion even when he understands that it no longer brings him pleasure, but torment. Actually, the word “passion” in the Church Slavonic language just means suffering.

St. Theophan the Recluse writes about the difference between mortal sin and less grave sin: “ Mortal sin there is one who robs a person of his moral and Christian life. If we know what moral life is, then defining mortal sin is not difficult. Christian life is zeal and strength to remain in communion with God by fulfilling His holy law. Therefore, every sin that extinguishes jealousy, takes away strength and weakens, distances one from God and deprives Him of grace, so that after it a person cannot look at God, but feels himself separated from Him; every such sin is a mortal sin. ...Such a sin deprives a person of the grace received in baptism, takes away the Kingdom of Heaven and delivers it to judgment. And all this is confirmed in the hour of sin, although it is not accomplished visibly. Sins of this kind change the entire direction of a person’s activity and his very state and heart, forming, as it were, a new source in moral life; why do others determine that mortal sin is the one that changes the center of human activity.”

These sins are called mortal because the falling away of the human soul from God is the death of the soul. Without a grace-filled connection with its Creator, the soul dies and becomes incapable of experiencing spiritual joy either in a person’s earthly life or in its posthumous existence.

And it is not so important whether these sins are divided into seven or eight categories. It is much more important to remember that terrible danger, which is fraught with any such sin, and try in every possible way to avoid these deadly traps. And also - to know that even for those who have sinned such a sin there remains the possibility of salvation. Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov) says: “Let him who has fallen into mortal sin not fall into despair! Let him resort to the medicine of repentance, to which he is called before last minute of his life by the Savior, who proclaimed in the Holy Gospel: He who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live(John 11:25). But it is disastrous to remain in mortal sin, it is disastrous when mortal sin turns into a habit!”

And the Monk Isaac the Syrian said even more definitely: “There is no unforgivable sin except unrepentant sin.”

Seven deadly sins

1. Pride

“The beginning of pride is usually contempt. The one who despises and considers others to be nothing - some are poor, others are people of low birth, others are ignorant, as a result of such contempt he comes to the point that he considers himself alone to be wise, prudent, rich, noble and strong.

How is a proud person recognized and how is he healed? Recognized because it seeks preference. And he will be healed if he believes in the judgment of Him who said: God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble(James 4:6). However, you need to know that, although he will fear the judgment pronounced for pride, he cannot be healed of this passion unless he abandons all thoughts of his own preference” ( St. Basil the Great)

Pride is a self-satisfied intoxication with one’s own merits, real or imaginary. Having taken possession of a person, she cuts him off first from people he doesn’t know well, then from his family and friends. And finally - from God himself. The proud man does not need anyone, he is not even interested in the admiration of those around him, and only in himself does he see the source of his own happiness. But like any sin, pride does not bring true joy. Internal opposition to everything and everyone dries up the soul of a proud person; complacency, like a scab, covers it with a rough shell, under which it dies and becomes incapable of love, friendship and even simple sincere communication.

2.  Envy

“Envy is sadness due to the well-being of one’s neighbor, which<...>seeks not good for himself, but evil for his neighbor. The envious would like to see the glorious dishonest, the rich poor, the happy unhappy. This is the purpose of envy - to see how the envied person falls from happiness into disaster" ( Saint Elias Minyatiy)

This location of the human heart becomes a launching pad for the most terrible crimes. And also countless large and small dirty tricks that people do just to make another person feel bad or at least stop feeling good.

But even if this beast does not break out in the form of a crime or a specific act, will it really be easier for the envious person? After all, in the end, such a terrible worldview will simply drive him into a premature grave, but even death will not stop his suffering. Because after death, envy will torment his soul with even greater force, but without the slightest hope of quenching it.

“Gluttony is divided into three types: one type encourages eating before a certain hour; another loves only to be satiated with any kind of food; the third wants tasty food. Against this, a Christian must have threefold caution: wait for a certain time for eating; don't get fed up; be content with all the humblest food" ( Venerable John Cassian the Roman)

Gluttony is slavery to one's own stomach. It can manifest itself not only in insane gluttony for festive table, but also in culinary discernment, in the subtle discrimination of shades of taste, in the preference for gourmet dishes to simple food. From a cultural point of view, there is a gulf between the crude glutton and the refined gourmet. But both of them are slaves of their own eating behavior. For both, food has ceased to be a means of maintaining the life of the body, turning into the desired goal of the life of the soul.

4. Fornication

“... consciousness is more and more filled with pictures of voluptuousness, dirty, burning and seductive. The power and poisonous poison of these images, enchanting and shameful, are such that they crowd out from the soul all the sublime thoughts and desires that captivated ( young man) earlier. It often happens that a person is unable to think about anything else: he is completely possessed by the demon of passion. He cannot look at every woman as anything other than a female. Thoughts, one dirtier than the other, crawl in his foggy brain, and in his heart there is only one desire - to satisfy his lust. This is already the state of an animal, or rather, worse than an animal, because animals do not reach the level of depravity that a person reaches" ( Hieromartyr Vasily of Kineshemsky)

The sin of fornication includes all manifestations of human sexual activity contrary to natural way their implementation in marriage. Messy sex life, adultery, all kinds of perversions - all these are different types of manifestations of prodigal passion in a person. But although this is a bodily passion, its origins lie in the realm of the mind and imagination. Therefore, the Church also classifies as fornication obscene dreams, viewing pornographic and erotic materials, telling and listening to obscene anecdotes and jokes - everything that can arouse in a person fantasies on a sexual theme, from which the bodily sins of fornication then grow.

5. Anger

“Look at anger, what signs of its torment it leaves. Look what a man does in anger: how he becomes indignant and makes noise, curses and scolds himself, torments and beats, hits his head and face, and shakes all over, as if in a fever, in a word, he looks like a demoniac. If appearance he is so unpleasant, what is going on in his poor soul? ...You see what a terrible poison is hidden in the soul, and how bitterly it torments a person! His cruel and pernicious manifestations speak of him" ( Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk)

An angry person is scary. Meanwhile, anger is a natural property of the human soul, put into it by God to reject everything sinful and inappropriate. This useful anger was perverted in man by sin and turned into anger at his neighbors, sometimes for the most insignificant reasons. Offenses to other people, swearing, insults, shouting, fights, murders - all these are acts of unrighteous anger.

6. Greed (selfishness)

“Care is an insatiable desire to have, or the search and acquisition of things under the guise of benefit, then only to say about them: mine. There are many objects of this passion: the house with all its parts, fields, servants, and most importantly - money, because you can get everything with it" ( Saint Theophan the Recluse)

It is sometimes believed that only rich people who already have wealth and strive to increase it can suffer from this spiritual illness. However, a person of average income, a poor person, and a completely beggar are all subject to this passion, since it does not consist in the possession of things, material goods and wealth, but in the painful, irresistible desire possess them.

7.  Despondency (laziness)

“Despondency is a continuous and simultaneous movement of the furious and lustful part of the soul. The first is furious over what is at its disposal, the second, on the contrary, yearns for what it lacks" ( Evagrius of Pontus)

Dejection is considered to be a general relaxation of mental and physical strength, combined with extreme pessimism. But it is important to understand that despondency occurs in a person as a result of a deep mismatch between the abilities of his soul, zeal (an emotionally charged desire for action) and will.

In the normal state, will determines for a person the goal of his aspirations, and zeal is the “engine” that allows him to move towards it, overcoming difficulties. When despondent, a person directs zeal at his current state, which is far from his goal, and the will, left without an “engine,” turns into a constant source of melancholy about unfulfilled plans. These two forces of a despondent person, instead of moving towards the goal, seem to “pull” his soul into different sides, bringing her to complete exhaustion.

Such a discrepancy is the result of man’s falling away from God, the tragic consequence of an attempt to direct all the forces of his soul towards earthly things and joys, while they were given to us to strive for heavenly joys.

Fragments of the altar mosaic were used in the design.
Crypts of the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourviere, Lyon, France, 1872–1884.

Mortal sins are actions by which a person moves away from God, harmful habits that a person does not want to admit and correct. The Lord, in His great mercy towards the human race, forgives mortal sins if he sees sincere repentance and a firm intention to change bad habits. You can find spiritual salvation through confession and...

What is sin?

The word “sin” has Greek roots and when translated it sounds like a mistake, a wrong step, an oversight. Committing a sin is a deviation from the true human destiny, entails a painful state of the soul, leading to its destruction and fatal disease. In the modern world, human sins are portrayed as a forbidden but attractive way of expressing personality, which distorts the real essence the term sin" - an act after the commission of which the soul becomes crippled and requires healing - confession.

10 deadly sins in Orthodoxy

The list of deviations - sinful acts - is long. The expression about the 7 deadly sins, on the basis of which serious destructive passions arise, was formulated in 590 by St. Gregory the Great. Passion is the habitual repetition of the same mistakes, forming destructive skills that, after temporary pleasure, cause torment.

In Orthodoxy - actions, after committing which a person does not repent, but voluntarily departs from God and loses contact with him. Without such support, the soul becomes callous and loses the ability to experience spiritual joy. earthly path and posthumously cannot exist next to the creator, has no opportunity to go to heaven. You can repent and confess, get rid of mortal sins - you can change your priorities and passions while in earthly life.

Original sin - what is it?

Original sin is the tendency to commit sinful acts that has entered the human race, which arose after Adam and Eve, living in paradise, succumbed to temptation and committed a sinful fall. The tendency of the human will to do bad things was transmitted from the first inhabitants of the Earth to all people. When a person is born, he accepts an invisible inheritance - a sinful state of nature.

Sin of Sodom - what is it?

The formulation of the concept of the sin of Sodom is associated with the name ancient city Sodom. The Sodomites, in search of carnal pleasures, entered into physical relationships with individuals of the same sex, and did not neglect acts of violence and coercion in fornication. Homosexual relationships or sodomy, bestiality - grave sins arising from fornication, they are shameful and disgusting. The inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorah, as well as the surrounding cities, who lived in debauchery, were punished by the Lord - fire and rain of brimstone were sent from heaven to destroy the wicked.

According to God's plan, man and woman were endowed with distinctive mental and physical characteristics in order to complement each other. They became one and extended the human race. Family relationships In marriage, the birth and raising of children is the direct responsibility of every person. Fornication is a carnal sin that involves physical relations between a man and a woman, without coercion, not supported by a family union. Adultery is the satisfaction of physical lust with damage to the family union.

Misappropriation - what kind of sin is this?

Orthodox sins give rise to the habit of acquiring various things, sometimes completely unnecessary and unimportant - this is called money-grubbing. The desire to acquire new objects, to accumulate many things in the earthly world enslaves a person. An addiction to collecting, a tendency to acquire expensive luxury items - storage of soulless valuables that will not be useful in the afterlife, but in earthly life they take away a lot of money, nerves, time, and become the object of love that a person could show towards another person.

Covetousness - what kind of sin is this?

Extortion is a way of making money or obtaining cash due to the infringement of a neighbor, his difficult circumstances, the acquisition of property through fraudulent actions and transactions, theft. Human sins - addictions, which, having realized and repented, can be left in the past, but renunciation of covetousness requires the return of acquired property or waste of property, which is a difficult step on the path to correction.

Love of money - what kind of sin is this?

Sins in the Bible are described as passions - habits of human nature to occupy life and thoughts with hobbies that interfere with thinking about God. The love of money is the love of money, the desire to possess and preserve earthly riches; it is closely related to greed, stinginess, covetousness, money-grubbing, and covetousness. A money lover collects material assets - wealth. He builds human relationships, career, love and friendship according to the principle of whether it is profitable or not. It is difficult for a money lover to understand that true values ​​are not measured by money, true feelings are not for sale and cannot be bought.

Malachi - what kind of sin is this?

Malakia is a Church Slavonic word meaning the sin of masturbation or masturbation. Masturbation is a sin, the same for women and men. By committing such an act, a person becomes a slave to prodigal passion, which can develop into other serious vices - types of unnatural fornication, and turn into the habit of indulging in unclean thoughts. It is appropriate for those who are single and widowed to maintain bodily purity and not to defile themselves with harmful passions. If there is no desire to abstain, you must get married.

Dejection is a mortal sin

Dejection is a sin from which the soul and body weaken, and decline develops from it. physical strength, laziness and a feeling of mental despair and hopelessness comes. The desire to work disappears and a wave of hopelessness and careless attitude overtakes - an unclear emptiness arises. Depression is a state of sadness when human soul unreasonable melancholy arises, there is no desire to do good deeds - to work to save the soul and help others.

The sin of pride - how is it expressed?

Pride is a sin that causes a desire to rise, to be recognized in society - an arrogant attitude and contempt for others, based on the importance of one’s own personality. The feeling of pride is a loss of simplicity, a cooling of the heart, a lack of compassion for others, and the manifestation of strict, unmerciful reasoning about the actions of another person. The proud do not recognize God's help in life path, does not have feelings of gratitude towards those who do good.

Idleness - what kind of sin is it?

Idleness is a sin, an addiction that causes a person’s reluctance to work, to put it simply - idleness. This state of soul gives rise to other passions - drunkenness, fornication, condemnation, deception, etc. A person who does not work - an idle person lives at the expense of another, sometimes blaming him for insufficient maintenance, is irritable from unhealthy sleep - without working hard during the day, he does not get proper rest. given by fatigue. Envy seizes the idle man when he looks at the fruits of the toiler. He is overcome by despair and despondency - which is considered a grave sin.

Gluttony - what kind of sin is it?

Addiction to food and drink is a sinful desire called gluttony. It is an attraction that gives the body power over the spiritual mind. Gluttony manifests itself in several forms - overeating, enjoying tastes, gourmetism, drunkenness, secret consumption of food. There should be no satiation of the belly important goal, but only by reinforcing bodily needs - a need that does not limit spiritual freedom.

Mortal sins cause spiritual wounds that lead to suffering. The initial illusion of temporary pleasure develops into a harmful habit, which requires more and more sacrifices, takes away part of the earthly time allocated to a person for prayers and good deeds. He becomes a slave to a passionate will, which is unnatural for the natural state and ultimately causes harm to himself. The opportunity to realize and change your bad habits is given to everyone; passions can be overcome by virtues that are opposite to them in action.

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Deadly sins in Orthodoxy

Love life - while you're alive

There is one moment between her and death...

And there won't be a nettle there,

No roses, no music, no books...

Which sins are considered terrible and which are less mortal? On the eve of the bright Forgiveness Sunday, when Orthodox Christians ask each other, their loved ones and relatives for forgiveness for the insults caused, the pain caused, cleansing their souls before Great Lent, I would like to figure out what is generally considered an act displeasing to God, a sin?

All of us, regardless of whether we are a believer, just on the path to faith, or a believer in other forces, in difficult moments of our lives we turn our gaze somewhere into the distance and upward in the hope that there we will be heard, understood and helped. And when we commit some unreliable deeds, we hope that no one will notice this, that this is not such a terrible sin.

IN Holy Scripture outlines the main ten commandments given by God to the prophet Moses on Mount Sinai, so that all subsequent generations of people would honor them in their lives.

Ten Basic Commandments

These are the Ten Commandments of God's Law

• 1st commandment. I am the Lord your God; Let you have no other gods besides Me.

• 2nd commandment. You shall not make for yourself an idol (statue) or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth below, or that is in the waters under the earth; do not worship or serve them.

• 3rd commandment. Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

• 4th commandment. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Work six days and do all your work in them, and the seventh day (the day of rest) is the Sabbath (shall be dedicated) to the Lord your God.

• 5th commandment. Honor your father and your mother, (so that it may go well with you and) that your days on earth may be long.

• 6th commandment. Don't kill.

• 7th commandment. Don't commit adultery.

• 8th commandment. Don't steal.

• 9th commandment. Do not bear false witness against your neighbor.

• 10th commandment. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, you shall not covet your neighbor's house, nor his field, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's.

But which sin is minor and which is major? Which sin will be forgiven by God and which will not?

The biggest sin is suicide

The Orthodox religion is very strict for its believers, calling on them to live in obedience, observing not only the ten basic God's commandments, but also not to allow excesses in worldly life.

Anger, irritation, gluttony (immeasurable love for food), coquetry, wastefulness, complacency and arrogance, as well as courage and cowardice - everything is sin. Even curiosity, daydreaming, loud laughter, as well as crying are in some strange way counted as sins. In a word, everything that exceeds the usual state of a Christian is sin.

It means to be sinless is to already be sinful :) I am glad that God will forgive everyone who comes to him with repentance!

What is the worst sin? There is no clear hierarchy of sins in Orthodoxy. According to religious canons the worst sin counts suicide. Why exactly this?

By killing himself, a person firstly violates the biblical commandment: Thou shalt not kill! Secondly, by giving life to man, the Creator, as if in response, demands from man the fulfillment of the “right” to life. And it is this contract that a person cannot terminate. Whoever decides to commit suicide is unilaterally violating God’s will, that is, exceeding his authority.

God gives us life through his blood. After birth we acquire new nature The Spirit of Christ in which we are to live. Therefore, neglecting these gifts of God, abandoning his life, a person spits in the face of the Almighty.

There is nothing higher than human life in this world. The worst sin is to voluntarily die.

But why can the sin of a person who has committed murder of another be forgiven by God, but suicide cannot? It turns out that the life of one person is more valuable to God than the life of another? A murderer who interrupted the life of another, often innocent person, may be forgiven, while a suicide may deprive himself of own life- No? Why is this so?

The whole point is that a person who has committed any sin, no matter what it is, has the opportunity to repent, there is still the opportunity to change everything. And only suicide doesn't allow me to fix anything. You cannot repent of this sin, you cannot beg for God’s forgiveness and earn the salvation of your soul. After death, a person no longer has the opportunity to do good, bright, trustworthy deeds in this world. It turns out that the whole life of such a person who committed suicide was meaningless.

All sins are forgiven by God through repentance, communion, in the hope of purification and salvation of the soul.

That is why in the old days suicides were not only not buried in church, but were even buried outside the cemetery fence. No rituals or commemorations were carried out and to this day are not carried out in the church for the deceased. This alone and how difficult it will be for loved ones should stop the suicide. But, unfortunately, this is not the case and the number of victims - suicides - is not decreasing.

Russia occupies fourth place in the world In this sad statistics, after India, China and the USA, the number of voluntary deaths per year is more than 25,000 people. Around the world, about 4 million people die this way. Scary!!!
The main causes of suicide: financial insolvency and lack of mutual understanding. Alcohol, drugs, unhappy love, serious illnesses contribute to suicide.

All other sins our God can forgive us, provided that we not only repent of them ourselves, but also constantly ask for forgiveness from the Lord if, instead of one bad deed, we do dozens of good ones.

And we must always remember that there are no small sins or big ones, even the smallest sin, if it is not noticed by us, is not repented of, is not prayed for, can kill our soul, it is like a tiny cut on the body that can cause gangrene and lead to death.

How not to commit suicide and emerge victorious with yourself?

This point is for people who are at the point of choice: to be or not to be, to live or not to live...

If you are reading this article, perhaps there are reasons that brought you here.

It’s bad if thoughts of your own suicide have entered your head. And it’s good that you thought about it before deciding to take this step.

I’m not a psychologist and I’m unlikely to find words of consolation; I’ll discover something that will prevent the far-fetched thing from coming true. I’ll just say this little thing: Know that similar thoughts come to many people’s minds. We are weak and our life often seems unbearably difficult, often meaningless and worthless.

But think about it, was it given to you by God and your parents for some reason? Or maybe all the best is hidden somewhere around that corner, in tomorrow... Who knows? Check it out tomorrow! Win a victory over yourself today? Don’t be cowardly towards yourself, don’t hurt your loved ones. Do not break the thread that connects entire generations of people, because it is no coincidence that suicide is the most terrible sin. So, it is your life that is very important to SOMEONE? We don’t know who, no one knows THIS, but one thing is for sure: there is nothing meaningless in this world! Remember: the Lord does not give a person a cross heavier than he can bear.

Go to church, open your soul. If you don’t accept faith, go into nature, throw your head back to the sky, look into the eyes of a child and hold his palm in your palms, inhale the smell of the earth, splash yourself with water...

Call your friend, well, there is at least one person who cares about you, open up to him, divide your unbearable burden into two... And remember about your mother, about the heartbreaking grief she will have to endure... Don't do this!!! Tomorrow you will feel better, you'll see...

What to do for those whose loved ones have committed suicide

Yes, the church is unforgiving: in the old days, suicides were buried outside the cemetery behind its fence. They are not buried, they are not mentioned in prayers. Why is it so tough? The Church accuses suicides who committed the most terrible sin in connection with demons. I have already indicated the reasons above. This is exactly how Christianity interprets suicide. The verdict for such people is clear and cannot be revised.

From a letter from Archimandrite John (Krestyankin) to the mother of a man who committed suicide:

“But you really can’t pray for your son in church - this is the definition of the Holy Councils of the Holy Fathers, this is the canon. It is absolutely necessary to pray at home, with all your grieving and wounded soul facing God. But the answer is God’s work; we cannot predict it and cannot decide for God. Having maintained obedience to the Church, leave in your soul the hope of God’s mercy in your maternal prayer. Read the Canon for someone who has arbitrarily interrupted his life (written by Metropolitan Benjamin - MS note), if possible and with desire. For the first time, try to read 40 days daily. And let the prayer that is in the canon console you every day, and it will help your son. It is good to give alms to those in need for your son. hope and faith are lamps in our life. And the Lord is mercy and love. That’s what we hope for.”

Yes, we don’t fully know how this world works. But we know that the world is multifaceted. We don't know. We generally know little about this world. If your loved one committed suicide, what should you do? After all, for you this person was and remains the closest, dearest. These are normal people, they were not villains, monsters, merciless enemies. Their only fault is that they were weak and did not respect the commandments of God. Or maybe they were generally far from the church FAITH? Maybe they had their own FAITH? How can I lower my head?

You will forgive them, remember them in your hearts, cherish the memory of them and regardless of the fact that the Church does not always approve of these actions, pray at home, thereby fulfilling the duty of love and the responsibilities of a parent or child and slightly softening the lot of the one who died so sinfully another world.

Prayer for people who voluntarily passed away

Master, Lord, Merciful and Lover of Mankind, we cry to You: we have sinned and committed lawlessness before You, we have transgressed Your saving commandments and the love of the Gospel has not been revealed to our despairing brother (our despairing sister). But do not reprove us with Your wrath, punish us with Your wrath, O Master who loves mankind, weaken, heal our heartfelt sorrow, may the multitude of Your bounties overcome the abyss of our sins, and may Your countless goodness cover the abyss of our bitter tears.

To her, Sweetest Jesus, we still pray, grant to Your servant, your relative who died without permission, consolation in their sorrow and firm hope in Your mercy.

For You are a Merciful and Lover of Mankind, and we send glory to You with Your Beginning Father and Your Most Holy and Good and Life-Giving Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Be sure to read the following prayer so as not to incur sin on yourself by doing an unworthy deed. It was given by the Venerable Leo of Optina.

Deadly sins in Orthodoxy: a list in order and the commandments of God. Many believers, reading the holy scriptures, often pay attention to such an expression as “the seven deadly sins.” These words do not refer to any specific seven actions, because the list of such actions can be much larger. This number indicates only the conditional grouping of actions into seven main groups.

Gregory the Great was the first to propose such a division back in 590. The church also has its own division, in which there are eight main passions. Translated from Church Slavonic language the word “passion” means suffering. Other believers and preachers believe that there are 10 sins in Orthodoxy.

Deadly sins in Orthodoxy

The most serious possible sin is called a mortal sin. It can only be redeemed by repentance. Committing such a sin does not allow a person's soul to enter heaven. Basically in Orthodoxy there are seven deadly sins.

And they are called mortal because their constant repetition leads to the death of a person’s immortal soul, and therefore its ending in hell. Such actions are based on biblical texts. Their appearance in the texts of theologians dates back to a later time.

Deadly sins in Orthodoxy. List.

1. Anger, anger, revenge. This group includes actions that, as opposed to love, bring destruction.
2. Lust b, debauchery, fornication. This category includes actions that lead to an excessive desire for pleasure.
3. Laziness, idleness, despondency. This includes a reluctance to do both spiritual and physical work.
4. Pride, vanity, arrogance. Arrogance, boasting, and excessive self-confidence are considered disbelief in the divine.
5. Envy, jealousy. This group includes dissatisfaction with what they have, confidence in the injustice of the world, desire for someone else's status, property, qualities.
6. Gluttony, gluttony. The need to consume more than necessary is also considered a passion.
7. Love of money, greed, greed, stinginess. Most of all, attention is paid to when the desire to increase one’s material wealth comes at the expense of spiritual well-being.

List of sins for confession in Orthodoxy

Confession is one of the rites that help get rid of sins and cleanse the soul. The clergy believe that if repentance is supported by alms, fervent prayer and fasting, then after it a person can return to the state in which Adam was before the Fall.

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You can go to confession in any setting, but often it is a church during a service or another time that the priest appoints. A person who wants to repent must be baptized, walk in Orthodox Church, recognize the foundations of Orthodoxy and desire to repent of their sins.

To prepare for confession, repentance and faith are necessary. It is recommended to fast and read prayers of repentance. A repentant person needs to confess his sins, thereby showing recognition of his sinfulness, while highlighting those passions that are especially characteristic of him.

It would not be superfluous to name specific sins that burden his soul. Here is a short list of sins for confession:

• Offense against God.
• Caring only about worldly life.
• Violation of God's Law.
• Condemnation of clergy.
• Unbelief, lack of faith, doubts about the existence of God, about the truth of the Orthodox faith.
• Insult to God Holy Mother of God, saints, holy Church. Mentioning the Name of God in vain, without reverence.
• Violation of fasts, church regulations and prayer rules.
• Failure to keep promises that were made to God.
• Lack of Christian love.
• Non-attendance or rare attendance at the temple.
• Envy, malice, hatred.
• Homicide, abortion. Suicide.
• Lies, deceit.
• Lack of mercy, failure to provide assistance to those in need.
• Pride. Condemnation. Resentment, no desire to reconcile, forgive. Grudge.
• Stinginess, greed, money-grubbing, bribery.
• Temptation for any sin.
• Extravagance.
• Superstition.
• Use of alcohol, tobacco, drugs...
• Entering into direct communication with evil spirits.
• Fornication.
• Gambling.
• Divorce.
• Self-justification.
• Laziness, sadness, gluttony, despondency.

This is not full list sins. It can also be expanded. At the end of the confession, we can say this: I sinned in deed, in word, in thoughts, with all the feelings of soul and body. It is impossible to list all my sins, there are so many of them. But I repent of all my sins, both expressed and forgotten.

The most terrible sin in Orthodoxy

People often argue about which sin is the most terrible and which sins God agrees to forgive. It is generally accepted that suicide is considered the most serious sin. He is considered incorrigible, because having passed away, a person can no longer beg God’s forgiveness for his soul.

There is no clear ranking of sins in Orthodoxy. After all, if a small sin is not prayed away and repented of, it can lead to the death of a person’s soul and burden him.

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You can often hear about original sin in Orthodoxy. This is the name given to the act of Adam and Eve that they performed. Since it was committed in the first generation of people, it was recognized as the first sin of all mankind. This sin damaged human nature and is passed on to descendants by inheritance. In order to reduce its influence on a person or lose it altogether, it is recommended to baptize children and accustom them to the church.

Sin of Sodom in Orthodoxy

This is the customary name for a sinful thought, act or desire that is based on a person’s sexual attraction to a representative (representatives) of his own sex. Often the clergy classified this sin as one of the types of fornication, although some drew a fairly clear line between such concepts.

In turn, the sin of fornication in Orthodoxy is classified as a mortal sin. After all, it is believed that when connecting with a person, not only physical, but also spiritual intimacy occurs. And all this remains on our soul. She becomes unclean. In the middle, everything seems to be burned out.

That is why it is necessary to think about your carnal desires every time, and think about what this can lead to.

We cannot atone for sins in Orthodoxy on our own. But we have hope that the Lord has given us. To ease your burdens, you need to pray fervently. It is necessary to go to church and confess to God and the priest.

“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God. Drive away from me all the misfortunes that tempt carnal passions. In redemption I fall down, I forget about my sins in the vanity. Forgive me for the sins that happened, and they have not yet been forgotten. Those sins that are still smoldering in the soul too often cause illness. Thy will be done. Amen".

The Lord is always with you!

Mortal sin- this is the most serious of all possible sins, which can only be atone for by repentance. For committing a mortal sin, a person’s soul may lose the opportunity to go to heaven. Interested in this topic, many people ask the question of how many mortal sins there are in Orthodoxy. There are seven mortal sins in Christian teaching, and they are called so because, despite their seemingly harmless nature, if regularly practiced, they lead to much more serious sins and, consequently, to the death of an immortal soul that ends up in hell. Deadly sins are not based on biblical texts and are not a direct revelation of God; they appeared in the texts of theologians later.

If we begin to live like those who die every day, then we will not sin (St. Anthony the Great, 88, 17).

Seven deadly sins list
LOVE OF AVERAGE
PRIDE
FORNICATION
ENVY
Gluttony (Gluttony)
ANGER
DEPRESSION

The history of the appearance of the list of seven sinful acts or 7 deadly sins

Acts considered mortal in Orthodox faith distinguishes the degree of severity and the possibility of their redemption. Speaking about sinful acts, especially more attention should be paid to the seven acts that are considered mortal. Many have heard about this, but not everyone knows which of the sinful acts will be on this list, and what will distinguish them. Sin is called mortal not from the head, because Christians believe that when committing these sins, human souls can perish.

It is worth noting that seven deadly sins, although the opinion of society is not sure of this, is not described by the Bible, because their direction of the concept appeared later than the composition of the Holy Letter began. It is believed that the monastic works of Evgarius of Pontius could serve as a basis. He compiled a list that initially included eight human sins. It was later reduced to seven positions.

Deadly sins in Orthodoxy: list in order and commandments of God

Why were the sins like this?

It is clear that these sinful acts or the seven deadly sins in Orthodoxy are not as terrible as theologians believed. They are not beyond redemption, they can be confessed, it’s just that committing them can contribute to people becoming worse, moving further and further away from God. If you put in more effort, you can live in such a way that you do not break any of the ten commandments, but it is difficult to live in such a way that you do not commit any of the seven sinful acts. Essentially, sinful acts and mortal sins in Orthodoxy in the amount of shadow mother nature placed in people.

Under certain circumstances, people are able to survive by contradicting the teaching about sinful acts, but, not paying attention to this, they believe that this cannot achieve good fruits. When you haven't heard anything about what is meant by the seven deadly sins, the list with short explanations presented below can clear up the matter.

Seven deadly sins in Orthodoxy

It is common for a person to want a lot of money, making every effort to obtain material assets. However, he does not think whether they are needed in general. These unfortunate people are blindly collecting jewelry, money, and property. They try to get something more than they have, without knowing the limit, without even having the desire to know it. This sin is called love of money.

Self-esteem, self-respect. Many people can do something by trying to be higher than others. More often, the actions that are performed are certainly necessary for this purpose. They delight society, and in those who are subject to feelings of pride, a fire is born that burns all the feelings considered to be the best within the soul. After a certain period of time, a person tirelessly thinks only about his beloved self.

3. Fornication.(That is, sexual activity before marriage), adultery (that is, adultery). Dissolute life. Failure to store feelings, especially
touch, where is the insolence that destroys all virtues. Foul language and reading voluptuous books. Voluptuous thoughts, indecent conversations, even a single glance directed with lust at a woman are considered fornication.

The Savior says this about it: “You have heard that it was said to the ancients, “You shall not commit adultery,” but I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”(Matt. 5, 27. 28).
If he who looks at a woman with lust sins, then the woman is not innocent of the same sin if she dresses up and adorns herself with the desire to be looked at, seduced by her, “For woe to that man through whom temptation comes.”

4. Envy. Feelings of envy may not always be white. Often it can become a cause that contributes to the emergence of discord and crime. Not everyone can easily accept the fact that someone was able to achieve better conditions for accommodation. History gives many examples when feelings of envy led to murder.

5. Gluttony. People who eat a lot and overeat at the same time cannot evoke anything pleasant. Food is necessary to sustain life, to have the ability to perform meaningful actions in relation to beauty. But those who are subjected to the sinful act of gluttony, they believe that they were born for the purpose of eating.

6. Anger. Hot temper, irritability, adoption of angry thoughts: dreams of revenge, indignation of the heart with rage, darkening of the mind with it: obscene
shouting, arguing, cruel, abusive and caustic words. Slander, memory malice, indignation and insult to one's neighbor, hatred, enmity, vengeance, condemnation. Unfortunately, we are not always able to control ourselves and our anger when the wave of emotions overwhelms us. First of all, it is cut from the shoulder, and then it is only observed that the consequences are irreversible. You need to fight your passions!

7. Dejection. Laziness towards everyone good deed, especially to prayer. Excessive restfulness with sleep. Depression, despair (which often leads a person to suicide), lack of fear of God, complete carelessness about the soul, carelessness about repentance until last days life.

Fighting Sin

You need to fight your passions, tame your emotions, because this leads to a disastrous end! Sin must be fought initial stage its origins! After all, the deeper sin enters our consciousness, our soul, the harder it becomes to fight it. Judge for yourself, in any matter, illness, education, work, the longer you put off work, the more difficult it is to catch up!

And most importantly, forgive God's help! After all, it is very difficult for a person to overcome sin! The devil is plotting, trying to ruin your soul, pushing it to sin in every possible way. These 7 deadly sins It’s not so difficult not to commit if you ask the Lord for help in fighting them! One has only to take a step towards meeting the Savior and He will immediately come to the rescue! God is merciful and does not abandon anyone!

ARTICLE 1. CHRISTIAN PSYCHOLOGY

Eight deadly sins and the fight against them

"The Ladder" by St. John Climacus

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. Everyone is called to daily struggle, war against passions and sinful habits. Orthodox Christian without exception. 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 is a battle ahead 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.”

Deadly sins in Orthodoxy: list in order and commandments of God

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.” It is a science that studies mechanisms 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?”

I recently heard one famous Orthodox theologian, professor at the Moscow Theological Academy (I won’t mention his name, because I respect him very much; he was my teacher, but in in this case I fundamentally disagree with him) said: “Divine services, prayer, fasting - all this, so to speak, is 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 are 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 vivid examples passionate addiction - 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 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 a certain type 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 man, he walks through dry places, seeking rest, and not finding it, he says: I will return to my house from whence 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, emanating 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 win lustful passion, 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 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 religious procession, I held a bowl 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.”

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