1. Gluttony
Binge eating, drunkenness, non-keeping and allowing fasts, secret eating, delicacy, and generally violation of abstinence. Incorrect and excessive love of the flesh, its belly and rest, which constitutes self-love, which leads to failure to remain faithful to God, the Church, virtue and people.
2. Fornication
Prodigal lust, prodigal sensations and attitudes of the soul and heart. Acceptance of unclean thoughts, conversation with them, delight in them, permission for them, slowness in them. Prodigal dreams and captivities. Failure to preserve the senses, especially the sense of touch, is the insolence that destroys all virtues. Foul language and reading voluptuous books. Natural prodigal sins: fornication and adultery. Prodigal sins are unnatural.
3. Love of money
The love of money, in general the love of property, movable and immovable. The desire to get rich. Reflection on means of enrichment. Dreaming of wealth. Fears of old age, unexpected poverty, illness, exile. Stinginess. Selfishness. Disbelief in God, lack of trust in his providence. Addictions or painful excessive love for various perishable objects, depriving the soul of freedom. Passion for vain concerns. Loving gifts. Appropriation of someone else's. Likhva. Cruelty towards the poor brethren and all those in need. Theft. Robbery.
Hot temper, acceptance of angry thoughts: dreams of anger and revenge, indignation of the heart with rage, darkening of the mind with it: obscene shouting, argument, swearing, cruel and caustic words, stress, pushing, murder. Malice, hatred, enmity, revenge, slander, condemnation, indignation and insult to one’s neighbor.
Sadness, melancholy, cutting off hope in God, doubt in God’s promises, ingratitude to God for everything that happens, cowardice, impatience, lack of self-reproach, grief towards one’s neighbor, grumbling, renunciation of the cross, attempt to descend from it.
Laziness towards any good deed, especially prayer. Abandonment of church and cell rules. Abandoning unceasing prayer and soul-helping reading. Inattention and haste in prayer. Neglect. Irreverence. Idleness. Excessive calming by sleeping, lying down and all kinds of restlessness. Moving from place to place. Frequent exits from cells, walks and visits with friends. Celebration. Jokes. Blasphemers. Abandonment of bows and other physical feats. Forgetting your sins. Forgetting the commandments of Christ. Negligence. Captivity. Deprivation of the fear of God. Bitterness. Insensibility. Despair.
7. Vanity
The search for human glory. Boasting. Desire and search for earthly and vain honors. Love of beautiful clothes, carriages, servants and cell things. Attention to the beauty of your face, the pleasantness of your voice and other qualities of your body. A disposition towards the dying sciences and arts of this age, a desire to succeed in them in order to acquire temporary, earthly glory. Shame to confess your sins. Hiding them before people and the spiritual father. Craftiness. Self-justification. Disclaimer. Making up your mind. Hypocrisy. Lie. Flattery. People-pleasing. Envy. Humiliation of one's neighbor. Changeability of character. Indulgence. Unconscionability. The character and life are demonic.
8. Pride
Contempt for one's neighbor. Preferring yourself to everyone. Insolence. Darkness, dullness of the mind and heart. Nailing them to the earthly. Hula. Disbelief. False mind. Disobedience to the Law of God and the Church. Following your carnal will. Reading books that are heretical, depraved and vain. Disobedience to authorities. Caustic ridicule. Abandonment of Christ-like humility and silence. Loss of simplicity. Loss of love for God and neighbor. False philosophy. Heresy. Godlessness. Ignorance. Death of the soul.
On the virtues opposite to the eight main sinful passions
1. Abstinence
Avoidance of excessive consumption of food and nutrition, especially excessive consumption of wine. Maintaining strict fasts established by the Church, curbing the flesh with moderate and constantly equal consumption of food, from which all passions in general begin to weaken, and especially self-love, which consists of a wordless love of the flesh, its life and peace.
2. Chastity
Avoidance of all kinds of fornication. Avoidance of voluptuous conversations and reading, from the pronunciation of voluptuous, nasty and ambiguous words. Storing the senses, especially sight and hearing, and even more so the sense of touch. Modesty. Rejection of the thoughts and dreams of prodigals. Silence. Silence. Ministry to the sick and disabled. Memories of death and hell. The beginning of chastity is a mind that does not waver from lustful thoughts and dreams; the perfection of chastity is purity that sees God.
3. Non-covetousness
Satisfying yourself with one thing necessary. Hatred of luxury and bliss. Mercy for the poor. Loving the poverty of the gospel. Trust in God's providence. Following Christ's commandments. Calmness and freedom of spirit and carelessness. Softness of heart.
4. Meekness
Avoidance of angry thoughts and indignation of the heart with rage. Patience. Following Christ, who calls His disciple to the cross. Peace of the heart. Silence of the mind. Christian firmness and courage. Not feeling insulted. Kindness.
5. Blessed crying
A feeling of decline, common to all people, and of one’s own spiritual poverty. Lamentation about them. Cry of the mind. Painful contrition of the heart. The lightness of conscience, grace-filled consolation and joy that vegetates from them. Hope in God's mercy. Thanks be to God in sorrows, their humble enduring from the sight of their many sins. Willingness to endure. Cleansing the mind. Relief from passions. Mortification of the world. The desire for prayer, solitude, obedience, humility, confession of one’s sins.
6. Sobriety
Zeal for every good deed. Non-slothful correction of church and cell rules. Attention when praying. Careful observation of all your deeds, words, thoughts and feelings. Extreme self-distrust. Continuous stay in prayer and the Word of God. Awe. Constant vigilance over oneself. Keeping yourself from a lot of sleep and effeminacy, idle talk, jokes and sharp words. Love of night vigils, bows and other feats that bring cheerfulness to the soul. Rare, if possible, departure from cells. Remembrance of eternal blessings, desire and expectation of them.
7. Humility
Fear of God. Feeling it during prayer. Fear that arises during especially pure prayer, when the presence and greatness of God is felt especially strongly, so as not to disappear and turn into nothing. Deep knowledge of one's insignificance. A change in view of neighbors, and they, without any coercion, seem to the humbled person to be superior to him in all respects. The manifestation of simplicity from living faith. Hatred of human praise. Constant blaming and beating yourself up. Rightness and directness. Impartiality. Deadness to everything. Tenderness. Knowledge of the mystery hidden in the Cross of Christ. The desire to crucify oneself to the world and passions, the desire for this crucifixion. Rejection and oblivion of flattering customs and words, modest due to compulsion or intent, or the skill of pretending. Perception of the riot of the gospel. Rejection of earthly wisdom as unbecoming before God (Luke 16:15). Leaving word justification. Silence before those who offend, studied in the Gospel. Putting aside all your own speculations and accepting the mind of the Gospel. The casting down of every thought placed upon the mind of Christ. Humility or spiritual reasoning. Conscious obedience to the Church in everything.
Changing during prayer the fear of God into the love of God. Loyalty to the Lord, proven by the constant rejection of every sinful thought and feeling. The indescribable, sweet attraction of the whole person with love for the Lord Jesus Christ and for the worshiped Holy Trinity. Seeing the image of God and Christ in others; resulting from this spiritual vision, the preference for oneself over all neighbors, their reverent veneration for the Lord. Love for neighbors is brotherly, pure, equal to everyone, joyful, impartial, flaming equally towards friends and enemies. Admiration for prayer and love of the mind, heart and whole body. Indescribable pleasure of the body with spiritual joy. Spiritual intoxication. Relaxation of bodily members with spiritual consolation (St. Isaac of Syria. Sermon 44). Inactivity of the bodily senses during prayer. Resolution from the muteness of the heart's tongue. Stopping prayer from spiritual sweetness. Silence of the mind. Enlightening the mind and heart. Prayer power that overcomes sin. Peace of Christ. Retreat of all passions. The absorption of all understandings into the superior mind of Christ. Theology. Knowledge of incorporeal beings. The weakness of sinful thoughts that cannot be imagined in the mind.
Sweetness and abundant consolation in times of sorrow. Vision of human structures. The depth of humility and the most humiliating opinion of oneself... The end is endless!
Sins against the Lord God
Belief in dreams, fortune telling, meetings and other signs. Doubts about faith. Laziness towards prayer and absent-mindedness during it. Not going to Church, long absence from confession and Holy Communion. Hypocrisy in Divine Worship. Blasphemy or just murmuring against God in the soul and in words. The intention to raise your hands. In vain. An unfulfilled promise to God. Blasphemy of the sacred. Anger with mention of evil spirits (trait). Eating or drinking on Sundays and holidays before the end of the Liturgy. Violation of fasts or inaccurate observance of them is a work issue on holidays.
Sins against one's neighbor
Lack of diligence in one's position or one's work in the dormitory. Disrespect for superiors or elders. Failure to fulfill a promise to a person. Non-payment of debts. Taking by force or secret appropriation of someone else's property. Stinginess in alms. Personal insult to one's neighbor. Gossip. Slander. Cursing others. Unnecessary suspicions. Failure to protect an innocent person or a just cause with loss for them. Murder. Disrespect for parents. Failure to look after children with Christian care. Anger is hostility in family or home life.
Sins against yourself
Idle or bad thoughts in the soul. Desires evil for one's neighbor. Falsity of words, speech. Irritability. Obstinacy or pride. Envy. Hard-heartedness. Sensitivity to upsets or insults. Vengeance. Love of money. Passion for pleasure. Foul language. The songs are seductive. Drunkenness and heavy eating. Fornication. Adultery. Unnatural fornication. Not fixing your life.
Of all these sins against the Ten Commandments of God, some, reaching the highest stage of development in a person, passing into vicious states and hardening his heart with unrepentance, are recognized as especially grave and contrary to God.
Mortal sins, that is, those that make a person guilty of eternal death or destruction
1. Pride, despising everyone, demanding servility from others, ready to ascend to heaven and become like the Most High: in a word - pride to the point of self-adoration.
2. An insatiable soul, or Judas’s greed for money, combined for the most part with unrighteous acquisitions, not allowing a person even a minute to think about spiritual things.
3. Fornication, or the dissolute life of the prodigal son, who squandered all his father’s estate on such a life.
4. Envy, leading to every possible crime against one’s neighbor.
5. Gluttony or carnal knowledge, not knowing any fasting, combined with a passionate attachment to various amusements, following the example of the Evangelical rich man, who had fun all day long.
6. Uncompromising anger and resolving to terrible destruction, following the example of Herod, who in his anger beat the Bethlehem babies.
7. Laziness, or complete carelessness about the soul, carelessness about repentance until the last days of life, such as in the days of Noah.
Sins of Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit
Excessive trust in God or continuation of a gravely sinful life in the sole hope of God’s mercy.
Despair or the feeling opposite to excessive trust in God in relation to God’s mercy, which denies the fatherly goodness in God and leads to thoughts of suicide.
Stubborn unbelief, not convinced by any evidence of truth, even obvious miracles, rejecting the most established truth.
Sins crying out to heaven for vengeance
In general, intentional homicide (abortion), and especially parricide (fratricide and regicide).
Sin of Sodom.
Unnecessary oppression of a poor, defenseless person, a defenseless widow and young orphans.
Withholding from a wretched worker the wages he deserves.
Taking away from a person in his extreme situation the last piece of bread or the last mite, which he obtained with sweat and blood, as well as the forcible or secret appropriation of alms, food, warmth or clothing from prisoners in prison, which are determined by him, and generally oppressing them.
Sadness and insults to parents to the point of daring beatings.
The life of a true Christian is a constant struggle with sins; the Lord sends His Grace to those who humbly and with faith follow the teachings of Christ.
God bless you!
Don't leave me... I pray...
Your breath heals
It is a life-giving balm,
Then, as the world - cripples
Do not leave!
And you... are silent...
After all, You...don’t leave.
I’m rushing into the world of destruction myself.
And you know about it.
I'm in this world without you
I'm melting like a fragile snowflake...
And you fill it-
I love everything...I embrace you with my wings.
Passions and their opposite virtues.
Ascetic experiences. Volume I (EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK)
The author of this work is Bishop Ignatius (Brianchaninov) (1807-1867), a famous Russian ascetic and spiritual writer of the 19th century. His works, published during the life of the Saint and republished in 5 volumes in 1886, attract attention with their deep knowledge of the Holy Scriptures and the works of the Holy Fathers of the Orthodox Church, creatively revised and meaningful in relation to the spiritual needs of our time. Written, moreover, with extraordinary literary skill, the works of the Saint represent a valuable guide for everyone who wants to walk the narrow and thorny path of experimental knowledge of God.
Borrowed from the holy patristic writings
1 Gluttony
Binge eating, drunkenness, non-keeping and allowing fasting, secret eating, delicacy, and generally violation of abstinence. Incorrect and excessive love of the flesh, its belly and rest, which constitutes self-love, which leads to failure to remain faithful to God, the Church, virtue and people.
1. Abstinence
Refrain from excessive consumption of food and drink, especially from drinking excess wine. Precise keeping of fasts established by the Church. The curbing of the flesh by moderate and constant equal consumption of food, from which all passions in general begin to weaken, and especially self-love, which consists of a wordless love of the flesh, the belly and its peace.
2. Fornication
Fornication, fornication, fornication sensations and desires of the body, fornication sensations and desires of the soul and heart (rolling), acceptance of unclean thoughts, conversation with them, delight in them, permission for them, delay in them. Prodigal dreams and captivities. Desecration by suit. Failure to preserve the senses, especially the sense of touch, is the insolence that destroys all virtues. Foul language and reading voluptuous books. Natural prodigal sins: fornication and adultery. Sins of prodigal unnatural: malakia, sodomy, bestiality and the like.
2. Chastity
Avoidance of all kinds of fornication. Avoidance of voluptuous conversations and reading, from the pronunciation of nasty, voluptuous, ambiguous words. Storing the senses, especially sight and hearing, and even more so the sense of touch. Modesty. Rejection of the thoughts and dreams of prodigals. Silence. Silence. Ministry to the sick and disabled. Memories of death and hell. The beginning of chastity is a mind that does not waver from lustful thoughts and dreams: the perfection of chastity is purity that sees God.
3. Love of money
The love of money, in general the love of property, movable and immovable. The desire to get rich. Thinking about the means to get rich. Dreaming of wealth. Fear of old age, unexpected poverty, illness, exile. Stinginess. Selfishness. Disbelief in God, lack of trust in His providence. Addictions or painful excessive love for various perishable objects, depriving the soul of freedom. Passion for vain concerns. Loving gifts. Appropriation of someone else's. Likhva. Cruelty towards the poor brethren and all those in need. Theft. Robbery.
3. Non-covetousness
Satisfying yourself with one thing necessary. Hatred of luxury and bliss. Mercy for the poor. Loving the poverty of the gospel. Trust in God's providence. Following Christ's commandments. Calmness and freedom of spirit. Carelessness. Softness of heart.
4. Anger
Hot temper, acceptance of angry thoughts; dreams of anger and revenge, indignation of the heart with rage, darkening of the mind with it: obscene shouting, argument, swearing, cruel and caustic words, stress, pushing, murder. Malice, hatred, enmity, revenge, slander, condemnation, indignation and insult to one’s neighbor.
4. Meekness
Avoidance of angry thoughts and indignation of the heart with rage. Patience. Following Christ, who calls his disciple to the cross. Peace of the heart. Silence of the mind. Christian firmness and courage. Not feeling insulted. Kindness.
5. Sadness
Sadness, melancholy, cutting off hope in God, doubt in God’s promises, ingratitude to God for everything that happens, cowardice, impatience, lack of self-reproach, grief towards one’s neighbor, grumbling, renunciation of the cross, attempt to descend from it.
5. Blessed crying
A feeling of the fall common to all people, and of one’s own spiritual poverty. Lamentation about them. Cry of the mind. Painful contrition of the heart. Vegetating from them is lightness of conscience, gracious consolation and joy. Hope in God's mercy. Thank God in sorrows, humbly enduring them from the sight of the multitude of one’s sins. Willingness to endure. Cleansing the mind. Relief from passions. Mortification of the world. The desire for prayer, solitude, obedience, humility, confession of one’s sins.
6. Dejection
Laziness towards every good deed, especially prayer. Abandonment of church and cell rules. Abandoning unceasing prayer and soul-helping reading. Inattention and haste in prayer. Neglect. Irreverence. Idleness. Excessive calming by sleeping, lying down and all kinds of restlessness. Moving from place to place. Frequent exits from the cell, walks and visits with friends. Celebration. Jokes. Blasphemers. Abandonment of bows and other physical feats. Forgetting your sins. Forgetting the commandments of Christ. Negligence. Captivity. Deprivation of the fear of God. Bitterness. Insensibility. Despair.
6. Sobriety
Zeal for every good deed. Non-slothful correction of church and cell rules. Attention when praying. Careful observation of all your deeds, words and thoughts. Extreme self-distrust. Continuous stay in prayer and the Word of God. Awe. Constant vigilance over oneself. Keeping yourself from a lot of sleep, effeminacy, idle talk, jokes and sharp words. Love of night vigils, bows and other feats that bring cheerfulness to the soul. Rare, if possible, departure from the cell. Remembrance of eternal blessings, desire and expectation of them.
7. Vanity
The search for human glory. Boasting. Desire and search for earthly honors. Love of beautiful clothes, carriages, servants and cell things. Attention to the beauty of your face, the pleasantness of your voice and other qualities of your body. A disposition towards the dying sciences and arts of this age, a desire to succeed in them in order to acquire temporary, earthly glory. Shame to confess your sins. Hiding them before people and the spiritual father. Craftiness. Verbal justification. Disclaimer. Making up your mind. Hypocrisy. Lie. Flattery. People-pleasing. Envy. Humiliation of one's neighbor. Changeability of character. Pretense. Unconscionability. The character and life are demonic.
7. Humility
Fear of God. Feeling it during prayer. Fear that arises during especially pure prayer, when the presence and greatness of God are especially strongly felt, so as not to disappear and turn into nothing. Deep knowledge of one's insignificance. A change in view of one’s neighbors, whereby they, without any coercion, appear to the humbled person to be superior to him in all respects. The manifestation of simplicity from living faith. Hatred of human praise. Constant blaming and beating yourself up. Rightness and directness. Impartiality. Deadness to everything. Tenderness. Knowledge of the mystery hidden in the cross of Christ. The desire to crucify oneself to the world and passions, the desire for this crucifixion. Rejection and oblivion of flattering customs and words, modest due to compulsion, or intent, or the skill of pretending. Perception of the riot of the gospel. Rejection of earthly wisdom as indecent for heaven. Contempt for everything that is lofty in man and an abomination before God. Leaving word justification. Silence before those who offend, studied in the Gospel. Putting aside all your own speculations and accepting the mind of the Gospel. The casting down of every thought placed upon the mind of Christ. Humility, or spiritual reasoning. Conscious obedience to the Church in everything.
8. Pride
Contempt for one's neighbor. Preferring yourself to everyone. Insolence. Darkness, dullness of the mind and heart. Nailing them to the earthly. Hula. Disbelief. Lovely. False mind. Disobedience to the Law of God and the Church. Following your carnal will. Reading books that are heretical, depraved and vain. Disobedience to authorities. Caustic ridicule. Abandonment of Christ-like humility and silence. Loss of simplicity. Loss of love for God and neighbor. False philosophy. Heresy. Godlessness. Ignorance. Death of the soul.
8. Love
Changing during prayer the fear of God into the love of God. Fidelity to the Lord, proven by the constant rejection of every sinful thought and feeling. The indescribable, sweet attraction of the whole person with love for the Lord Jesus Christ and for the worshiped Holy Trinity. Seeing the image of God and Christ in others; resulting from this spiritual vision, preference for oneself over all neighbors and their reverent veneration for the Lord. Love for neighbors is brotherly, pure, equal to everyone, impartial, joyful, flaming equally towards friends and enemies. Admiration for prayer and love of the mind, heart and whole body. Indescribable pleasure of the body with spiritual joy. Spiritual intoxication. Relaxation of bodily members with spiritual consolation. Inactivity of the bodily senses during prayer. Resolution from the muteness of the heart's tongue. Stopping prayer from spiritual sweetness. Silence of the mind. Enlightening the mind and heart. Prayer power that overcomes sin. Peace of Christ. Retreat of all passions. The absorption of all understandings into the superior mind of Christ. Theology. Knowledge of incorporeal beings. The weakness of sinful thoughts that cannot be imagined in the mind. Sweetness and abundant consolation in times of sorrow. Vision of human structures. The depth of humility and the most humiliating opinion of oneself...
The end is endless!
Photo- I. Brianchaninov
Thanks for reading
Photo- I. Brianchaninov //from the Internet
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 Not based on biblical texts and Not are 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, acedia, anger, sadness, avarice, lust 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 this particular order of mortal sins, but it was this order that became the main one and remains in effect to this day. The only change in Pope Gregory the Great's list was the replacement of the concept of despondency with sloth in the 17th century.
Due to the fact that representatives of the predominantly Catholic Church took an active part in compiling and finalizing the list of the seven deadly sins, I dare to assume that this is not applicable to the Orthodox Church, and especially to other religions. However, I believe that regardless of religion and even for atheists, this list will be useful. Its current version is summarized in the following table.
The most harmful of them is definitely considered pride. At the same time, the belonging of some items on this list to sins (for example, gluttony and lust) is questioned. And according to one sociological survey, the “popularity” of mortal sins is as follows (in descending order): anger, pride, envy, gluttony, voluptuousness, laziness and greed.
In the Middle Ages, Saint Thomas Aquinas had a great influence on the development of the doctrine of the seven cardinal sins in Catholic theology, who developed this doctrine in the fundamental work “Summa Theologica”. Thomas wrote essays in Latin and in his discussions on this subject he preferred to use the term vitium (English vice), meaning in the context a vice, a character disposition that inclines one to commit a sin. Thomas distinguished this concept from sin as a morally wrong action. He argued that sin surpasses vice in evil.
Thomas Aquinas defined the cardinal vices as the source of many sins as follows: “a cardinal vice is such that it has an extremely desirable end, so that in its desire a man resorts to committing many sins, which all have their origin in this vice as their chief cause.” Thomas considered the same seven cardinal sins that Pope Gregory listed, but in a slightly different order. The same list of cardinal sins was provided by Saint Bonaventure in his Brief Theology (Breviloquium).
By the 18th century, the doctrine of the seven deadly sins penetrated into Russian Orthodoxy. In particular, Tikhon Zadonsky actively uses it:
- pride
- delicacy (voluptuousness) - an immense desire for external goods, the desire to have wealth and acquisitions
- gluttony or gluttony
- envy
- laziness or despondency
7 deadly sins
- Pride, despising everyone, demanding servility from others, ready to ascend to heaven and become like the Most High: in a word - pride to the point of self-adoration.
- Love of money. Greed for money, combined for the most part with unrighteous acquisitions, does not allow a person to think even a minute about spiritual things.
- Fornication(that is, sexual activity before marriage), adultery (that is, adultery). Dissolute life. Failure to preserve the senses, especially the sense of touch, 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.”
- Envy, leading to every possible crime against one's neighbor.
- Gluttony or carnalism, not knowing any fasting, combined with a passionate attachment to various amusements, following the example of the Gospel rich man who had fun “all the days of the day” (Luke 16:19). Drunkenness, drug use.
- Anger unapologetic and deciding to commit terrible destruction, following the example of Herod, who in his anger beat the Bethlehem babies. Hot temper, acceptance of angry thoughts: dreams of anger and revenge, indignation of the heart with rage, darkening of the mind by it: obscene shouting, argument, abusive, cruel and caustic words. Malice, hatred, enmity, revenge, slander, condemnation, indignation and insult to one’s neighbor.
- Dejection. Laziness towards any good deed, especially prayer. Excessive restfulness with sleep. Depression, despair (which often leads a person to suicide), lack of fear of God, complete carelessness about the soul, neglect of repentance until the last days of life.
About the seven virtues opposite to the main sinful passions
- Love. Changing during prayer the fear of God into the love of God. Loyalty to the Lord, proven by the constant rejection of every sinful thought and feeling. The indescribable, sweet attraction of the whole person with love for the Lord Jesus Christ and for the worshiped Holy Trinity. Seeing the image of God and Christ in others; the preference for oneself over all one's neighbors resulting from this spiritual vision. Love for neighbors is brotherly, pure, equal to everyone, joyful, impartial, flaming equally towards friends and enemies. Inactivity of the bodily senses during prayer. Prayer power that overcomes sin. Retreat of all passions. The depth of humility and the most humiliating opinion of oneself...
- Non-covetousness. Satisfying yourself with one thing necessary. Hatred of luxury. Mercy for the poor. Loving the poverty of the gospel. Trust in God's Providence. Following Christ's commandments. Calmness and freedom of spirit. Softness of heart.
- Chastity. Avoidance of all kinds of fornication. Avoidance of voluptuous conversations and reading, from the pronunciation of voluptuous, nasty and ambiguous words. Storage of the senses, especially sight and hearing, and even more so the sense of touch. Modesty. Refusal from the thoughts and dreams of prodigals. Ministry to the sick and disabled. Memories of death and hell. The beginning of chastity is a mind that does not waver from lustful thoughts and dreams; the perfection of chastity is purity that sees God.
- Humility. Fear of God. Feeling it during prayer. Fear that arises during especially pure prayer, when the presence and greatness of God is especially strongly felt, so as not to disappear and turn into nothing. Deep knowledge of one's insignificance. Changes in the view of one’s neighbors, and these without any coercion, seem to the humbled person to be superior to him in all respects. The manifestation of simplicity from living faith. Hatred of human praise. Constant blaming and beating yourself up. Rightness and directness. Impartiality. Rejection and oblivion of flattering customs and words. Rejection of earthly wisdom as unbecoming before God (Luke 16:15). Leaving word justification. Silence before the offender, studied in the Gospel. Putting aside all your own speculations and accepting the mind of the Gospel.
- Abstinence. Refrain from excessive consumption of food and drink, especially from drinking excess wine. Precise keeping of fasts established by the Church. Restraining the flesh by moderate and constantly equal consumption of food, from which passions in general begin to weaken, and especially self-love, which consists of a wordless love of the flesh, its life and peace.
- Meekness. Avoidance of angry thoughts and indignation of the heart with rage. Patience. Following Christ, who calls His disciple to the cross. Peace of the heart. Silence of the mind. Christian firmness and courage. Not feeling insulted. Kindness.
- Sobriety. Zeal for every good deed. Attention when praying. Careful observation of all your deeds, words, thoughts and feelings. Extreme self-distrust. Continuous stay in prayer and the word of God. Awe. Constant vigilance over oneself. Keeping yourself from a lot of sleep and effeminacy, idle talk, jokes and sharp words. Remembrance of eternal blessings, desire and expectation of them.
In Christianity, there are seven human virtues. Love, non-covetousness, chastity, humility, abstinence, meekness, sobriety.
Let's look at each of them separately and give a description.
Love
Love is the queen of virtues. This is the highest virtue. Christian love is a gift of the Holy Spirit, in its essence it is the deification of man, in its form it is sacrificial service. The commandment of the Lord is love for God and neighbors.
Ignatiy Brianchaninov
This is how St. describes this virtue. Ignatiy Brianchaninov:
“The change during prayer from the fear of God into love. Fidelity to the Lord...Peace of Christ. Love for neighbors is brotherly, pure, equal for everyone...”
Love is the queen of virtues
Meekness
Meekness (from the word taming) is a person’s gentle and easygoing disposition.
Lord Jesus Christ said:
“Learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart” and “Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth.”
The last statement really comes true. Because meek Christians inherited the universe that the pagans had previously possessed. Although they could be destroyed by the rage of the pagans. The meaning of these words of the Lord can also be interpreted as the inheritance of eternal blessings in the Kingdom of Heaven, on the land of the living.
Such a person is not indignant at anything, does not get angry, does not take revenge, but patiently endures insults, reproaches and is condescending towards the shortcomings of his neighbors. This is truly a Divine quality. Taming a person himself is one of the tasks that faces every baptized person.
The meek will inherit the earth
Non-covetousness
This virtue is one of the three monastic vows. We can say that non-acquisitiveness is unselfishness, the absence of greed, the passion for accumulation and wealth, as well as the absence of addiction to any things, hatred of luxury, love of gospel poverty.
A non-acquisitive person places all his hope in God, and does not care what to eat and drink or what to wear. That is why the Lord takes care of him. He gives his money to the poor, being content with only the bare necessities. His main treasure is the acquisition of the Kingdom of Heaven.
A rich person becomes overprotective and gets involved in the cycle of vanity. All his thoughts are occupied with how to increase, save or spend earthly funds. His mind is no longer occupied with God and eternal life. The more a person is ready to give away his property, the less he depends on it.
Jesus says to him:
(Matt. XIX. 21)
If you want to be perfect, go, sell your property and give to the poor; and have treasure in heaven, and follow Me.
A Christian always grows richer in God by giving, he receives more by trampling on the passion for wealth. Attachment to things prevents us from completely trusting God and becoming attached to Him. This virtue also gives a person unprecedented freedom. It frees one from the fear of losses and unnecessary worries, giving a person a lot of time for spiritual pursuits.
The main treasure is the acquisition of the Kingdom of Heaven
Chastity
“Whoever loves purity and chastity becomes a temple of God.”
(Apostle Paul)
Chastity is complete wisdom, integrity of the soul, avoidance of fornication, depraved thoughts and a complete, unclouded view of persons of the opposite sex, purity of soul and body. Chastity is when all the powers of the soul are united together by the Spirit of God.
This virtue is not limited to monks. Those living in marriage can also have a pure, chaste relationship. In a church marriage, there is a union of two personalities - spouses, at all levels: spiritual, mental and physical.
The sanctity of marriage also affects the intimate side of the relationship, which must be abstinent, that is, the carnal side does not predominate, but only complements the union. Chastity is abstinence and victory over the pleasures that tempt us.
John of Damascus
John of Damascus spoke about chastity:
Marriage is wonderful for those who do not have abstinence, but virginity is better, increasing the fertility of the soul and bringing God timely fruit - prayer.
Whoever has achieved this virtue has purity of thoughts and feelings.
Abstinence
This virtue completes the list of fruits of the Spirit by the Apostle Paul. This is the ability to control one’s passions and keep them in check, refraining from excessive consumption of food, and keeping fasts. Abstinence is the beginning of spiritual life. It can be mental and physical.
Fasting is observed by Orthodox Christians 4 times a year. How does eating food affect your spiritual life?
A person who is oversatiated is easily inclined to sin. But in addition to the physical component of fasting, there must also be mental abstinence from sins and passions. This race can only be driven out by prayer and fasting, said the Lord.
This is why the virtue of abstinence is so important. She gives healing to the soul. The Fall began precisely because of the violation of the commandment of abstinence.
Abstinence is the healing of the soul
Humility
Humility is the robe of the Divine.
John Climacus
Saint John Climacus calls humility a treasure stored in mortal vessels, and says that no word can fully explain the properties of this spiritual treasure. Humility is a sober vision of oneself. It can manifest itself in relation to God as a vision of one’s sins, a desire to subordinate one’s will to the will of God.
God gives grace to the humble.
In relation to a person, this virtue manifests itself as the absence of anger, seeing others as superior to oneself in everything, simplicity and directness.
This virtue lies in the knowledge of the mystery hidden in the Cross of Christ.
God gives grace to the humble
Sobriety
Sobriety is the cause of purity of heart, and therefore the cause of God-vision.
Sobriety is the intimate knowledge of the Divine Mysteries, the fulfillment of every commandment. This is constant wakefulness, keeping oneself from oversleeping, idleness, love for night vigils, bows, and deeds.
Sobriety consists of an attentive, undistracted spiritual life, the desire to cleanse oneself of sinful thoughts and feelings. Sobriety is also a ladder to contemplation. This virtue is very necessary for the successful passage of spiritual life. It helps to see and cut off enemy excuses and pray purely.
Sobriety is the cause of God's vision.
7 sins and their interpretation
We have considered seven benefactors, now let us list and consider
7 major deadly sins. Sins and virtues are related to each other. A certain virtue overcomes a certain sin. The table below shows how virtue is opposed to sin.
Table of sins and virtues
Pride
This passion is called the mother of all sins. Pride is the most important passion, which is expressed in the rejection of God and contempt for neighbors.
It is the most dangerous because it is not immediately visible as radiation. This is a disease of the spirit, and it is not located in the sensory-perceptual world.
The shades or subtypes of this passion are as follows: arrogance, pride, arrogance, impatience of reproaches, thirst for praise, search for easy ways.
Pride draws a person to enjoy his fallen self.
Vanity
Vanity is an arrogant desire for vain glory and veneration. Vain, because earthly. Such glory is temporary and ends. It is nothing in comparison with what the Lord has prepared for those who love Him.
This subtle passion is called the daughter of pride.
Dejection
Dejection – carelessness, carelessness, complete relaxation, loss of spirit.
Monks are especially subject to this passion. It manifests itself as indifference to prayer, worship, negligence, cooling towards feat, extinction of zeal for faith.
Anger
An angry person kills his soul because he spends his whole life in confusion and worry.
This passion has many shades: irritability, hot temper, rage, rancor, desire for revenge, unforgiveness of insults, passionate arguments, hatred, contempt, hostility, indignation. In its development, this sin leads to shouting, cutting words, hitting, pushing and killing.
Love of money
The love of money is a violation of the second commandment, the worship of wealth.
This sin lies in the love of money, the passion for hoarding, and the insatiable increase in earthly goods.
There are many of its subspecies: greed, stinginess, covetousness, money-grubbing, covetousness, foul profitability, covetousness.
Fornication
Fornication is the acceptance of unclean thoughts, conversation with them, delight in them, indulgence in them, slowness in them, lustful dreams and captivity. This passion also includes marital intemperance and infidelity.
Gluttony
The varieties of this passion are as follows: gluttony, drunkenness, non-keeping and allowing fasting, secret eating, delicacy, and generally violation of abstinence.
Wrong and excessive love of the flesh, its belly and peace.
7 (seven) deadly sins and their opposites 7 (seven) virtues.
Mortal sins, that is, those that make a person guilty of the death of the soul.
1. Pride, despising everyone, demanding servility from others, ready to ascend to heaven and become like the Most High: in a word - pride to the point of self-adoration.
2. Love of money. Greed for money, combined for the most part with unrighteous acquisitions, does not allow a person to think even a minute about spiritual things.
3. Fornication.(that is, sexual activity before marriage), adultery (that is, adultery). Dissolute life. Failure to preserve the senses, especially the sense of touch, 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 leading to every possible crime against one's neighbor.
5. Gluttony or carnalism, not knowing any fasting, combined with a passionate attachment to various amusements, following the example of the evangelical rich man who had fun “all the days of the day” (Luke 16:19).
Drunkenness, drug use.
6. Anger unapologetic and deciding to commit terrible destruction, following the example of Herod, who in his anger beat the Bethlehem babies.
Hot temper, acceptance of angry thoughts: dreams of anger and revenge, indignation of the heart with rage, darkening of the mind by it: obscene shouting, argument, abusive, cruel and caustic words. Malice, hatred, enmity, revenge, slander, condemnation, indignation and insult to one’s neighbor.
7. Dejection. Laziness towards any good deed, especially prayer. Excessive restfulness with sleep. Depression, despair (which often leads a person to suicide), lack of fear of God, complete carelessness about the soul, neglect of repentance until the last days of life.
Sins crying to heaven:
In general, intentional homicide (this includes abortions), and especially parricide (fratricide and regicide). Sin of Sodom. Unnecessary oppression of a poor, defenseless person, a defenseless widow and young orphans.
Withholding from a wretched worker the wages he deserves. Taking away from a person in his extreme situation the last piece of bread or the last mite, which he obtained with sweat and blood, as well as the forcible or secret appropriation of alms, food, warmth or clothing from those imprisoned, which are determined by him, and in general their oppression. Sorrows and insults to parents to the point of daring beatings. Sins of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit:
Excessive trust in God or continuation of a hard sinful life in the sole hope of God’s mercy. Despair or the feeling opposite to excessive trust in God in relation to God’s mercy, which denies the fatherly goodness in God and leads to thoughts of suicide. Stubborn unbelief, not convinced by any evidence of truth, even obvious miracles, rejecting the most established truth.
ABOUT seven virtues opposite to the main sinful passions 1. Love. Changing during prayer the fear of God into the love of God. Loyalty to the Lord, proven by the constant rejection of every sinful thought and feeling. The indescribable, sweet attraction of the whole person with love for the Lord Jesus Christ and for the worshiped Holy Trinity. Seeing the image of God and Christ in others; the preference for oneself over all one's neighbors resulting from this spiritual vision. Love for neighbors is brotherly, pure, equal to everyone, joyful, impartial, flaming equally towards friends and enemies.
Inactivity of the bodily senses during prayer. Prayer power that overcomes sin. Retreat of all passions.
The depth of humility and the most humiliating opinion of oneself...
2. Non-covetousness. Satisfying yourself with one thing necessary. Hatred of luxury. Mercy for the poor. Loving the poverty of the gospel. Trust in God's Providence. Following Christ's commandments. Calmness and freedom of spirit. Softness of heart.
3. Chastity. Avoidance of all kinds of fornication. Avoidance of voluptuous conversations and reading, from the pronunciation of voluptuous, nasty and ambiguous words. Storage of the senses, especially sight and hearing, and even more so the sense of touch. Modesty. Refusal from the thoughts and dreams of prodigals. Ministry to the sick and disabled. Memories of death and hell. The beginning of chastity is a mind that does not waver from lustful thoughts and dreams; the perfection of chastity is purity that sees God.
4. Humility. Fear of God. Feeling it during prayer. Fear that arises during especially pure prayer, when the presence and greatness of God is especially strongly felt, so as not to disappear and turn into nothing. Deep knowledge of one's insignificance. Changes in the view of one’s neighbors, and these without any coercion, seem to the humbled person to be superior to him in all respects. The manifestation of simplicity from living faith. Hatred of human praise. Constant blaming and beating yourself up. Rightness and directness. Impartiality.
Rejection and oblivion of flattering customs and words.
Rejection of earthly wisdom as unbecoming before God (Luke 16:15). Leaving word justification. Silence before the offender, studied in the Gospel. Putting aside all your own speculations and accepting the mind of the Gospel.
5. Abstinence. Refrain from excessive consumption of food and drink, especially from drinking excess wine. Precise keeping of fasts established by the Church. Restraining the flesh by moderate and constantly equal consumption of food, from which passions in general begin to weaken, and especially self-love, which consists of a wordless love of the flesh, its life and peace.
6. Meekness. Avoidance of angry thoughts and indignation of the heart with rage. Patience. Following Christ, who calls His disciple to the cross. Peace of the heart. Silence of the mind. Christian firmness and courage. Not feeling insulted. Kindness.
7. Sobriety. Zeal for every good deed. Attention when praying. Careful observation of all your deeds, words, thoughts and feelings. Extreme self-distrust.
Continuous stay in prayer and the word of God. Awe. Constant vigilance over oneself. Keeping yourself from a lot of sleep and effeminacy, idle talk, jokes and sharp words. Remembrance of eternal blessings, desire and expectation of them.