II. Грех

“Whoever commits sin is a slave of sin” (John 8:34). “When sin is committed, it gives birth to death” (James 1:15). “Whoever abides in Him (Christ) sins not; everyone who sins has neither seen Him nor known Him” (1 John 3:6). “Whoever commits sin is of the devil, because the devil sinned first” (1 John 3:8). “Whoever is born of God commits no sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God” (1 John 3:9). “Let not sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts” (Rom. 6:12). “Sin must not have dominion over you” (Rom. 6:14). “The wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). Sins are the cause of all evil (Conversation 7 on repentance). Sin is a disease of the soul (Conversation about the paralytic on Chapter 3 of the Book of Genesis). Sin brings only one harm to a person (on Ps. 139). Sin makes people beasts (on Ps. 139). Sin is extreme drunkenness and great evil (on Ps. 12). There is nothing heavier than sin (on Ps. 124). Sin is leprosy (Conversation 25 on the Evangelist Matthew, chapter 7). Sin is a grave relaxation (Conversation 67 on the Evangelist Matthew, chapter 21). To serve sin is too heavy and unbearable (Conversation 54 on the Evangelist John, chapter 8). It is better to walk naked than to walk burdened with sins (Conversation 5 on the Evangelist John, chapter 1). There is nothing more vile and unclean than that which is from sin (Conversation 52 on the Evangelist John, chapter 7). Sin is more evil than the demon (Conversation 41 on the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 9). Sin is the root of death (Conversation 10 on the Epistle to the Corinthians, chapter 5). Sin is a spontaneous demon and voluntary madness (Conversation 28 on the Epistle to the Romans, chapter 15). Saint Chrysostom teaches what sin is and what a great evil it is. Here are the reasons why sin is a great evil. First. Every sin offends the majesty of God. Second. When a person sins, he honors his passion and lust more than the law of God, and therefore angers the infinite, most good, righteous and eternal God Himself: how hard it is, everyone can see. Third. For the sake of the destruction of sin, the Son of God came into the world and endured such terrible passions and blasphemous death. “For this purpose the Son of God appeared, to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). Fourth. Sin separates a person from God and deprives him of God's grace. To such a person God says: “Behold, your house is left to you empty” (Matthew 23:38). Fifth. A soul that has lost God and His grace dies, according to Scripture: “the soul that sins... will die” (Ezek. 18:4). For just as the body dies when the soul leaves it, so the soul dies when God leaves it. Woe to the soul that has lost God, for it is possessed by the devil and therefore subject to all misfortunes. Sixth. After committing a sin, the sinner’s conscience incessantly torments him, which is worse than any misfortune; Some kind of internal fear happens, as happened to Cain. Seventh. There are temporary punishments for sin: famine, fires, wars, illnesses, earthquakes, etc. “Death, murder, quarrel, sword, disaster, famine, crushing and blows - all this was created for the wicked” (Sir. 40:9). Eighth. For sin there is eternal torment. A Guide to Avoiding Sin First. Prayer is frequent, humble, diligent, with contrition of heart. “Watch and pray so that you do not fall into temptation,” says Christ (Matthew 26:41). Second. Mortal memory: “In all your deeds remember your end, and you will never sin” (Sir. 7:39). After death, the judgment of Christ: from judgment - either into eternal torment, or into eternal bliss will be determined. For the feat of faith, which extols Christ who died and rose from the dead, and with His help struggles against sin - eternal bliss; for sin - eternal torment. Third. Avoid incidents that lead to sin, evil conversations; Protect hearing and vision, keep from temptations. Fourth. Beware of even the smallest sins, since small ones lead to big ones. Fifth. Remember that sin is a temporary sweetness, but for it there will be eternal torment. Sixth. To have God always before you, to think that He is present everywhere and sees everything, and rewards everyone according to their deeds, and can strike the sinner at the same hour with righteous judgment. Seventh. Bring to mind examples of punishments for sins, such as: the former global terrible flood; burned Sodom and Gomorrah; the Israelites slain in the desert, and so on. Eighth. To think that for our sins Christ the Son of God was martyred and died. Should you do what Christ suffered such passions for, and through sins “crucify the Son of God again” (Heb. 6:6)? It's scary and pathetic. Ninth. Look at the current executions of God for sins. Tenth. Read or listen often and diligently to the holy word of God and heed it. Eleventh. Not to look at what people do, but at what the law of God teaches and is preached in the Church. Twelfth. Read the lives of the saints who fought against sin, and imitate them in this. You might be interested in: