A list of sins with a description of their spiritual essence.

If anyone doesn't want to burn in hell forever, this is a must read! So, in order not to go to hell, you must: not commit, not have, not experience the following sinful actions, thoughts, impulses:

1. Abortion.
2. Unreasonable insurance.
3. Aimless collecting.
4. Unnatural fornication (handjob, or masturbation, same-sex copulation, bestiality).
5. Prodigal thoughts, dreams. Congratulations on these thoughts.
6. Abusive, cruel, caustic words.
7. In the presence of strangers, constantly playing as if on stage, in order to attract attention.
8. Attention to other qualities of your body (posture, slimness, athleticism).
9. Attention to the beauty of your face, appearance, use of cosmetics.
10. Indignation of the heart with rage.
11. Theft.
12. Enmity.
13. Lying to show off.
14. Hot temper.
15. High opinion of yourself, Self-worth.
16. Arrogance.
17. Displacement of God from the mind and heart by various addictions and worldly, vain concerns.
18. Anger
19. Pride
20. Robbery.

21. Insolence.
22. Long-term non-participation in the sacraments of Confession and Holy Communion.
23. Thirst for praise.
24. Cruelty to animals.
25. Envy (grief, desire for harm to one’s neighbor regarding his well-being).
26. Malice.
27. Schadenfreude (joy, rejoicing over failures, misfortunes of one’s neighbor).
28. Playing cards
29. Excessive sedation with sleep.
30. Adultery.
31. Pampered life (lack of physical labor, habit of sleeping a lot, attachment to comfort, etc.)
32. Exhausting yourself with extra work in order to earn more money.
33. Looking for easy ways.
34. Seeking human glory (respect, praise, honor, fame).
35. Confession of false religions (non-Orthodox).
36. Slander.
37. Deceit.
38. Blasphemy (ridicule of any religious truths).
39. Smoking, drinking, drug addiction.
40. Laziness towards every good deed, especially prayer.

41. Hypocrisy (pretending to be a pious person, doing good deeds for show).
42. Lie.
43. Cunning, cunning, dishonesty.
44. Fornication
45. Covetousness
46. ​​Cowardice.
47. Cowardly timidity.
48. Money-grabbing (purchase of luxury goods).
49. Thoughts about suicide.
50. Impudence, rudeness.
51. Battery. Murder.
52. Unreverent attitude towards shrines.
53. Ingratitude to God for everything that happens.
54. Carelessness.
55. Disbelief in God as a Provider, a Trustee of our lives
56. Disbelief in God as the Omnipresent, All-Seeing One.
57. Inattention, absent-mindedness in prayer.
58. Intemperance of spouses during fasting, on the eve of Sundays and holidays.
59. Failure to raise children in the Orthodox faith.
60. Reluctance to have true knowledge of the Orthodox faith.

61. Illegal relationships before marriage.
62. Unmerciful towards the poor and needy.
63. Hatred.
64. Disobedience to superiors, state. authorities, etc.
65. Failure to attend church on Sundays and holidays.
66. Disrespect for parents, refusal to help them.
67. Disrespectful attitude towards the state. authorities, superiors, guardians of public order, military personnel, senior citizens.
68. Continuous gluttony.
69. Non-self-reproach (do not consider yourself guilty when failures, misfortunes, and sorrows befall).
70. Failure to observe fasts.
71. Impatience in any matter.
72. Impatience of accusations, admonitions, reproaches.
73. Excessive breaking of the fast at Christmas, Easter (drinking, partying, visiting guests).
74. Deception for the purpose of profit.
75. Seeking help from the servants of Satan (sorcerers, sorcerers, psychics, hypnotists, bioenergetics, coders, etc.).
76. Sadness of the soul, loss of a good mood for various reasons (ate little or tasteless, lost an item, money; no opportunity to rest; disrespected, scolded, etc.)
77. Insult, anger a neighbor, cause him annoyance, discontent.
78. Denial of existence (atheism)
79. Despair (lack of hope in God in the misfortunes that have befallen).
80. Remembrance (to harbor anger for an offense caused).

81. Sadness.
82. Carnage
83. Spying, eavesdropping, reading other people's letters.
84. Breaking things in anger.
85. Visiting the mausoleum, laying flowers at the monuments to the leaders of the revolution.
86. Haste in prayer.
87. Loss of meaning in life.
88. Idle pastime (tours, restaurants, discos, concerts, gambling, sports, etc.).
89. Idle thoughts (empty fantasies, memories, mental dialogues).
90. Idle talk, jokes, blasphemy, gossip.
91. Preferring yourself to everyone.
92. Premonition of something terrible.
93. Contempt for one's neighbor.
94. Pre-controversy.
95. The habit of interfering in conversation.
96. The habit of pleasing yourself with tasty food.
97. Addiction to money, property.
98. Predilection for certain things (favorite cup, vase, etc.)
99. Curse your neighbor, wish him death, misfortune.
100. Curse yourself, wish yourself death, misfortune.

101. Curse a person in anger, wish him death, misfortune.
102. Disclosure of other people's weaknesses and bad deeds.
103. Conversations in the temple.
104. Disposition towards worldly sciences, the desire to excel in them in order to acquire earthly honors.
105. Murmur (complain about your bad fate, blame your neighbors for your failures, consider all troubles undeserved).
106. Self-admiration.
107. Self-justification: after committing a sin, justify yourself, forgetting about repentance; when someone denounces, try to make excuses, find reasons, shift the blame from oneself.
108. Sacrilege (disdain, mockery of a temple, cross, icon and other sacred objects).
109. Tendency to lead, desire to command.
110. Tendency to argue.
111. Tendency to attract attention to oneself (joking, making jokes, being original; dressing flashily).
112. Tendency to humiliate the vigilante.
113. Stinginess, greed.
114. Ridiculousness.
115. Seducing your neighbor into sin (paying with vodka, exposing your body on the beach, wearing short, immodest clothes, etc.)
116. Cohabitation in a marriage not sanctified by the Sacrament of Wedding.
117. Doubt about the existence of hell, eternal torment.
118. Doubt or disbelief in any other truths of the Orthodox faith.
119. Doubts about the existence of an afterlife
120. A dispute turning into a scandal, disturbing the heart with anger.

121. Passionate desire to get rich.
122. The desire to look no worse than others, purchasing fashionable clothes, things, rich furniture, dishes, a car, etc. for this purpose.
123. The desire to teach others, point out, give advice.
124. Shame to confess one’s sins, hiding them at Confession.
125. Superstition (belief in omens, dreams; belief in the evil eye, damage; fear of sorcerers).
126. Consider yourself an extraordinary person, endowed with some abilities, intelligence, knowledge, strength, beauty, etc.
127. Consider yourself righteous before God, worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven for the sake of your own virtues.
128. Dancing.
129. Pushing in anger. Beatings. Murder.
130. Difficulty asking for forgiveness.
131. Vanity
132. Dejected state of mind, powerlessness, apathy.
133. Evasion of service in the Armed Forces.
134. Dejection
135. Unnecessarily mentioning evil spirits; cursing.
136. Mention of the name of God, the holy saints of God in vain conversation.
137. Stubbornness (unwillingness to give in when possible).
138. Participation in demonstrations. Celebrating the New Year (falls during the Nativity Fast).
139. Participation in pioneer, Komsomol, party and other organizations that deny the existence of God.
140. Familiarity (free treatment of others).

141. Negligent performance of one’s duties at work and at home.
142. Brag
143. It is bad to speak about your neighbor.
144. Frequent, unnecessary walks, visiting friends.
145. People-pleasing, flattery, compliments; giving praise and honor to people for the sake of one’s own goals or out of fear of the boss.
146. Reading books on sinful topics, watching TV shows, photographs.

The concept of sin is a basic theological concept, which is the starting point in determining the essence of good and evil, truth and lies. Commitment is an offense that requires awareness and repentance, a violation of the commandments of God, actions that contradict the generally accepted rules of virtue and righteousness. At the same time, in the biblical tradition, transgressions before society, before God and man, most often come to the fore, and only then - violations of commandments.

What is mortal sin according to the Bible?

Often the concept of “sin” is compressed into a certain, narrow framework. Such frameworks distort the meaning of the concept and lead away from understanding the essence of sinfulness and righteousness as defined in the Bible.

Deliberate simplification of the meaning of sin leads to a reduction in its role in life and the sinner’s responsibility for his actions. At the same time, the importance of the concept is very great; there is even a definition of “mortal sin”, the very name of which fully conveys the degree of its significance in the Christian tradition.

Among ignorant people there is an opinion that a mortal sin is a transgression before God, for which the death penalty follows as a punishment. This is an erroneous point of view; in fact, we are talking about something else. Mortal sin in the biblical traditional definition is a sin, the consequence of which is the impossibility of saving the soul if the sinner has not repented.

That is, adjective “mortal” in this case means the death of the soul, but not physical death as a punishment for sins, although the Catholic Church during the Inquisition practiced physical execution quite widely. The reason is that in the Catholic tradition, mortal sin is a dogmatically fixed concept, which was used by the Inquisition to combat heretics.

Wherein, the definition does not specify the act itself, we are talking about a crime committed consciously and of one’s own free will and concerning serious issues. This breadth of interpretation has caused a lot of discrepancies and abuses.

Everyone was free to determine the degree of sin according to their own understanding, which gave rise to mass executions of heretics, condemned in the most primitive way, and the death penalty was almost unchanged - burning at the stake.

The Orthodox branch of Christianity interprets the concept of mortal sin differently. This refers to a distortion of God’s plan for man, although there is no exact definition. Criticism of God, opposing oneself to everything divine, and opposition to the truth are indicated as mortal sins.

In addition, there is a broader concept of mortal sin - as a conscious and voluntary submission of oneself to destructive passions that turn one away from God and destroy the soul. That is, there is a more clear definition of mortal sin, although without specifics, but quite accurately defining the framework for rendering a verdict. At the same time, the Orthodox Church acted more gently, not organizing mass executions and campaigns to catch witches.

The priority was the task of salvation, not the killing of the body, which radically distinguished Orthodoxy and Catholicism. The difference in the approaches of the confessions to the essence of mortal sin and responsibility for it even led to some confrontation. There were no religious wars between Orthodox and Catholics, but clashes did occur at the everyday level.

First on the list

The first, most serious mortal sin is pride. In the Orthodox tradition, the concept of “pride,” although consonant with the word “pride,” means a different phenomenon. Pride, in short, is opposing oneself to God, disbelief in him and an attempt to put oneself above God. The concept is very capacious, having many consequences and shades.

Pride guides and feeds all other sins, both mortals and ordinary ones, although the difference between them is quite fluid and is not always determined. For example, murder is also a consequence of pride, since the murderer puts himself above God, considering himself entitled to take the lives of others. It’s the same with suicides - they take their own lives, neglecting the will of God, who sent them trials, and die unrepentant.

In the old days, suicide was very rare; suicides were buried outside the cemetery fence, without a funeral service, and were not commemorated. This attitude was considered quite correct, since the person had committed a terrible sin and was not worthy of the rituals used for others.

People overwhelmed by pride are confident in the absence of God, which gives them confidence in the absence of a higher judgment over their thoughts and actions.

Such people are extremely dangerous because they believe that they are allowed to do whatever they want, since there is no punishment for it. For such people there are no restrictions other than their own momentary ones, and their actions can be very terrible.

Seven deadly sins

It is customary to distinguish between seven deadly sins, although eight are often mentioned. It should be understood that such a division does not so much describe specific offenses as show the main vices that cause other sins by their presence. The existing list of mortal sins in Orthodoxy includes both broad concepts and more specific human vices.

At the same time, there is an expanded classification of mortal sins. Thus, the catechism of Peter Mogila (12th century) divides mortal sins into three types.

1. The first type is a classic list of sins that lead to other sins:
2. pride
3. adultery
4. love of money (greed)
5. gluttony
6. envy

laziness. It is this list, albeit in different sequences, that is considered to be the seven deadly sins

, although, strictly speaking, this is a list of human vices, one way or another present everywhere.

1. The second type is sins against God. Here are the following:
2. despair and despondency
3. carelessness (excessive reliance on God despite one’s own inaction)
4. godlessness
5. neglect of repentance

malice and envy.

1. The third type contains sins that “cry out to heaven,” which include:
2. murder
3. sin of sodom
4. oppression of the orphaned and wretched
5. insult to parents

refusal to pay employees.

Peter Mogila’s classification significantly expands the list of mortal sins, but at the same time makes their definition closer and more understandable. It is believed that a person is not guilty of the occurrence of sinful thoughts or desires, but he is guilty of allowing them to take over his consciousness, linger in his thoughts and give rise to passions in him. That is,.

mortal sin occurs where it is not opposed or resisted

The first and most important act should be awareness of your sin, understanding of its presence and the need to eradicate it. Without this, the fight against sins is impossible, since they all live only in the minds of people. The appearance of sinful thoughts and plans is traditionally called temptation. It is believed that temptation is the most dangerous influence on the human psyche, since its effect is invisible, gradual and not immediately detected.

Victory over temptation is in many ways a victory over sin itself, eliminating its main cause. But the difficulty of such a victory is extremely great, since it requires constant control over one’s thoughts and actions, concentration of will and thought. The greatest difficulty lies precisely in constancy; any indulgence, any relaxation leads to the resumption of sin and reduces all previous efforts to nothing.

At the same time, different vices have different effects and require simultaneous monitoring and attention. Only one’s own will and conviction in the need for victory over sin can help in the fight against one’s vices.

Awareness of sin leads to renunciation of it, of unrighteous actions that cause the death of one’s soul. Understanding your offense means nothing without physically refusing to commit it, since the fact itself remains inviolable. Only a complete and conscious cessation of sinful acts eliminates the fact of committing a sin.

All these actions are extremely difficult, since in addition to the struggle with one’s own passions there is added the struggle with public opinion, which often perceives sinful actions as an expression of personal freedom and treats them as worthy and progressive actions.

Islam

The Islamic tradition interprets mortal sins in a slightly different way than the Christian one.. The division is made into major and minor sins. Major sins in significance are a kind of analogue of mortal sins in Christianity.

These include:

1. Idolatry(meaning that disbelief in Allah means worshiping idols)
2. Slander(here is a rather narrow interpretation of the concept, meaning the false accusation of a woman of adultery leading to the destruction of a family)
3. Murder of a Faithful(Islam prohibits any murder, but if we are talking about a Muslim, this is a very serious sin)
4. Fleeing from the battlefield(a Muslim cannot allow his shrines and his nation to be dishonored)
5. Orphan Robbery
6. Committing inappropriate acts in Mecca
7. Loss of hope for atonement for sins and salvation (Islam interprets this as weakness of faith)
8. In addition to the above, major sins are adultery, drinking alcohol, usury, homosexuality, eating pork or carrion.

The concept of sin in Islam differs not so much from the Christian interpretation in the semantic aspect, but in conveying shades of local tradition and way of life. The general directions of Islamic and Christian morality are consonant and require almost the same actions and thoughts from a person.

The difference in definitions and sounds is based on linguistic meanings, translation features and the subtleties of national psychology. In understanding the essence of mortal sin, the usual way of life, mentality and psychological characteristics are of great importance.

In conclusion, it should be noted the great importance of the concept of sin in religious movements in general and in Orthodoxy in particular. The absence of this concept would not allow Christianity to maintain its position to this day and would greatly reduce its importance as a whole.

The significant limiting ability of the concept of sin made it possible to introduce moral and ethical principles that have shaped the worldview of people for two millennia.

Subscribe to our interesting VKontakte group.

Often using the word “sin” in his vocabulary, he does not always fully understand its interpretation. As a result, the term is used for other purposes, gradually losing its true content. Nowadays, sin is perceived as something forbidden, but at the same time attractive. Having committed it, people boast, proud of their act in the “bad boy” style, gaining popularity and a scandalous reputation with its help. Such individuals do not realize: in fact, even the slightest sins in Orthodoxy are something for which each of us will suffer heavy and eternal punishment after death.

What is sin?

Religion interprets it differently. It is usually believed that sins in Orthodoxy are states of the human soul that are diametrically opposed to morality and honor. By committing them, he goes against his true nature. The famous theologian John of Damascus, who lived in Syria in the 7th century, for example, wrote that sin is always a voluntary deviation from spiritual rules. That is, it is almost impossible to force a person to do something immoral. Yes, of course, he can be threatened with weapons or reprisals against his loved ones. But the Bible says that even in the face of real danger, he always has the right to choose. Sin is a wound that a believer inflicts on his own soul.

According to another theologian, Alexei Osipov, any offense is a consequence of the fall of mankind. However, unlike original wickedness, in the modern world we take full responsibility for our mistakes. Each individual is obliged to fight the craving for the forbidden, to overcome it by all means, the best of which, as Orthodoxy claims, is confession. The list of sins, their immoral content and retribution for what they have done - teachers are required to talk about this even in elementary grades during theology lessons, so that children from an early age understand the essence of this evil and know how to fight it. In addition to sincere confession, another way to atone for one’s own immorality is sincere repentance, prayer and a complete change in the way of life. The Church believes that without the help of priests it is not always possible to overcome sinfulness, therefore a person should regularly visit the temple and communicate with his spiritual mentor.

Deadly sins

These are the most serious human vices, which can only be redeemed through repentance. Moreover, this must be done exclusively from the heart: if an individual doubts that he will be able to live in accordance with the new spiritual rules, then it is better to postpone this process until the moment when the soul is completely ready. In another case, confession is considered evil, and lying can be punished even more. The Bible states that for mortal sins the soul is deprived of the opportunity to go to heaven. If they are very heavy and terrible, then the only place that “shines” for a person after death is hell with its pitch darkness, hot frying pans, seething fiery cauldrons and other devilish paraphernalia. If the offenses are isolated and accompanied by repentance, the soul goes to purgatory, where it gets a chance to cleanse itself and reunite with God.

How many especially serious offenses does religion provide for? It is known that when analyzing mortal sins, Orthodoxy always gives a different list. In various versions of the Gospel you can find a list of 7, 8 or 10 points. But traditionally it is believed that there are only seven of them:

1. Pride is contempt for one's neighbor. Leads to darkening of the mind and heart, denial of God and loss of love for him.
2. Greed or love of money. This is the desire to acquire wealth in any way, which gives rise to theft and cruelty.
3. Fornication is adultery itself or thoughts about it.
4. Envy is the desire for luxury. Leads to hypocrisy and humiliation of one's neighbor.
5. Gluttony. Shows excessive self-love.
6. Anger - thoughts of revenge, anger and aggression, which can lead to murder.
7. Laziness, which gives rise to despondency, sadness, sorrow and murmuring.

These are the main mortal sins. Orthodoxy never modifies the list, since it believes that there is no greater evil than the above-described vices. After all, they are the starting point for all other sins, including murder, assault, theft, and so on.

Pride

This is too high a person's self-esteem. He begins to consider himself the best and most worthy. It is clear that it is necessary to develop individuality, unusual abilities and genius talents. But placing one’s “I” on an unjustified pedestal of honor is real pride. Sin leads to an inadequate assessment of oneself and making other fatal mistakes in life.

It differs from ordinary pride in that a person begins to boast of his qualities before God himself. He develops the confidence that he himself is capable of achieving heights without the help of the Almighty, and his talents are not a gift from Heaven, but exclusively personal merit. The individual becomes arrogant, ungrateful, arrogant, inattentive to others.

In many religions, sin is considered the mother of all other vices. And indeed it is. A person affected by this spiritual illness begins to adore himself, which leads to laziness and gluttony. In addition, he despises everyone around him, which invariably leads him to anger and greed. Why does pride arise? Sin, Orthodoxy claims, becomes a consequence of improper upbringing and limited development. It is difficult to rid a person of vice. Usually higher powers give him a test in the form of poverty or physical injury, after which he either becomes even more evil and proud, or is completely cleansed of the wicked state of the soul.

Greed

The second most serious sin. Vanity is a product of greed and pride, their common fruit. Therefore, these two vices are the foundation on which a whole bunch of immoral character traits grow. As for greed, it manifests itself in the form of an indomitable desire to receive a lot of money. The people whom she touched with her icy hand stop spending their finances even on what is necessary, they accumulate wealth contrary to common sense. Apart from a way to earn money, such individuals do not think about anything else. It is from the seeds of greed that such vices of the human soul as greed, self-interest and envy sprout. They are the reason that the entire history of mankind is drenched in the blood of innocent victims.

In our time, greed continues to occupy a leading position in the sinful hierarchy. The popularity of loans, financial pyramids and business trainings confirms the sad fact that the meaning of life for many people is enrichment and luxury. Greed is going crazy for money. Like any other insanity, it is destructive to the individual: the individual spends the best years of his life not searching for himself, but on the endless accumulation and increase of capital. Often he decides to commit a crime: theft, fraud, corruption. To overcome greed, a person needs to understand that true happiness is within him, and it does not depend on material wealth. The counterbalance is generosity: give part of what you earn to those in need. This is the only way to develop the ability to share benefits with other people.

Envy

Considering the 7 deadly sins, Orthodoxy calls this vice one of the most terrible. Most of the crimes in the world are committed based on envy: people rob neighbors just because they are richer, kill acquaintances who are in power, plot against friends, angry at their popularity with the opposite sex... The list is endless. Even if envy does not become an impetus for misconduct, it will invariably provoke the destruction of a person’s personality. For example, an individual will drive himself into a premature grave, tormenting his soul with a distorted perception of reality and negative emotions.

Many people reassure themselves that their envy is white. They say that they appreciate the achievements of a loved one, which becomes an incentive for personal growth for them. But if you face the truth, no matter how you paint this vice, it will still be immoral. Black, white or multi-colored envy is a sin, because it involves your desire to conduct a financial inspection in someone else's pocket. And sometimes you take over something that doesn’t belong to you. To get rid of this unpleasant and spiritually devouring feeling, you need to realize: other people's benefits are always superfluous. You are a completely self-sufficient and strong person, so you can find your place in the sun.

Gluttony

The word is old and beautiful. It also directly points to the essence of the problem. Gluttony is serving one’s body, worshiping earthly desires and passions. Just think how disgusting a person looks, in whose life the main place is occupied by a primitive instinct: satiation of the body. The words “belly” and “animal” are related and similar in sound. They came from the Old Slavonic source code alive- "alive". Of course, in order to exist, an individual must eat. But we should remember: we eat to live, and not vice versa.

Gluttony, greed for food, satiety, eating large quantities of food - all this is gluttony. Most people do not take this sin seriously, believing that the love of goodies is their slight weakness. But one has only to look at it on a more global scale, how the vice becomes ominous: millions of people on Earth are dying of hunger, while someone, without shame or conscience, stuffs their belly to the point of nausea. Overcoming gluttony is often difficult. You will need iron willpower to strangle the baser instincts within yourself and limit yourself in food to the necessary minimum. Strict fasting and giving up your favorite delicacies help to cope with gluttony.

Fornication

Sins in Orthodoxy are the base desires of a weak-willed person. The manifestation of sexual activity, which is not carried out in a marriage blessed by the church, is considered fornication. This can also include infidelity, various kinds of intimate perversions and promiscuity. The most important thing is that this is only the physical shell of what is actually gnawing at the brain. After all, it is the gray matter, its imagination and the ability to fantasize that sends impulses that push a person to an immoral act. Therefore, in Orthodoxy, fornication is also considered viewing pornographic materials, listening to obscene jokes, obscene remarks and thoughts - in a word, everything from which bodily sin itself is born.

Many people often confuse fornication with lust, considering them to be the same concept. But these are slightly different terms. Lust can also manifest itself in a legal marriage, when the husband rightfully desires his wife. And this is not considered a sin; on the contrary, it is encouraged by the church, which considers such a connection necessary for the continuation of the human race. Fornication is an invariable deviation from the rules preached by religion. When talking about it, they often use the expression “sin of Sodom.” In Orthodoxy, this term refers to an unnatural attraction to persons of the same sex. It is often impossible to get rid of a vice without the help of experienced psychologists, and also due to the lack of a strong inner core within a person.

Anger

It would seem that this is the natural state of a person... We get angry or indignant for various reasons, but the church condemns this. If you look at the 10 sins in Orthodoxy, this vice does not look like such a terrible offense. Moreover, the Bible even often uses such a concept as righteous anger - energy given by God aimed at solving problems. An example is the confrontation between Paul and Peter. The latter, by the way, gave the wrong example: the angry complaint of David, who heard from the prophet about injustice, and even the indignation of Jesus, who learned about the desecration of the temple. But please note: none of the mentioned episodes refers to self-defense; on the contrary, they all imply the protection of other people, society, religion, and principles.

Anger becomes a sin only when it has selfish motives. In this case, Divine goals are distorted. It is also condemned when it is prolonged, so-called chronic. Instead of generating indignation into energy, we begin to enjoy it, allowing anger to subjugate us. Of course, in this case the most important thing is forgotten - the goal that needs to be achieved with the help of anger. Instead, we focus on the person and the uncontrollable aggression towards him. To cope with it, you must in any case respond with good to any evil. This is the key to transforming anger into true love.

Laziness

More than one page is devoted to this vice in the Bible. Parables are filled with wisdom and warnings, saying that idleness can destroy any individual. There should be no place for idleness in the life of a believer, because it violates God’s purpose - good deeds. Laziness is a sin, because a non-working person is not able to provide for his family, support the weak, or help the poor. Instead, work is a tool with which you can get closer to God and cleanse your soul. The main thing is to work for the benefit not only of yourself, but of all people, society, the state and the church.

Laziness can turn a full-fledged personality into a limited animal. Lying on the couch and living at the expense of others, a person becomes an ulcer on the body, a creature sucking blood and vitality. To free yourself from laziness, you need to realize: without effort you are a weakling, a universal laughing stock, a creature of low rank, not a person. Of course, we are not talking about those people who, due to certain circumstances, cannot work fully. This refers to vigorous, physically healthy individuals who have every opportunity to benefit society, but ignore them due to a morbid tendency to idleness.

Other terrible sins in Orthodoxy

They are divided into two large groups: vices that bring harm to one’s neighbor, and those that are directed against God. The first includes such atrocities as murder, beatings, slander, and humiliation. The Bible teaches us to love our neighbor as ourselves, and also to forgive the guilty, honor our elders, protect our younger ones, and help those in need. Always keep promises on time, appreciate the work of others, raise children according to the canons of the Christian faith, protect plants and animals, do not judge for mistakes, forget about hypocrisy, slander, jealousy and ridicule.

Sins in Orthodoxy against God imply failure to fulfill the will of the Lord, ignoring the commandments, lack of gratitude, superstition, turning to magicians and fortune-tellers for help. Try not to pronounce the name of the Lord unless necessary, do not blaspheme or complain, learn not to sin. Instead, read the Holy Scriptures, go to temple, pray sincerely, get spiritually enriched and read everything

Translated from Greek the word "sin" means "miss, miss the target". Man was created in the image and likeness of God. His goal should be the desire for spiritual insight, for union with the Highest, eternal and unchanging. Only this brings true pleasure. But often, people put in first place things that are transitory, perishable, which is considered a sin.

Initially, a person has freedom. Sometimes he chooses life without God, and then he falls away from Him, withdrawing into his corruptible nature. Instead of searching for truth, he seeks pleasure in the world and tries to satisfy his sensual desires. He thinks this will make him happy. But the joy from everything transitory is fleeting. People become slaves to their sensual aspirations, but are never completely satisfied. Sin eats away at their souls, and they move further and further away from God, living in discord with their true nature.

What is a mortal sin?

called "mortals". The concept of sins “to death” and “not to death” was first mentioned in the Bible by John the Theologian. Mortal sins cause irreparable harm to the soul and lead to its death. Committing such offenses completely destroys the connection between God and man. It can only be restored through repentance.

The clergy emphasize that the division of sins according to this principle is conditional. Any wrongdoing alienates a person from God, no matter how insignificant it may seem. It's like dividing diseases into mild and severe. People treat minor illnesses with disdain, carrying them on their feet. However, even a small cold with this attitude can lead to serious complications and lead to death. Also, ordinary sins, accumulating, can destroy the soul.

Since ancient times, clergy have tried to create a classification of mortal sins in Orthodoxy. Their list included many serious sins, such as murder, suicide, theft, insulting God, abortion, turning to dark forces, lying, etc.

The first attempts to unite all mortal sins into several groups were made by Cyprian of Carthage in the 3rd century AD. e. In the 5th century, Evagrius of Pontus wrote a whole teaching in which he listed the eight main sins that underlie all the others. Subsequently, their number was reduced to seven.

Seven is a sacred number in Orthodoxy. God created the Universe in seven days. The Bible consists of 70 books. In them, the number “seven” is mentioned exactly 700 times. There are seven sacraments through which Divine power is transmitted to believers. So the mortal sins that separate us from God have been conditionally divided into seven groups.

Let us list the sins included in the generally accepted list:

It seems to many that depression is just an innocent human weakness. However, the Church warns against such erroneous judgments. Despondency leads loss of strength, laziness, indifference to other people. Instead of trying to change something, a person despairs, stops hoping for a better outcome and exists in discord with his soul. As a result, he loses faith in God and his mercy.

• Envy

This feeling is based on an inferiority complex and disbelief in the Creator’s plan. It seems to us that God has given others more material goods, power, virtues, beauty, etc. At the same time, we feel disadvantaged, forgetting that everyone is given according to their needs. Instead of improving and honestly achieving what they want, people lose joy in life and begin to grumble at God. Envy leads to the most serious offenses in the form of murder, theft, and betrayal.

No less terrible is the anger that often engulfs self-loving people. A person becomes hot-tempered and irritable if someone contradicts him or acts contrary to his wishes. In the most severe cases anger can lead to murder or violence. In milder cases, it destroys relationships with loved ones and becomes the cause of conflicts, disputes, and misunderstandings. The main damage is caused to the soul, which is corroded from within by resentment and the desire for revenge.

• Gluttony

Understands overeating, as well as drinking alcohol, drugs, smoking cigarettes for pleasure. People susceptible to this vice value sensual pleasures more than spiritual ones. Excessive food and bad habits destroy their body, lead to illness, and dull the mind. It was gluttony that destroyed Adam and Eve, and through them, the entire human race. If you have overcome this addiction, then the fight against other sins is much easier.

The Church blesses the intimate relationships of a man and a woman who are legally married. They put love, spiritual unity and mutual responsibility in the first place. However, adultery, sexual relations outside of marriage, dissolute living, lewd thoughts, reading lewd books or watching related videos considered a mortal sin. Those who indulge in it are distrustful of the opposite sex. Such behavior defiles the soul, since receiving bodily pleasure is put at the forefront of everything. This sin is close in essence to the previous one - in both cases a person is not able to curb his carnal desires.

• Greed

The desire to take more benefits for yourself inherent in a person from birth. Children fight over toys, adults chase cars, houses, career advancement, a rich spouse. Greed drives people to steal, kill, deceive, and extort. The reason for this behavior is spiritual emptiness. Without feeling unity with God, a person feels like a beggar. He tries to compensate for this by possessing material wealth, but fails every time. Not understanding what the matter is, he tries to get even more wealth, thereby moving further and further away from the Creator.

It was this sin that Satan was subject to. At the heart of pride lies t excessive attention to one’s own person, desire for superiority. Pride pushes us to lies, hypocrisy, the desire to teach others, irritability, anger if someone has disrespected us. Considering himself superior to others, a person spoils relationships with others and treats them with disdain. By valuing himself above God, he also rejects God.

Redemption

Human nature is imperfect. Every day we commit sins, big or small, in thoughts or actions. Therefore, it becomes relevant to know how atone for your sins.

There are three erroneous methods that ignorant people resort to:

It is important to understand: we cannot atone for our sins. But we can receive forgiveness through the great mercy of God. Jesus Christ, having lived his earthly life and accepted death on Calvary, gave his soul to atone for our sins. He founded the Church with its Sacraments, through which liberation is granted. One of these Sacraments is confession. Every person can come to Church and repent of their sins.

- This is the reconciliation of man with God. The sacrament takes place in the presence of a witness - a priest. Many churchgoing people are confused by this fact. Of course, it is easier to repent to God without witnesses. But this is exactly what Jesus Christ decreed, and we must come to terms with his will. By submitting, we fight the most serious sin - our pride.

It is not the priest who grants us absolution, but God through him. The clergyman in this sacrament acts as a mediator who sympathizes with us and prays for us.

Preparing for Confession

Let's consider how to properly prepare for repentance

• You need to start by realizing your sins. Churches often publish special lists of sins to help repentant people. They must be treated with caution. Confession should not be a formal reading of excerpts from such a list. You should listen more to your conscience.
• Talk only about your sins, do not try to justify them, do not compare them with the misdeeds of other people.
• There is no need to be shy and look for special words. The priest will understand and will not judge.
• Start confession with the main sins. Some people prefer to talk about small things like watching TV or sewing on Sunday, but keep silent about serious things.
• You should not wait for the day of confession to renounce sin.
• In order for God to forgive us, we ourselves must forgive the offenders and apologize to those whom we have harmed.

Sometimes during confession the priest appoints. This could be reading prayers, doing acts of mercy, bowing to the ground, or abstaining from communion. Penance should not be confused with punishment. It is prescribed so that the believer fully understands his sin or overcomes it through spiritual exercises. Penance is imposed for a certain time.

Confession ends with a prayer of permission, read by the clergyman. After the Sacrament of Repentance, a burden falls from the soul, it is freed from impurities. You can ask the priest for a blessing for communion.

Communion is a religious rite during which we commune with God through eating bread and wine. The bread symbolizes the flesh, and the wine symbolizes the blood of Jesus Christ. By sacrificing himself, he thereby restored the fallen nature of man. Through the Sacrament of Communion we unite with the Creator, we gain our original unity with Him, which existed before the expulsion of people from paradise.

It is important to understand that a person cannot cope with his sinful nature on his own. But he can do it with God's help. It is necessary to ask for this help, because God has endowed man with free will. He will not interfere in our lives arbitrarily. By sincerely confessing our sins, striving to live according to the covenants of Christ, and reverently communing with the Highest through the Sacrament of Communion, we gain salvation and begin to live in harmony with our own soul.

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

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

Characteristics of mortal sins

In the spiritual, as well as in the material world, there are laws, the violation of which leads to minor destruction or colossal catastrophes.

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

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

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

Victory over them lies in binding each passion separately.

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

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

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

List of sins for confession

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to deal with sins

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

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

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

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

Confession of sins

Pride

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

Gluttony

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

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

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

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

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

About spiritual life:

Fornication

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

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

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

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

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

Love of money

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

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

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

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

Anger

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

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

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

Sadness

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

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

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

Dejection

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

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

Vanity

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

Vanity happens:

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

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

Deliverance through repentance

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

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

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

Watch a video about the eight deadly sins