Modern life is full of temptations; everywhere a person is told that his desires are the law, and he himself is the highest value. Everything is wrong in the worldview of Orthodox believers. According to him, man is only a creature called to serve Him and not indulge the bad sides of his character. The basis and guidance in their lives are the 10 commandments of God, which are given in order to avoid the 7.

10 commandments of God

The goal of the Christian life is not pleasure, wealth or fame, every believer dreams of finding after death eternal life in heaven with . According to the Biblical narrative, in Old Testament times, God personally talked with some righteous people, through them conveying His will to others. One of these people was the prophet Moses. It was he who brought the Law to the Jewish people, according to which they must live.

There are various commands mentioned in Scripture:

• 10 commandments of God listed in the Old Testament (Law of Moses);
• The Beatitudes (given during the Sermon on the Mount);
• The two main commandments given by the Son of God (Luke 10:27).

There are other instructions on how to go through the path of spiritual improvement. But today we will talk about the Decalogue - those commandments that were given to Moses on Mount Sinai. This happened after the Jewish people left Egypt. The Lord descended on the mountain in a cloud and inscribed the Law on stone slabs.

The 10 commandments of God are not just a list of prohibitions, but a kind of instruction for spiritual safety. The Lord warns people that if they violate the laws of the universe, they themselves will suffer from it. The list of decalogues in the Old Testament is given twice - in the books of Exodus (chapter 20) and Deuteronomy (chapter 5). Here is the Law of Moses in Russian:

1. “I am the Lord your God... You shall have no other gods before Me.”

2. “You shall not make for yourself an idol or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth below, or that is in the water under the earth.”

3. “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave unpunished the one who takes His name in vain.”

4. “Six days you shall work, and do all your work; and the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God.”

5. “Honor your father and your mother, so that your days on earth may be long.”

6. “Thou shalt not kill.”

7. "Thou shalt not commit adultery."

8. “Don’t steal.”

9. “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”

10. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; You shall not covet your neighbor's wife; neither his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”.

In Orthodoxy and Protestantism the order of the commandments is somewhat different, but the essence does not change. So, in order to get into the Kingdom of Heaven, you do not need to read a lot of spiritual literature, perform an endless number of bows and rituals. It is only necessary to avoid sins in everyday life. In reality, of course, this is not so easy for modern pampered people.

• The first four commandments (according to Orthodox Church) laws regulate the relationship between man and God.
• The remaining six (from 5th to 10th) show how to treat others.

The coming of the Savior to earth in no way abolishes the Decalogue; on the contrary, it introduced a new understanding into its observance.

Interpretation of the commandments

May you have no other gods

Christianity is a monotheistic religion in which there is room for only one God. He is the Creator, the giver of life. All visible world exists thanks to Him - from the ant to the stars in the sky. Everything good that is in the human soul has its roots in God.

Many people pay attention to how beautifully and wisely nature works. All this is the result of God's plan. Birds know where to fly, grass grows, trees bloom and bear fruit in due time. The source of everything is the Lord of hosts. Man needs only one Creator, kind, generous, patient. Many things are sins against the first commandment:

• denial of God;
• superstition;
• passion for the occult, magic, witchcraft;
• joining sectarian organizations.

Worshiping any other being will be a substitute for the true God. This is discussed in more detail in the next commandment.

Do not make yourself an idol.

Logically continues the first commandment. You must not confuse creation - even a beautiful and worthy one - with the Creator, worship celebrities, or put someone or something at the center of your life that is not God. For many today, their smartphones have become idols, expensive cars. An idol can be not only a person or a physical object, but also an idea. For example, the desire for material prosperity, the desire to please one’s lusts.

Do not take God's name in vain.

The gift of speech distinguishes man from animals. It was not given in vain; with the help of words, a person can ascend to heaven or sin, encourage his neighbors or slander them. Therefore, you should be very careful about what you say. You should read the Word of God out loud more often, pray, and gossip and talk less.

About Saturday rest.

Following the example set by God Himself, a person should devote one day to rest. His goal is not only to regain strength, but also to pay tribute to his Lord. This day should be spent in prayer, Bible study, and acts of mercy. In Old Testament times, the Jews rested on the Sabbath. But Christ came, he rose from the grave on Sunday, so this is the day that Orthodox Christians now devote to going to church and taking their children to Sunday schools.

About honoring parents.

Each of us has a father and mother, grandparents. Relationships do not always go smoothly; the views of young people often differ from the opinions of the older generation. But still, as directed by the Lord, we must always respect our elders, show them respect and care. Without learning this commandment, a person will not be able to honor God with dignity.

Dont kill.

Life is a great gift that the Creator gives to man. For everyone in the world there is a task, a purpose, it is unique. No one dares to take life, not even the one to whom it was given. Therefore, suicide in Christianity is one of the most serious sins. By voluntarily leaving life, a person neglects the greatest gift from God. Many holy fathers say that repentance is impossible beyond the grave, and the Bible testifies to this.

In Christianity, abortion (no matter at what stage) is also equivalent to murder. The soul is considered alive from the very moment of conception. By rudely interrupting the baby's existence, the mother interferes with the global plans of the Creator. There will not be a soul on this earth who was probably called to do many good deeds. Addiction to tobacco, alcohol and other chemicals is a slow suicide. Therefore, addictions are also sins against the 6th commandment.

About adultery.

Marriage in Christianity should be unique and inviolable, despite any circumstances. Cheating on a husband or wife can be not only literal, when one of the spouses enters into a relationship with another person. Even thoughts about such things leave the imprint of sin on the soul.

It is also illegal to have a relationship with someone of the same sex. No matter how many today try to impose the idea that homosexuality is normal, the Bible clearly says that the Lord is against it. Just read the story of the punishment of Sodom. The inhabitants of this city wanted to abuse the angels who appeared with Lot in the guise of men. The next morning, Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed, because the Lord did not find even five righteous people in it.

Against theft.

God cares not only about the spiritual, but also the material well-being of man. Therefore, He prohibits appropriating other people's property. You cannot deceive funds, rob, steal, give and take bribes, or commit fraud.

Prohibition on lying.

We have already said that language can be a means of death or salvation. The Lord shows us that telling a lie is bad not only for the liar himself, but can also cause great trouble for his neighbors. Not only should you not tell lies, you should also not gossip, slander, or use foul language.

Ban on envy.

The 10th Commandment also protects the rights of our neighbor. The Lord measures earthly blessings to everyone differently. From the outside it may seem that your neighbor does not know grief, because he has a better apartment, beautiful wife and so on. In fact, no one can fully understand another. Therefore, one should not covet what an acquaintance, colleague, or friend has.

The final prohibition of the decalogue is, rather, of a New Testament nature, since it relates not to action, but to wrong thoughts. They are the source of any sin. Let us move on from God’s commandments to transgressions.

7 deadly sins

The doctrine of the 7 deadly sins has ancient origin. Why are they called that? Because they separate man from God, but He alone is the source of all goods, including life. A person living in the Garden of Eden could eat the fruits of the Tree of Life. Now this is impossible for the descendants of Adam. Christians live in the hope that after physical death they will finally be able to unite with the Creator.

After a person deviates from the Law written in his heart, he feels his distance from the Lord, is deprived of grace, no longer strives to see the face of God, but naively hides from him, like Adam. It is important in such a state to remember the all-forgiving love of Christ and repent from the heart.

Already in the 2nd-3rd centuries. the monks formulated the main human sins. It is no coincidence that the hell that Dante described has seven circles. The famous theologian Thomas Aquinas also names the same number. It is these mortal sins that are the source of all the others. Many theologians consider them not individual offenses, but a group of sins.

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

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

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

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

Later Christian theologians (in particular, Thomas Aquinas) objected to 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 laziness in the 17th century.

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

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

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

ANGER

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

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

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

A. Human anger

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

2. How to control our anger
- we must refrain from anger (Psalm 36:8; Eph 4:31)
- we must be slow to anger (James 1:19-20)
- we must control ourselves (Proverbs 16:32)
- in our anger we should not sin (Psalm 4:5; Eph 4:26-27)

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

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

B. The Wrath of Jesus

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

B. The Wrath of God

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

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

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

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

IDLENESS

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

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

GREED

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A. The commandment about greed

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

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

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

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

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

GLUTTONY

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

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

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

voluptuousness

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

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

Translated from Greek 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, 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 desires, 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?

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 complication and lead to death. Likewise, ordinary sins, when accumulated, 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 - 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 and stops hoping for best 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 surrender to him are distrustful of 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- This 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 with your own soul.

The Law of God for every Christian is a guiding star that shows a person how to get into the Kingdom of Heaven. For many centuries now, the importance of this Law has not diminished. On the contrary, human life is increasingly complicated by conflicting opinions, which means that the need for the authoritative and clear guidance of God's Commandments increases. That is why many people turn to them in our time. And today the commandments and the seven major deadly sins act as regulators of our lives. The list of the latter is as follows: despondency, gluttony, lust, anger, envy, greed, pride. These are, naturally, the main, most serious sins. The 10 commandments of God and the 7 deadly sins are the basis of Christianity. It is not necessary to read the mountains - it is enough to avoid what leads to the spiritual death of a person. However, this is not as easy to do as it seems at first glance. It is not easy to completely eliminate all seven deadly sins from your life. And keeping the Ten Commandments is also not an easy task. But we must at least strive for spiritual purity. God is known to be merciful.

Commandments and laws of nature

The foundations of Orthodoxy are the commandments of God. You can compare them with the laws of nature, because the source of both is the Creator. They complement each other: the first give the human soul a moral basis, and the second regulate soulless nature. The difference lies in the fact that matter obeys physical laws, while man is free to obey moral laws or ignore them. God's great mercy lies in giving each of us freedom of choice. Thanks to her, we improve spiritually and can even become like the Lord. Nevertheless, moral freedom also has another side - it imposes on each of us responsibility for our actions.

We will not dwell in detail on the meaning of the first three commandments. They are connected with the attitude towards God and, in general, are understandable. Let's look at the other 7 commandments of God in detail.

Fourth Commandment

According to it, it is necessary to remember the Sabbath day in order to spend it holy. For six days a person should work and do all his work, and the seventh day should be dedicated to God. How should we understand this commandment? Let's figure it out.

The Lord God commands us to study necessary things to do and working for six days is understandable. It's unclear what should be done on the seventh day, isn't it? It must be devoted to holy deeds and service to the Lord. The works pleasing to Him include the following: prayer at home and in the temple of God, concern for the salvation of the soul, enlightenment of the heart and mind with religious knowledge, helping the poor, religious conversations, visiting prisoners in prison and the sick, consoling the mourning, as well as other works of mercy.

The Sabbath in the Old Testament was celebrated as a remembrance of how God created the world. It says that on the seventh day after the creation of the world, “God rested from His work” (Gen. 2:3). Jewish scribes after the Babylonian captivity began to explain this commandment too rigoristically and formally, prohibiting any deeds on this day, even good ones. It is clear from the Gospels that even the Savior was accused by the scribes of “breaking the Sabbath” because Jesus healed people on that day. However, it is precisely “the man for the Sabbath”, and not vice versa. In other words, the peace established on this day should benefit spiritual and physical strength, and not deprive us of the opportunity to do good deeds and not enslave people. Weekly withdrawal from everyday activities provides an opportunity to collect thoughts, think about the meaning of earthly existence and one’s work. Work is necessary, but the salvation of the soul is the most important matter.

The fourth commandment is violated not only by those who work on Sunday, but also by those who are lazy and shirk their duties on weekdays. Even if you do not work on Sunday, but do not dedicate this day to God, but spend it in entertainment and amusements, indulging in excess and revelry, you also do not fulfill God’s Covenant.

Fifth Commandment

We continue to describe 7 God's commandments. According to the fifth, one should honor one’s father and mother in order to live long and happily on earth. How can we understand this? Honoring parents means loving them, respecting their authority, not daring to offend them with actions or words under any circumstances, obeying them, taking care of them if they need something, helping parents in their labors, praying to God for them, as in life. , and after the death of parents. Don't respect them - great sin. Those who slandered their mother or father were punished by death in the Old Testament.

Being the Son of God, Jesus Christ treated his earthly parents with respect. He obeyed them and helped Joseph with carpentry. Jesus reproached the Pharisees for denying the necessary maintenance to their parents under the pretext of dedicating their property to God. By doing this they violated the fifth commandment.

How to treat strangers? Religion teaches us that it is necessary to show respect to everyone, in accordance with his position and age. One should respect spiritual fathers and shepherds; civilian leaders who care about the well-being, justice and peaceful life of the country; teachers, educators, benefactors and elders. Young people who do not respect old people and elders sin, considering their concepts obsolete, and themselves as backward people.

Sixth Commandment

It says: "Thou shalt not kill." The Lord God with this commandment prohibits taking the life of oneself or other people. Life is the greatest gift, only God can set its limits for each person.

Suicide is a very serious sin, because in addition to murder, it also involves others: lack of faith, despair, murmuring against God, as well as rebellion against His providence. It is also terrible that a person who has violently ended his own life does not have the opportunity to repent of the sin committed, since repentance after death is invalid. A person is guilty of murder even when he does not kill himself personally, but contributes to it or allows others to do so. In addition to physical murder, there is also spiritual murder, which is no less terrible. It is committed by the one who seduces his neighbor to a vicious life or to unbelief.

Seventh Commandment

Let's talk about the seventh commandment of God's law. “Thou shalt not commit adultery,” it says. God commands to remain mutually faithful to wife and husband, to be chaste when unmarried - pure in words, deeds, desires and thoughts. In order not to sin against this commandment, one should avoid everything that arouses unclean feelings in a person, for example: “piquant” jokes, foul language, shameless dances and songs, reading immoral magazines, viewing seductive photographs and films. The seventh commandment of God's law indicates that sinful thoughts should be stopped at their very appearance. We must not let them take over our will and feelings. Homosexuality is considered a grave sin against this commandment. It was for him that famous cities of antiquity were exterminated.

Eighth Commandment

God's 7 commandments concern various aspects of human life. The eighth is devoted to the attitude towards the property of other people. It says: "Thou shalt not steal." In other words, appropriation of property belonging to others is prohibited. There are various types of theft: robbery, theft, sacrilege, bribery, extortion (when, taking advantage of the misfortune of others, they take a lot of money from them), parasitism, etc. If a person withholds an employee’s wages, weighs and measures during a sale, conceals what was found, evades payment of a debt , then he commits theft. In contrast to the greedy desire for wealth, faith teaches us to be merciful, hardworking and selfless.

Ninth Commandment

It says that you cannot bear false witness against your neighbor. The Lord God thus prohibits all lies, including: slander, denunciations, false testimony in court, slander, slander, and gossip. Slander is a devilish thing, since the very name “devil” means “slanderer.” Any lie is unworthy of a Christian. It is not consistent with respect and love for others. We should refrain from idle talk and watch what we say. The Word is God's greatest gift. We become like the Creator when we speak. And the word of God immediately becomes action. Therefore, this gift must be used only for the glory of God and for a good purpose.

Tenth Commandment

We have not yet described all 7 of God's commandments. You should stop at the last, tenth. It says that it is necessary to abstain from impure desires and envy of one's neighbor. While the other commandments focused primarily on behavior, the last one focuses on our desires, feelings and thoughts, that is, what happens inside a person. It is necessary to strive for spiritual purity. It should be remembered that a bad thought is where every sin begins. If a person dwells on it, a sinful desire appears, which pushes him to commit the corresponding act. Therefore, in order to fight various temptations, it is necessary to nip them in the bud, that is, in thoughts.

For the soul, envy is poison. If a person is subject to it, then he will always be dissatisfied, he will always lack something, even if he is very rich. In order not to succumb to this feeling, we should thank God for being merciful to us, sinners and unworthy. For our crimes we could be exterminated, but the Lord not only endures, but also sends His mercies to people. The task of every person's life is to acquire a pure heart. It is in him that the Lord rests.

Beatitudes

The commandments of God and the Gospel discussed above have great importance for every Christian. The latter are part of Jesus' commandments that he spoke during the Sermon on the Mount. They are included in the Gospel. They received this name because following them leads to eternal bliss in eternal life. If the 10 Commandments prohibit what is sinful, then the Beatitudes tell us how one can achieve holiness (Christian perfection).

Seven Commandments for the Descendants of Noah

Not only Christianity has commandments. In Judaism, for example, there are 7 laws of the descendants of Noah. They are considered the necessary minimum that the Torah imposes on all humanity. Through Adam and Noah, according to the Talmud, God gave us the following 7 commandments of God (Orthodoxy, in general, states approximately the same): the prohibition of idolatry, murder, blasphemy, theft, adultery, as well as the prohibition of using flesh that has been cut off from a living animal, and the need to create a fair judicial system.

Conclusion

Jesus Christ, when asked by a young man about what should be done in order to inherit eternal life, answered: “Keep the commandments!” After that he listed them. The Ten Commandments above give us the basic moral guidance we need to create life, both public, family and private. Jesus, speaking about them, noted that they all essentially boil down to the teaching of love for neighbors and God.

In order for these commandments to benefit us, we must make them our own, that is, allow them to guide our actions and worldview. These commandments must be rooted in our subconscious or, figuratively speaking, must be written on the tablets of our hearts by God.

The Seven Deadly Sins and the Ten Commandments