Seven deadly sins and ten commandments. Mortal sins - the most terrible sins in Orthodoxy

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 not so in the worldview of Orthodox believers. According to him, man is only a creature, called to serve Him and not to indulge the bad sides of character. The basis, the guide in their lives are the 10 commandments of God, which are given in order to avoid the 7th.

10 commandments of God

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

There are various commands mentioned in Scripture:

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

There are other indications on how to walk the path of spiritual perfection. 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 wrote the Law on stone slabs Oh.

The 10 commandments of God are not just a list of prohibitions, but some kind of instruction for spiritual security. The Lord warns people that if they violate the laws of the universe, they will suffer from it themselves. The list of the decalogue 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... Thou shalt have no other gods before Me."

2. “You shall not make for yourself an idol or any image of what is in the sky above, and what is on the earth below, and what is in the water below the earth.”

3. "Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave without punishment the one who takes His name in vain."

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

5. "Honor your father and your mother, that your days on earth may be long."

6. "Don't kill."

7. "Do not commit adultery."

8. "Don't steal."

9. "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor."

10. “Do not covet your neighbor's house; do not covet your neighbor's wife; neither his servant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is with your neighbor.”.

In Orthodoxy and Protestantism, the order of the commandments is somewhat different, but the essence of this does not change. So, in order to get into the Kingdom of Heaven, one does not need to read a lot of spiritual literature, perform an infinite number of prostrations and rituals. Only needed in Everyday life avoid sins. In fact, of course, it is not so easy for modern pampered people.

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

The coming of the Savior to earth in no way cancels the Decalogue; on the contrary, it has brought a new understanding to its observance.

Interpretation of the Commandments

May you have no other gods

Christianity is a monotheistic religion in which there is only room for one God. He is the Creator, the giver of life. The entire 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 pay attention to how beautiful and wise nature is. All this is the result of God's plan. The birds know where to fly, the grass grows, the tree blossoms and bears 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, sorcery;
• 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 if it is beautiful and worthy - with the Creator, worship celebrities, put someone or something that is not God at the center of your life. For many today, their smartphones, expensive cars have become idols. 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 mention the name of God in vain.

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

About Saturday rest.

According to the example set by God Himself, a person should devote one day to rest. His goal is not only to restore strength, but also to pay tribute to his Lord. This day should be spent in prayer, Bible study, works of mercy. In Old Testament times, the Jews rested on the Sabbath. But Christ came, he rose from the tomb on Sunday, which is why the Orthodox now dedicate this very day to going to church, taking their children to Sunday schools.

About honoring parents.

Each of us has a father and mother, grandparents. Relations do not always develop smoothly, the views of young people often diverge from the opinion of the older generation. But still, as directed by the Lord, we must always respect our elders, show respect and care for them. Without learning this commandment, a person will not be able to worthily honor God.

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 is given. Therefore, suicide in Christianity is one of the gravest sins. By voluntarily leaving this 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 how long) is also equated with murder. The soul is considered alive from the moment of conception. Roughly interrupting the existence of the baby, the mother interferes in the global plans of the Creator. There will not be a soul on this earth that was probably called to do many good deeds. Addiction to tobacco, alcohol and others chemicals is a slow suicide. Therefore, addictions are also sins against the 6th commandment.

About adultery.

Marriage in Christianity should be unique and indestructible, in spite of 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 of this kind leave the imprint of sin on the soul.

It is also illegal to have sex with someone of the same gender. No matter how many today try to impose the idea that homosexuality is normal, the Bible clearly says that the Lord is against it. It is enough to read the story of the punishment of Sodom. The inhabitants of this city wanted to abuse the angels who appeared with Lot under 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 material well-being person. Therefore, He forbids us to appropriate someone else's property. It is impossible to defraud funds, rob, steal, give and take bribes, cheat.

The ban on lies.

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 bring great trouble to those around him. It is impossible not only to speak a lie, but also one should not gossip, slander, swear.

The prohibition of envy.

The 10th commandment also guards the rights of the neighbor. The Lord measures earthly blessings differently for everyone. From the outside, it may seem that your neighbor does not know grief, because he has a better apartment, a beautiful wife, etc. In fact, no one can fully understand the other. Therefore, one should not wish for what an acquaintance, colleague, friend has.

The final prohibition of the decalogue is more of a New Testament character, since it refers not to action, but to wrong thoughts. They are the source of all sin. Let's move on from the commandments of God to transgressions.

7 deadly sins

The doctrine of the 7 deadly sins ancient origin. Why are they called that? Since a person is separated from God, and only He is the source of all blessings, including life. A person, living in the Garden of Eden, could eat the fruits of the Tree of Life. This is not possible for the descendants of Adam now. 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, loses 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 2-3 centuries. the monks formulated the basic human transgressions. It is no coincidence that in hell, which Dante described, there are seven circles. The famous theologian Thomas Aquinas names the same number. It is these mortal sins that are the source of all the rest. Many theologians consider them not as separate offenses, but as a group of sins.

God's First Commandment was given to Adam and Eve in Paradise. Having violated it, our forefathers lost their original conditions of life and direct communication with the Creator. Having lost God's grace, human nature turned out to be unprotected and vulnerable by sin. But the Lord did not leave his beloved creation to the mercy of fate, protecting man in every possible way and leading him on the right path.

Inner Spiritual Law, originally laid down by God and controlled by conscience, could no longer remain a powerful deterrent for people. Therefore, an external law was needed, which would coordinate the actions of people and streamline their way of life.

As described in Old Testament The Lord established a number of specific requirements for man, which he conveyed to the people of Israel through the prophet Moses. This happened after the liberation of the Jews from Egyptian slavery on the way to the land of Canaan at Mount Sinai.

Rules of human life or the commandments were inscribed by the Lord Himself on two tablets (stone boards). This division of the Law of God into two parts is not accidental. The first four points define the duties of a person in relation to God, the remaining six contain instructions that form harmonious relationships between people.

Total commandments of God 10. Orthodoxy sees them as life guide and guide to salvation. They are as follows:

1. ​Worship the One True God.
2. Do not create idols for yourself.
3. Do not pronounce the name of the Lord God in vain.
4. Honor the day off of the week: work six days, and devote the seventh to God.
5. To honor the father and mother, which will give well-being and longevity in earthly life.
6. Don't kill.
7. Don't commit adultery.
8. Don't steal.
9. Don't bear false witness.
10. Don't envy.

Interpretation of God's Ten Commandments in Orthodoxy

Explain the meaning and significance of each item Law of God helps study Holy Scripture , apostolic writings and patristic literature.

First Commandment

In it the Lord points to Himself and commands man to know and respect only him and also strive for Him as the One True God. Therefore, people should:

1. Practice divinity: listen to teachings about God in church, read bible and works of the Holy Fathers.
2. Show inner reverence for God: believe in Him, fear and revere Him, hope in God, love Him, obey and worship Him, glorify, give thanks and call on His name.
3. Express outward reverence for God: to confess the Most Holy Trinity without renouncing one's faith even under the threat of death; participate in church services and sacraments established by God Himself.

Sins that violate the first commandment:

• godlessness, that is, the denial of the existence of God;
• polytheism - worship of imaginary deities;
• unbelief in God's providence and revelation;
• heresy - the expression of opinions contrary to divine truth;
• split - deviation from unity Orthodox Church;
• apostasy - renunciation of the true faith;
• despair - loss of hope for salvation;
• magic - turning to the dark forces for help;
• superstition, in which ordinary things are given magical meaning;
• laziness in the performance of the duties of piety;
• a greater manifestation of love for the creature than for the Creator;
• pleasing people instead of pleasing God;
• hope in man - hope in human strength, and not in the help of God.

Second Commandment

Warns against worshiping idols - pagan deities, as well as those objects to which all thoughts and desires of a person are attached.

In modern developed countries not subject to pagan influence, violations of this commandment are quite common in everyday life.

Sins that violate the second commandment:

• pride, hypocrisy;
• avarice, covetousness - love of gain;
• - excessive enjoyment of food and its consumption in large quantities;
• drunkenness, drug addiction;
• computer addiction.

In contrast to the listed sins, this instruction of God teaches humility, generosity and temperance.

It should be noted that the veneration of holy icons in Orthodox Christianity does not conflict with this regulation. Word icon means in Greek image, or image. In his prayer, a person does not turn to the icon, but to the image imprinted on it. The Lord Himself ordered Moses to install the golden images of the Cherubim in the tabernacle, and in that part of the temple, to which the people turned to pray to God.

Third Commandment

Forbids pronouncing the name of God in vain, without special need and reverence, in useless and vain conversations.

Sins that violate the third commandment:

• blasphemy, that is, words that offend God;
• - desecration of sacred objects or a mocking attitude towards them;
• grumbling - dissatisfaction with life circumstances;
• a false oath that affirms something that is not really there;
• perjury - breaking a lawful oath;
• failure to fulfill promises made to God;
• swearing - a frivolous oath in ordinary conversations;
• careless prayer.

V Holy Scripture The Savior warns people against all kinds of swearing: But I say to you: do not swear at all ... But let your word be: yes, yes; no no; and what is more than this is from the evil one (Matt. 5, 34 and 37).

There is no question here of an oath provided for by public law in especially important cases. A legal oath and an oath must be given and remain faithful to it to the end, without violating it under any circumstances.

fourth commandment

He teaches people to dedicate the seventh day of the week to the Creator. V bible it is described how God created the world for six days, and rested on the seventh, having finished his work. The Old Testament Church honored the Sabbath day, which is the seventh day of the week. After the Bright Resurrection of Christ, Sunday began to be revered - the first day of the week following the six working days.

To keep the fourth commandment and sanctify Sunday, it is necessary:

1. Refrain from work and worldly affairs.
2. Visit the temple of God, participating in church services.
3. Spend some time reading Holy Scripture and spiritual literature.
4. Serve God with deeds of mercy, visiting the sick, prisoners, giving alms.

It should be noted that the Lord commanded to work six days a week, so idleness and relaxation during the time allotted for work is a direct violation of God's commandment.

Fifth Commandment

Speaking about the need to honor parents, the Lord points to the duties of children towards them. In fulfilling his duty to his father and mother, every Christian should:

1. Treat them with respect.
2. Be in obedience to them.
3. Take care of them during illness and old age.
4. Pray for their health during life and for the repose of their souls after death.

Family and social relations are built on the basis of the fifth commandment. Therefore, given its importance for the formation of order in the spheres of mutual coexistence, the Lord promises a prosperous and long life as a reward for fulfilling this requirement. earthly life.

Treating with respect should also be mentors, superiors, and people of advanced age. From childhood, a child needs to be instilled with respect not only for mom and dad, but also for educators, teachers, representatives of the older generation, demonstrating such behavior on own example.

sixth commandment

Warns against committing murder. Life is a priceless gift of God that no one has the right to take away, except the Creator Himself. Every person is created in the image and likeness of God. Therefore, an attempt on human life is a daring blasphemous crime, for which one will have to answer to the fullest extent not only in this life, but also in the future.

Sins that violate the sixth commandment:

• direct killing of another person;
• directing the actions that led to the bloodshed;
• driving to suicide;
• failure to provide timely possible assistance to the dying;
• harboring a criminal who committed a murder;
• causing harm to the health of others;
• bad habits (smoking, alcoholism, drug addiction);
• suicide.

It should be noted that the last of all the listed sins is the most serious. Passing away from life without permission, a person dares to dispose of what does not belong to him, rejecting the gift of God and thereby turning away from the Creator. A suicide does not have the opportunity to repent and in any way change his fate. The Church does not pray for the dead in this way.

Not a violation of the sixth commandment:

1. Punishment of the criminal by justice.
2. Destruction of the enemy in the defense of the Fatherland.

seventh commandment

Through her, the Lord calls everyone to bodily purity and chastity.

Holy Bible teaches that the body of a Christian should become a temple of the Holy Spirit, therefore it is unacceptable to defile it with illegal and unnatural bonds.

Sins that violate the seventh commandment:

• fornication - a close relationship between a man and a woman who are not legally married;
• adultery - adultery;
• incest - a carnal relationship between relatives;
• same-sex relationships and other forms of sexual perversion.

V New Testament The Savior gives a more subtle explanation of this instruction: But I tell you that everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Matthew 5:28). With these words, the Lord makes it clear that people should not only act according to the Law, but also carefully monitor the purity of their thoughts.

eighth commandment

Prohibits the appropriation by a person of what is rightfully belonged to another.

Sins that violate the eighth commandment:

• robbery - depriving a person of his own thing with the use of violence;
• theft - the secret theft of something;
• misappropriation of other people's funds or property through fraud;
• extortion;
• corrupt practices;
• parasitism;
• unwillingness to repay debts.

In contrast to these sins, such virtues as mercy, selflessness, generosity act.

ninth commandment

Requires people to be honest with each other.

Sins that violate the ninth commandment:

• giving false testimony in court;
• slander in everyday life;
• unfair censure;
• any lie.

In Orthodox Christianity, it is also considered impermissible to reproach or condemn a neighbor for his vices, if this is not allowed by certain duties: Not a courtú you, lest you be judged (Matthew 7:1).

tenth commandment

Warns people against evil desires and thoughts, which subsequently lead to sinful deeds. It is necessary to stop any impure thoughts so that they do not feed and do not allow the destructive passion to grow under the name envy. To counteract this mental illness, you must:

1. Maintain purity of heart.
2. Be content with what you have.
3. Thank God for everything.

The foundation laid at the foundation the law of God, is an love. To the question of which commandment in the Law is considered the greatest, the Lord answers: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind: this is the first and greatest commandment; the second is like it: love thy neighbor as thyself; on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets(Matthew 22:36-40).

Deadly sins

The actions of a person that contradict God's plan for him and separate him from the Creator, which leads to the inevitable death of the human soul, are called deadly sins. They are conventionally divided into seven groups depending on passions that underlies certain actions. For the first time such a classification was proposed in 590 by St. Gregory the Great.

Seven deadly sins or passions:

1. Pride - the passion underlying all sins. She served as the reason that a cherub named Dennitsa, close to God, considering himself equal to the Creator Himself, was cast down from Heaven into the underworld along with other angels who stood by his side.
2. Envy - a sinful feeling that prompted Cain to kill his own brother Abel. Envy was the main reason for the condemnation and crucifixion of the Savior.
3. Gluttony - a pathological condition of a person, when the satisfaction of natural needs for food is replaced by gluttony. Gluttony gives rise to other sins - laziness, relaxation, inattention.
4. Fornication - a passion that can completely intoxicate the human mind, prompting its victim to adultery, promiscuity and all kinds of perversions. For these sins, people were subjected to God's terrible punishment, when a fiery rain fell on Sodom and Gomorrah.
5. Anger - a destructive feeling that can completely take over a person and push him to the most terrible acts, up to and including committing murder.
6. Greed , or greed- an irresistible desire to possess material goods. This passion is based on substitution life values when a person spends his strength on the acquisition of earthly wealth, neglecting the acquisition of eternal wealth.
7. - sin, which is based on mental and bodily relaxation, paralyzing the will of man. Sadness turns into murmur, which manifests itself in dissatisfaction with the existing circumstances, when the desired does not correspond to reality.

Falling into mortal sin destroys human nature and entails tragic consequences. But even when committing the gravest crime, one must not fall into despair and lose hope in God's mercy, becoming like Judas in this. As long as a person is alive, he has the opportunity to purify his soul with sincere repentance and again enter into an alliance with God, uniting with Him in the Sacrament of Holy Communion.

Raising a Child According to God's Commandments

The basis of Orthodox education in the family has always been and remains Law of God, which opens up a real picture of life in front of the child and forms in him the right attitude towards the world around him, people and himself. seeds Orthodox faith, sown in a child's soul, will surely bear fruit in adulthood.

In order for the educational process to take place in an accessible and interesting form for the child, a large amount of Orthodox children's literature was published by special publishing houses, including Law of God and bible for children, as well as individual publications representing ten Commandments in pictures in Russian.

A child who cannot read will be able to learn the basics of Orthodoxy not only with parental help, but also on his own, simply by looking at the drawings. For a child who knows how to read, a book outlining God's commandments should become a desktop, so that in any life situation the young Christian learned to be guided by eternal truths.

But no matter how much effort is made to enlighten and instruct the native child, the main and defining part of Orthodox education should be personal example parents who respect Law of God and in fact striving to keep all the commandments of the Creator.

Periodically wonders how many of them, mortal sins. Are failures in life or dissatisfaction with it related to the fact that out of ignorance something is violated daily? Isn't every day another stepping stone to hell, if it exists?

It is not so important what pushes people to such thoughts. It is important that for many these questions begin new life, in which other priorities appear, much more significant than the pursuit of wealth or petty bourgeois concerns.

How many sins?

Commandments of God - 10. Deadly sins in Christianity - 7. Regardless of denomination, these figures are the same for all believing Christians. The new parishioners of churches, who do not understand these subtleties, grew up outside Orthodox traditions, often confuse the commandments, namely their violation, with a list of mortal sins.

Of course, there is nothing good in breaking the commandments, each of the 10. Deadly sins, the list of existing such violations, however, will not increase.

What's the Difference?

The commandments of God are rules for human life, a kind of guidance. We can say that this is a list of tips on how to be guided in everyday actions, in your own thoughts and desires.

Violation of the commandments, of course, is a sin, any of the 10 deadly sins according to the Bible, this list will not be affected in any way. The concept of mortal sin and breaking the covenants of the Lord are completely different things.

Mortal sin is not at all the reverse side of the commandments, but the trap of the devil. That is, this is a list of temptations with which Satan catches human souls. The seven deadly sins also have antipodes, opposed to them in Christianity by virtues, in a similar amount.

What is a mortal sin?

The commandments are not mortal sins and there are 10 of them, mortal sins in Orthodoxy, the list looks the same as in any other Christian denomination.

The deadly sins are:

• greed;
• pride;
• anger;
• envy;
• lust;
• despondency;
• gluttony.

It is generally accepted that the more and longer a person indulges in any of the mortal sins, the deeper he gets bogged down in that web of a trap net that the devil weaves around the soul. That is, committing any of the mortal sins is a direct path to the death of the soul.

About greed

Often people understand greed as the desire for material wealth. But the desire to live well, in prosperity and comfort, is not at all greed in any way. Orthodox culture nor in any other Christian denomination.

Greed should not be understood as the very fact of chasing the “golden calf”. Not excessive, because along with the level of well-being, the level of expenses always grows. Greed is a preference for material values ​​over spiritual ones. That is, the desire to get rich, going to the detriment of one's own spiritual development.

About pride

In understanding pride, they are mistaken just as often as they take the violation of God's commandments, of which there are 10, for mortal sins. The list of mortal sins does not include a sense of confidence. Self-confidence is what the Lord gives, for which many people pray. On the contrary, the lack of faith in oneself is often condemned by the church.

Pride - the perception of oneself above the Lord. The absence of such feelings as gratitude to God for everything that he has given in life, humility and patience. For example, a person’s confidence that he has achieved everything in his own life on his own, without the help and participation of the Lord, is pride. And faith in own forces, that everything planned will turn out, has nothing to do with pride.

About anger

Anger is not only outbursts of rage. Anger is a much broader concept. Of course, this emotion is the opposite of love, but as a mortal sin, anger is not a momentary feeling at all.

A mortal sin is considered to be a destructive principle constantly splashed out by a person into life. That is, the synonym for the word "anger" in this case is "destruction". The sin of anger can be different. It is not at all necessary to unleash world wars. Mortal transgression is manifested in daily domestic violence in families, both physical and psychological. Anger is what makes the child's character break and force him to realize his own dreams and ideas.

There are a lot of examples of this sin around every person. Anger has become so firmly established in human everyday life that almost no one notices it.

About envy

Envy, like anger, should be understood more broadly than the desire to get a car like a neighbor, or a better dress than a girlfriend. Between envy and the desire to live no worse than other people, the line is quite thin.

Envy should be understood not as the desire to get something specific, for example, shoes, like the boss, but the constant stay of the soul in this state. The similarity of envy with anger is that both of these states are destructive. Only anger is directed at the world around, other people suffer from its presence, and envy “looks” inside a person, its action harms the one who indulges in this sin.

About lust

Lust is misinterpreted just as often as the violation of God's commandments, of which there are 10, are mistaken for mortal sins. The list of mortal sins was not added to the covenant “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife,” lust has a completely different meaning. This term should be understood as receiving excessive pleasure, which becomes the end in itself of all human life.

It can be almost anything - racing on mopeds, endless lectures, physical satisfaction, enjoying the intoxication of one's own "little power", expressed in nit-picking others.

Lust as a mortal sin is not at all a sexual attraction to anyone, including oneself. This is the feeling that a person experiences when enjoying. But only in the event that this emotion becomes sinful, when the desire to re-experience it overrides everything else. That is, if the process of satisfaction becomes more important than anything in the world, then this is lust. And it does not matter what exactly this satisfaction brings.

About despondency

By despondency, one should understand not so much a depressive state as laziness, no matter how strange it may sound. Depression, a gloomy mood, lack of joy, and so on are diseases that should be treated by doctors of relevant specializations.

Despondency as a mortal sin is the absence of a person’s work on his own spiritual development and physical condition. Under the physical condition, one does not need to understand the strength of the muscles or the beauty of the forms. Work on your own body is much broader than caring about appearance, on the one hand, and on the other, it lies in ordinary banalities. That is, neat appearance, clean clothes, washed hair and brushed teeth - this is also physical labor above oneself. A person who is too lazy to wash or wash clothes commits a mortal sin.

As for spiritual work, it is much broader than going to religious services. This concept includes, first of all, the development of a person as a person. That is, constant learning something, getting to know new things and sharing your own knowledge and experience with others. Learning does not need to be understood as attending any courses, although, of course, this is not forbidden. Nevertheless, you can learn from the people around you, and even from nature. Absolutely everything that surrounds a person can serve his development. This is how God created the world.

The learning process is rather a development, self-improvement. It includes overcoming pernicious passions, and self-discipline, and much more. That is, despondency is laziness in all its variations, manifested both in worldly existence and in the state of the soul and intellect.

About gluttony

Gluttony is not always perceived correctly, especially by those who take for mortal sins the violation of God's commandments, of which there are 10. The list of deadly sins mentions the term "gluttony" not as a synonym for the word "gluttony".

Gluttony should be understood as excessive consumption in absolutely everything. In fact, the entire modern society, which is an era of consumer culture, is built precisely on this mortal sin.

In modern life, this sin may look like this. A person has a good serviceable smartphone that works flawlessly and meets all the needs and needs of the owner. However, a person acquires a new one, the one that he saw in the advertisement. He does this not because of the need for a thing, but only because it is a new model. Often at the same time mired in debt obligations. Some time passes, and the person again acquires a smartphone, again only because this one is newer.

As a result, an endless chain of consumption of the superfluous and unnecessary is formed. After all, smartphones are the same, the only difference is when they began to be advertised and in other minor points. And what a person does with them is unchanged. On all new ones, he uses the same programs as on his first. The result of actions on all purchased smartphones also does not differ from what happened on the first gadget. That is, a person has a large number of identical smartphones, but he only needs one.

This is excessive consumption or gluttony, from which the commandments do not warn, all 10. In Orthodoxy, gluttony actually tops the list of mortal sins, since it is now not just a misconduct, but the basis of the modern structure of society.

However, it is important not to confuse overconsumption with having too many things. No need to go to extremes. If a person has 10 pairs of winter shoes and he wears all available boots and boots, then this is not at all a sign of gluttony.

Of course, overeating is included in the concept of gluttony, about which the commandments once given to Moses are completely silent, all 10. The list of mortal sins in Orthodoxy according to the Bible was once supplemented by this quality of human nature precisely on the basis of a tendency to overeat. However, the understanding of the word "gluttony" is not limited to the size of the portion on the plate, it is much broader.

Were there always 7?

If since the time of the Testament there were 10 commandments, according to the Bible, there were a different number of mortal sins. For the first time in a single list of pernicious human vices, an ascetic and theologian, whose name was Evgrafiy Pontius, designed. It happened in the 4th century.

Based on his observations of the life and nature of man, comparing pernicious passions with the precepts, of which there are 10, the theologian identified 8 mortal sins. A little later, the theological version of the vision of human vices was finalized by the clergyman John Cassian. It was this number of sins that existed in the religious canons until 590.

Pope Gregory the Great made some adjustments to the list of the main vices inherent in people and leading the soul to death, and there were 7 sins. It is in this number that they are represented today in each of the Christian denominations.

Seven deadly sins and ten commandments