The Seven Deadly Sins: a list of the most difficult human passions

"The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things." Fragment of a painting by the Dutch artist Hieronymus Bosch

Everyone has heard about mortal sins. They write books and make films about them. In them, these temptations are represented by powerful demons. Despite this, many believers do not have a clear understanding of what mortal sins are. What specific qualities and actions belong to them and is it possible to somehow defeat them?

How did the term come about?

The very concept of mortal sin is found in the writings of the Apostle John the Theologian:

“If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin that does not lead to death, let him pray, and God will give him life, that is, he who sins a sin that does not lead to death. There is a sin leading to death: I’m not talking about that, so that he prays.”

(1 John 5:16)

Many are amazed that there is no mention of the seven deadly sins in Scripture. They do not coincide with the Decalogue and are not opposed to the Beatitudes given by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount.

Why "mortals"

Mortal sins are understood as those that lead to the death of the human soul. This is a state in which a person is completely deprived of moral sense and need for God. He merges so much with evil that repentance becomes impossible for him. Mortal sin is committed completely voluntarily and with full awareness that it is a direct violation of the will of God.

Theophan the Recluse writes:

“A mortal sin is one that robs a person of his moral and Christian life. If we know what moral life is, then defining mortal sin is not difficult. Christian life is zeal and strength to remain in communion with God by fulfilling His holy law.

Therefore, every sin that extinguishes jealousy, takes away strength and relaxes, distances one from God and deprives Him of grace, so that after it a person cannot look at God, but feels himself separated from Him; every such sin is a mortal sin...

Such a sin deprives a person of the grace received in baptism, takes away the Kingdom of Heaven and delivers it to judgment. And all this is confirmed in the hour of sin, although it is not accomplished visibly. Sins of this kind change the entire direction of a person’s activity and his very state and heart, forming, as it were, a new source in moral life; why do others determine that mortal sin is the one that changes the center of human activity?

Character and appearance

Elizabeth is a very quiet, kind and naive girl. They are forced to endure attacks on their honor from the captain and simply cannot respond to him as rudely as possible. However, such a character is also part of the punishment. The biography of the characters in the anime “The 7 Deadly Sins” is extremely confusing. However, after analyzing Liz's real behavior, it is easy to note how strong and restrained the girl is.

She is also distinguished by her kindness, but she no longer allows Meliodas to let go. In the final battle with the main antagonist of the first season, Hendrickson, Elizabeth awakened a piece of her power, after which she received the sigil of the goddess clan in her eye, which she now covers with her bangs. She wears revealing outfits or a maid's dress because she works at the Boar's Hat Inn. It is distinguished by a long mane of thick, silver-white hair and piercing blue eyes. She loves the captain, who reciprocates her feelings. She grew up in the city of Danafor, having already been cursed 3000 years ago, and is now being reborn. At the moment, she has regained her memory and true personality.

Story

The concept of the seven deadly sins appeared among monks even before the Orthodox Church separated from the Catholic Church. In the 4th century. A monk from Byzantium, Evagrius of Pontus, created the doctrine of 8 sinful thoughts that give rise to other thoughts.

Who proposed this classification

The theory of seven sins leading to the death of the soul was developed by Gregory Dvoeslov in 590 AD. Later, other theologians studied it. The final concept was defined by Thomas Aquinas in the 13th century.

Another theologian who contributed to the development of this topic was Peter Binsfeld . He believed that every mortal sin has its own demon, which is responsible for its spread in the human world.

Elizabeth Lyonesse

The characters of the anime “The 7 Deadly Sins” are most conveniently divided into several categories, among which are the main characters necessary to advance the plot. Elizabeth is the first character the reader or viewer meets. She is the third daughter of the old King of Lyonesse, and, as it later turned out, adopted. In the description of the anime "The 7 Deadly Sins" you can often find a footnote that Liz was looking for Meliodas in order to stop the holy knights, but later it is easy to note how deep her mutual affection for the captain of the seven is. Meeting her first as a human, it later becomes clear that Elizabeth is a goddess imprisoned in mortal flesh, forced to constantly experience new and new lives in which she meets Meliodas. In some, Liz dies, in others she does not. The TV adaptation is just one of the scenarios that the goddess has already experienced.

Predecessors

Not only Christians, but also other philosophers thought about human vices and virtues. Thus, Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics talks about several advantages or virtues. The philosopher believes that every positive property is a golden mean between two extreme states of the soul.

The Roman poet Horace also praised virtues and condemned vices. He wrote that the beginning of virtue is avoidance of vice.

Sins are talked about many times in the books of the Old Testament. Thus, Solomon wrote:

“These are six things that the Lord hates, even seven that are an abomination to His soul:

proud eyes, a lying tongue and hands that shed innocent blood,

a heart that forges evil plans, feet that quickly run to villainy,

a false witness who speaks lies and sows discord among brothers.”

(Prov.6:16-19)

The expression “six... even seven” may mean that Solomon is not giving a complete list of vices.

Merlin

The Pig's sin is Gluttony. The greatest magician in the world. Merlin uses such a name as an alias because the real one cannot be reproduced. The daughter of the demon king, she is well acquainted with Meliodas. I chose as a form a pretty brunette girl with golden eyes. Can change bodies at will or travel as pure energy. Relic - Aldan, catalyst of magic. Prefers provocative outfits with an impressive neckline. She can fly, her key ability is infinity, as well as the gifts of gods and demons, thanks to which she is practically invulnerable. She is in a difficult relationship with Escanor.

Brief description of each and spiritual essence

Pride

It can also be positive. In this case, we simply rejoice in our successes. But sinful pride makes a person exalt himself above others and feel like a little god. For him, family members are servants, friends are his retinue.

At the same time, for someone who suffers from arrogance, it is not so important what others think about him. Even the opinion of the one true God does not matter to him.

“Know clearly that a person who proudly lives virtuously - if this means living virtuously at all - can unexpectedly fall into final destruction. Anyone who has allowed himself to fall, having learned humility from this fall, can rise up and quickly restore his former position, if only he wants.

The one who apparently does good with pride, but does not tolerate any evil, will never even notice his lawlessness, but, on the contrary, will only multiply the evil and suddenly leave here, deprived of everything.

Pride is the beginning of sin. Every sin begins with it and finds its support in it.”

John Chrysostom

Envy

Envy is the dissatisfaction felt by comparing one's achievements with those of others. An envious person constantly regrets his place in the world, believing that he will find joy only when he surpasses or humiliates others.

• Useful material for a practicing Christian:

What is the sin of envy and effective ways to combat it

Anger

Anger is not always condemned in Scripture. It was righteous anger that prompted Christ to drive the dishonest merchants out of the temple. Christians, following their Teacher, hate sin, but continue to love people who fall under its influence.

But sinful anger forces a person to take justice into his own hands and take revenge on the offender by any means. At the same time, a person indulges in anger over any little thing and over time loses the ability to control himself. It is like a sleeping volcano that can explode at any moment, destroying all life around it.

• Practical advice:

How to deal with angry thoughts and words

Dejection

Anyone can feel depressed. It is impossible to imagine a living and feeling person who would constantly rejoice at life in a world full of pain and disappointment. How can you experience happiness when faced with crime, incurable disease or the death of loved ones? But sinful despondency prompts a person to abandon God as a source of hope.

Fornication

This is a general name for all sins associated with sexual relations outside of marriage. This includes:

• adultery;
• intimate relationships before marriage;
• homosexuality;
• bestiality and so on.

Many have a completely wrong idea about fornication. It is believed that if a man and a woman live together in a so-called civil marriage, remaining faithful to each other, then this is not a sin. However, the Bible states that only those relationships that are formalized by law are considered marriage.

"The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things" Lust. Fragment of a painting by the Dutch artist Hieronymus Bosch, 1475-1480 Oil on board. 120 × 150 cm

Greed (love of money)

The love of money is a sin that makes a person a slave to money and wealth. But even when the cherished dream comes true and the desired wealth becomes a reality, the victim of greed does not thank God for his success and does not engage in charity. Just the opposite, a money lover becomes stingy and greedy. There is never enough for the greedy, even if he becomes the richest man on earth.

Gluttony

Food is a gift from a loving God. Sin is its excessive use or gluttony. The Apostle Paul considered this a manifestation of idolatry:

“Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in shame, they think about earthly things.”

(Phil. 3:19)

Gluttony includes several sins:

• abuse of wine and other alcoholic beverages;
• inabstinence from heavy food during fasting;
• constant spending of exorbitant amounts on delicacies;
• excessive consumption of sweets.

Diana

Sin of the Snake - Envy. He comes from a family of giants, which is why he has a close connection with earth and stone. Her sacred relic is Gideon, a huge hammer that the girl wields very skillfully. Dressed in an orange bodysuit and aquamarine fighting gloves. She loves Meliodas, she was looking for him after the coup took place in the capital. During the course of the story, it turns out that she was supposed to lead her people, but she ran away and met with Harlequin. After a collision between Matrona, Diana and several dozen people, she ended up in prison, from where Meliodas pulled her out. The 7 Deadly Sins anime character wiki states that she is almost 10 meters tall, has lived for over 750 years, but remains an ordinary girl.

How many passions are there and how do they differ from sins?

The Monk John Climacus said that passion is a vice that has merged with human nature itself. This happens under the influence of constantly committed sin, which builds its nest in the heart. As a result, a person does not need to be encouraged to sin. He himself strives for wickedness with irresistible force. In essence, it is slavery to sin.

Passion is also called a vicious desire that prompts a person to commit a number of sins. Thus, Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov compiled a list of 8 passions and those ungodly acts to which they encourage.

Let's take anger for example. It is followed by:

• revenge;
• rage;
• loss of reason in a fit of rage;
• constant screaming;
• an explosion of emotions;
• foul language;
• hatred;
• violence;
• murder;
• rancor;
• hostility;
• constant resentment;
• slander;
• condemnation.

The list of the main vicious passions almost completely coincides with the list of mortal sins. Sometimes constant sadness is added to passions.

Is there any fundamental difference between sins and passions?

Yes, I have. If sin is an action, then passion is the reason for its commission:

“...but everyone is tempted, being drawn away and enticed by his own lust;

lust, having conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin that is committed gives birth to death.”

(James 1:14,15)

Any sin committed once can be mortal if a person does not want to repent of it. Many people believe that if you commit fornication, abuse alcohol, use foul language and otherwise sin only occasionally, then this is not considered a sin. This puts a person on a slippery slope, where consciously committing wicked acts leads him to enmity with God.

Ban

Fox Sin of Greed. Thief, fighter, killer - that's how Ban can be described, at least before he became a knight. The names of the characters in the anime “The 7 Deadly Sins” often reflect the essence of the character of a particular hero. Ban is reserved, self-willed and smart. He does not tolerate attacks on his freedom, and has an inquisitive mind. Tall, athletic blond with scarlet eyes. He has an unhealed scar on his body and prefers revealing clothes. Immortal, the key ability is theft, thanks to which he is able to weaken the enemy and strengthen himself. The relic is unknown, it was stolen. He is in a very tense relationship with all the characters, as he is extremely hot-tempered and prone to sadism. King, another deadly sin, had long wanted to kill Ban for the incident in the fairy forest, but they later sorted things out. He suffered 32 executions and several years of endless torture in prison.

Christian commandments and virtues

In the days of Moses, God gave the people of Israel the 10 Commandments and other laws. This was not the entire set of laws, but an elementary minimum designed to help a person not sink to the same level as animals. Most of the deadly sins are not mentioned among them. For the most part, they describe a course of action that is displeasing to God (a consequence of sinful passions), but not thoughts or feelings.

Interesting fact

The Law of Moses did not appear until several thousand years after the creation of Adam and at least 800 years after the Flood.

The commandments of Moses were given at a time when most people no longer understood the difference between love and lust, the desire for justice and unrighteous anger that leads to murder, personal desires and sin. Therefore, God indicated specifically what sin is.

However, spiritual infancy was to remain a thing of the past. Therefore, in the New Testament, priority is given not to commandments, but to virtues.

The Fall of the First People in Paradise

What are virtues?

Being virtuous means more than being kind. People leading a dissolute lifestyle also often come to the aid of the hungry, poor and sick. But only a holy servant of God can be virtuous.

“Beloved! I ask you, as strangers and strangers, to abstain from carnal lusts that attack the soul,

and to lead a virtuous life among the pagans, so that for the reasons for which they slander you as evildoers, when they see your good deeds, they may glorify God on the day of visitation.”

(1 Peter 2:11,12)

Peter contrasts virtue with carnal lusts. The important thing is that he points to the predominant importance of highly moral behavior of Christians in the preaching of the Gospel. Unfortunately, these days many are sure that the main thing is to be well-versed in dogmatic theology and be able to clearly explain the basics of Christian doctrine and easily quote the Fathers of the Church.

But what is the point of this knowledge if a believer commits fornication, insults dissenters, and behaves rudely and arrogantly? Holiness, humility and love, and not deep erudition, are the best proof that Christianity really transforms a person for the better.

Let's look at the difference between virtue and commandments using an example. A married man who only dreams of another woman does not actually violate the commandment “thou shalt not commit adultery.” But a virtuous husband will not cheat on his wife even in his thoughts.

Partial list of virtues:

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith,

meekness, abstinence. There is no law against them."

(Gal.5:22,23)

In total there are more than 30 Christian virtues.

Lust or fornication

According to the dictionary, lust means sexual desire, rough and voluptuous. In Christianity, lust is “an unlawful passion, corruption of hearts, leading to evil and sin.” Lust and sin are closely related to each other, as stated in the letters of the apostles, which form part of the New Testament. Lust or, as this sin is also called, fornication is not equivalent to the word love. The latter implies a bright feeling directed at the object of one’s interest. The fundamental components of these feelings were and remain respect and the desire to selflessly do something nice for your partner. Love is not combined with selfishness, due to the fact that it is initially aimed at sacrifice.

A person who is subject to this sin cannot be concentrated on anything else. The sinner is in the grip of passion. He looks at women as if a lady is an object of passion and satisfaction of animal desires, and nothing more. Dirty thoughts, filling his consciousness and darkening his soul, clouds them.

A lustful person constantly remembers his animal desire and passions; these feelings do not leave him. Because of this, the sinner constantly wants those who do not care about him and who, in essence, do not need him, and if they do need him, then the sinners will chase him, looking for new pleasures, trampling and humiliating the feelings of another. This is due to the fact that lust and fornication are based only on sexual desire, which is not combined with respect and holiness of feelings.

A selection of advice from the holy fathers in the fight against sin

The Fathers of the Church paid great attention to the fight against sinful actions and thoughts. They left many valuable comments on this topic.

Rev. Anthony the Great:

“Evil clings to our nature like rust to copper or dirt to the body. But just as it was not the coppersmith who created the rust, and it was not the parents who created the dirt on their children, so it was not God who created the evil. He put conscience and reason into man so that he would avoid evil, knowing that it is harmful to him and leads to torment. Watch yourself carefully: when you see someone lucky in power and wealth, do not praise him under any circumstances. But immediately imagine death before you, and you will never wish for anything bad.”

The advice is to train the conscience and mind in the fight against vicious passions. The conscience can be made more sensitive by reflecting on the fact that sins grieve God and harm us and our neighbors. Reason allows you to imagine the consequences of sin even before it is committed. It is easy to guess that fornication leads to illness, family destruction and loneliness.

Macarius the Great:

“Humans are changeable by nature. Therefore, just as one who has fallen into the depths of vice and is enslaved by sins can turn to good, so one who is sealed by the Holy Spirit and filled with heavenly gifts is free to return to evil. Some who have tasted God's grace and become partakers of the Holy Spirit, when they lose caution and vigilance, become spiritually extinguished and become worse than they were before. This happens not because God changes or the grace of the Spirit fades away, but because people themselves lose grace and therefore become corrupted and fall into many evils.”

Macarius's idea is that anyone, even a very experienced Christian, can take the path of sin and lose his integrity. This happens when a person begins to hope for his own holiness and thinks that in rare cases he has the right to commit a small sin. Over time, the conscience transforms so much that the former saint turns into a sinner. This is exactly what happened to Solomon. Read more about Solomonic sin in the article by Viktor Glebov:

The Story of King Solomon: Biblical Facts and Popular Myths

Rev. Isaac the Syrian:

“When a person, remembering previous sins, punishes himself, then God looks at him with favor. God rejoices that man himself imposed punishment for deviating from His path - this serves as a sign of the sincerity of repentance. And the more a sinner forces himself, the more God’s favor towards him increases.”

You can punish yourself by depriving yourself of personal pleasures. For example, if someone has a problem with watching pornography, you can deprive yourself of the pleasures of watching movies and going online for a while. Some, in order to cleanse themselves from physical or moral defilement, go to remote places, deprived of the benefits of civilization, in order to be alone with God and his creation.

Avva Dorotheus:

“If anyone has even one passion that turns into a skill, it will torment him. Sometimes a person does many good deeds, but one evil skill can overcome them all. For example, if an eagle's claw gets tangled in the net, it will end up in captivity. Likewise, the soul, due to one passion, can fall into the hands of the enemy. Therefore, do not allow even one passion to turn into a habit, but pray to God day and night so as not to fall into temptation. If we find ourselves defeated due to our weakness, then we will force ourselves to immediately get up, we will begin to cry before the goodness of God, we will again watch and strive. And God, seeing our good aspiration, humility and contrition of heart, will give us a helping hand and work with us according to His mercy.”

Right John of Kronstadt:

“Watch your heart all your life and look closely at what prevents it from connecting with God. Let this be the science of sciences for you, and with God’s help you will learn to quickly notice what moves you away from God and what brings you closer to Him. The evil one tries very hard to come between our hearts and God. It is he who alienates us from God through various passions: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life.”

“ The science of sciences is to conquer the passions operating within us. Great wisdom, for example, is not to be angry with anyone and not to think evil about anyone, even if someone has done us harm. Wisdom is to despise self-interest and love non-covetousness, despise delicacies and be content with simple food, eaten in moderation. Wisdom is not to flatter anyone, but to always speak the truth without fear; wisdom is not to be seduced by the beauty of the face, but to respect the beauty of the image of God in every person. Wisdom is to love your enemies and not take revenge on them in deed, word, or thought.

Wisdom is not to store up wealth for yourself, but to give alms to the poor in order to gain treasure in Heaven. Alas! We have almost studied all the sciences, but have not learned at all to avoid sin and, thus, often turn out to be complete ignoramuses in moral science. And it turns out that the truly wise were the saints, the disciples of the true Teacher-Christ, and we, the so-called scientists, are ignorant, and often, the more learned, the more ignorant, because we have not learned the most important thing, and are enslaved by various passions ».

Elder Nikon:

“If every word, deed and thought puts a stamp on us, then we must take all measures to preserve ourselves from everything harmful. Both Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov and the holy fathers write that very often, almost always, we do not feel harm to ourselves from a harmful deed immediately after this harmful deed; this harm takes its toll after some time. The result is the fruit of the evil accepted into oneself, which makes itself felt in its various manifestations. Everyone can see this for themselves, reaping the bitter fruit of their mistakes and hobbies. Only those who do not pay attention to themselves and do not consider themselves, their mental and heartfelt states in the light of the Holy Gospel and the patristic writings, do not see and do not feel, in other words, they lead an absent-minded life. Often a harmful deed does not seem harmful. This is the enemy's deception. You should not trust yourself, your heart and reasoning. In deciding what is harmful and what is not harmful, one must be guided by the instructions of the Gospel Scripture and the statutes of the Orthodox Church and the Holy Fathers, as well as the advice of a spiritual father or elders who, from their experience and spiritual life, can give edification.”

Hendriksen

The main antagonist among the characters in the anime "The 7 Deadly Sins". He led the coup and personally imprisoned the royal family. Blonde with green eyes. He accepted the blood of the Red and Gray demons and treated it to the chosen holy knights. He firmly believed that he could lead the Demon clan, but he was bitterly mistaken. He was defeated in the finale of the first season by Meliodas and Elizabeth, after which he allegedly died. In fact, he is a druid, and therefore much stronger than he seems. Later he realized his wrongdoings and opposed the “Commandments”, trying to regain the favor of the king. Key ability - acid.

What is confession

• Features of women's confession: a complete list of sins (list)

Committed sin brings a person into a state of enmity with God. In order to restore relationships, confession is needed. During this sacrament, the Christian tells the priest about his offense and, as the Orthodox Church teaches, the sinner receives the Lord's forgiveness through him.

Confession is a bathhouse for cleansing the soul of vice.

You need to prepare for confession. If a believer wants to receive healing, and not just formally go through the sacrament, he must be honest with God, the priest and himself. Even before the conversation, you need to remember the sins committed by words, thoughts, emotions or actions.

Sacrament of Repentance in the temple

This is very important, since effective treatment of the disease begins with a correct diagnosis. It is important to show humility during confession. You need to admit your guilt, and not shift responsibility for your mistakes to others.

• What to tell before the lectern?

Strong repentance: sins in confession for men

Our decisions are our destiny

One of the astrological aphorisms says that the stars incline, but do not force (lat. astra inclinant, non necessitant). Indeed, the influence of planetary geniuses on humans is enormous. However, the person himself is responsible for making a moral choice in a given life situation. This choice is also called free will. But, if this or that person floats along the current to which the “stars inclined” him, and at the same time does not resist, then he awards his future fate (from the word to judge) to himself...

Many believers worry about the posthumous Judgment, offering prayers for the forgiveness of their sins. Unfortunately, this is a futile exercise. Because instead of a difficult struggle with themselves - destructive emotions, vices and inclinations, they want to “bribe” heaven with their prayers in advance. At the beginning of the 1st century AD. e. The ancient Roman astrologer Marcus Manilius wrote about this in his book Astronomy:

The world is ruled by Fate, its laws are unshakable, the course of events is predetermined for a long time, the born are mortal, the beginning decides the outcome. Fate is the source of wealth and power and, more often, poverty, the characters and abilities of people, their vices and virtues, losses and gains. You cannot have what she refused, what she gave is inalienable. It is impossible to hasten or avert fate with prayers; everyone gets theirs.

Deadly sins in works of art

• The mortal sins are mentioned in the second book of Dante's Divine Comedy. At the very bottom of purgatory were sinners who suffered from envy and pride during their lives.
• One of the poets of Shakespeare's era, Edmund Spenser, depicts the House of Pride in his book The Faerie Queene. His mistress was Lucifer, whose advisers were seven vices that were destructive to the soul.
• A series of prints by Pieter Bruegel the Elder depicts sins and their devastating consequences.
• After World War II, Paul Cadmus, a painter from the United States, painted horrific “portraits” of each of the seven vices in a separate painting.
• But in the works of Marta Dahling, a Polish artist, all the deadly sins are depicted in the form of attractive young women dressed in luxurious multi-colored dresses. It is noteworthy that not one of them even has a slight joyful smile.

So, mortal sins are a terrifying reality of the modern world. Nowadays, largely thanks to modern technologies, their spread has become a pandemic. Now Christians are not persecuted for their faith, since the right to religious beliefs is protected by law. However, in conditions of tolerance for sin, it is more difficult for many to maintain integrity than, perhaps, even during times of terrible persecution, when fear of publicity and fear of shame prevented them from sinning.

Everyone needs to create their own spiritual and moral fortress. It is built day by day from the small spiritual bricks of our thoughts, feelings and actions. It is very important not to fight this battle blindly, pleasing God, but not understanding the wisdom of his commandments. Conscience and reason need to be trained. Accurate knowledge is needed.

If God hates fornication, greed, love of money and other vices, you need to find out what is destructive and bad in them. Then God's desires, commandments and views will become part of our personality. It is also important to realize that mortal sins deprive us of not only eternal life. This awaits all the wicked in the future. But now our friendship with God, family happiness, health of soul and body, as well as the integrity of our soul are at stake.

Victor Glebov

Gowther

The Sin of the Goat is Lust. It is a doll, 3000 years ago a real knight created a puppet for himself, into which he infused some of his power. This is how Gowther appeared. In the photo of the anime characters, “The 7 Deadly Sins” is always on the sidelines, because it does not consider itself to be part of the old cast. Does not show emotions, has poor understanding of moral issues, but tries to support the rest of the seven. His relics are Herritt's Twin Bow and Balor's Eye of Power. Looks like an effeminate teenager with crimson hair and amber eyes, was in love with Nadia Lyonesse. A key ability is Intrusion, which allows Gowther to access his opponent's memories and hidden thoughts.

Series overview