Archimandrite Sophrony on Sin

[Bogoliubtsy]

"What does the Christian understand by sin?"

        "Sin is primarily a metaphysical phenomenon whose roots lie in the mystic depths of man's spiritual nature.  The essence of sin consists not in the infringement of ethical standards but in a falling away from the eternal Divine life for which man was created and to which, by his very nature, he is called.
        "Sin is committed first of all in the secret depths of the human spirit but its consequences involve the individual as a whole.  A sin will reflect on a man's psychological and physical condition, on his outward appearance, on his personal destiny.  Sin will, inevitably, pass beyond the boundaries of the sinner's individual life, to burden all humanity and thus affect the fate of the whole world.  The sin of our forefather Adam was not the only sin of cosmic significance.  Every sin, manifest or secret, committed by each one of us affects the rest of the universe."
        -Archimandrite Sophrony, Saint Silouan the Athonite, p. 31.

[Shiloah]

a falling away from the eternal Divine life

That is exactly right. The word sin is related in the English language to "a-sunder" or in the German language to "ab-sondern' which also means to withdraw, to separate.

"Sin is committed first of all in the secret depths of the human spirit "

Yes, amen to that (and to all of this article). I am thankful for the crown of thorns my Savior has worn.  

Mark 4:18.  And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
 19.  And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

Gen.3:17.  And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
 18.  Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
 19.  In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

I'm too much in awe to put into words what goes through my mind now. Hope you get the picture.

Shiloah

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