OrthodoxChristianity.net
May 23, 2013, 03:55:42 PM *
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
News: If you don't like the Lent theme or it's hard for you to read posts with it, feel free to revert back to the old theme in your profile on the left menu "Look and Layout Preferences."
 
   Home   Help Calendar Contact Treasury Tags Login Register  
OrthodoxChristianity.net > Moderated Forums > Faith Issues (Moderator: Michał Kalina) > Topic: Humility and spiritual progress
Pages: 1   Go Down
« previous next »
  Print  
Author Topic: Humility and spiritual progress  (Read 226 times) Average Rating: 0
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
William
Procrastinator and slacker. Also formerly known as Apples
Archon
********
Offline Offline

Faith: Christian
Jurisdiction: Attending an Antiochian parish (for now), but my heart belongs to the ROCOR
Posts: 3,128
« on: December 08, 2012, 08:42:48 PM »
If the greatest saints of all times are always going on about how they are great sinners, what incentive is there to practice the Gospel? People who are saints are actually still sinners. Unless they are being dishonest and overly pietist, you don't really make any spiritual progress, so what's the point?
Logged
A beard covers many chins. - Tallitot
Antonis
Prodigal
Sr. Member
****
Offline Offline

Faith: Orthodox Christian
Jurisdiction: Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco
Posts: 545
« Reply #1 on: December 08, 2012, 08:56:06 PM »
They were humble and spiritually progressed and thus were more aware of their own sins and did not judge and seek out the sins of others, they saw themselves as the worst of sinners; this is just as Christ commanded us to be and how we should be. If they were not spiritually progressed they would not have such an attitude.

I don't really understand what you are getting at, it doesn't make sense.
Logged
How shall I not weep when I think of death? For I have seen my brother in his coffin, without glory or comeliness. What, then, do I expect? And what do I hope for? Only grant me, O Lord, repentance before the end.
William
Procrastinator and slacker. Also formerly known as Apples
Archon
********
Offline Offline

Faith: Christian
Jurisdiction: Attending an Antiochian parish (for now), but my heart belongs to the ROCOR
Posts: 3,128
« Reply #2 on: December 08, 2012, 09:19:34 PM »
Quote from: Antonis on December 08, 2012, 08:56:06 PM
They were humble and spiritually progressed and thus were more aware of their own sins and did not judge and seek out the sins of others, they saw themselves as the worst of sinners; this is just as Christ commanded us to be and how we should be. If they were not spiritually progressed they would not have such an attitude.

I don't really understand what you are getting at, it doesn't make sense.

Are people such as St. Seraphim of Sarov and St. Anthony the Great really the worst of sinners, though?
Logged
A beard covers many chins. - Tallitot
Antonis
Prodigal
Sr. Member
****
Offline Offline

Faith: Orthodox Christian
Jurisdiction: Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco
Posts: 545
« Reply #3 on: December 08, 2012, 11:25:02 PM »
Certainly not, but part of their sanctity was seeing themselves that way. Otherwise they would have fallen to pride.
Logged
How shall I not weep when I think of death? For I have seen my brother in his coffin, without glory or comeliness. What, then, do I expect? And what do I hope for? Only grant me, O Lord, repentance before the end.
LewisBosch
Newbie
*
Offline Offline

Faith: Inquirer, Christian
Posts: 14
« Reply #4 on: December 09, 2012, 12:22:50 PM »
Admitting to yourself you're a sinner reaffirms the reality our will is not the Will of God to the psyche. With that realization, a person can then continue on his/her path to God with honest actions; rather than self-delusional, self-serving actions; to reaffirm their claims to both draw closer to God and to do His will.
Logged
Tags:
Pages: 1   Go Up
  Print  
OrthodoxChristianity.net > Moderated Forums > Faith Issues (Moderator: Michał Kalina) > Topic: Humility and spiritual progress
 « previous next »
 
Jump to:  

Powered by MySQL Powered by PHP Powered by SMF 1.1.18 | SMF © 2013, Simple Machines Valid XHTML 1.0! Valid CSS!
Page created in 0.039 seconds with 32 queries.