How to atone for sins before God. How to atone for sin: what sins are and ways to atone for them

This article will talk about how to atone for sins and thereby get rid of the heavy burden of spiritual cold.

Here is a fragment of a letter that I received in my email inbox from a certain Marina, who cannot understand why, after repeated confession, the long-awaited relief does not come.

Apparently, the sins still remain unredeemed? Or maybe in order to atone for your sins, it is not enough to bow low to the Lord God? And in general, what does the very concept of sinful atonement mean? It is quite possible that this is not just repentance in the Temple, but the whole path that needs to be covered called retribution?

Following a long tradition, I invited an independent expert on sociological issues, historian Artem Sergeevich, to discuss this issue.
But before we listen to the expert’s opinion, I would like to say that in my understanding, atonement for sins is, first of all, spiritual cleansing.

Good afternoon, dear Marina!

I carefully studied your frank lines and came to the firm belief that your sins require not simple atonement, but the realization that there is still a chance to fix everything. Your repeated visits to the Orthodox Church could only temporarily reduce the volume of your heart’s groaning. You are trying to atone for sins, which after a while you return to again. It's like a vicious circle. Today we sin, and tomorrow we repent.

If we interpret the Fall from the point of view of the Church canons, then a simple confession for their atonement will not be enough. Sins are actions or thoughts that need to be gotten rid of, and not openly shared with the clergy.

Mistakenly believing that atonement for sins is an act of meaningless voicing, many parishioners never become full-fledged Christians. After another visit to the Temple, some relief comes and the soul no longer suffers so much from sinful content. But if you again become a prisoner of an unrighteous life, then its corrupting influence again destroys your mind.

If we talk about the final atonement for sins, then it most often occurs when you have more than suffered what was the cause of mental illness. Having done evil to your neighbor and repenting of it, the realization comes to you that you have sinned. But in order to atone for a vicious sin, it is necessary to live in a state of sorrow for some time. This is tantamount to mental confusion and suffering. And only after you “rewind the allotted time” and fully realize your guilt, mental anguish will leave you forever.

And finally how to atone for your sins so that the mental pain recedes?

I believe that the first thing you need to do is confess to your conscience. And only then will it be possible to share the secret revelation with the sympathetic and compassionate Father.

The question was asked by: Marina from the city of Kemerovo.

Answered the question: Independent expert on sociological issues, historian Artem Sergeevich.

The material was prepared by me, Edwin Vostryakovsky.

The question of how to atone for sins before God worries many true believers. After all, situations sometimes happen in life that negatively affect our behavior. We commit offenses, and in the future we experience pangs of conscience.

Unfortunately, the church is no longer as important as it was in the past. There is even an opinion that religion and faith are abstract concepts, relics of the past.

But those who do visit the temple do not always take it seriously: they do not know how to be baptized correctly, how to pray, or how to light a candle.

Such aspects lead to inevitable consequences. We do not realize the magnitude of the full responsibility for our behavior. And gradually life becomes filled with sinfulness.

But the understanding that the path has been chosen incorrectly and the time has come for change still comes. This often happens in difficult moments, for example, when a serious illness is discovered. And a person faces a task: how to atone for sins before God and receive forgiveness?

Modern concept of the 7 deadly sins

When talking about the seven sins that are considered mortal, there is no need to draw parallels with the commandments mentioned in Scripture. Of course, there are common features, but these are two completely different concepts.

What are mortal sins? This:

• Dejection– indifference to everything that happens, reluctance to interfere in anything, lack of interests, apathetic behavior. A person protects himself from current worries and sits back.
• Gluttony – constant craving for food, even without feeling hungry. This is an attempt to drown out all problems with food and pleasure from it.
• Anger– absolutely unjustified aggression towards the outside world, revenge.
• Greed– unhealthy desire to accumulate material values ​​and reluctance to share with anyone;
• Envy- negative reaction to other people's successes. This sin is also associated with jealousy - attacks on a loved one, accusations for no reason.
• Pride– defining oneself as the pinnacle of all things. Such people are not inclined to accept other people's opinions, much less take them into account. For them there is only their own self.
• Lust– a fall in front of oneself as a person. Leads to frivolous relationships and sexual desires of an unhealthy nature.

Throughout his life, every person encounters all seven sins. Under certain circumstances, they overcome us and lead us to immoral behavior.

But all these temptations cannot completely overcome the human will, and if you pull yourself together in time and take the righteous path, you can receive divine forgiveness.

Sins and Virtues

Every sin included in the concept of mortals has a virtue opposed to it. The only exception: despondency.

This terrible human passion must be fought every minute: believing, hoping and loving. This is stated in the ancient works of the righteous living during the time of Jesus Christ.

For believers, humility is important, thanks to which communication with the Lord and remission of sins is possible. This virtue is seen as the opposite of pride.

Anger is opposed to meekness. Envious people will receive forgiveness only after they learn to give love. Those who show greed must overcome this sin within themselves and become generous.

Chastity is opposed to lust. Diligence fights laziness. And by abstaining, you can say goodbye to gluttony.

Is it possible to atone for a mortal sin?

The first thing you should pay attention to is the sincerity of repentance. Without it, the heart is unable to open up to heaven. If you cannot figure out your own sins in detail on your own, you should tell your priest about your mental anguish. A spiritual father will help you find the right path to the Lord.

Confession is the most important part of a righteous life. While within the walls of the temple, observe how parishioners approach the priest and humbly tell him about the sinfulness of past years.

The mentor advises how to build your future life. If you decide to confess, first read the prayer for forgiveness of sins. And have no doubt that the secrets will remain in the church - the priest will never reveal the secrets of his parishioners.

And only a truthful confession will help you receive forgiveness: even if you are afraid to admit your bad deeds, overcome this fear.

The spiritual father usually gives everyone advice:

• some receive instructions on daily prayer addressed to the Creator
• others must fast
• and some priests advise ordering a special prayer service

But only a heartfelt appeal to heaven will free you from the heavy burden that does not allow you to breathe freely. If even a drop of unbelief slips into your prayer, you are unlikely to receive the long-awaited peace of mind. Daily holy conversation with him will help you get closer to God.

Don’t be afraid - talk to the Lord, repent before him, talk about what’s gnawing inside. The very process of prayer clears the mind of evil thoughts. Peace spreads throughout the body.

A large percentage of women, having reached a certain age, realize their mistakes in youth. And this is especially true for abortion. This is a serious sin that has no explanation or justification.

But when a woman repents, comes to church and tells the priest about it, this means that forgiveness is possible. But from this moment on, her life should be woven only from good deeds, from humility, from exemplary behavior.

The solution may be to help orphanages. Children who have never felt parental care will be grateful. And this will cause a huge flow of positive energy towards the repentant woman.

Prayer for forgiveness of sins

Thoughts about a sin committed in the past can eat a person from the inside, preventing him from sleeping peacefully, preventing him from working and concentrating. And, most importantly, the understanding penetrates into the mind that the sinfulness of the past days closes the gates of the Kingdom of Heaven.

The power that prayer for the forgiveness of sins carries is great - it is impossible to evaluate it. The desire, coming from the depths of the heart, to repent before the Creator increases the energetic connection with heaven.

After all, the believer understood and accepted that he had committed a sinful act unworthy of a Christian. He assessed his own guilt so as not to take the same rash step in the future.

A prayerful appeal represents a spiritual appeal to the Lord. Already after the first spoken sacred words, purification, generosity and kindness descend upon the believer.

In order not to return to bad thoughts, you should follow the instructions of the Orthodox faith throughout your life. Don’t forget about visiting the temple – its walls are imbued with the power of so many spoken prayers!

The energy of such places surprises with its strength, which is why communication with God in church is easier for a person. Thoughts become clear, and peace reigns in the soul.

Confess regularly - repentance before a spiritual mentor will allow you to relive your sin again and realize its wrongness.

The prayer for forgiveness can be said at home. You need to do this every day before going to bed at night:

If you do not allow evil and bad thoughts to enter your mind, listen to the advice of the priest and pray regularly, the Creator will definitely answer you.

Prayer of repentance and forgiveness

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Sin adultery is one of the mortal offenses and a violation of the seventh commandment. However, as the Holy Fathers wrote, “there are no unforgiven offenses - there are unrepentant ones.” Repentance must be sincere and proactive - you must not only understand your guilt before the Lord and people, but also do everything so as not to fall into a second offense.

You will need

• penitential canon, a list of your sins

Instructions

1. The main thing is to understand that we ourselves cannot atone for any of our wrongdoings. We have a Redeemer who took upon Himself all our transgressions. We can only beg His mercy to forgive us the next time we violate His commandments and His freedom. We receive pardon through repentance and confession of our misdeeds. Adultery- one of the mortal offenses. Saint John Chrysostom believed that adultery is a more significant offense than any robbery, since the adulterer not only defiles his body and soul, but also steals from others what is more valuable than any treasure - love and marriage. Put yourself in the place of a person who finds out about her husband’s betrayal, understand his pain and heartache. This is necessary in order to henceforth refrain from a similar offense.

2. In order to receive pardon, you must turn to a clergyman and confess to him not only the offense of adultery, but also the other offenses that have accumulated in you, like every person. Think carefully about what else you have sinned about, make a list of your sins, voluntary or involuntary. If you want to cleanse yourself, then after confession it’s great to take Communion. Before Communion you must fast for at least three days.

3. Read the prayer rules in the morning and before bed. If possible, it is better to go to confession in the evening, the day before Communion, so as not to be distracted from prayer during the morning Holy Service. It will be very difficult to tell the clergyman about your misdeeds, but this must be done, since an unrepentant offense will remain unforgiven. There is no need to talk in detail about your adventures, unless you need the priest’s advice in a specific situation. It is enough to know that you committed adultery, lied to your husband and attracted other people into the frame-up. If the clergyman has questions, answer them as conscientiously as possible - remember that lying and concealment during confession will add gravity to your already ideal offenses.

4. After acquiring permission from your misdeeds, remember the moment of shame when you told the man in the cassock about your fall, and imagine how much more unbearable it will be to stand before the Lord and answer to Him for your actions. Try to avoid in the future any situation that could lead you to a new fall.

Misdemeanor is a violation of the commandments given by the Almighty. According to Deacon Andrei Kuraev, an offense is a wound that a person inflicts on his soul. A person is responsible for his own misdeeds, and only children under seven years of age are considered innocent because they cannot fully comprehend their actions.

Instructions

1. To believe means to place all your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We must remember that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for all our misdeeds and bought for us the gift of indestructible salvation. God’s mercy is limitless: “Call upon Me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver you” (Psalm 49:15).

2. Confession is a great Christian Sacrament, in which a repentant person is cleansed of his wrongdoings by the Lord Jesus Christ himself. As Holy Scripture teaches: “If we confess our transgressions, then He, being right and righteous, will forgive us our transgressions and cleanse us from every falsehood” (1st Epistle of John, chapter 1, verse 8). You need to know that mentioning your own misdeeds in home prayer is unsatisfactory, because the Almighty gave the right to resolve the misdeeds of people only to the apostles and their successors - metropolitans and priests. You need to prepare for Confession in advance: you need to make peace with your neighbors, asking for mercy from those who have been upset. It is advisable to read the literature about the Sacrament of Confession and Communion and remember all your misdeeds (occasionally, so as not to forget, they are written down on a separate sheet). In the evening, three canons are read at home: the Penitential Canon to our Lord Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, and the Guardian Angel. It is allowed to use prayer books that contain these three canons.

3. Perform the penance assigned by the clergyman. Occasionally, a clergyman may impose penance on a repentant person as support in the fight against an offense. Penance can include strengthening the prayer rule, closing for Communion for a certain time, fasting, pilgrimage to Holy places, almsgiving, etc. This must be treated as the freedom of God, prepared for the healing of the soul. Penance requires unconditional fulfillment. If for some reason it is impossible to perform penance, you need to contact the clergyman who imposed it.

Helpful advice
In order to confess, you need to go to church and find out at what time the Sacrament of Confession is performed.

Performance sin can be defined as a violation of personal integrity and harmony. Whatever views you adhere to, whatever religion you profess, by breaking moral laws, you, before anyone else, cause damage to yourself. If you are suffering from the consciousness of the ideal sin, and wondering about reimbursement sin fornication, try not to despair. Think about whose advice will be influential for you, and then follow it in order to regain peace of heart.

Instructions

1. Before resorting to the help of authorities, determine for yourself what the essence of your sin. Clearly formulate the action of yours that now brings feelings of guilt. Answer the following questions: “Who else, besides yourself, was harmed by your actions?”, “How could this have been avoided?”, “What needs to be done in the future so that the mistake does not happen again?” Write down your results on paper, this will help avoid vague statements. Such a review is important in order to understand the situation and identify ways to correct it. You can burn the paper as an act of “pardoning yourself.”

2. Confess in church, repent and receive the grace of forgiveness from the priest if you were raised in the Catholic hope. Pray, read the Holy Scriptures and the lives of saints. You must show a tendency to avoid repetition in later life. sin .

3. Pray to the Lord, the Mother of God, read the akathist “Protection” if you were raised in the Orthodox hope. Repentance must be done in church through a clergyman. Church canons distinguish between fornication and adultery. For fornication they are excommunicated from Communion for up to 7 years, and for adultery – up to 12. Don’t look for compassionate priests who will give you penance for two weeks and push you closer to Communion.

4. Consult the Koran, go to the mosque if your religion is Islam. An offense that is ideal in its freedom is unforgivable for you. You need to repent and do a lot of good deeds so that on the Day of Judgment your good deeds can “outweigh” your wrongdoing.

5. Seek other authorities if you are a follower of a different hope. Seek support from a psychologist if this is best for you. Perhaps you need to talk to someone close to you who can understand and support you so that you don’t despair. Buddha is credited with saying: “Everyone is his own refuge, who else can be his refuge?” But you need clarity of vision in order to continue your path.

Christianity recognizes two forms of organization of individual life: marriage and celibacy. If such an offense has occurred, it is wrong to look for a result to atone for it. The Almighty said: repent. He didn’t say: redeem.

Instructions

1. Repent in your soul and understand the sinfulness of fornication. Repent to your loved one, if you have committed the offense of fornication towards him. Tell him in good faith about the reasons that led to fornication, about your feelings, experiences, and sensitive state. Apologize to him and try in various ways to again win the trust and love of the one from whom you fornicated. Do not maintain any connection with the person with whom you have sinned and be diligent in not allowing even a hint that you may commit this offense again. Behave well, decently, do not give even the slightest reason to your loved one to doubt the sincerity of your repentance. But at the same time, never allow yourself to be humiliated, do not tolerate mockery, moral or physical punishment.

2. Try to explain that you fully understand your ideal offense and are ready to atone for it. Emphasize that you conscientiously confessed to fornication and now repent of committing such an act. Remind your loved one that your conscience is constantly punishing you, that it does not allow you to forget for a second about your ideal offense.

3. Go to church if you want to atone for the crime of fornication before the Almighty. Confess to the clergyman, do not hide anything, tell everything as it happened, do not embellish your story and do not try to achieve his understanding. Repent to the priest with every soul and understand the sinfulness of fornication. Never from now on fornicate, refrain from temptations and committing sinful acts. Start living a faithful human and Christian life, confess more often and live according to church laws. Do not allow despair, which is also a very huge offense, the sources of which are human glory. Find out from the clergyman the order of communion and be sure to begin taking communion continuously.

Cheating often leads to separation. However, if your loved one has excused you for a similar act, you need to make every effort to atone for your guilt. Under no circumstances should you think that if you have achieved a pardon, then your efforts are over. There is still a lot of work ahead.

Instructions

1. Ask for pardon for your action. And explain in strict good faith why you betrayed the trust of your companion in such a way. It is very important to openly repent and show it to your loved one. Demonstrate that you regret the change as much as the person who was fooled feels hurt. Let me speak. Let your companion start a brawl, express his thoughts, then it will accumulate inside and eventually spill out.

2. Try to raise your loved one's self-esteem. Keep in mind that your betrayal is understood by your partner as the fact that you compared him with someone and the choice was not in his favor. Therefore, it is now that you must convince your loved one that he is the best in the world, beautiful, fascinating and mysterious. It is exceptionally hard for women. Be delighted, give more compliments. Just do it frankly. Tea, if you are trying to save a relationship, it means your loved one is truly special to you. Therefore, do not forget to remind him of this more often.

3. Bring trust back into your relationship. Without this, it is unlikely that anything will work out. Just don’t think that doing this is as easy as losing it. For quite a long time, your companion will expect trickery and betrayal from you. Minimize your interactions with the opposite sex. Try to be completely open with your loved one. Even in small things, behave conscientiously and do not hide anything. Don’t hide your phone, don’t hide your email in front of your partner’s nose. Don't give even the slightest reason for doubt. And promise something more often and keep your word. This will reassure your loved one that you are always telling the truth.

4. Show your love. Don’t be lazy to give a present or make a nice surprise. Bring a new breath into your love. Fresh emotions will slowly replace the feeling of resentment and your relationship will begin to improve. But be prepared for the fact that this sin will be remembered to you for a long time. Unfortunately, it is even more difficult to forget betrayal than to forgive it.

Helpful advice
Try your best to never lie to your loved one. Just because you were once forgiven does not mean that it will always be so.

A misdemeanor in Orthodoxy is a serious sin of a person, leading to the death of the human soul, the impossibility of indestructible life in the kingdom of the Almighty. Approximately all offenses can be expiated in confession.

Unforgivable sin

There is one offense that will forever close the door to the kingdom of the Almighty - expressing dissatisfaction and condemning his actions. An Orthodox Christian should always remember this and not make the inevitable mistake. This offense is called pride and is considered the firstborn. According to the Bible, Lucifer was expelled from heaven to earth precisely because he dared to express indignation at the present order.

Other sins

There are 7 mortal offenses in total. Pride is one of them. They are called mortal because they destroy the life of the soul. If a person commits important sins too often, he can forever alienate himself from the Almighty and his truthful path. In this case, he can only trust in God’s mercy and forgiveness. Greed is a particularly well-known offense today. A person is so absorbed in his physical goods (or lack thereof) that he forgets about his soul, that he is imperfect and needs to rely on the support and mercy of the Almighty. Greed is aggravated by “grimy” money that a person has earned dishonestly. Fornication is another well-known offense. Occasionally, a person’s bestial preface takes precedence over his spiritual aspirations, and the person indulges in all sorts of bad things. In Orthodoxy, even looking at a woman lecherously is considered fornication. Foul language, reading and viewing pornographic materials are also considered sinful. Envy is considered sinful only if it leads to anger towards one's neighbor. This is the so-called “black” envy. It is somewhat reminiscent of pride, because a person, envying someone, also expresses indignation at the present prophetic order, the one established by the Almighty. Sadness leads a person to depression, and occasionally to suicide. It all starts with the fact that a person is simply too lazy to do good-natured things and organize his life. This gradually turns into the fact that a person ceases to feel horror of the Almighty and to rely on him. Rabies clouds a person’s intellect and completely takes possession of him. Because of this, a person will do anything to get rid of this unpleasant feeling. Feuds and murders are often committed out of anger. Of course, the matter does not invariably end in assault, but anger and enmity between people certainly remains. Gluttony is expressed in the use of drugs and alcohol, as well as non-compliance with prescribed fasts.

Since ancient times, masturbation or masturbation has been understood as a sinful and condemned activity. However, modern statistics state that 99% of men and more than 80% of women masturbate at least once in their lives. Doctors unanimously say that such a discharge is suitable for both the physiology of the body and the psyche. The Church more often than not avoids such topics, and there is very little information on this issue in the sacred scriptures.

Masturbation in the Bible

The term “masturbation” comes from the name of the hero of the Old Testament myth, Onan. The Almighty ordered his elder brother Ira to marry Tamar, but he soon died without giving birth to offspring. The wife was inherited by Onan. The young man was supposed to continue his brother's line. That is, the first male child born from Onan was to be considered the son of the deceased Ira. Onan was not impressed by this prospect, and on his first wedding night he “spilled his seed on the ground” in order to prevent conception. However, most likely, here we are not talking about handjob, but about stopped sexual intercourse. Perhaps in those days masturbation and methods of preventing unwanted pregnancy were identical ideas, because did not bring the desired result - children. The Almighty became very angry; he promised that it was from this family that the Messiah should come. As punishment, he struck the unfortunate man with lightning. Nowhere else in the Old or New Testament is anything said about this activity. From which we can conclude that in the entire history of society, only one masturbator was punished, and only because his seed did not end up where the Almighty wanted it.

Masturbation in the Middle Ages

The Christian Church, raised on the foundation of the Old Testament, honored the myths of the Jewish people and adopted many of their traditions regarding worship and righteous living. For a long time, no one touched the onanists; no one cared about them. But the relatively tolerant early Christianity was replaced by medieval priests who suffered from maximalism in all respects. Masturbation, petting, oral sex, contraception and even gratuitous wet dreams began to be considered sinful activities, and those who engaged in them were obliged to be punished. They dealt with the “fornicators”, more often than not, based on denunciations from haters, God-fearing relatives, friends and even parents. Teenagers caught masturbating for the first time were beaten on the hands with a stick, imposed penance and released. However, if this did not help, and the young people continued to satisfy themselves on their own, responsible relatives with the support of the clergy moved with every zeal to more radical measures. Historical memoirs about medieval life describe cases in which boys had the head of their penis cut off for masturbation, and girls had their clitoris burned with a hot iron or had their clitoris torn out with forceps. Of course, these actions were accompanied by the reading of psalms and prayers for such sensitive cases. Not a word is said about the subsequent fate of these crippled children, but it can be assumed that masturbation did not bother them much.

Masturbation in the modern religious world

The common misconception that masturbation is a violation of nature is often used by retrogrades and religious fanatics. And yet, masturbation is an extremely common phenomenon in the animal world, which allows us to say that it is inherent in living beings by nature itself. The Orthodox Church condemns sex life before marriage, as well as acts of self-satisfaction and mental lust. Catholic and Protestant clergy, for the most part, look at this activity tolerantly, if we are not talking about annoying masturbation. In addition, many Orthodox and Catholic clergy do not condemn mutual marital masturbation as an act of foreplay before intercourse, choosing not to get involved in this area of ​​individual life of the flock if it does not run counter to spiritual and universal moral norms. In Eastern teachings, masturbation is approached philosophically. Some branches of Buddhism even recommend masturbation to achieve spiritual enlightenment. For centuries, many Eastern cultures have elevated foreplay and sex to a cult, and here mutual masturbation, as well as self-satisfaction, played a very significant role. In the 21st century, there is no integral judgment about masturbation, there is only the personal attitude of individual priests towards it. Some consider lustful thoughts and masturbation to be sinful, equating the latter with sexual perversion, others rely on the lack of direct instructions in the Holy Scriptures and commandments, and argue that masturbation is not considered a crime.

When a person decides to commit suicide, he does not think about the fact that he is committing a terrible, mortal offense. Life is a treasure given to him by the Almighty. And only he can take it away. However, there are also special cases of voluntary death.

No pardon

Every Christian has a life cross. The Almighty does not give anyone a burden beyond his strength. The Almighty helps those who turn to Him through prayers to overcome torment and sinful temptations. One is allowed to sincerely repent of every offense. There is time for this. A suicide deprives himself of repentance. Consequently, the Almighty cannot forgive him. The suicide thinks that by killing himself, he will be freed from torment forever. But the soul does not perish together with the body. She continues to struggle. Now it is no longer indestructible. Those who have decided to commit a terrible crime are sure that in their circumstances there is no way out. The Almighty will tell you a way out, and more than one. You just need to ask him about it. The offense of a suicide is that he arbitrarily ends a life that does not belong only to him. But also to the Almighty, who gave it to man for improvement. A suicide renounces life's responsibilities and forgets about loved ones. According to church canons, those who voluntarily take their own lives are not buried in church. They cannot be buried in church cemeteries. Remember in funeral prayers and memorial services.

Who is considered a suicide

The church also classifies as suicides those killed in a duel, those killed during robbery, and people who died as a result of euthanasia. And even those who are suspected of suicide. Let's say, if he drowned under unknown circumstances. Suicides include dead fans of extreme sports. They consciously took risks, knowing that unsafe fun could end in death. Alcoholics, drug addicts and smokers are also slow to kill themselves. It is true that the church does not classify those who died from heavy drinking as suicides. It is believed that due to darkness of mind they are not aware of their actions.

For them it’s an exception

Only suicides who suffered from mental illness are not denied church commemoration. An exception is made for them. Relatives need to take a certificate from the medical institution where the unfortunate man was registered and write a corresponding petition to the bishop of the diocese.

Lay down your soul for your friends

There are also special cases of voluntary death. They cannot be considered a misdemeanor. A person goes to his death for the sake of truth and following higher values. Samson, who brought down the vaults of the temple, in which his Philistine enemies were with him, was not a suicide, but an ascetic. It is impossible to call those who sacrifice themselves for the sake of other people suicides. A soldier throwing himself under an enemy tank with grenades. A firefighter or police officer who died in the line of duty.

The Christian Church says that the Almighty forgives all wrongdoings if a person openly repents of the ideal. Only blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, the savior of the human race, is not forgiven.

Instructions

1. Jesus Christ, as they say in the Holy Bible, said that any offense and any blasphemy against a person is forgiven. But there is also a reminder in this book that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is not forgiven “neither in this age nor in the age to come,” unlike the bad word spoken about the Son of Man.

2. The clergy, in order to explain a similar objection, propose to understand the role of the Holy Spirit for the salvation of society. The unforgivability of this offense does not stem from the fact that it is a “misconduct” as such. The fundamental basis of the Bible is precisely that every wrongdoing is forgiven. To do this, you only need to come to the Lord with sincere repentance, hope and prayer for mercy in the name of Jesus Christ.

3. In order to understand why blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is unforgivable, one must know about his role in God’s plan. His mission is to speak about Christ, lead a person to the truth and expose his misdeeds. The Holy Spirit is a person’s conscience, rebuking sins and leading to hope. It gives a person the strength to live, the likelihood of purification.

4. That is, without the Holy Spirit, a person is unable to accept hope, Christ and the light of Truth, and he is also unable to openly repent of his misdeeds. And it is precisely under these conditions that misdeeds are forgiven by the Lord - with repentance and hope in the soul. If you do not repent, Christ will not illuminate the life of this person and there will be no mercy for him.

5. The offense against the Holy Spirit is resistance to his voice, denial of hope. It turns out that any atheist is the most terrible sinner, because there is no place in his soul for Hope. Rejection of the Holy Spirit and its blasphemy are dangerous because they can sow doubt in a believer. Consequently, this offense is unforgivable, because it leads to a whole chain of offenses contrary to hope in the Lord.

6. All criminal human passions, if not suppressed but encouraged, lead to violation of the commandments of the Almighty. Conscience, meanwhile, completely loses its strength and voice. This forces the Holy Spirit to leave the person and only grieve for him. The sinner himself does not feel the need for mercy and does not beg for it.

7. Thus, an offense is not forgiven - blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, for the fact that a person does not beg for mercy, does not repent and does not regret what he has done. Such a person is actually lost to the Lord, because he revels in his own misdeeds and by his example seduces other people from the path of truth.

8. This is the result that clergy give when asked about an offense, one that cannot be forgiven. It turns out that if a person still thinks about his misdeeds, then he does not refute the existence of the Almighty. This means he has a chance of being forgiven.

Note!
The entire case is personal and unique, and so are misdemeanors.

Helpful advice
With all doubts and questions about hope, you need to go to Church.

Helpful advice
Remember that not only physical betrayal, but also an attempt to seduce an unfree person is an offense before the Lord and people.

One of the tenets of faith is that harmful passions are overcome by virtues. This applies to all religions without exception. Whether we are talking about how to atone for sins in Islam or in Christianity, in Buddhism, or in another faith, we must be guided by this postulate.

But before you atone for sins, you need to understand what it is. A lot is invested in the concept of sin, because the word itself in its primary meaning is “failure.” That is, sin is a mistake made by a person, his “missing, inconsistency” with God’s plan. This means that in the broad sense of the word, any thoughts and actions of people that run counter to the covenants and postulates of the professed religion can be sinful.

How do sins arise?

In how to atone for sin, an important role is played by understanding the reason that gave rise to it. Sins are like ripples on the water. In this case, a person often sees only circles spreading across the water surface, but does not notice the stone that was thrown and sank to the bottom, causing them.

This image fully reflects the mechanism of the appearance of sins. The basis of each of the sins lies in what pushed a person to commit it, that is, figuratively speaking, a stone thrown into the water and sank to the bottom. As a rule, this stone is one of the seven deadly sins, which are the most serious and dangerous for the human soul.

Each of the mortal sins inevitably entails a copious list of offenses that are not virtuous. They often become a smoke screen that prevents a person from seeing the reason for his sinfulness. By begging for them, a person cannot stop sinning and does not feel relief. This happens because mortal sin continues to “drag to the bottom” and destroy the soul.

What sins can there be?

Although each religion is distinguished by a certain floridity and softness, a lack of straightforwardness, in the question of how to atone for sin, everything is extremely simple and clear. There is only one answer - do not sin. Do not sin from the beginning, and if the offense could not be avoided, then do not repeat it or aggravate it.

Sin is like a disease for the soul. Accordingly, before thinking about its cure, that is, about redemption, it is necessary to understand what sins can be. In the question of how to atone for sins, in Orthodoxy, as in Christianity in general, clergy conventionally distinguish between the main, primary offenses and the secondary ones, which follow the main ones. That is, sins can be serious or ordinary.

In addition, there are violations of God’s commandments, which is not nominally a sin, but becomes a path to it.

What are the sins?

Christianity has seven deadly sins. The sacred seven, present in many religious texts, did not arise overnight. Initially there were eight sins. However, over time, based on practical observations of the lives of believers in general, the church leadership came to combine the two positions into one. Concepts such as “sadness” and “despondency” were combined.

The list of mortal sins was drawn up by Pope Gregory I Dvoeslov and began to include the following concepts:

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

They are the cornerstones of the sinfulness of man as a whole. Their presence pushes one to commit sinful acts and poisons the human soul.

Is breaking the commandments a sin?

All believers, without exception, think about this question at least once in their lives. Indeed, in the modern world it is extremely difficult not to break the commandments. For example, the one that says to turn the other cheek if you hit one. After all, the first thing a person tries to do when he is offended is to respond, punish, repay. Or the commandment “thou shalt not kill” - abortions, which are part of routine paid services in all gynecological clinics, violate it. “Thou shalt not steal” - understanding it more broadly than simply taking other people’s things, a person inevitably realizes that the commandment is violated everywhere.

Nominally, violation of commandments is not considered a sin in the church worldview. However, this does not mean at all that by breaking the covenants left by the Lord, a person does not commit an offense. He commits, and moreover, this offense requires atonement.

Violation of the commandments, not nominally, but in fact, is one of the most serious manifestations of sinfulness, if we understand it more broadly than a list of mortal offenses. God's commandments are not at all a random set of guiding postulates designed to streamline human life and make it easier for churchmen to lead their flock.

Their observance is necessary in order to avoid the Fall, but violation is the direct and shortest road to mortal transgressions, which become poison, a fatal disease for the soul. Violation of the commandments leads to one of the deadly sins, which will inevitably affect a person’s entire life and affect his fate.

Thus, a pattern can be traced - mortal sin becomes the root cause for ordinary offenses, but violation of commandments is the factor that gives rise to serious offenses.

How to avoid them?

Thinking about how one can atone for a sin, any thinking person invariably comes to the conclusion that the simplest option is not to commit it. Drawing an analogy with a disease, we can say that a simple way of atonement is prevention, preventing the development and occurrence of a sin.

This approach does not at all contradict religious foundations; moreover, it is precisely to prevent sinfulness that the commandments were given to people. However, in order to avoid sins, you need to have a clear understanding of their essence. The name of a sin cannot be understood superficially and literally; behind each name there are hidden many phenomena characteristic of a person’s everyday existence. You can encounter the possibility of a mortal sin everywhere and every day, and you don’t even need to leave your apartment. For example, the sin of laziness is not only a reluctance to do any work, but also a lack of spiritual and intellectual development, taking care of oneself and the home, and much more.

About pride

This sin is often confused with high self-esteem and envy. However, pride has nothing to do with an excessive sense of self-confidence or the desire to excel others in anything.

Pride is a way of life in which a person considers himself “the navel of the whole Earth,” and also believes that his achievements are the result of his own and no one else’s. That is, for example, if a person becomes a world luminary in a particular field, then he sincerely considers this only his own merit, completely forgetting how much effort was put in by his parents, loved ones, and teachers. He also forgets that everything in life is given by the Lord.

About envy

This is a sin that lurks everywhere. However, it should not be confused with the desire to look or live no worse than others. Envy in its essence is a deep mental disorder, the root of which lies in the denial of God's plan.

A person subject to this sin does not notice what God has given to him, he sees exclusively what others have. In fact, envy is an everyday denial of one's destiny and the desire to live someone else's life. For example, a person is given a talent for drawing, but instead of painting canvases and developing in this direction, he looks at the musicians with sighs and stubbornly knocks on the piano keys.

About anger

Anger is not just an uncontrollable outburst of emotion. This is a sick state of mind in which a person denies any opposition to his will or ideas. Anger doesn't just lead to violence. He is violence itself in all possible forms. Many are subject to anger; it is expressed in the dictate of one’s own will and rejection of everything that diverges from it.

For example, parents who force their children to embody their own, adult ideas and nip in the bud any independence of the child are susceptible to the sin of anger. Spouses who beat their wives for cooking cutlets incorrectly from their point of view are also subject to the sin of anger. Rulers who introduce laws prohibiting dissent also show anger. This sin is the most common. It has roots in a person’s selfishness, in his closeness to everything around him and his fierce opposition to what goes against his own beliefs.

About despondency

The most terrible and severe of all seven deadly sins. Dejection is the most insidious sin; it quietly creeps into a person’s soul, masquerading as a bad mood or sadness. Dejection, like a cancerous tumor of the body, takes over the soul entirely, and it is incredibly difficult to get rid of it.

Depression, sadness, melancholy, or reluctance to get off the couch is despondency. Reluctance to live - this is how clergy often interpret the concept of this sin. However, despondency does not necessarily manifest itself in severe depression or other psychological personality disorders. Everyday fatigue, melancholy, sadness and lack of ability to see something good - despondency. It is easy to distinguish a sin from ordinary sadness or sadness. Dejection is never light; darkness reigns in the soul of the person subject to it.

About greed

This is not just a desire to “raise” as much as possible for yourself. There is no sin in a person’s desire to live in comfort and satiety. Greed is the complete subordination of all thoughts to the race for material goods that are not needed.

That is, if a person has a TV, but he goes to the store and buys a more modern, advertised and fashionable one, but the functions are practically no different from the one in the house, then this is greed. The sin of greed excludes the concept of responsibility. That is, a person spends and does not earn. Greed in the modern world leads to an endless increase in material debts, and this, in turn, entails complete inattention to the spiritual side of one’s own personality, because all thoughts are occupied only with vain things.

About gluttony

This is not only the abuse of food or wine. Gluttony is similar to greed - it is the consumption of excess on the one hand, but the sins are different.

This sin is pleasing oneself, pleasing oneself in every sense. Indulging one's own passions and momentary whims, regardless of what they concern. For example, traveling to exotic countries to visit brothels with teenage boys is gluttony. Eating two or three servings of fried potatoes with lard during acute gastritis is also gluttony. This term has no precise boundaries; it implies indulging harmful passions in all areas of life.

About lust

Lust usually means fornication. However, this perception is overly simplified and narrowed.

Lust is callousness, both in carnal pleasures and in anything else. If we consider a sin using the example of the intimate sphere of life, it means the mechanics of actions that provide a nervous spasm that gives momentary pleasure. There is no soul in such sexual intercourse. That is, all the manuals that tell you what, where and how you need to “rub” to get arousal are practical guides to the sin of lust. Human souls must participate in an intimate relationship; there must be an emotional component, that is, love, and not just sexual lust.

Accordingly, lust is soullessness, the predominance of flesh over emotions. This sin can manifest itself not only in the intimate sphere of human life, but also in any other.

What do you mean by repentance?

All religious texts talk about how to atone for sins before God. You need to sincerely repent of what you have done. You cannot come to church, buy a prayer service, stand in front of an icon and become sinless.

Repentance is the first step to atone for sin. The first, but far from the only one, although fundamental. Awareness of sinfulness cannot be mistaken for repentance. This is an extremely important point. Understanding by the mind of the unrighteousness of this or that act has nothing in common with repentance. Awareness leads to the appearance of repentance.

For example, a woman visits a gynecological hospital and gets rid of an unwanted pregnancy. After this, she finds a guide on how to atone for aborted children, visits a temple or monastery, orders prayer services and demonstratively repents of what she has done. Is this repentance? No. Moreover, after some time the woman ends up back in the gynecological hospital, and the situation repeats itself. Only she orders prayer services not for one baby at a time, but for two. And so on, the circle of vice is not interrupted, only the number of babies commemorated by the priests changes. Similar examples can be found in any area of ​​life.

True repentance does not imply hysterics and “beating your forehead on the floor.” This is a state of soul in which a person is struck like thunder; it is similar to inspiration. True repentance eliminates the possibility of repeating the sin to which it relates. That is, repentance comes from the human heart, and not from the mind.

However, this feeling needs to be developed and consolidated. This is precisely why special prayers, absolution procedures and other spiritual rituals of atonement are needed.

How to atone for sins?

The main means of atonement for sins and purification of the soul is confession. However, when thinking about whether it is possible to atone for sin, you need to understand the readiness of your soul for this. You cannot simply come to the temple, read a list of misdeeds, receive forgiveness and become a “sinless creature.” The determining role is played by the spiritual need for this action.

Nominally, atonement includes attending confession. During a conversation with a clergyman, a person not only lists his misdeeds, but also talks about them and analyzes them. For example, when talking about adultery, people begin their speech with questions about how to atone for the sins of infidelity and gradually come to talk about the situation in the family, the relationship of partners, everyday life and much more. This is a spontaneous development of the monologue, although, if necessary, the priest asks questions necessary in order to stir up those who come to confession, make them think about the reasons for the offenses and eliminate them, and also make sure of the sincerity and depth of repentance.

This approach to the remission of sins is the same. It is also relevant in how to atone for sin for aborted children, and in other cases. But there are no uniform rules regarding what needs to be done after confession. Each case of sin is unique, because all people are different and their faith does not have the same depth. For this reason, the prayer that priests recommend to atone for sins is different in each case.

To whom to pray, how and how much, that is, everything that worries people with a practical mindset, is determined by the clergyman during confession, based on what he heard. There is no one common “miracle” prayer.

What can't be redeemed?

The path to atonement for sin is internal work on oneself. It is impossible to think that there is a sin that can never be expiated. There are no such sins. Only a person’s internal spiritual efforts differ; they depend on the depth and severity of the sin. Any crime or transgression is subject to atonement.

Of course, the exception is suicide. But this is not at all a sin that “cannot be redeemed”; such an understanding is not entirely correct. Suicide is not “impossible” to atone for, but simply impossible. After all, a person who voluntarily left this world simply cannot repent of what he has done, come to church and pray. Because he no longer lives in this world. For this reason alone, the sin cannot be expiated, and the one who committed it is subject to rejection from the flock, that is, burial outside the consecrated ground without observing church rituals.

If you are haunted by known sins, then you can pray for them before the Lord God. This is done in church or at home. Jesus Christ will forgive you.

When atone for serious sins, you must clearly remember that by making a promise, you undertake not to repeat them.

When I was in a remote village, a still living healer gave me 5 prayers that allowed me to beg forgiveness for the sins of my ancestors, aborted children, fornication, lust and betrayal.

Light 1 candle. Place icons available at home. Read the Lord's Prayer several times.

Then start praying.

How to beg for an abortion

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God. Forgive me the sin of abortion - the worst infanticide. In spiritual nakedness, she strayed from the righteous path, seduced by weakness and lust. Thy will be done. Amen.

How to atone for the sins of your ancestors

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God. In church remembrance, forgive the sins of the ancestors of the deceased, who during their lifetime did not repent, rarely prayed and suffered. Thy will be done. Amen.

How to atone for the sin of fornication

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God. Cleanse me from lustful desires and immeasurable seminal defilement. I pray to you for strict retribution, so that posterity does not suffer and does not absorb my sorrows. Let it be so. Amen.

How lust is appeased

Lord, do not destroy my soul, but cool the lustful desire of the flesh. I pray you for a fair punishment and relief for a sincere confession. Thy will be done. Amen.

How to pray for betrayal

Lord Jesus Christ, of youthful lust and carnal attraction, I repent of marital apostasy. Righteously angry, punish me for treason, show me the spiritual path to the Temple. Thy will be done. Amen.