On Sin

-St. Basil the Great.

 

Beloved, the enemy of truth wages a great and manifold war against us every day. He does so, as you know, by turning our own desires into arrows against us, drawing strength from us to wound us. Just as wicked and covetous men, whose whole care and enterprise is to grow rich by others’ goods yet who lack the power to commit open violence, commonly lie in wait along the roads; and when they find a place convenient for ambush—whether a deep ravine or a thicket of trees—they hide there, cutting off the traveller’s view from afar with such cover, and then suddenly fall upon him so that no one sees the snare of calamity until he has already fallen into it; even so our ancient and all-malicious foe conceals himself beneath the shade of worldly pleasures, which are able to hide the cunning robber on the path of this life and give the slanderer a place of concealment, and from there he unexpectedly sets deadly snares for us.

Yet just as city walls, surrounding the city on every side, withstand enemy assaults from every quarter, so too our Guardian Angel fortifies our front, watches over our rear, and leaves neither unguarded. He ever abides with those who believe in the Lord—unless we ourselves drive Him away by our evil deeds. For just as smoke drives away bees and stench drives away doves, so does sin—full of lamentation and foul odour—drive away our Guardian Angel.

It would be best, of course, never to touch this evil at all. Nevertheless, once sin has tempted us, we must flee it as from a deadly wound. I have known some who in youth slipped into fleshly passions and, because of the deeply rooted evil habit, remained in sin even to old age; and just as swine wallowing in the mire ever soil themselves more deeply with filth, so these men, through lust, daily multiplied their shame. For when sin is first born, it produces a certain shame; but when it reaches full growth, it renders the sinners utterly shameless. As long as we sin only a little, we are shaken only a little, like plants trembling in a gentle breeze; but when we double and multiply greater iniquities, the shaking grows with the increase of sins. Some are greatly shaken; others are even uprooted and cast down when the spirits of wickedness tear out the roots by which their souls were established in faith toward God, stronger than any storm. For he who fails in his duty only under compulsion may perhaps receive some forgiveness from God; but he who does evil of his own free will, without any excuse, shall bear the harshest punishments. Some sins are involuntary, others proceed from wicked choice. Therefore involuntary sins are forgiven in one way, while those done by evil choice are condemned in another.

Consider two men who commit the same sin. One was poorly raised from childhood, entering life from unrighteous parents, nurtured by lawless words and deeds. The other had every inducement to virtue: an honourable upbringing, parental instruction, diligent teachers, the hearing of divine words, moderate circumstances, and everything else by which a soul is led to virtue. If this second man falls into the same sin, how shall he escape heavier torment by God’s justice? The first will be accused only for failing to make right use of the saving thoughts that were sown in him; but the second will be condemned besides for this: that despite all the help given him, through carelessness he slipped into an evil life.

Which sins, then, can obtain forgiveness from God? And by what kind of sin does a man become guilty of the judgment of disobedience? It is not in the multitude or magnitude of sins, but in a single transgression of any clear commandment that we find manifest disobedience to God and the common judgment against all disobedience—whenever we read the Holy Scriptures.

In the Old Testament we read of the fearful end of Achan, or of the man who gathered sticks on the Sabbath. Neither of them is recorded as having committed any other sin against God or wronged any man, great or small. Yet the one, for gathering sticks only once on the Sabbath, suffered inescapable execution without time for repentance, being immediately stoned by the whole congregation at God’s command. The other, merely for taking something that had not yet been brought into the assembly nor received by those appointed over such things, became the cause of destruction not only to himself but to his wife, his children, his tent, and all that he had; and the whole people would have been consumed like fire by the evil of sin (though they neither knew what had been done nor who had sinned) had they not, upon the falling of the slain, felt God’s wrath, repented, and had not Joshua, together with the elders, cast dust upon their heads. Thus the guilty man was taken by lot and suffered the appointed punishment.

And what of Miriam, the sister of Moses? Because she spoke against Moses only in the way of reproach (saying that he had married an Ethiopian woman, Num. 12), she provoked such indignation from God that not even Moses’ intercession obtained forgiveness without punishment.

Why need I mention even Moses himself—God’s servant, that great man who received such honour from God and was many times testified of by God Himself, who said to him: “I know thee above all” and “Thou hast found grace in My sight” (Ex. 33:12)? For the sin of strife at the waters of Meribah—not for any other reason, but because he said to the murmuring people, “Shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” (Num. 20:10)—for this alone he received the sentence that he should not enter the promised land, which was once the chief of all God’s promises to the Hebrews. When I see him praying and not forgiven, when I see that for so brief a word, despite all his righteousness, he received no mitigation, truly I see God’s unsparing justice, and with the Apostle I am compelled to confess: “If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” (1 Pet. 4:18).

Or consider Eli the priest, a man of blameless life. For the sole reason that he did not punish his sons severely enough, he provoked such wrath from the long-suffering God that in one day his sons were slain in battle by foreigners, the people were routed, many fell, and the Ark of the Covenant of God itself suffered outrage such as had never been heard before—for even among Israelites, and even among the priests, not everyone was permitted to touch it at all times. That Ark, which was not kept in just any place, was then carried about by unholy hands and set up in idol temples instead of holy places, causing unspeakable mockery and reproach against the very name of God among the heathen. Moreover Eli himself died a most pitiable death and received the sentence that the priesthood should be taken from his seed—which came to pass—though in his own life he was never condemned for anything. He did not silently tolerate his sons’ wickedness but often rebuked them, saying: “Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear” (1 Sam. 2:24). Yet because he did not show the zeal that was required, he drew God’s wrath upon himself, upon them, and upon all the people. Reproof is given to correct the sinner; reproach is given to shame the one who has already sinned. Therefore even if a man outwardly performs many virtues, yet neglects even one commandment, or fails to rebuke a sinner with proper zeal according to God’s judgment, he shall justly suffer punishment for that alone—even if he sinned through ignorance, he shall not escape chastisement.

Such are the many judgments we find in the Old Testament against every disobedience. In the New Testament we find judgments no less severe, but even stricter. For the Lord says: “That servant who knew his master’s will but did not do it shall be beaten with many stripes; but he who did not know and did things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few” (Luke 12:47–48). Christ does not release even the one who sins in ignorance from punishment, and against those who sin knowingly He utters far more terrible threats. Again: “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away” (Matt. 24:35). And the blessed Apostle says: “Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to avenge all disobedience” (2 Cor. 10:5–6)—every high thing and every thought, not this one or that one. Elsewhere: “They which commit such things are worthy of death” (Rom. 1:32). And again: “Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest God” (Rom. 2:23). Thus nothing is left unpunished with God.

If these are not mere words but realities, behold: in Corinth the man who had his father’s wife, though condemned in no other matter, was delivered unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh until he should bring forth fruits worthy of repentance; and the whole church was made guilty because it did not restrain the sin. And what of Ananias, mentioned in the Acts? What other evil is recorded of him besides this one thing? Yet for withholding part of the price after selling his possession and laying the money at the apostles’ feet, he and his wife were struck dead in the same hour, granted neither time to learn repentance, nor to be moved, nor even a moment to repent. Such was the judgment pronounced by the blessed Peter, the foremost and most blessed of all the disciples, to whom the keys of the kingdom were entrusted, when he heard from the Lord: “If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with Me” (John 13:8). What heart, though it were made of stone, would not be filled with fear and trembling at the judgments of God—especially since Peter showed no sin nor any sign of contempt, but rather exceeding honour toward his Master, the reverence proper to a servant and disciple? Seeing his Lord and the Lord of all, God, King, and Saviour, girded with a towel in the form of a servant, about to wash his feet, Peter came to a sense of his own unworthiness and, in awe at the majesty of the One who approached, cried out: “Lord, dost Thou wash my feet?” and again, “Thou shalt never wash my feet.” For this he heard so fearful a threat that, had he not quickly corrected his contradiction by obedience, neither the Lord’s beatitude pronounced upon him, nor the gifts, nor the promises, nor even the revelation of the Father’s good pleasure toward His only-begotten Son would have sufficed to heal his disobedience.

But if I wished to enumerate all the examples I find in the Old and New Testaments, time would fail me to recount them. It suffices now only to recall that on that great and fearful day of judgment our Lord Jesus Christ will say to those who stand on His left hand: “Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt. 25:41)—not because they committed murder, or fornication, or lied, or wronged anyone, or did any of the things commonly condemned (even if they had done lesser things), but because they were negligent in good works: “For I was an hungred, and ye gave Me no meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave Me no drink; I was a stranger, and ye took Me not in; … sick, and in prison, and ye visited Me not” (Matt. 25:42–43).

Therefore he who is not weak-willed and easily inclined to intemperance can readily escape every sin; but if a man, having avoided many transgressions, is overtaken by one alone, he is no more a conqueror than a man suffering from a single bodily disease is healthy, or than one who has even a single master over him is free. To those whose sins are pardonable Scripture threatens: “I will visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes” (Ps. 89:32); but to those who sin unpardonably it says: “Why should ye be stricken any more?” (Isa. 1:5)—you who have received wounds over your whole body? All the wounds given for your conversion you have despised; therefore crushing awaits you.

Of the afflictions that befall us, some come because of sins, others for the correction of those being tested, and still others for the destruction of the hopeless, as in the case of Pharaoh. To such as these the threat is no longer of wounds or stripes, but of utter perdition. “Why should ye be stricken any more?”—you whose bodies and souls are already wounded and cannot be healed. For sickness is often beneficial when it corrects the sinner, whereas health often works harm when it becomes an occasion of sin for the healthy. In like manner, riches serve some as an incentive to lust, while poverty restrains many who were rushing into evil. Therefore, O mortal man, turn not aside to that which you ought not, neither cling to that to which you should not cling; flee only sin, and take refuge in God alone, the one deliverance from evils.

Many forget their former sins, caring nothing for them, as though no vengeance were to come. But he who always keeps the judgment of God before his eyes and believes that “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10)—such a man remains continually in spiritual struggle, cares for the healing of this disease that is in his soul, condemns himself, and confesses to God after the saying of David: “My sickness is ever before me” (Ps. 37:18). Yet many, even after turning from evil deeds, by recalling their former actions often renew the sin they had abandoned, which is nothing else than a hidden disease lurking in the soul.

There is also a permitting of sinners when they are abandoned. For concerning those of whom the Word takes care He says: “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Josh. 1:5; Heb. 13:5); but those whose hope He will surely destroy He leaves free to “walk in their own counsels” (Ps. 81:12) and to do the desires of their flesh and mind, because punishment would no longer profit them. Since sin is worse than a festering sore or a burning wound, one cannot apply a plaster to it as to a wound, nor oil as to a scab; such things offer no help but only greater infection. And because the whole race of sinners is one tongue, and all men are full of transgressions, punishment often overtakes all alike: “The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint” (Isa. 1:5), speaking of a people led captive for their sins. Yet just as it is not the physician but the disease itself that causes cutting or burning, so the destruction of cities that comes because of the countless multitude of sinners frees God from any reproach against Him.

For the sins of a few often bring punishment upon many, and for the iniquity of one man an entire nation is chastised. Achan committed sacrilege, and the whole army suffered defeat (Josh. 7). Zimri committed fornication with the Midianite woman, and Israel was punished (Num. 25:6ff.). Just as a plague clinging to one man or beast usually spreads to all, so workers of iniquity strive to spread their evil to everyone and to make many like themselves, that in the sharing of guilt they may escape reproach. Thus one imparts weakness to another, they are infected together with the same disease, and together they perish. It is well known that fire, once it touches combustible material, cannot be contained but spreads through it all—especially when a strong wind fans the flame. So too sin, once it touches one man, cannot fail to pass to all who draw near, when the spirits of wickedness kindle it.

Bodily actions require time, opportunity, effort, accomplices, and the like; but spiritual motions are accomplished without time, performed without toil, completed without weariness, and always find a convenient moment. It happens that a proud man puffed up with piety, outwardly wearing the appearance of chastity and sitting among those who praise him for his virtues, nevertheless in his heart runs secretly to sin. He imagines what he desires, recalls impure conversations, and having clearly depicted lust in the secret chambers of his heart, he has committed hidden sin within. For the greater part of sin is accomplished in the disposition of the will; carnal acts are often prevented by circumstances, but he who sins in intention, by the swiftness of his thoughts, has already committed the full sin. For as bodies are accompanied by shadows, so souls are accompanied by sins that clearly portray their actions. Perfect wickedness is to sin both in intention and in deed; half the evil is to sin only in thought and intention. Yet even he who sins only in thought is not altogether free from punishment. And the more he ceases from such evil, the more punishment is remitted him.

Whoever has been received into the brotherhood and afterward breaks his vow must be regarded as having sinned against God, before whom and to whom he made his profession. For it is said: “If a man sin against God, who shall entreat for him?” (1 Sam. 2:25). He who has dedicated himself to God and then passes to another way of life has committed sacrilege, robbing himself and stealing back from God the gift he offered. Toward such a one the brethren ought not open the door of brotherly love, even if he should come by chance under pretext of need; for the apostolic rule clearly commands us to turn away from every disorderly person and have no company with him, “that he may be ashamed” (2 Thess. 3:14).

Thus the rose at first grew without thorns; but afterward thorns were joined to its beautiful flowers, so that together with the pleasure of enjoyment we might have pain, as a reminder of the sin for which the earth was cursed to bring forth thorns and thistles to us (Gen. 3:18). So too the wickedness of the passions, through ignorance of God, sowed unlawful knowledge in us.

The great sufferer Job, enduring many trials, did not understand whence they came, and therefore said: “The arrows of the Lord are in me, the rage whereof drinketh up my blood” (Job 6:4). But David, sick in soul itself, punished himself, subjecting himself to various torments by way of confession: “Thine arrows are fastened in me, and Thy hand is heavy upon me. There is no healing in my flesh because of Thy wrath; there is no peace in my bones because of my sins” (Ps. 37/38:2–3). These arrows, in my opinion, are spiritual—indeed, the very words of God that pierce and wound the soul, tormenting and chastising the conscience itself. For though this man was so great and had received so many blessings from God, yet he committed a dishonourable deed. When David, being unarmed, could not resist the fiery darts of the evil one, he was truly wounded in soul and taken captive by lust.

Just as Job called the devil’s arrows (that is, the sores laid upon his body, which came by God’s permission) “the arrows of the Lord,” saying: “The arrows of the Lord are in me, whose rage drinketh up my blood,” so, it seems, David likewise called these the arrows of the Lord; for by God’s permission the enemy attacked him, that he might learn not to say: “I shall never be moved” (Ps. 29/30:6). Strengthened by God’s grace, he had once thought so highly of himself that in pride he declared: “I said in my prosperity, I shall never be moved” (Ps. 29/30:6). Therefore he was justly delivered to the tempter, who, touching his soul, inflicted upon him a greater harm than upon Job.

I discern three degrees of zeal in the unavoidable necessity of obedience to Christ: that of slaves, of hirelings, and of sons. Either we turn from evil out of fear of punishment and remain in the state of slaves; or, desiring reward for our own advantage, we fulfil the commandments and are therefore like hirelings; or, for the sake of goodness itself and out of love for Him who gave us the law, we rejoice that we have been counted worthy to serve so glorious and good a God, and thus we stand in the state of sons.

Consequently, he who obeys the commandments only from fear of punishment, always dreading chastisement for sloth, will not dare to neglect some duties while performing others, but will tremble equally at vengeance for every disobedience. Therefore blessed is the man who neglects none of the things owed: “Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord; he will delight greatly in His commandments” (Ps. 111/112:1).

Neither will the hireling wish to transgress any of the appointed tasks; for how shall he receive the reward for working in the vineyard if he does not fulfil all that was agreed? For if even one thing is lacking from what is required, the work is worthless to the owner. Who will give reward to one who has done harm? The third way is service out of love. What son, desiring to please his father, rejoicing in great things, would willingly offend him in small? But those who transgress the greater part of the commandments—under which head do they wish to be counted? Neither as serving God as Father, nor as submitting to One who promises great rewards, nor as working for a Master?

How, then, while preferring a life of pleasure to a life conformed to the commandments—a life of blessedness, a life like unto the dwelling of the Saints, angelic joys in the presence of Christ—can we promise ourselves such things? Truly, such imaginings are the fantasies of infants.

How shall I stand with Job, who did not even receive the lightest affliction with thanksgiving? How with David, who did not bear patiently with his enemy? How with Daniel, who did not seek God with constant fasting and earnest prayer? How with any of the Saints, when I have not walked in their footsteps?

Who could be found so foolish an athlete as to deem himself worthy of equal crowns with the victor—himself who never even entered the contest? What general has ever summoned to an equal share of the spoils, together with those who fought and conquered, men who never even appeared on the field of battle?

God is good, but He is also righteous; and to the righteous it belongs to render to every man according to his deeds, as it is written: “Do good, O Lord, unto those that are good, and to the upright in heart; but such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity” (Ps. 124/125:4–5).

He is merciful, but He is also Judge. “The Lord loveth mercy and judgment” (Ps. 32/33:5). Hast thou understood whom He pities? “Blessed are the merciful,” He says, “for they shall obtain mercy” (Matt. 5:7). Seest thou how wisely He bestows mercy? Neither showing mercy without discernment, nor judging without mercy: “Righteous and merciful is the Lord” (Ps. 115/116:5).

Let us not, therefore, know God by halves, nor make His love of mankind an excuse for our sloth. For this cause there are thunders, for this cause lightnings—that His goodness be not despised. He who makes His sun to rise also strikes with blindness; He who sends rain also rains down fire. The one is of His goodness, the other of His wrath. Therefore, either for the sake of the former let us love Him, or for the sake of the latter let us fear Him (Matt. 5:45; Zech. 10:1; Gen. 19:24), lest it be spoken also to us: “Or despisest thou the riches of His goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath in the day of wrath” (Rom. 2:4–5).

What profit is it to me to have other virtues, if, having called my brother a fool, I am liable to hell-fire? What profit to him who is free from many sins yet remains enslaved to one? “The one who commits sin is the slave of sin” (John 8:34). What gain to him who, being delivered from many diseases, destroys his body with a single one?

He who does the will of the Lord, yet not as God desires, nor with the zeal of love for God—his labour is not without loss, according to the very voice of the Lord who said: “Amen I say unto you, they have their reward” (Matt. 6:5).

Therefore, O man! If thou rememberest not thy first coming into the world, at least from the price paid for thee consider a little thy worth. Look upon the price whereby thou wast redeemed and know what thou art worth. Thou wast redeemed with the most precious Blood of God—be not again a slave to sin. Understand thy pre-eminence, that thou be not likened unto the brute beasts that have no understanding.

For how, while ye yourselves serve irrational and destructive desires like slaves, can ye rule over slaves? How can ye rightly train your children when ye yourselves lead an undisciplined and disorderly life?

“Woe is unto me,” saith the Apostle, “if I preach not the gospel” (1 Cor. 9:16), and I must declare the righteousness of God day and night. The same calamity will overtake you also, if ye be slothful, or feeble and remiss in keeping what hath been delivered unto you, or in the performance of your duties. For “the word that I have spoken,” saith the Lord, “the same shall judge him in the last day” (John 12:48).

Whenever I seek good and do not obtain it, I can find no other reason than to believe that I am receiving punishment for sins I have formerly committed.

Knowing, therefore, that the words of the God-inspired Scripture will stand before our face at the judgment seat of Christ, let us hearken with wakefulness to all that is spoken, and let us hasten with all diligence to bring every divine teaching into action—for we know not on what day or hour our Judge shall come.

To Him be glory and dominion unto the ages of ages. Amen.