The Sin Cycle, How did we get this way?

If the reader is a person who has begun to repent and is seek to follow the light (revelation) of Christ in the concrete situation in which he lives, he or she will most likely be aware of their own double-mindedness.  As the Apostle said:  Rom 7:15-17,   15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good.When we become aware of ourselves we are already in trouble.  “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner.”

2 Cor 10:3-6

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, NKJV

What we become aware of when we begin to look at ourselves as persons who “hunger and thirst after righteousness,” is that we have in our heart arguments against this way of living to which we have pointed, excuses for why we fail to follow God’s way.

Our Lord said,    Matt 15:18-20,  But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.   For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts (dialogismoi), murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.   These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.” NKJV

The greek word arguments in 2 Cor.10, is the accusative case of logismoi, which is usually translated by the word, “thoughts.”  One psychologist calls them ANTS, ‘automatic negative thoughts.”

Fr. Meletios of St. John’s Monastery in provides an excellent presentation of this problem based on the Fathers in his various lectures, some of which can be found on U tube and Ancient Faith Radio.

What I want to contribute to this discussion is what I call the “Sin Cycle” or the Gnomic Cycle,” or the Cycle of Autonomous Man,” or the “Cycle of Death.”(see blog “Cycles of Life)

We have mentioned earlier the issue of human freedom.  One of the marks of what it means to be created in the image of God is the mystery of freedom and responsibility. This is a part of the way God has made us.  Living is communion with God as described in the Life Cycle is a life of human awareness, as the Apostle says,  Eph 5:15-17  See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,  redeeming the time, because the days are evil.  Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. NKJV

In contrast David, the Royal Psalmist and humble follower of the Radical Middle according to the Mosaic and Prophetic light of the Covenant with Israel, when he becomes aware of himself, said,   Ps 51:3-5  For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me.  Against You, You only, have I sinned, …. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. NKJV

The most fundamental choice is to worship God or not.

We don’t begin to consciously plan to do wrong, but somehow fail to act according to the light that we have.  When The Apostle Paul says concerning the Pagans of his time,

Rom 1:20-21

1.Failure to Honor God or give Thanks,  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, NKJV

The source of our most fundamental problem is not an action, but a failure to take action in worship of the the True and Living God.

2.Sin, Walking in the flesh,  What happens is that we become slaves to evil.  This is called, Living in “the flesh.”    Rom 6:16-17, Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?  17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, NKJV

Rom 8:6-8,  For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.  7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.  7 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. NKJV.

3. Conscience, God voice in every heart,    Rom 2:14-16, For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves,  15who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)  16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.

Rom 1:30-32  backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful;  32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

4.Blame, the refuge of lies.

Isa 28:16-18,  “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not act hastily.  17 Also I will make justice the measuring line, And righteousness the plummet; The hail will sweep away the refuge of lies,  And the waters will overflow the hiding place.  Your covenant with death will be annulled, And your agreement with Sheol will not stand; When the overflowing scourge passes through, Then you will be trampled down by it.

5. Suppressing the voice of God

Rom 1:18-19, For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,

6.Hardness of Heart.        Ex 9:12,  But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh; and he did not heed them, just as the Lord had spoken to Moses.  Ex 9:34-10:1, And when Pharaoh saw that the rain, the hail, and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet more; and he hardened his heart, he and his servants.  35 So the heart of Pharaoh was hard; neither would he let the children of Israel go, as the Lord had spoken by Moses.  Deut 8:11-15 “Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, 12 lest — when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them;  13 and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; 14 when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;

Matt 13:14-15, And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive;  15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’

7. Life Situation, Results of living apart from Christ.   Eph 4:17-22, This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of* the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19  who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:

In the way of repentance that is made possible in Christ, we must become aware of ungodly thoughts, strongholds, arguments and deal with them, as Paul says,

2 Cor 10:3-6  3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.  4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,  5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,  6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

To conclude: The process of repentance is a awareness of how we have come to the state of heart and mind that we have.  We do not have to go looking for these thoughts.  They come to us in our life situation, and we bring these thoughts to our Orthodox spiritual  director who himself has experience of repentance, and who can show us the way of faith,  hope and love in Christ.

The Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ.

   Matt 11:25-30,   25 At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes.   26 Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. 27 All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.   28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” NKJV