There are many lists and many sins. But one of the earliest and famous is that of the seven deadly sins. Pride. Envy. Gluttony. Lust. Wrath. Greed. Sloth.
Their prevalence in all societies and people (though to varying degrees) testifies to the depravity of humanity and its need of Christ our Savior. These seven sins are certainly dangerous paths to follow, and can lead to places that are difficult from which to escape.
Stories of Great Failure and Sometimes Recovery
We all have the stories or know those who can tell them. We have read about them. They are lived out in our churches year after year, even if they never make the evangelical news sources. They are the stories of great failure and sometimes recovery.
Recently, I was reading a book entitled Sanctification: Explorations in Theology and Practice. Oliver O’Donovan opened his essay on “Sanctification and Ethics” with this fascinating statement, “The doctrine that the elect commit no post-baptismal sin is generally known as heresy; why, one wonders, has indulgence been accorded to the doctrine that the elect commit only venial [lesser forgivable] sins after age fifty?”
Sometimes we think that older Christians have less of a struggle with sin. I am not quite fifty, but I can see from here that this is not true. I have made many observations from my own life and others’ lives. And I have many friends who have told me many stories about how life’s changes bring new and often intensified temptations.
Seven Sins in Stages
Let’s take a quick look at the seven deadly sins, contrasting our experience as younger believers and older believers.
Pride for the young man or woman is obvious to all while often not to themselves. This is the time of life to learn to deal with pride. However, pride for those further along often takes the form of pride in their experience and expertise, learning when sharing it is relevant and when it is not.
Envy for those who don’t yet have much in material possessions seems like a simple problem to avoid, but it is in fact real, although on a smaller scale. Those who are older look around at their contemporaries’ possessions and can wonder why they don’t have more by this point in their lives, and realize they may not be able to do much about it.
Gluttony is a matter of self-control. Youthful over indulgence in eating, drinking and frivolity can be handled situation by situation. But later on in life the typical reasons to avoid such behavior can become less motivating because of boredom, giving up on our image not caring what others think.
Lust early on is based upon what you see and anticipate, often driven by emerging passions. Later on in life, past lusts can become a haunt, lustful habits have solidified and we are involved in many more relationships that offer many more opportunities.
Wrath in youth centers primarily on controlling angry outbursts, and making sure our expression of emotion properly fits the situation. As experience builds we can see deeper into systems and patterns of behavior and likewise anger can run deeper.
Greed starts out as acquiring things upon things, and maybe hoarding our resources. But, when the worries of life increase with time it can be even easier to deny others our practical generosity.
Sloth hides under the name of relaxation quite often, but it also can be seen early in our adult lives by failing to be diligent in the basics of life and work. As years go by, the appeal to give up shows up and we may find it hard to stay focused on our purpose and calling.
These comments were brief one sentence incomplete observations. Certainly there is a lot more to add, explore and even research.
Real Danger that Gets More Dangerous
This real and growing danger requires real perseverance in real faith, great faith, deeper faith and just plain more faith in Christ.
Our lives are not lived in a straight line, and our sanctification is not experienced as a straight line either. There is no guarantee that spiritual maturity will develop as rapidly as we age. In fact, our lives often become harder in new and surprising ways, demanding from us a much greater faith in Christ and the Gospel.
On the other hand, we have been strengthened by God’s grace in the past, and as a result we are often stronger than we think. We most likely have become even more sanctified than we realize or feel.
The classic virtues contrasting with the seven deadly sins are these: humility, kindness, temperance, chastity, patience, generosity, diligence. The Scriptures teach us to pursue them by faith in Christ and prayerful reliance upon the Holy Spirit.
Colossians 3:1–4,17 ESV “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. . . . [The Apostle Paul next lists vices to “put off” and virtues to “put on” and then concludes with verse 17.] . . . And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Galatians 5:22–23 ESV “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control . . .”
Romans 8:1–6 ESV “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.”My guess is that O’Donovan’s statement about the age of fifty applies at each of the following decades, as well. Our lives in this world and our journeys of faith in Christ are fascinating! I’ll have to revisit this topic in another 25 years.
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