Virtues:  Things we must practice as Orthodox Christians

The Three Great Theological Virtues

1. Love—the Greatest Virtue

2. Faith

3. Hope

Scriptures say “Faith, hope and love abide, but the greatest of these is love”

Seven Capital Christian Virtues

1. Humility—Behaving in a manner of submission, modesty, deference, or self-emptying (kenosis).   Behaving humbly, that is, behaving in a humble manner. The Lord Jesus said “learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart”.  This means not being a show-off or putting anyone else down to make yourself look good.  We should be constantly building up the confidence of others and ourselves be modest in words about ourselves and put others first out of love for God.

2. Liberality—Freely giving of self, money, and time to the work of God in the Church and in the world, and generally wanting what is best for others.  This entails an awareness that God gave you all that you have an that ultimately it is not yours, but on loan to you.  Thus Liberality is summed up in the Lord’s teachings:  “Freely you have received, freely give.”

3. Chastity—(Greek Sophrosyne) Behaving in a way that is based desire for good and pleasure doing God’s will and for other’s virtue and true happiness (rather than pleasure based on evil things and leading others down a wrong path).  This includes behaving decently and modestly.  This includes behaving like a young lady or a gentleman.

4. Gentleness—to behave in a kind, friendly, and peaceful manner

5. Temperance—Behaving moderately (with balance) in the satisfaction of appetites or passions, behaving with restraint and moving on to other helpful activities, dividing your time to include a variety of good activities (i.e. eating, drinking, things that you like in balance, doing other things as well—dividing your time to include other good things—leaving time to help your parents, neighbors, friends, Church, community, etc.—Play a video game for an hour but not 4 hours, this is wasteful—what about homework, chores to help out, etc.).

6. Happiness (Joy, Joyfulness)—“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in the Faith, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15.13).  A state of well being and contentment; being pleased with the good fortune of others and with one’s own situation.  “Joy” is probably the more accurate word here.  Literally the term “happiness” indicates contentment with your situation and making oneself well-adapted to one’s environment.  Happiness is not a “feeling” that someone “gets”, but is part of who someone is by choice and action.  Having joy oneself for the joy of others.  Desiring that others be happy and celebrating/rejoicing with them when good things happen.  This is true happiness—it is choice and action.  To choose to be content with what you have and to be in a state of satisfaction and gratefulness for your life that God has given you.  Heartfelt friendliness.

7. Diligence—Dedication in doing the work of God.  More specifically, steady, hardworking (earnest), and energetic effort to doing good to others and the world around you in accordance with God’s will.  Scripture:  “For God is not unjust and will not forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward his name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do help them (minister unto them).  And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises”  (Heb. 6.10-12).

Seven Grievous Sins

1. Pride—Lack of humility, the unwillingness of a person to allow God to justify or glorify him or her (rather, it typically results with a person glorifying themselves, or justifying themselves)

2. Greed—The opposite of Liberality.  Too great a desire for money or worldly goods due to stinginess and selfishness.  Rather than wanting to give freely, greed is turning inward and desiring to be given to freely in selfishness.  This ultimately leads to theft, adultery, bearing false witness, and other deadly sins. 

3. Lust—impure and unworthy desire for something evil.

4. Wrath—unrighteous anger, unworthy irritation and lack of self—control.  Incensed in an unworthy manner. 

5. Gluttony—the habit of eating or drinking or overindulging in anything (video games, watching TV, etc.) without self-control and balance

6. Envy—jealousy of another person’s happiness (joy)

7. Sloth—laziness that keeps us from doing our duty to God and man. 

Nine ways of participating in another’s sin

1. By counsel (advising others to do something wrong)

2. by command (ordering someone to do something wrong)

3. by consent (agreeing with someone when they suggest that they should do something wrong, rather than admonishing them, in other words, we should tell them that it is wrong and that they shouldn’t do it, even if they get mad at us)

4. by provocation (getting someone to do something wrong by saying things like:  “awe come on, what are you, chicken” or “you want to fit in don’t you”)

5. by praise or flattery (telling someone that they did good when they really did something wrong)

6. by concealment (by keeping secret something that someone did that is wrong)

7. by partaking (by helping someone do something wrong)

8. by silence (by not speaking up when someone is doing something wrong)

9. by defense of the sin committed (to defend or make excuses for someone who did something wrong)

Chief Christian aids to penitence (From Matthew 6)

1. Charity (works of love, otherwise known as almsgiving or works of mercy--see below for a list)

2. Prayer (includes silent prayer, action prayer, such as making the sign of the cross, and vocal prayer, the pinnacle of all being prayer together in the Divine Liturgy)

3. Fasting (refraining from overindulgence—exercising moderation)

Chief Works of Mercy (Works of Love)

            (7 Spiritual works of Mercy)

            1. To admonish sinners

            2. To instruct the ignorant

            3. To counsel the doubtful

            4. To comfort the Sorrowful

            5. To suffer wrongs patiently

            6. To forgive injuries

            7. To pray for the living and the dead. 

            (7 Corporal works of Mercy)

1. To feed the hungry

2. To give drink to the thirsty

3. To clothe the naked

4. To ransom captives

5. To shelter the homeless

6. To visit the sick

7. To bury the dead