Why are you afraid of admitting that you’re a sinner

The problem isn’t simply that we are sinners, or that sin exists inside us. The problem is we do not deal with the whole matter as we should. Why are you afraid of admitting that you’re a sinner, that you have sin inside? Why are you afraid of it? That’s your salvation; your sin itself is your salvation. Salvation, of course, from sin. Why? Because admitting your sin truly helps you attain humility. It keeps you in touch with reality, too: you are not under the false impression that spiritually you are somebody important or that you carry out some significant spiritual struggle.

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If you’re humble, you have no difficulty in accepting that you’re very sinful; you have no difficulty in accepting that before God you’re nothing; worse even, a sinful nothing. And then, as you take this position, you attract the grace of Christ. That’s salvation! That’s paradise, which has already begun in this life!

Transcribed talks by Archimandrite Symeon Kragiopoulos

From: Holy Hesychasterion “The Nativity of Theotokos” Publications

source: https://www.orthodoxpath.org/