As I suggested in the last issue of this article, Eastern theology doesn’t spend time placing sinful acts into categories. Sin is sin. Therefore, a better way to look at sin would be the following: Are my actions, my thoughts, my attitudes, my material goods or any other thing controlling me or am I in control of them? What is even more sinful is when I fail to recognize that I am being controlled by other things!
The emphasis in the spirituality of the East is placed on spiritual growth by engaging in a variety of practices that can change our minds and hearts. The focus is not really on the elimination of sin but, rather, on the development of virtue and achieving union with God. If one is focused on these things, sin disappears.
Fathers of the first Six Ecumenical Councils
It seems in the West the emphasis is on eliminating sin in order to escape eternal punishment. In the East it is all about achieving union with God, Theosis. Think about it. If you become truly focused on increasing your union with God, sin will not be a part of your life. Eastern theology does not focus so much on guilt as on mortality as the main problem of humanity. This is in concert with the Eastern Church’s understanding of man. He is not born depraved because of the sin of Adam. Rather he is born mortal and the purpose of life is to be joined to God and realize immortality. The human condition in the next life is not primarily a matter of justice, reward and punishment. God’s aim is rather to fulfill the purpose for which he created human beings, namely, to participate in His, God’s, life. This earthly life is for growth and development for this eternal communion. From this perspective it becomes understandable that according to Irenaeus, God originally intended that humans would enter into Theosis through a natural process of growth. This process would have involved an education in love, a free collaboration with God.
Since the ultimate goal of earthly life is to become divinized, that is becoming Christ-like in our thought life and behavior, the Church encourages us to virtue, knowing that if we focus on virtue sin will not be a part of our life!