It seems that there are at least two reasonable ways to avoid sin, one, to my mind more desirable than the other.
This came up as I heard a news story about a young woman who had been arrested for taking small amounts of money as she had access to a company safe. I thought, "I would never do that." But then it occurred to me why I wouldn't--I would fear being caught. If I could do it in the absolute certainty that I would not be caught, I cannot say that I would have so firm a conviction as to my integrity. I'm pretty certain that it wouldn't cross my mind; however, the fact that I could consider it suggests that there is always the possibility.
Fear of being caught is the first means of avoiding sin. It is certainly effective for those things that are public and noticeable, but it is a poor means of combatting sins that are private and known but to oneself and God. Still, it crosses most of the big things off the list for us--murder, theft, adultery, even vandalism.
The better way of avoiding sin is for the desire, temptation, or thought of doing it never to cross one's mind at all. For most of us murder, armed robbery, vandalism, direct theft fall into this category. In my right mind I would never consider any of these things--and for me the concept of adultery is just mind boggling--it's more than I can do to manage and maintain reasonable relations with just one woman, the thought of two or more is simply an enigma beyond consideration for me. I think each of us has these places of natural strength and they differ by person. And they are not impregnable--rather they are simply stronger areas in our defenses. Left on our own, we can fail in ways that we simply can't imagine. Fortunately, God does not leave us on our own. He strengthens our defenses and make the feasible unthinkable.
By far it is better if the very thought of a possible sin never crosses one's mind, if one were, in some sense, innocent of the concept that such an act were possible. However, in the absence of that innocence, fear of the Lord, fear of being caught is a sufficient deterrent when strengthened by Grace.
There is a third: to have such a view of the sin that one recognizes the damage it does to the soul and be repulsed by it, even though it may have been a temptation earlier.
With the safe and robbery example, this would mean internalizing the realization that one was not created to be a thief and that doing such a thing would make the doer incomplete, missing, etc., thus bringing on a repulsion to the whole thing.
Dear Steven,
Your mention of the fear of being caught reminds me of Menchen's definition of conscience: "the inner voice which warns us that someone is looking." Or, in our case, Someone.
Cheers -
bw
Dear Erik,
That is very high-minded and obviously true, but like other methods, more effective on some sins than others. (I also consider it a subset of the second method delineated--to have no inclination, regardless of the motive--but it is important to make the distinction that you do.)
The sins that carry with them some modicum of pleasure are less likely to be subject to this form of repulsion. In short, the voluptuary sins are always easy to find excuse for--well, it isn't really gluttony, or lust, or avarice.
Nevertheless, the true Saints developed a keen appreciation for the degradation and offense that is sin and it was a dominant force in their lives. May we all approach that greatness of spirit so that it becomes more possible and more common amongst us.
shalom,
Steven
I don't know if you've encountered it, but there's a curious idea running around that victoriously struggling with a temptation is more virtuous than never having had the temptation in the first place. It's as if being difficult is better than being good.
The emphasis on struggle seems vaguely Darwinian to me.
This actually came up while in a group reading "Boys to Men," which so far seems a well-wrought examination of the virtues.
One of the realizations that helps me to not judge others is that I am just as capable as others of committing even the most horrific sin. It is only God's grace that keeps me from rotting away.
"Fear of being caught is the first means of avoiding sin. It is certainly effective for those things that are public and noticeable, but it is a poor means of combatting sins that are private and known but to oneself and God. Still, it crosses most of the big things off the list for us--murder, theft, adultery, even vandalism."
What about adultery of the mind?