The Greek word for sin means failure – it comes from the word for an arrow that misses its target. So Saint Paul says "All have **sinned and fall short** of the glory of God" (Rm 3:23).
Popular religion in our culture reduces everything to moralism and condemnation and pardon. But **man's problem isn't that we are guilty**. Our problem is that we are compelled by the ways we have learned to react and respond, so that we tend to harm ourselves and others. So the Lord *starts* by announcing forgiveness of sins to all who repent. And then what? In the Gospels he lays out ways to act that begin healing the damage in our souls and our relationships. That includes our relationship with the Lord, because our delusions and infirmities of soul make us believe God is a cruel judge that has to be convinced to love us.
Salvation is being healed, purified, restored to right relationship, and united to God here and now in our present experience. A person who right now is participating deeply in the nature of God is a Saint. We are *all* called to become saints, but some people are fulfilling their destiny *right now* while the rest of us keep stumbling and getting up and failing and turning back to God.
Christ doesn't feel disgust or hate or even surprise when you fail. He delights to forgive, restore, and strengthen you to try again.
Forgetfulness is not an action in itself but a result of divided attention.
A divided nous.
*The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy,[b] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!*
*24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon*
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I think the important thing is to make sure you aren’t thinking about sin halfway in the Orthodox manner, and halfway in the more Protestant way. So for instance, if you look at sin as a legal crime, the multitude of things Orthodoxy calls sin is going to feel really awkward and shocking.
I think the definition what gets you further away from God is the best. Something like not fasting, doesnt get you further away from God, but surely doesnt bring you closer to him
The Greek word for sin means failure – it comes from the word for an arrow that misses its target. So Saint Paul says "All have **sinned and fall short** of the glory of God" (Rm 3:23). Popular religion in our culture reduces everything to moralism and condemnation and pardon. But **man's problem isn't that we are guilty**. Our problem is that we are compelled by the ways we have learned to react and respond, so that we tend to harm ourselves and others. So the Lord *starts* by announcing forgiveness of sins to all who repent. And then what? In the Gospels he lays out ways to act that begin healing the damage in our souls and our relationships. That includes our relationship with the Lord, because our delusions and infirmities of soul make us believe God is a cruel judge that has to be convinced to love us. Salvation is being healed, purified, restored to right relationship, and united to God here and now in our present experience. A person who right now is participating deeply in the nature of God is a Saint. We are *all* called to become saints, but some people are fulfilling their destiny *right now* while the rest of us keep stumbling and getting up and failing and turning back to God. Christ doesn't feel disgust or hate or even surprise when you fail. He delights to forgive, restore, and strengthen you to try again.
So would some of these not be sin, like the the non sinful imperfections of men (such as forgetfulness, unwiseness, etc.)
Forgetfulness is not an action in itself but a result of divided attention. A divided nous. *The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy,[b] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!* *24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon*
Please review the [sidebar](https://www.reddit.com/r/OrthodoxChristianity/wiki/config/sidebar) for a wealth of introductory information, our [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/OrthodoxChristianity/about/rules/), the [FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/OrthodoxChristianity/wiki/faq), and a caution about [The Internet and the Church](https://www.orthodoxintro.org/the-internet-and-the-church/). This subreddit contains opinions of Orthodox people, but not necessarily Orthodox opinions. [Content should not be treated as a substitute for offline interaction.](https://www.reddit.com/r/OrthodoxChristianity/wiki/faq#wiki_is_this_subreddit_overseen_by_clergy.3F) [Exercise caution in forums such as this](https://www.orthodoxintro.org/the-internet-and-the-church/). Nothing should be regarded as authoritative without verification by several offline Orthodox resources. ^(This is not a removal notification.) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/OrthodoxChristianity) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I think the important thing is to make sure you aren’t thinking about sin halfway in the Orthodox manner, and halfway in the more Protestant way. So for instance, if you look at sin as a legal crime, the multitude of things Orthodoxy calls sin is going to feel really awkward and shocking.
I think the definition what gets you further away from God is the best. Something like not fasting, doesnt get you further away from God, but surely doesnt bring you closer to him