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On Being Christian - When Virtue Becomes a Sin
"An evident (obvious) sinner will turn towards good more easily than a secret sinner, hiding under the cloak of visible virtues." St. John Chrysostom points out that there may be one earthly possession the virtueous man may not be willing to part with - his reputation. Though a virtueous man may release himself from the grabs of material world, or the gains of material wealth, yet he will guard his reputation as a miser guards his gold. It is from this worldly cling that pride bursts forth. And then all the Christian practices that we spoke of earlier become acts of vanity - for they become actions for other men to see, and to marvel at. But this is not the path to unity with Christ. Was he not the one who was spat upon? Mocked? Ridiculed? Tortured? Christ's actions were for the benefit of mankind yes, but not of the eye but of the soul.

Beware the snares of judging pride - both of yourself and others. Do not let your inner eye be blinded to your sins and focused only on your virtueous practices. You should neither judge yourself good, nor your neighbor bad. Know only this, that whatever virtuous achievements you gained this moment, will be offset by the natural sin that follows. For a tree to withstand the terrible forces of a powerful storm, it must have deep roots in the ground. These roots are hidden from sight. So too are your virtuous deeds rooted in pleasing God not men.

It is important to point this out early, for as we progress through our ever-forward struggle for Christian perfection, this unforeseen snare will catch the unaware. And as we gain further understanding of the power fasting, praying and vigils do for us, the more natural it will become to be proud of ourselves - or worse, boasting of our spiritual successes.

There are four indespensable challenges that will help you in your struggle for Christian unity: "(1) never rely on yourself in anything; (2) bear always in your heart a perfect and all daring trust in God alone; (3) strive without ceasing; and (4) remain constant in prayer."

Based on the writings of Saint Nicodemus in Unseen Warfare.