Christians for generations have spoken of seven deadly sins. The list is adapted from Proverbs 6:16-19 and modified to describe seven sins that seem to be especially potent. Though we can’t consider any sin “safe,” these seem particularly powerful in the record of scripture.
Every sin denies some truth from God, especially these seven. Have you ever spent time to think about what the virtue denied by each of these sins could be?
| Vice | Virtue |
| Pride | Humility |
| Greed | Generosity |
| Envy | Love |
| Anger | Kindness |
| Lust | Self control |
| Gluttony | Temperance and faith |
| Sloth | Zeal |
While we would do well to identify these sins and run from them, it is also effective to identify these virtues and pursue them, because these vice and virtues will not co-exist for any length of time. So when you feel yourself tempted towards envy, focus your energy on love. When your anger gets out of line, plan acts of kindness and say kind words. In so doing, we will find our lives defined by the pursuit of righteousness rather than the fear of wickedness.