When the invocation of sinfulness becomes a denial of the truth.

Ioannis N. Paparrigas | January 15, 2026

 

Many faithful, when they try with pain of heart to speak about the truth of the faith, about deviations, scandals, or distortions of the ecclesiastical mindset, encounter a phrase that is almost automatic: “you should look at your own sins,” “are you any better?” This phrase sounds spiritual, humble, and evangelical, but in practice it often functions as a gag on the conscience and as a tool of spiritual inertia. Self-knowledge and repentance are indeed the foundation of the Christian life, for without awareness of our personal sinfulness, every word about truth risks becoming Pharisaical. However, humility is one thing, and silence before falsehood is another. The Church has never equated sinfulness with indifference toward the truth.

The argument “are you any better?” shifts the center of gravity from the objective content of truth to the subjective ethos of the one speaking; but the truth of the faith does not depend on the perfection of the one who confesses it. And if it did, then no one could speak of the Gospel, since “no one is without sin.” The Apostle Paul did not say, “imitate me because I am perfect,” but “be imitators of me, as I also am of Christ.” The reference is not to himself, but to Christ.

There is a subtle but crucial distinction: it is one thing to judge persons, and another to discern delusion or error. The Church forbids judgmentalism, but not discernment. When a believer says, “this is not in accordance with the faith of the Church,” he does not condemn, but defends the deposit he has received. If every such voice falls silent in the name of a false humility, then the Church ceases to be “the pillar and ground of the truth” and is transformed into a space of general tolerance without criterion.

The spiritual inertia that this argument produces is dangerous, because it creates fearful, guilt-ridden believers who think they should not speak, question, or discern. Yet Christ did not praise the servant who buried his talent so as not to take a risk, nor did He tell His disciples to remain silent in the face of falsehood, but to be “salt” and “light”—and light reveals, it does not conceal.

The genuine spiritual stance is neither arrogant denunciation nor passive silence; it is humble yet steadfast confession. The believer can say inwardly, “I am a sinner, I am in need of mercy,” and at the same time say outwardly, “this is not Orthodox, this is not the mind of the Church.” These two do not conflict; they complement one another. The central issue is not whether we are better or worse than others, but whether we are faithful to the truth Christ has entrusted to us. Silence in the face of falsehood is not humility, but complicity, and the confession of the truth—when done with pain, prayer, and self-reproach—is not pride, but an act of love toward the Church and toward man himself.

 

Greek source: https://entoytwnika1.blogspot.com/2026/01/blog-post_0.html