Three Ways to Overcome Our Faults

Then the blessed Chaeremon said: “There are three things that enable people to control their faults: either the fear of hell, or of the laws imposed even now; or the hope and desire of the kingdom of heaven; or a liking for goodness itself and the love of virtue. For we read that the fear of evil loathes defilement: ‘The fear of the Lord hates evil.’ Hope also shuts out the attacks of all faults, for ‘all who hope in him will not fail.’ Love also fears no ruin from sins, for ‘love never fails,’ and again, ‘love covers a multitude of sins.’ And that is why the blessed apostle sums up the whole of salvation in gaining those three virtues, when he says: ‘Now faith, hope, and love remain, these three.’ For faith is what makes us shun the stains of sin out of fear of future judgment and punishment. Hope is what draws our mind away from present things, and despises all bodily pleasures in its expectation of heavenly rewards. Love is what sets us on fire with keenness of heart for the love of Christ and the fruit of spiritual goodness, and makes us hate with a perfect hatred whatever is opposed to these. All three of these seem to aim at one and the same end, for they spur us on to keep from what is unlawful. Yet they differ greatly from one another in the degree of their excellence. For the first two belong properly to those who, in their aim at goodness, have not yet gained the love of virtue. The third belongs especially to God, and to those who have received into themselves the image and likeness of God. For he alone does the things that are good with no fear and no thanks or reward to stir him, but simply from the love of goodness. For, as Solomon says, ‘The Lord has made all things for himself.’ For under cover of his own goodness he gives all the fullness of good things to the worthy and the unworthy, because he cannot be wearied by wrongs, nor moved by passions at the sins of men, since he always remains perfect goodness and unchangeable in his nature.” [a]