THE RELEASE FROM THE KNOWLEDGE OF SIN

If we start to talk about the release of the spirit we shall be
faced with the following question :
What is to be released from the spirit ?
The answer is that the spirit, while on earth, strives to be
released from many things which this book will tell you about..
However, there is something else on earth which I think the
spirit cannot be released from however it tries! .. To be released
of this thing is a joy only to be attained in the eternity.. But
what is this thing?
It is the release from the knowledge of sin:
When God created man, He created him simple, pure, no
knowledge of sin at all and not even the details or the names of
sin.. That was before he ate from the tree of the knowledge of

good and evil.. He was as innocent as a child and perhaps
more.
Therefore, when Eve was tempted by the serpent she
had no knowledge.
The serpent lied and said to her "You will not surely die"
"..you will be like God" Gen. 3.-5 But as Eve knew nothing
about lying she believed the serpent. She did not suspect the
truth of its words because she knew nothing about doubt.
Adam and Eve knew nothing but good. They did not know
evil. But when they ate of the tree they began to know it..
A new knowledge entered the life of the man ie. the
knowledge of sin..
This and other knowledge as well disturbed the natural
purity of mankind. This proves true the words of the Wise
Solomon, "..he who increases knowledge increases sorrow"
(Eccl. 1:18).
Perhaps the first thing which Adam knew was being a man
and Eve a woman... Sexual knowledge began to penetrate his
mind, then his feelings.. He recognized that sex is something
shameful and so he began to cover himself.. Then he knew fear
and tried to hide himself behind the trees..
As the time passed, man knew many sins..
Such knowledge was implanted in his mind and waged
spiritual wars against him from time to time. Even when he did

not fall in such sins, he condemned the others for them.. He
now lives in the dualism of good and evil', things permitted and
others forbidden..
I wonder when will he get rid of this dualism? When
will he restore the purity of his mind? When will the knowledge
of evil quit his mind whatever its source was, through the mind
itself or through experiencing and practising it.? When will man
get rid of 'the memory of the evil that entails death'?
I do not think that this may take place on earth at all but in
eternity as St. Paul the Apostle-being already poured out and
the time of his departure at hand-said to his disciple St.
Timothy, "Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of
righteousness.." (2 Tim. 4:8).
Finally, man will be crowned with righteousness.. that
righteousness which commits no sin and knows no sin.. He will
be crowned with the holiness without which no one can witness
the Lord.. But when will this take place? The apostle gives the
reply saying, ".. the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the
righteous judge will give to me on that day, and not to me only
but also to all who have loved His appearing".
This crown of righteousness is the desire which the spirit
longs to attain..
While on earth, we sin everyday and every day we need to
repent. There is no person without sin even though if his life on
the earth is one day only..

When shall we be actually released from the knowledge of
sin? When shall we know nothing but God alone and the light
surrounding Him, the light which has no darkness . This will
happen when we spit the fruit of the knowledge of good and
evil which our forefathers ate at that time.
Only then we shall restore our previous rank.
In eternity, we shall rather be in a state better than that of
Adam in the Paradise.. Adam and Eve were in a state of
righteousness but liable to fall.. but in eternity we shall have the
crown of righteousness, which righteousness is not subject to
falling..
It we shall be in a better state than that of the first man
before the fall. then, at least, we shall be like him in innocence,
purity, simplicity and knowing no sin..
We shall forget sin with all its forms, details and
memories.
There will be nothing in our minds except the active spiritual
life, God's love, contemplating on the heavenly matters which
no eyes have even seen nor ears have ever heard nor have
occurred to the heart of man..
Then it can be said that the spirit is completely released..
As for the spirit while one earth, the utmost thing it can attain
is to be released from the domination of sin, material and flesh..
In this case it can live freely "..delivered ,from the bondage of

corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God."
(Rom. 8:21).
Do you feel that your spirit has attained this liberty?
This liberty is the release of the spirit - its release from any
bandage which may hinder its way to God.. But how can this be
achieved?
At this point I shall leave you with the meditations which I
wrote most of in the early fifties before starting my monastic
life..

(The Release of the Spirit, H.H Pope Shenouda III)