A spiritual person’s foremost priority is his salvation; it occupies the whole of his concern and thoughts. His salvation is the most valuable part of his life. Every deed or goal that conflicts with his eternal life is absolutely and unquestionably rejected. Such a person considers his present life as preparation for eternal life.

His concern for his eternal salvation gives his present life a pure, spiritual direction and keeps him steadfast in God, his love for Him, and observing His commandments.

—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Characteristics of the Spiritual Path

The intellect that has shut out the senses, and has achieved a balance in the body’s temperament, has to fight only against its memories.

—St. Thalassios the Libyan

In the course of social interactions, believers need to be vigilant over their thoughts and ready to mentally step back and weigh their choices at times of uncertainty or temptation.

Bishop Alexis (Trader)
Ancient Christian Wisdom and Aaron Beck’s Cognitive Therapy: A Meeting of Minds p.113

We refrain from committing sin, because we love God, others, and ourselves.

—H.E. Metropolitan Youssef, How to Develop Your Personality

A huge chunk of wood cannot resist the flood, but is swept along by it wherever it goes. But a small fish can resist the current and is able to go where it wants to go. That is because it has life and has a will.

—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Experiences in Life

Someone who says that he has repented then goes back to sinning, then repents and goes back again… has not yet repented. This is not repentance but attempts at repentance. A person who is truly sorry for his sin is a person whose life has changed, who has left his sin with no going back, like Saint Augustine and St. Moses the Black.

One of the Saints said: “I don’t recall that the devils have ever made me fall into the same sin twice”.

—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Experiences in Life

What a difference there is between fleeing from and being freed from sin. 

A person may try to flee from sin, but this does not mean that he will have been liberated from this sin, even if he has not actually committed it. 

Running away from sin is something external. 

Liberation from sin is an inner condition of the heart. 

Nevertheless, to run away from sin is the first step, perhaps it is for beginners, but to seek freedom from sin is for those who are well on the way to maturity. 

Sometimes to escape from sin is proof of a fear of falling into error which shows that one has not yet been liberated on the inside! Fleeing from sin may also be a sign of one’s rejection of it, as was the case with the righteous Joseph when he fled from the wife of his master… 

Some of the Saints flee from sin out of a kind of humility, lest they fall prey to the devil of false glory. 

Sometimes they flee from sin in order to devote themselves to constructive spiritual work, but inside them they have been already liberated from such errors.

—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Experiences in Life

“Lust wants to take because it is centered around the self. As for love, however, as the apostle said, it ‘does not seek its own’.”

—H.H. Pope Shenouda III

The natural inclination is not to have fidelity, the natural inclination is not to be in a loving monogamous relationship. 

We have to learn to govern our desires, and that’s why a person can look at a person and find them attractive, and that doesn’t give them the right or consent to sleep with them.

—Fr. Elijah Estafanous