St. Anthimus the Georgian: Motivation for sin

Man sins in three ways: form weakness, from ignorance, and from an evil will. Sin committed from weakness is against God the Father, since the Father is called Almighty. Sin committed from ignorance is against the Son, since the Son of God is called Wisdom. Sin committed from an evil will is against the Holy Spirit, for the Holy Spirit is called Good.

The Lord will more easily forgive a man who sins from weakness or from ignorance, if he will repent. For David says, "The sins of my youth and my ignorance, O Lord, remember not" (. But whoever sins from an evil will against the Holy Spirit will not easily be forgiven by God. For the Lord says:

+St. Anthimus the Georgian, Works and Teachings, #49-50, in Romanian Patericon Volume 1, by Archimandrite Ioanichie B