Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges

"Sin" is such an old-fashioned word in our society.  We now have issues, difficult childhoods, and natural proclivities.  It's hard to say that any behavior is deviant in our culture.  Murder and pedophilia are still universally accepted as wrong, but the list is getting shorter and terms qualified.

Then, within the church, sins are the things Christians would never dream of doing: abortion and homosexuality come to mind.  Now, those are sins!  We believe in the doctrine of niceness: we need to seem nice, good and happy. And, good church-goers don't tolerate those bad sins on which we focus.  However, we leave a lot of room for petty, acceptable sins in our lives.

In his book, Respectable Sins, Jerry Bridges minds the gap between the idea of no sin and blatant sin.  He argues that sin robs Christians of joy and contentment.  He doesn't broach any "major" sins like pornography, lying, stealing, which based on statistics, Christians do on a regular basis.  He delves into subtle, acceptable sins that we take for granted in our lives as personality traits and intrinsic foibles.

Bridges argues that these petty sins we tolerate are an affront to God's holiness. The first third of the book sets the stage for individual sins.  He winsomely portrays holiness and the malignancy of sin in our lives and witness.  Much like George MacDonald, Bridges makes goodness look good.

The list of sins/chapters:
Ungodliness (or what I've heard called practical atheism)
Anxiety and Frustration
Discontentment
Unthankfulness
Pride
Selfishness
Lack of Self Control
Impatience and Irritability
Anger
Weeds of Anger
Judgmentalism
Envy, Jealousy and Related Sins
Sins of the Tongue (gossip, slander, lying, harsh words, sarcasm, insults, ridicule)
Worldliness

I don't know about you, but this list made me cringe. This book is hard to read (not intellectually but spiritually).  It's humbling and worthwhile.  It reminds me of the quotation: "Grace is fundamentally odious" and the freedom the doctrine of sin allows.  We can be cured/freed/released of all these petty things that suck the joy out of life.  "Remember that our progressive sanctification-- that is, our putting off sin and putting on Christlikeness-- rests on two foundation stones: the righteousness of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit" (181).  We're not on our own, and the author is constantly reminding us.

I also found Bridge's phrase dependent responsibility really helpful. "... We are responsible before God to obey His Word, to put to death the sins in our lives.... At the same time, we do not have the ability within ourselves to carry out this responsibility.  We are in fact totally dependent upon the enabling power of the Holy Spirit.  In this sense, we are both responsible and dependent" (41).

He describes the sins and then gives Scripture to help combat the sin (I know it sounds kind of hokey). This is the summary from the chapter: "Directions for Dealing with Sins"
Apply the gospel.
Depend on the Holy Spirit.
Recognize your responsibility.
Identify specific respectable sins.
Memorize and apply appropriate Scriptures.
Involve one or a few other believers with you. (51).

I found the most difficult part of the book to grapple with is God, specifically his sovereignty and goodness.  Intellectually, I think I grasp it.  Psychologically, spiritually and practically, I know I don't.  To believe in a sovereign and good God seems almost laughable when you look around at all the pain and suffering, but that is why we were given the Bible.  And, Bridges returns to Scripture again and again to get a clear vision of God and reality.  To believe in the goodness and power of God alters reality to the point that you live differently: eternity becomes real.

"To be sane in a mad time
is bad for the brain, worse
for the heart. The world
is a holy vision, had we clarity
to see it...." -Wendell Berry

We gain that clarity through Scripture, prayer, and each other.  Bible verses are amply sprinkled throughout the text.  Imagine believing Romans 8:28 with every fiber of your being. Or, "Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in your book were written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them" (Psalm 139:16).  This  differs profoundly from the "you can be anything you want to be" slogan I grew up with.  Ultimately, it's not about me or up to me, God's love and purpose are the foundations of life.

As you have noticed, I'm still grappling with it.  It's a deep book with practical applications.