A Challenging Book

I recently finished reading Jerry Bridges’ new book Respectable Sins: Confronting the Sins We Tolerate. Bridges, of course, is not really referring to any sin as “respectable.” He simply means sins that believers don’t think are so bad and, as a result, tend to not deal with. The book is not about the openly gross sins of society, but about the subtle sins of believers.

I found this to be a challenging book, not because of the level of reading difficulty (it’s written on a popular level and very easy to read) but because the subject matter hits so close to home. It’s not easy to see yourself and not like what you see. The author urges the reader to take a close look at himself in the light of Scripture and realize what an offense even our subtle sins are to God. Bridges points out how the Bible exhorts believers to be what they really are—saints!

Near the beginning of the book Bridges addresses a problem he calls, “The Disappearance of Sin.” What he means is the disappearance of the idea of sin. Many people today have no concept that the wrong things they do are really wrong. Public apologies today (of which there seem to be many) typically include the prominent use of the word mistake. But the word that always seems missing is sin. This attitude affects Christians as well, and Bridges is calling on God’s people to recognize this in ourselves and forsake any self-righteousness that might blind us to our need.

Though dealing with such a dark subject, Bridges avoids a morose or caustic tone that might leave us depressed and tempted to throw the book down. Instead, he encourages us that “God has not forsaken us. For those who are true believers, God is still our heavenly Father, and He is at work among us to call us to repentance and renewal” (p. 22). How God works in us to produce this “repentance and renewal” is expounded in the book, and I hope to say more about that in future posts.

The men’s group at my church will begin reading Respectable Sins in February. I hope it will affect them as much as it has me. Preachers and lay people alike will be helped by reading this book and putting Bridges’ counsel into practice.

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

~Philippians 1:6

A Challenging Book