Review of Respectable Sins
by Jerry Bridges
A recommended resource for "You Are... a series in Christian Basics"
Review by Mike Street

Jerry Bridges has taken on a difficult task in his book Respectable Sins. He has not written about the obvious sins of our culture which we as evangelicals are so prone to point out and observe. Instead he points back at us and requests that we as Christians do some self-examination. He wants us to identify what he terms the subtle sins of believers: those sins that we accept as minor and often are not concerned with or even fail to see within ourselves. But as he says, “Sin is sin” and he notes that as we continue along the path of sanctification we will begin to recognize these sins within ourselves and groan inwardly in remorse over our short comings before God. However, we are not hopeless. We are saved by the gospel and as we recognize our sins we will appreciate the gospel all the more. We too can remember as John Newton, the writer of Amazing Grace, at the end of his life said “My memory is nearly gone; but I remember two things: that I am a great sinner, and that Christ is a great Savior.”

I feel as if I should provide some warning for those who chose to read this book on what they will encounter. Bridges examines specific sins in order to help his readers self-analyze and he offers ways to combat these “respectable sins”. The list of those he examines are Ungodliness, Anxiety and Frustration, Discontentment, Unthankfulness, Pride, Selfishness, Lack of Self-Control, Impatience and Irritability, Anger, Judgmentalism, Envy, Jealousy, Sins of the Tongue, and Worldliness. After reading this list I would suspect everyone recognizes something that they battle with. Bridges deals with these humbly and respectfully and just as we may reach the point of despair he points us back to our hope, Christ Jesus our Lord, and reminds us that his grace is sufficient.