Respectable Sins: The Hidden Dangers Lurking Within Us

In his book Respectable Sins, Jerry Bridges addresses the acceptable sins that we tend to tolerate in ourselves, including pride, anger, jealousy, and gossip. Bridges beckons his readers to realize that all sin is heinous in God's eyes and must be confronted and dealt with. The book discusses the high calling of Christians and how this standard has been lowered due to the decreasing emphasis on sin in churches. It provides a great motivation for personal introspection and a desire for holiness.

Sins of the tongue, such as gossip, lying, and slander

Sins of the tongue are among the most common and subtle sins that believers often tolerate and overlook. Gossip, lying, and slander are some of the most prevalent sins of the tongue, and they can have significant and harmful consequences.

Gossip is defined as sharing information about the behaviour or personal life of others, often without revealing or knowing the full truth. It can lead to broken trust, hurt feelings, and damaged reputations. It is a sin that goes against God's will and can cause conflict and division among people.

Lying involves speaking falsehoods and can be particularly harmful when it takes the form of perjury, false witness, or bearing false witness against a neighbour, as it can have legal and societal ramifications.

Slander, closely related to gossip, involves making false spoken statements that damage a person's reputation. It can destroy marriages, jobs, wealth, and families.

These sins of the tongue are often referred to as "respectable sins" because they are common and subtle, and people may not even realise they are committing them. However, they can have far-reaching consequences and are considered offensive to God.

To address these sins, one must recognise and confess them, relying on God's grace and guidance to overcome them. It is essential to maintain a high standard of holiness and to be mindful of the power of words and their potential to cause harm.

Pride

In his book, Bridges includes pride in a list of "acceptable" sins that believers tend to tolerate, such as jealousy, anger, and unthankfulness. He encourages Christians to maintain a high standard of holiness and to address these respectable sins just as they would any other sin. He asserts that pride can be found in areas such as self-righteousness, correct doctrine, achievement, and an independent spirit.

Bridges pleads for humble living and reminds his readers that God opposes the proud. He offers practical advice and biblical guidance to help readers confront and deal with pride in their daily lives. He suggests intentionally identifying areas where pride has been accepted and cultivating consistent prayer to help overcome this sin.

By recognizing and addressing pride as a respectable sin, Christians can strive for a higher standard of holiness and bring glory to God.

Ungodliness

In his book, Bridges highlights how Christians have become so preoccupied with "major" sins that they have lost sight of their need to deal with more subtle sins. He addresses the ""acceptable" sins that we tend to tolerate in ourselves, including pride and anger. He encourages Christians to maintain a high standard of holiness, not just in avoiding major sins but also in addressing these "respectable" ones.

Bridges provides practical advice and biblical guidance to help readers confront and deal with these overlooked sins in their daily lives. He suggests that we should intentionally identify areas where we have accepted sin, store up scriptures in our minds to guard against temptation, cultivate consistent prayer against specific sins, and involve other believers in our battle with sin for accountability.

To deal with ungodliness and other respectable sins, Bridges emphasizes the importance of the gospel. He argues that the gospel teaches us that Jesus not only saves us from the wrath of God but also frees us from sin's reign over our lives. By daily preaching the gospel to ourselves, we can stir up gratitude towards God and a desire to please Him by living as He has called us to live—as saints set apart for His kingdom work.

Lack of self-control

In the book, Bridges argues that all sins, regardless of their perceived magnitude, are offensive to God and must be confronted and dealt with. Lack of self-control, or a lack of discipline in various areas of life, is one such sin that Bridges addresses. He highlights how a lack of self-control in small areas can affect one's ability to display self-control in more important areas.

Bridges provides practical advice and biblical guidance to help readers identify and overcome this sin in their daily lives. He encourages Christians to set high standards for holiness and to recognize that a lack of self-control is still a sin that needs to be addressed. By preaching the gospel to ourselves daily, we can be reminded of God's forgiveness and grace, which empowers us to resist sin's dominion over us.

Additionally, Bridges offers specific directions for dealing with sin, including intentionally identifying areas of accepted sin, storing up scriptures to guard against temptation, cultivating consistent prayer, and involving other believers for accountability. By following these steps and seeking God's help, Christians can work towards overcoming the respectable sin of a lack of self-control.

Envy, jealousy, and related sins

Envy and jealousy are characterised by a resentful or sad attitude towards another person's advantages, possessions, success, or lifestyle. This can stem from a belief that another person's blessings or excellence diminishes one's own, leading to a desire to destroy their good fortune. Envy and jealousy are considered toxic to happiness and can manifest in various forms, such as material envy (resenting others' material possessions) or spiritual envy (resenting others' spiritual goodness).

In the Bible, envy and jealousy are condemned and associated with other sins and negative behaviours. For example, in James 3:14-16, it states that bitter jealousy and selfish ambition lead to disorder and every kind of evil practice. Additionally, envy and jealousy are listed among the seven deadly sins in Catholic theology.

Bridges encourages Christians to confront these respectable sins and strive for holiness in all areas of their lives, not just in avoiding major sins. He provides practical advice and biblical guidance to help readers recognise and deal with these sins in their daily lives.

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