I've Finished Reading "Respectable Sins"

It's amazing how much reading you can get done during an ice storm with no power. I purchased this book a couple of weeks ago with a gift certificate to Amazon that I had received for Christmas.

I can't really remember off hand how I first heard about it but the title was what really intrigued me. I also wrote a little bit about it a few days ago.

I've read a few of Jerry Bridges' other works and have listened to a few of his messages and lectures via MP3. Other than that, I didn't know a whole lot about him. I have to say that after reading this book, I'm excited to listen and to read some more of his stuff.

If you look at the bio picture on the inside back jacket of the book, you'll see that Mr. Bridges appears to be in his fifties or sixties and I'm sure no one is going to confuse him with Mark Driscoll. And as you read this book, you'll definitely feel many times like it's your grandpa who is talking with you. He seems a little out of touch with 2008 America and his examples aren't really that poignant, but his words are extremely wise, pulled straight from Scripture, and should be heeded.

Bridges does a good job of getting at "the underbelly" so to speak of many things that plague Christian churches today and truly are the sins that are killing the church. He examines:

• Ungodliness
• 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
• Worldliness

All things that may not register high on the sin richter scale, but have definitely caused more disunity in churches than the gambling boats or adult video shops in town.

The book is 180+ pages and has 21 chapters so you're looking at about nine pages per chapter. It's a quick read and it's succinct and to the point. There's a brief notes section at the end but no general or Scripture index as they probably are not needed in this one. It's not so much exegesis as it is Bridges' thoughts on what He sees in the Scriptures and what he sees in the Christian practice.

This is a good one. And like I said, don't expect a lot of pop from the examples or illustrations Bridges' uses. But, the value of sitting next to your grandpa and having him share his thoughts on the world is invaluable and you'll get that feeling when you're done reading this book.

I would defnitely recommend it.