Jerry Bridges - Respectable Sins Student Edition: The Truth About Anger, Jealousy, Worry, and Other Stuff We Accept (Th1nk)

In this book, Jerry challenges youth at the heart level rather than just addressing outward behavior. His clear and concise explanation of the gospel is one that teenagers will be able to grasp and apply to their lives. This book needs to be a part of every youth curriculum.

TYLER CLEMENTS, director of Youth Ministries, Grace EPC, Lawrence, Kansas

In all of Jerrys writings and speaking, he invites us to something, someone, much greater and more beautiful. His passion for the gospel has forever changed my life. He reminds us that a correct appropriation of the gospel should always lead to a greater hunger for holiness, never apathy. It is the gospel that gives us hope to not live in the shame of the sins we struggle with as we continue on this journey toward more of Jesus in our lives.

MARK MCELMURRY, associate dean of students, Covenant Theological Seminary

Simple. Clear. Rich. Gospel-centered. Everything you would expect from Jerry Bridges. For teens to have these categories of sin in their minds, experience the life-transforming power of the gospel, and know how to handle these issues biblically are gifts that will bless them for the rest of their lives. Im jealous for our youth to benefit from this book.

MICHAEL PLEWNIAK, pastor, Cornerstone Church of Knoxville

Anyone serious about discipling teens must traverse the rocky terrain of their sin along the beautiful landscape of the gospel. Jerry Bridges here brings the boring sins of everyday Christianity under the blinding light and magnifying glass of Gods holiness. I have been utterly humbled as the wonder of my Fathers love has been revealed in contrast to my respectable sins.

REV. DREW T. LINTS, pastor of students and families, Village Seven Presbyterian Church

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ISBN-13: 978-1-61291-496-1

Cover design by Studiogearbox

Adapted by Anne Christian Buchanan

Some of the anecdotal illustrations in this book are true to life and are included with the permission of the persons involved. All other illustrations are composites of real situations, and any resemblance to people living or dead is coincidental.

Unless otherwise identified, all Scripture quotations in this publication are taken from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2011. Used by permission. All rights reserved; Other versions used include: the Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV). Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.; The New Testament in Modern English (PH), J. B. Phillips Translator, J. B. Phillips 1958, 1960, 1972, used by permission of Macmillan Publishing Company; and the King James Version (KJV).

Bridges, Jerry.

Respectable sins : the truth about anger, jealousy, worry, and other stuff we accept / Jerry Bridges. -- Student Edition.

pages cm

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 978-1-61291-496-1

1. Sin--Christianity--Textbooks. I. Title.

BT715.B75 2013

241.3--dc23

2013027027

Printed in the United States of America

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 / 18 17 16 15 14 13

CONTENTS

RESPECTABLE SIN?

I f youve spent any time at all around churches, you know what sin is. Its the bad stuff. The wrong actions and attitudes that go against God.

Murder is a sin, right? Lying and cheating are sins. Sleeping around is sin. So is being greedy and exploiting people and ignoring the poor.

Most Christians I know would agree on those. So would many non-Christians.

But what about sin that isnt so obvious? What about the sin that we downplay or excuse or dont even notice in our lives?

Thats what I call respectable sin, and its what this book is all about.

You could also call it sneaky sin or subtle sin, or even good Christian sin, because its the kind that trips up good, respectable, Bible-reading people. People who grew up in church and gave their lives to Christ. People in Sunday school and youth group.

People like you, maybe.

Definitely people like me.

Most believers I know would never dream of murdering someone or robbing a bank. But what about talking about someone behind his back? Or thinking were better than someone else? Or getting annoyed and lashing out sarcastically? Or being jealous when someone else gets something we want? (For a checklist of common respectable sins, turn to pages 5253.)

Those are sins too, even if they dont seem as bad as the biggies like robbery or murder. And theyre the sins that many good Christians minimize. Some of us even get so worked up about other peoples bad sin or the sinful society out there that we completely overlook the sin in our own lives. That makes us hypocrites as well as sinners. It also can keep us stuck in our sin, because weve got to get real about sin before we can break free from it.

The good news of the gospel is that in the end God wins and sin loses. But we still need to take sin seriously even the sneaky, respectable kind of sin.

Thats why I wrote this book. I hope it helps you.

More importantly, I hope it inspires you to keep on turning to the One who is the answer to all our sin.

To Him be all the glory.

PART ONE

SAINTS AND SINNERS

CHAPTER 1

ME A SAINT?

T he church in the Roman town of Corinth was messed up. Really messed up. They were always squabbling among themselves and breaking up into cliques. They got drunk at the Lords Supper. They tolerated all kinds of sexual immorality, even a man sleeping with his stepmother. They sued each other in court, abused their freedom in Christ, totally disrupted their own worship services, and got hopelessly confused about key elements of their faith.

And do you know what Paul called the Corinthian Christians?

He called them saints.

He addressed his first letter to the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:2).

Today we wouldnt call those messed-up Corinthians saints. Thats the name we use for really holy people, like the original apostles or other long-dead people who led spiritually outstanding lives. Or sometimes well refer to an unusually wise, godly person as a saint: If there ever was a saint, it is my grandmother.