Respectable Sins

Jerry Bridges wrote this practical guide to address what he saw as a troubling inconsistency in evangelical Christianity: the tendency to condemn obvious sins like adultery or theft while overlooking subtler but equally destructive patterns of behavior. Drawing from decades of ministry experience and his previous work on holiness, Bridges confronted the reality that many believers had become comfortable with sins that appeared socially acceptable or spiritually benign.

The book systematically examines what Bridges calls "respectable sins" — patterns like worry, frustration, discontentment, pride, selfishness, lack of self-control, impatience, irritability, and judgmentalism. Rather than offering quick fixes, Bridges traces these behaviors to their roots in unbelief and self-centeredness, showing how they contradict the gospel and damage both personal spiritual growth and Christian community. He argues that these sins are particularly dangerous because they often masquerade as personality traits or understandable human responses, making believers less likely to recognize their need for repentance. Throughout, Bridges emphasizes that victory over sin comes not through willpower but through understanding the gospel's implications for daily life and depending on the Holy Spirit's power for transformation.

The work has remained influential because it addresses behaviors that most Christians recognize in themselves but rarely hear discussed from the pulpit. Bridges' pastoral approach combines theological precision with practical honesty, making abstract concepts of sanctification concrete and personal. Who should read this: believers who want to grow in holiness beyond avoiding obvious moral failures, and those who sense that their spiritual formation has stalled despite outward religious conformity. This is not primarily for new Christians seeking basic doctrine, but for those ready to examine the subtle ways sin persists in the believing life.