Sin, although an essential component of the gospel, nevertheless, is a topic many in our culture would rather do away with. Jesus’ death and resurrection provides the foundation for why Christians can and must put sin to death. Therefore, understanding sin is important not just for the non-Christian, but also for the Christian. Understanding sin is important because as sinners, we live in the tension of the already/not yet of the Kingdom. Martin Luther expressed this idea well when he taught the Christian is both saint and sinner. We are saints because we have been transferred from the Kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ and given a new identity in Christ with a new message to proclaim in the Gospel. Moreover, we are sinners due to the reality we must put off their flesh with its sinful desires and instead, put on the Lord Jesus and grow in the grace of God. It is for this reason that I enjoyed reading Respectable Sins: Confronting the Sins We Tolerate by Jerry Bridges and I believe it is a book you will benefit from as well.
Respectable Sins will serve to assist Christians to better understand how to grow to be like Jesus by addressing sins we often fall prey to such as jealousy, anger, pride, being ungrateful, and judgementalism. Bridges roots his message in the Bible with a view to share how he has experienced victory in the areas he teaches on in the book. As with all of Jerry Bridges’ works, he keeps the Gospel central. This very helpful, well-written, and easy to read book is loaded with Scriptural references and personal examples aimed to help you address sin with the Gospel in your own life and in the lives of others you may encounter.
Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah. He is a writer, editor, and speaker living in beautiful Southern Oregon. Dave is a lover of Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology. He serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries, the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine, the Host and Producer of Equipping You in Grace Podcast, and is a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word. He is the author of The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024). You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, or read his newsletter. Dave loves to spend time with his wife, going to movies, eating at a nice restaurant, or going out for a round of golf with a good friend. He is also a voracious reader, in particular of Reformed theology, and the Puritans. You will often find him when he’s not busy with ministry reading a pile of the latest books from a wide variety of Christian publishers. Dave received his M.A.R. and M.Div through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
