mgpcpastor's blog

Jerry Bridges’ latest book is called Respectable Sins. He does not believe that any sin is respectable, or that God views any sin as more or less deserving of His wrath. Rather, he has written the book conscious of the tendency within the Christianity of his own North American culture to forcefully oppose homosexuality, abortion and sexual immorality as sin while overlooking sin such as jealousy, anger, pride and gossip. I think that Australia has some similarity to the situation he seeks to address.
At the SMBC Preaching Conference Mr Bridges was asked to address the topic of ‘The Respectable Sins of the Preacher.’ The office of pastor/preacher calls for self-examination. The book of James reminds us that the works and lives of preachers are evaluated in distinction of the lives of others. Luke 12:48 lays down a general principle that much is required of those to whom much is given.
As you read, if you are a preacher, you will be well warned and helpfully advised. For those of you who pray for your preacher or pastor you will have rare insight into specific subjects that you can ask God to help your pastor to resist. Pastors will (hopefully) not be flagrant or visible breakers of God’s commands. But the fact that our sin will mostly be cultivated in the root of our hearts and souls, where few have access, makes his words a timely and useful counsel for the whole church.
Before we begin, this is my best effort at reproducing and editing my notes of the two talks. It is not a transcript, so any deficiencies you sense in the work are attributable to me and should not be laid against Mr Bridges. These notes summarise two session and I have edited them into a single set of notes, so the numbering of the points is mine.

The first area of sin relates to pride.
Preachers can be tempted by the desire to be considered great preachers. While we may want God to get the glory, we are tempted to want to receive a personal share of the praise. But God does not share His glory. Isaiah 42:8 tells us that God does not share His glory with any other, while Galatians 6:14 reminds us that our boast is in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ alone.
Preachers can guard against this by remembering, as 1 Peter 4:11 recounts, that we speak as those who speak the oracles of God. Saying: ‘This is what God says’ brings a sense of dependence upon the Holy Spirit. Instead of being mindful of the opinions of our human listeners we remember that God is ‘in the audience’ as 2 Corinthians 2:17 puts it, we are: ‘commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.’ If we are concerned for human hearers, what does God make of our message?
Mr Bridges used a thought attributed to John Stott: ‘seldom do I leave the pulpit and am not concerned and penitent.’ He echoed that sentiment as being his own experience also.
The preacher’s personal preparation and delivery should be reflected in a prayer which confesses that: people are coming to hear, and that we have nothing apart from the living bread which God Himself gives us in His Word to put before them. This deals with pride. The focus is on God and His people, not on the messenger. We are just the messenger, passing on what has been given to us. This deflates the tendency to want to share the glory.

A second area of pride is a failure to preach to ourselves first. Romans 2:21 expresses the principle that those who teach others must first have taught themselves. Has the preacher brought his our own life under the Scripture before he preaches it to others? Has he first asked what does it mean to me? How should I change? While preaching God’s authoritative Word to the Congregation he should also convey the sense that all are pursuing the matters at hand together. Otherwise preaching simply becomes the technical preparation of a message for others.
There must be a reasonable consistency between life and preaching. No-one is perfect in this. 1 Corinthians 4:16-17 and Philippians 3:12 give the principles, not of perfection, but of a persistent effort in striving toward the ideal. This is the imitation that is being commanded. Not of perfection, but of pursuit.

A third sin of pride is comparing ourselves with others. I’m better than them. I’m worse than them. 1 Corinthians asks us what do you have that you did not receive? Matthew 25:14-30 contains the commendation: ‘Well done good and faithful servant’. Work according to your ability, not how you compare to someone else’s ability (or lack thereof). Our account is not based on a comparison to others, but is based on how we used what was given us. So don’t feel sorry for yourself. 1 Corinthians 12 confirms that the Spirit dispenses each of our gifts and their degree.

The fourth sin of pride is judgmentalism. This pertains to our attitude to preachers who differ in practice or doctrine. We must exercise charity in areas that are not expressly set forth and are not of the essence of salvation. Music. Doctrine. Baptism, eschatology, sacraments. We must avoid ad hominem arguments, (by which we attack the man, not the issue). We must be able to live with tension while not resorting to judgmentalism. Paul continues to address his brothers and sisters in Christ, even in the midst of dealing with their differences. We further avoid this by praying for (not against) others. Constantly.

The fifth and sixth sins of pride are Envy/Jealousy. Fascinatingly Mr Bridges maintained that these are not synonyms, and there is a subtle difference between the two.
Envy: was characterised as something we may not even want, but something that someone equal or a little superior to us is getting. Peers envy, a similarity has to been present.
Jealousy: was characterised as pertaining to someone who is inferior or junior surpassing us.
In both instances we need to realise that our ministry is ours by the grace of God. When Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15: 9-10, that he is the least of the apostles we can understand that, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he is sincere. Again when in Ephesians 3:8 he describes himself as the very least of all the saints that Paul knew his heart, above all others.

In the second session Mr Bridges used Matthew 19:27-20:16 to provide more areas of temptation. It could be said (though I don’t recall him using the word) that these are sins of presumption.

The preacher’s seventh respectable sin: merit is earned.
Peter’s question to Jesus about rewards is indicative of a ‘service deserves reward mentality’. (cf. Luke 17:10 that we are unprofitable servants)
The illustration was used that a popular survey suggests that most people commit a minor traffic infringement every four blocks. What would we receive if we perfectly obeyed the traffic laws for a year? Nothing.
Donald Gray Barnhouse wrote: “Jesus Christ bought and paid for every answer to prayer that you will ever receive.” The same blood and righteousness that sends you to heaven is what brings you blessing. Instead we insist that we are blessed because of what we do.

The eighth respectable sin: God is beholden in who He blesses. Verses 11-16 provide a corrective to this. God’s assertion here is: I can bless whoever I want.
We struggle with the apparent unfairness, most of us identify with those who have worked in the field all day. We consistently want to argue with God that He is mistaken in the timing and degree of gifts that He lavishes upon individuals should have something to do with the length and quality of their service.

The ninth sin is similar: resenting those whom God has seemed to bless more than us. Rather than expressing our grudge toward God, as above, we experience alienation in our relationship with others, alongside whom we should be labouring with joy. “Why is God blessing them more than us? We have worked longer, paid our dues and put in the hard yards.”
God is sovereign about His gifts. Sovereign grace is a tautology. If it’s grace then God is free in giving, if it’s sovereign, then no-one else is making Him. This is a powerful temptation: in Luke chapter 4: 24ff and 27ff we’re reminded that the crowd were consumed by murderous wrath. All Jesus did was teach that God gave gifts to whoever He wanted to.

The tenth sin we have to watch: comparing ourselves with others. I’m better than them. I’m worse than them. 1 Corinthians: what do you have that you did not receive? Matthew 25:14-30. Well done good and faithful servant. Work according to their ability. The account is not compared to others, but is for us. Don’t feel sorry for yourself. 1 Corinthians 12, the Spirit dispenses the gift and the degree.

The eleventh sin: self pity. Pastors in many situations can be considered overworked, underpaid, under-appreciated. Some times our colleagues or well meaning friends will encourage us to feel this way. Sometimes even people in our own churches will say these things. Self-pity is a great danger. Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:7ff, the surpassing power belongs to God. It should be obvious that fruit is not due to us. Paul is ‘benched’ for two years. God removes Paul as a player and that is dismissed in a sentence. No result for two years. He learned contentment. Mr Bridges characterised this as Paul’s final test. There is not self-pity. A firm belief in the sovereignty and love of God is required. All the days appointed for us are written and ordained. Matthew and Luke both record Jesus’ words about God’s care of sparrows. God will neither leave us, or forsake us. This may be a short season, it may be a lifetime. But we have no reason for self-pity, or to encourage colleagues to similar thoughts.

In addition to these ‘respectable sins’ Mr Bridges adds one ‘unrespectable sin’: The sin of pornography.
He characterised this as a secret sin that is worryingly prevalent. His counsel is to get help from someone who can walk with you. Above all, he pointed us to Romans 4 and to personalise the thought that Christ’s blood covers our sin. Even pornography.

In conclusion he introduced: the principle for sins respectable and unrespectable.
The only sin that can be successfully fought against is forgiven sin. We cannot fight sin overwhelmed by guilt. Once forgiven, we can deal with the grip of sin.
All sin is abhorrent in the eyes of God. Isaiah: a man undone by his uncleanness in the presence of God. There are only sins that we can tolerate. God does not find them tolerable or respectable. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse in our place. Even the most saintly needs the blood of Jesus. Paul’s testimony in Philippians 3, not a guttermost to uttermost story, but a story of a religious man who is given grace. Paul counts his works as rubbish. His righteousness comes from Christ, through faith, by grace.

We must repent not only of sin, respectable and unrespectable, but also of our sense of self-righteousness.

Friends, pray that your pastor, a sinner who trusts in the saving grace of God through Christ, will always recognise his sins promptly, trusting in God’s forgiveness, and strive to live a life which is a loving, thankful response of obedience to the commands of the Father and the Son. If pastors bear this fruit in their lives, God’s grace and love will permeate their preaching and teaching ministry and you will see similar fruit in your own lives.