July 24
DebDay 132: Respectable Sins
I read a lot of Jerry Bridges's stuff in the 80's. Even used some of it for discipling high schoolers. One of his books I read more recently addresses something none of us care to admit.
We all want to leave margin for "respectable sins."
These are the sins that appear to be not so bad. Over time, what is acceptable for one generation may be scandalous to another. But we will tolerate what we will tolerate in our own time.
Given enough time and practice, a respectable sin may even come to be seen as a virtue...albeit while ignoring what the Bible says.
A commentator, updating Bridges's list suggests these respectable sins for this current decade:
Suspicion: questioning the actions, motives, even the salvation of others. (Countered in 1 Corinthians 13:7)
Gossip: speaking so as to put someone else in an unfavorable light. (Countered in Proverbs 18:21)
Slander: spreading unsubstantiated, even fabricated information about someone else. (Countered in Matthew 12:36)
Meddling: Choosing to personalize a felt wrong, under the guise of "carrying one another's burdens." Seen in getting involved in something that is not your business. Perhaps creating conflict where there is none. (Countered in Proverbs 26:17)
Idleness: Maybe the people most active on social media are also the least active otherwise. Laziness, not productivity. (Countered in 1 Thessalonians 5:14)
Impugning: Assuming you have the truth, therefore are free to question the motives of other people. Your political position is mostly right, while alternative positions are always wrong. (Countered in 1 Corinthians 4:5)
Please understand, these "respectable sins" are found primarily within the Church. And, these sins are all reflective of how we view each other. Actions, and more so motives are questioned and judged.
Matthew 5:8 says, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."
If that's true, we're all in trouble. A pure heart makes no home for respectable sins.
Martin Lloyd-Jones said, "The only way to have a pure heart is the realize you have an impure heart."
The Church (including our own church) in this present age needs to return to being a confessional congregation. Confessing right doctrine. And confessing our own sins.
1 John 1:7 says, "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin."
The word "Cleanses" is written in the present tense, with ongoing ramifications. Meaning, Jesus has cleansed us, is cleansing us, and will continue to cleanse us, until that blessed day when we will "See God."
1 John 3:3 then goes on to say, "And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure."
We are being cleansed. But this means we need to participate by not continually going back to the dirt.
To confess the Son, to be inhabited by the Spirit, and to have the Father progressively alters daily living.
Rejecting even what we would otherwise consider respectable sins.
-Mike Rydman, Lead Pastor, Radiant Church | Juneau
