The document discusses acknowledging and dealing with subtle sins in our lives as Christians. It emphasizes the need to be honest about our sins so we can experience forgiveness and Christ's love. It provides a review of sins covered in the study, such as pride, selfishness, gossip, and encourages asking others for evaluation of these sins in our lives to gain awareness of areas we are in denial about. The goal is to humbly acknowledge and put our sins to death so we can display Christ-like character to others.

1. Where do we go from here?
Based on Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges

2.  We’ve spent several months looking at the subtle sins we tolerate in our lives as
Christians.
 If any of this has made you uncomfortable, that’s a good sign because it means
you have been honest enough and humble enough to admit the presence of some
of these sins in your own life.
 I Peter 5:5
 Matthew 5:1-7
 The poor in spirit and those who mourn are those who are conscious of their own
sinfulness. Because of this, they are meek and merciful in their attitudes and
actions toward others, and they hunger and thirst for the righteousness that they
realize they have not yet attained.
 Their demeanor is exactly opposite that of the proud, morally superior, self-
righteous person.
 We need to be more aware of our sinfulness and of Christ’s love for us in dying for
that sin.

3.  Luke 7:36-50
 Look at verse 47. What would the opposite of the last statement be?
 He who is forgiven much, loves much. Simon the Pharisee did not realize how
sinful he was and how much he needed to be forgiven, so he loved little (or not at
all).
 The sinful woman realized how sinful she was and how much she had been
forgiven, so she loved much.
 We should grow in our awareness of Christ’s love for us as revealed to us in the
Gospel.
 II Corinthians 5:14-15
 Such love for Him that will drive out our love for the world can only be a response
to the deep, heartfelt sense of His love for us.
 So we need to be honest and humble enough to admit our subtle sins I order to
experience the love that comes through forgiveness of those sins.
 We have to face them in order to deal with them.

4.  "On My Cross"
How wide is Your love
That You would stretch Your arms
And go around the world
And why for me would a Savior's cry be heard
I don't know
Why You went where I was meant to go
I don't know
Why You love me so
Those were my nails
That was my crown
That pierced Your hands and Your brow
Those were my thorns
Those were my scorns
Those were my tears that fell down
And just as You said it would be
You did it all for me
And after You counted the cost
You took my shame, my blame
On my cross
How deep is Your grace
That you could see my need
And chose to take my place
And then for me, these words I'd hear You say
Father no
Forgive them for they know not what they do
I will go
Because I love them so
Those were my nails
that was my crown
that pierced your hands
and your brow
those were my thorns
those were my scorns
those were my tears that fell down
and just as you said it would be
you did it all for me
and after you counted the cost
you took my shame, my blame
on my cross
Those were my nails
that was my crown
that pierced your hands
and your brow
those were my thorns
those were my scorns
those were my tears that feel down
and just as u said it would be
u did it all for me
and after u counted the cost
you took my shame
my blame on my cross
After u counted the cost
u took my shame, my blame
on my cross

5.  The worst sin of all, in practical terms, is the denial of the subtle sins in our lives.
We cannot deal with them until we admit their presence.
 The first step in dealing with any sin is to acknowledge it and repent in one’s
attitude toward it.
 That doesn’t mean we will make rapid progress in getting those sins out of our
lives.
 Romans 8:13
 Colossians 1:5
 We have to put these sins to death.
 We also have to deal with our habits of sinning.
 We have developed habits of ungodly thinking, fear, self-indulgence, critical
attitudes, gossip, and the like.
 Just as a reminder, I want to give you a quick review of what we’ve covered in this
study.

6.  Ungodliness
 Anxiety (fear) and Frustration
 Discontentment
 Unthankfulness, and thankfulness in difficult circumstances
 Pride, in terms of moral self-righteousness, pride of correct doctrine, pride of
achievement, and having an Independent spirit
 Selfishness, in terms of our interests, time, money, and being inconsiderate.
 Lack of self-control, in terms of eating and drinking, temper, personal finances,
television, hobbies, and impulse buying.
 Impatience and Irritability
 Anger, and specifically anger toward God.
 Weeds of Anger: resentment, bitterness, enmity and hostility, and grudges.
 Judgmentalism: over differing convictions, doctrine disagreement, and a critical
spirit.

7.  Envy, Jealousy, and Related Sins: Envy, Jealousy, Competitiveness, Controlling.
 Sins of the Tongue: Gossip, Slander, Lying, Harsh words, sarcasm, insults, and
ridicule.
 Worldliness: Money, Vicarious immorality, Idolatry.
 As you go over this list, continue to ask God to open your eyes to sins you have
been tolerating or have even refused to acknowledge as being present in your life.
 Have you asked others for their evaluation of the presence of these subtle sins in
your life? I’ve mentioned this almost every week, but I don’t think any of you have
done it (if you have, no one has mentioned it).
 Even if you don’t agree with their assessment, take them to heart in humility. God
may be using them to open you up to areas you have been in denial about.
 If you’re feeling brave, ask me. You may not like my answer, but I have no agenda
other than your growth as a Christian.

8. The world around us watches us even as it
ridicules our values and rejects our message.
 You may think your subtle sins are hidden, but others will see them in some form
or fashion.
 They pick up on our self-righteousness, our anger, our Judgmentalism.
 They think of us as “holier-than-thou” people or else they see us a hypocrites that
don’t practice what we preach.
 Dealing with our sin in humility and honesty can go a long way in dispelling that
image.
 I Peter 5:5
 Next week, we will flip the script: Instead of focusing on sins we should be
avoiding, we will focus on actions and attitude we should be embracing.