Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges
Week 14: Chapter 13 — Judgmentalism
Read Chapter 13 of Respectable Sins. Key Scripture: Matthew 7:1–5; Romans 14:10–13; Luke 18:9–14.
Previewing Week 14 of Respectable Sins
Read 3 of 7 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 21-week guide when you’re ready.
Judgmentalism is perhaps the most culturally visible sin in this book — the world notices it in Christians far more readily than we notice it in ourselves.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Bridges defines judgmentalism not as making moral distinctions (which is necessary and right) but as a critical, condemning spirit that pronounces verdicts on others based on our own standards rather than God's. How do you tell the difference between appropriate discernment and sinful judgmentalism?
2.Matthew 7:3–5 addresses the absurdity of trying to remove a speck from someone else's eye while ignoring a plank in your own. What does this image communicate about the self-blindness that typically fuels judgmentalism?
3.Bridges notes that judgmentalism often involves judging people for sins different from ours — the non-drinker judging the moderate drinker, the disciplined person judging the undisciplined one. Where do you find your own standards showing up as the measure of other people's faithfulness?
a.Are there areas of Christian life (worship style, political views, parenting choices, spiritual disciplines) where you tend to judge others according to your preferences?
b.How much of your judgmentalism is cultural rather than genuinely biblical?