Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges
Week 8: Chapter 7 — Pride
Read Chapter 7 of Respectable Sins. Key Scripture: Proverbs 16:5, 18; James 4:6; Romans 12:16.
Previewing Week 8 of Respectable Sins
Read 3 of 7 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 21-week guide when you’re ready.
C.S. Lewis called pride 'the great sin,' and Bridges agrees — yet pride is also one of the most socially acceptable traits in our culture, which makes it particularly difficult to see in ourselves.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Bridges identifies several varieties of pride: pride of performance, of appearance, of status, of abilities, of education, and even of being right. Which of these forms resonates most with your own tendencies, and why?
2.He argues that pride is fundamentally competitive — it requires someone to feel inferior to us. Think of a recent moment when you felt superior to another person. What was the occasion, and what was the feeling revealing about your heart?
3.Bridges also addresses 'spiritual pride' — the pride of those who are more doctrinally correct, more disciplined, or more serious about holiness than others. Is this a form of pride you recognize in yourself or in Christian communities you have been part of?