Jerry Bridges (1929–2016)

First sentence: Most of us have experienced the difficulty of putting books on a bookshelf without having a set of bookends to keep them in place. You know what happens.

The Bookends of the Christian Life is one of my favorite books. I've read it three times now: once in 2010, once in 2013, and once in 2024. The bookends of the Christian life are justification and sanctification. These two fundamental, essential doctrines are incredibly helpful when understanding and applying the gospel. One show more can understand these doctrines without knowing the doctrine's name. It's not the fancy theological terms that make the doctrine wonderful. Some may be unfamiliar with these essential doctrines, however. Sometimes gospel presentations are more on the shallow end. Sometimes one thinks, well, I've heard the gospel once...I'm saved...I don't need to spend any more time thinking or studying the gospel. But the gospel is something that we need to live in, grow in, saturate ourselves with. The gospel is relevant and timely every single day of our lives. The authors encourage readers to preach the gospel to themselves daily. The book is in some ways a thorough going over the gospel--in all its wonderful glory, both simple and complex.

From my previous review(s):

The Bookends of the Christian Life is a) short b) straightforward c) relevant. It is written to be understood and applied. Though the subject is theological in nature, it is PRACTICAL theology. It introduces a way of thinking about your life by introducing the notion of bookends. If you don't want your faith to be a complete mess, you need bookends for your faith. One of the bookends is the righteousness of Christ; the second bookend is the power of the Holy Spirit. The book never assumes that readers know what "the righteousness of Christ" is. Or that readers understand what "the power of the Holy Spirit" is. It does not assume that readers have a working understanding of the doctrines of justification, imputation, or sanctification. It explains essential doctrines in a friendly non-condescending way. It is very refreshing.

The book is ALL about the gospel. But it also spends some time addressing three serious gospel enemies: self-righteousness, persistent guilt, and self-reliance. How can believers fight against these three enemies? By preaching the gospel to themselves every day. By leaning on the bookends of the faith. By relying on Christ's righteousness and the POWER of the Holy Spirit. This book is all about TRUSTING the promises of God.

Favorite quotes:
What is the righteousness of Christ, and why do we need it as the first bookend? The word righteous in the Bible basically means perfect obedience; a righteous person is one who always does what is right. This statement assumes that there's an external, objective standard of right and wrong. That standard is the universal moral will of God as given to us throughout the Bible. It's the law of God written on every human heart. It's the standard by which each person will ultimately be judged. Our problem is that we're not righteous. (19)
We know we need a Savior, so we trust in Christ to redeem us from the curse of God's law. But though we believe we're saved as far as our eternal destiny is concerned, we may not be sure about our day-to-day standing with God. Many of us embrace a vague but very real notion that God's approval has to be earned by our conduct. We know we're saved by grace, but we believe God blesses us according to our level of perfect obedience. Consequently, our confidence that we abide in God's favor ebbs and flows according to how we gauge our performance. And since we sin every single day, this approach is ultimately discouraging and even devastating. This is exactly why we need the first bookend. (21-2)
At the cross, Jesus paid the penalty we should have paid, by enduring the wrath of God we should have endured. And this required him to do something unprecedented. It required him to provide the ultimate level of obedience--one that we'll never be asked to emulate. It required him to give up his relationship with the Father so that we could have one instead. The very thought of being torn away from the Father caused him to sweat great drops of blood. (Luke 22:44). And at the crescendo of his obedience, he screamed: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34). The physical pain he endured was nothing compared to the agony of being separated from the Father. In all of history, Jesus is the only human being who was truly righteous in every way; and he was righteous in ways that are truly beyond our comprehension. (23-4)
Even though in ourselves we're completely unrighteous, God counts us as righteous because he has appointed Christ to be our representative and substitute. Therefore when Christ lived a perfect life, in God's sight we lived a perfect life. When Christ died on the cross to pay for our sins, we died on the cross. All that Christ did in his sinless life and his sin-bearing death, he did as our representative, so that we receive the credit for it. It's in this representative union with Christ that he presents us before the Father, "holy and blameless and above reproach." (Colossians 1:22) There's an old play on the word justified: "just-as-if-I'd never sinned." But here's another way of saying it: "just-as-if-I'd always obeyed". Both are true. The first refers to the transfer of our moral debt to Christ so we're left with a "clean" ledger, just as if we'd never sinned. The second tells us our ledger is now filled with the perfect righteousness of Christ, so it's just as if we'd always obeyed.... The news of this righteousness IS the gospel. (26)
Faith involves both a renunciation and a reliance. First, we must renounce any trust in our own performance as the basis of our acceptance before God. We trust in our own performance when we believe we've earned God's acceptance by our good works. But we also trust in our own performance when we believe we've lost God's acceptance by our bad works--by our sin. So we must renounce any consideration of either our bad works or our good works as the means of our relating to God. Second, we must place our reliance entirely on the perfect obedience and sin-bearing death of Christ as the sole basis of our standing before God--on our best days as well as our worst. (28)
Every day we must re-acknowledge the fact that there's nothing we can do to make ourselves either more acceptable to God or less acceptable. Regardless of how much we grow in our Christian lives, we're accepted for Christ's sake or not accepted at all. (29)
There's an important lesson here for all of us. Genuine love for Christ comes through 1) an ever-growing consciousness of our own sinfulness and unworthiness, coupled with 2) the assurance that our sins, however great, have been forgiven through his death on the cross. Only love that's founded on both of these foundations can be authentic and permanent. (34)
We need to intentionally bathe our minds and hearts in the gospel every day. (40)
Self-righteousness turns grace on its head because it views the sinner as deserving God's blessings rather than as undeserving. (43)
To the very end John Newton remembered both his sin and the gospel. On his deathbed at age eighty-two, he said, "My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things: that I am a great sinner and that Christ is a great Savior." (59)
Thomas Wilcox put it like this: "The gospel is for sinners, and only for sinners." (68)
But it's not enough to merely see the righteousness of Christ as all-sufficient; we must see it as all-sufficient for us. Jesus was perfectly obedient in our place, as our substitute. Have we lacked purity? Jesus was pure in our place. Have we lacked patience? Jesus was patient in our place. In every area we see failure and sin, Jesus was successful at providing a perfect obedience that's credited to us. Whenever we see Christ's righteousness as all-sufficient for us, shifting our dependence to it should be almost irresistible. (70)
Although all of God's blessings are in Christ, they're distributed and applied to us by the Holy Spirit. (83)
As we look to the Spirit to work in us and enable us to work, we should realize that he uses various spiritual instruments, often called the "means of grace." They're the means by which we're "strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus."... We have a responsibility to respond to each means of grace the Spirit provides. We're to participate in using them to our spiritual advantage. The term spiritual disciplines is used to describe this process and to emphasize our responsibility. Through practicing the spiritual disciplines, we avail ourselves of the means of grace.... the disciplines themselves are not the source of spiritual power. Only the Holy Spirit is. The disciplines are his instruments to transmit his power. (99)
The Holy Spirit uses our growing appetite for enjoying our relationship with God as a powerful encouragement in our battle against sin... When we enjoy God more than sin, we give him an even deeper level of glorifying love, a level he alone deserves. (117)
Just as by nature we assume we earn our salvation by our good works, so by nature we assume we grow spiritually by our own effort and willpower. What's wrong with this kind of self-reliance? Everything. (125)
John Stott described the best place to find the basis for such humility: "Nothing in history or in the universe cuts us down to size like the cross. All of us have inflated views of ourselves...until we have visited a place called Calvary. It is there at the foot of the cross that we shrink to our true size. (143) show less

I read this with a group of women for our weekly Bible study and really enjoyed how the author, Bridges, broke down each fruit of the Spirit. This is a pretty commonly known topic from the Bible, but diving deeper into each fruit was refreshing and something I didn't know I needed. I'm so thankful for God's grace because in reflecting on how I portray some of these characteristics, I was convicted and humbled. I would suggest this book, especially for a group since the questions in the back show more were helpful and thought provoking. show less

Bridges' book comes as a timely rebuke to a Church that has become obsessed with the sins of those outside its walls. The author does an excellent job of deal with many of the sins that we love to tolerate: ungodliness, anxiety/frustration, discontentment, unthankfulness, pride, selfishness, lack of self-control, impatience/irritability, anger, envy/jealousy, sins of the tongue and worldliness.

I have to admit that I found myself convicted by each of the chapters. I am grateful that someone show more has finally had the courage to address the sins that we so easily and so happily cover up. I particularly appreciated the author's chapter on ungodliness. Here is a sin that is barely ever even named, but the author names and it deals with it in a careful and Biblical fashion. Sections on discontentment, selfishness and impatience/irritability were also especially useful.

Not only does the author deal with the problem, he also offers remedies. Time and again it is an awareness and acknowledgement of the sovereignty of God (in all things) that is the antidote to these problem areas.

While I would heartily recommend this book to all believers (and I hope and pray it gets into the hands of millions), I was disappointed with the author's treatment of the sin of judgmentalism. In fact, I find the author contradicts himself. He says, for example, "the doctrine of Christ's substitutionary atonement for our sins and the complementary doctrine of justification by faith in Christ alone are, to me crucial doctrines." Later he admits, "We should express our disagreements, but we should do so in a way that does not degenerate into character assassination." Yet, at the beginning of the chapter it is not "character asassination" that is at issue (according to the author). Rather, he says "The person who says, for example, 'Jesus wouldn't drive an SUV,' is judgemental." Here "because the person has made a dogmatic and judgmental statement based purely on personal opinion" he/she is being judgmental. And yet, is this not what pastors/preachers/prophets are called to do? Are we not called to apply Scripture to real life issues? Perhaps the SUV is the wrong example to use. Would I be judgmental if I were to say (as I wouldn't hesitate to say) that Jesus (if he lived in America in 2009) would never wear a $10,000 watch; or if I were to say that Jesus (if he lived in America in 2009) would never drive an $80,000 car? If this is judgmentalism what a can pastor do but teach doctrine? How do we apply truth to real life scenarios if "judgmental" statements "based purely on personal opinion" are reflective of a judgmental spirit? Indeed, the author might (on this basis) be accused of a judgmental spirit for applying the truths named in each of these chapters to real life examples. Yet, is this not what we are called to do? The statement 'Jesus wouldn't drive an SUV' may actually be incorrect. But that statement (correct or incorrect) is not a fair example of judgmentalism. Character assassination is judgmentalism. Judging motives and heart intentions is another example of judgmentalism. But making a statement of opinion based on what we know of Jesus is different - that is preaching.

In our day, especially, we need to be careful how we define judgmentalism. There are so many who will not hear prophetic messages because they want their ears to be "tickled". If they can accuse their pastors of judgmentalism and thereby avoid the sting of conviction they will. This is not an insignificant issue; nor is Bridges' example of the SUV, especially in a culture that loves its toys (and sometimes in the name of the gospel). Indeed, I wish there were more who would make such a bold statements as "Jesus wouldn't..."

Still, I hope many will read this book and be challenged to grow in godliness as the confront these 'respectable sins'. I certainly have benefited from it. show less

Jerry Bridges's slim little book is an eminently practical, biblical examination of the issue of holiness in the Christian life. The back cover calls holiness "the Christian's joint venture with God," and the tension between what God does and what the Christian is responsible for keeps this from being a legalistic recital of why we should be holy. Most Christians would agree that we should, but mental assent is not the same as obedience.

Bridges, a former U. S. Navy officer, is an engaging show more author who doesn't hesitate to talk about some of his own struggles, like his craving for ice cream, his temptations to "shade the truth" and cover up small offenses, his sweet tooth, his experiences in the service, etc. He writes well and clearly and his style is very readable. As I typed out the quotes below, I realized he, like me, has a great fondness for the m dash. (Long may it connect our thoughts and provide dramatic pauses—just where we want them!)

In the introduction, Bridges admits that the book is weighted more toward our responsibility to be holy than God's to make us so. But he states unequivocally that the Christian's holiness is not what saves him or makes him acceptable to God; rather, it is part of what comes with salvation. Christ's righteousness is imputed to us, as if we had lived His perfect life, and God accepts us on the basis of His Son. And yet it is undeniable that the New Testament places responsibility for personal holiness directly on the Christian; we are constantly exhorted to be holy, to control our sinful desires, to flee temptation, to throw off the sin that entangles us and run the race with perseverance... all active verbs. The book's title is fitting; it is all about our pursuit, our active work toward the goal set before us.

One chapter I really appreciated was the one titled "Holiness in Body." Bridges rightly points out that in Western Christianity, we have come to view excesses of gluttony and laziness as weakness of the will rather than sin (93). He talks about the importance of physical discipline, demonstrating that whatever gives our body and physical appetites ascendancy over our minds is "sin to you" (Susannah Wesley, 94).

I also appreciated how he highlights meditation as an essential part of Bible study. When we think of learning God's Word, we think of hearing it preached, reading it in our quiet time, and memorizing verses. What we often miss is the practice of meditating on—thinking about and turning over in our minds—God's Word. It isn't enough for me to study my daily passage, quote it, and then dismiss it from my mind. I need to think about it throughout my day, and that won't happen without discipline.

I liked, too, how Bridges emphasizes that holiness is not just abstaining from evil, but actively pursuing good. Christianity is not a vacuum, a list of do's and don'ts (mostly don'ts); it is a pursuit of God and the thoughts and actions that please Him.

One thing that made me a little uncomfortable was how Bridges often says God spoke to him. He never claims new revelation or anything crazy like that, but he will say "God spoke to my heart" or some similar phrase. Coming from a background in which God is often misquoted in subjective stories of personal spiritual revelations, I am extremely cautious of such claims. And yet at the same time, the Bible does say that the Holy Spirit will bring things to our remembrance (John 14:26), and that is basically what Bridges describes (usually it's an instance of him realizing that he needs to apply a biblical principle to a certain situation). So maybe it's just the way he phrases it that bothers me slightly.

There are so many excellent quotes in this book. Here are just a few:

Our first problem is that our attitude toward sin is more self-centered than God-centered. We are more concerned about our "victory" over sin than we are about the fact that our sins grieve the heart of God. (p. 17–18)

God wants us to walk in obedience—not victory. Obedience is oriented toward God; victory is oriented toward self... This is not to say that God doesn't want us to experience victory, but rather to emphasize that victory is a byproduct of obedience. (p. 18)

As we grow in holiness, we grow in hatred of sin; and God, being infinitely holy, has an infinite hatred of sin... We need to cultivate in our own hearts the same hatred of sin God has. Hatred of sin as sin, not just as something disquieting or defeating to ourselves, but as displeasing to God, lies at the root of all true holiness. (p. 29)

If there is not, then, at least a yearning in our hearts to live a holy life pleasing to God, we need to seriously question whether our faith in Christ in genuine. (p. 33)

To persist in disobedience is to increase our necessity for discipline. (p. 35)

The more we grow in holiness, the more we need assurance that the perfect righteousness of Christ is credited to us. (p. 41)

It is hypocritical to pray for victory over our sins yet be careless in our intake of the Word of God. (p. 66)

The Christian should never complain of want of ability or power. If we sin, it is because we choose to sin, not because we lack the ability to say no to sin. (p. 71–72)

Discipline toward holiness begins then with the Scriptures—with a disciplined plan for regular intake of the Scriptures and a disciplined plan for applying them to our daily lives. (p. 84)

We must avoid general commitments to holiness and instead aim for specific obedience in specific instances. (p. 88)

Any training—physical, mental, or spiritual—is characterized first by failure. We fail more often than we succeed. (p. 89)

[Paul] knew well that physical softness inevitably leads to spiritual softenss. (p. 96)

Every sin we commit reinforces the habit of sinning and makes it easier to sin. (p. 113)

The battle for holiness must be fought on two fronts—within and without. Only then will we see progress toward holiness. (p. 116)

Our reaction to the sinful world around us, however, must be more than just defensive. We must be concerned not only for our own purity of mind and heart, but also for the eternal destiny of those who would pollute us. (p. 128)

God intends the Christian life to be a life of joy—not drudgery... Only those who are obedient—who are pursuing holiness as a way of life—will know the joy that comes from God. (p. 131)

I will certainly revisit this book. Highly recommended. show less