Several
years ago I read Out of a far Country
by Christopher Yuan. The book is a powerful testimony to the ability of Jesus
Christ to break the chains which bind us. The subtitle says it all: A Gay Son’s Journey to God. A Broken
Mother’s Search for Hope. I was definitely impressed with Christopher’s
story, so when I recently saw this book come available as part of
Waterbrook-Multnomah’s Book Launch Team, I jumped at the chance to read and
review.
Of course there is some information
about the author’s background, he didn’t have a faith walk, and was in prison
dealing with the consequences of a gay life-style, coupled with drugs. One day
he picked up a bible (as he puts it he was bored and there was nothing else to
read) But in the midst of his brokenness, God appeared on the pages of that
bible, and his journey suddenly took a distinct turn. And some of that new creation is described in
this new book Holy Sexuality and the
Gospel: Sex, Desires, and Relationships Shaped by God's Grand Story.
A lot has happened since picking up
that bible and being convicted by the Holy Spirit. Dr. Yuan has several
theological degrees and teaches at Moody Bible Institute. So although the book
starts with a part of Christopher’s story and how it fits into God's grand
story, this is not an autobiographical book. Rather it is a study of God's
grand design for humanity.
First things first. God did not give
us all the laws and commandments to make our lives miserable. They are to help
us live a better life than we might be able to if left to our own devices. And Yuan
found that out when he was freed from a life of breaking many of those biblical
commands. (It’s called sin!)
There are any number of categories
of sin, and the scripture covering them, and one is sexuality. In that group
there are many more things that same-sex attraction mentioned, but that seems
to be the one that many churches like to focus on. For me personally I was very
glad that the whole focus of this book was not just one of the sexual sins
mentioned in the bible. In fact there are a lot of other categories mentioned
also. Which is fair. Sin is sin, and we have no right to assume that the sin God
hates the most is the one that we’re not involved in.
Instead of making a case for or
against a specific sin, Dr, Yuan makes a case for treating sex the way that God
intended it to be treated. A way of strengthening the bond between a man and a
woman, and also a way to enable humans to obey the command to replenish the
earth.
The title of the book, Holy Sexuality and the Gospel, might
lead one to think that we were going to be subjected to an academic paper based
on the Levitical Laws, with a few references to the books of Romans and 1
Corinthians. There is a bit of an academic slant which some readers might find
a little daunting, but remember that Dr. Yuan is an academic. Although the
framework of the discussion centers on sexual sin, the broader picture that is
painted is of sin—period.
All sin interferes with the
relational aspect of knowing God, and by extension with knowing others. All sin
interferes with getting along with God and with others. All sin gets in the way
of living within the context of ‘God's Grand Story’.
As an added bonus, there is a study
guide at the back of the book. Over the course of 8 weeks, a few chapters at a
time, individuals, or preferably a small group, can more fully explore the
content of this book.
As a member of the Waterbook &
Multnomah Launch Team, I received an advance copy of this book. I was asked to
write and post a review, but there was no expectation or requirement that it be
a positive review.
I enjoyed this book, but imagine
that many readers would not enjoy it, because they won’t agree with the author’s
stance on the topic
5/5
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