True Sexual Morality: Recovering Biblical Standards for a Culture in Crisis [Paperback]

Daniel R. Heimbach (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 9, 2004

Daniel Heimbach examines the biblical teachings on sexualmorality as well as four counterfeit views that have crept into our"sexually revolutionized" society. He gives us an in-depth look atthe moral relativism that has spread through our culture and opensour eyes to the effects that nonbiblical sexual choices have onindividuals, the family, the church, and the culture.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“I have never seen anywhere this kind of compelling analysis. This may be the most important book written in our generation.” —Paige Patterson, President, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary “This extraordinary book doesn’t flinch or equivocate. It is comprehensive, practical and highly readable. What a breathtaking achievement!” —Fred Barnes, Cofounder and Executive Editor, The Weekly Standard, and Co-Host of FOX News Channel’s “The Beltway Boys” “A very thorough study of biblical sexual morality and how it is twisted by the world.” —Elisabeth Elliot Gren “Here at long last is a strong, biblical, prophetic, and courageous corrective to the sexual anarchy reigning in our culture. It will frame debate and equip Christians to battle for moral sanity and for souls.” —R. Albert Mohler, Jr., President, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary “This book upholds high standards of biblical holiness, purity, beauty, and joy in clear contrast to the bankrupt, destructive immorality flooding our culture today.” —Wayne Grudem, Research Professor of Bible and Theology, Phoenix Seminary “Here is an uncompromising explanation of the Bible’s clear teaching on God’s design for our sexuality. It will be an enormously effective weapon against the pagan sexuality emerging in our culture.” —Richard Land, President, The Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission “This important work is comprehensive and thorough, and most importantly is biblically and theologically sound. It fills a void in current discussion and will be a standard resource for Christians in the years ahead.” —Daniel Akin, President, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary “Here is a classic Christian critique of our age—a sharp arrow in the Christian’s quiver of essential weapons for spiritual warfare—a tour de force for biblical truth and practice.” —Phil Roberts, President, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Review

"I have never seen anywhere this kind of compelling analysis. This may be the most important book written in our generation."
—Paige Patterson, President, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

"This extraordinary book doesn't flinch or equivocate. It is comprehensive, practical and highly readable. What a breathtaking achievement!"
—Fred Barnes, Co-founder and Executive Editor, The Weekly Standard, and Co-Host of FOX News Channel's "The Beltway Boys"

"A very thorough study of biblical sexual morality and how it is twisted by the world."
—Elisabeth Elliot Gren, author, Through Gates of Splendor; widow of JimElliot

"Here at long last is a strong, biblical, prophetic, and courageous corrective to the sexual anarchy reigning in our culture. It will frame debate and equip Christians to battle for moral sanity and for souls."
—R. Albert Mohler Jr., President, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

"This book upholds high standards of biblical holiness, purity, beauty, and joy in clear contrast to the bankrupt, destructive immorality flooding our culture today."
—Wayne Grudem, Research Professor of Bible and Theology, Phoenix Seminary

"Here is an uncompromising explanation of the Bible's clear teaching on God's design for our sexuality. It will be an enormously effective weapon against the pagan sexuality emerging in our culture."
—Richard Land, President, The Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission

"This important work is comprehensive and thorough, and most importantly is biblically and theologically sound. It fills a void in current discussion and will be a standard resource for Christians in the years ahead."
—Daniel L. Akin, President, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

"Here is a classic Christian critique of our age-a sharp arrow in the Christian's quiver of essential weapons for spiritual warfare-a tour de force for biblical truth and practice."
—R. Phillip Roberts, President, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

"All who care about the true good of men and women, and the upholding of truth and scriptural teaching, will find in this book enormous instruction, insight, vision, and encouragement."
—Bruce A. Ware, Professor of Christian Theology, Senior Associate Dean, School of Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Product Details

• Paperback: 528 pages
• Publisher: Crossway Books (November 9, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581344856
• ISBN-13: 978-1581344851
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #629,130 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Daniel R. Heimbach is Professor of Christian Ethics at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Born in China of missionary parents, Dr. Heimbach was educated at the U.S. Naval Academy, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and Drew University, and served on the White House domestic policy staff.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Every Christian must read this book, April 23, 2006

By 

Patrick Murphy - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: True Sexual Morality: Recovering Biblical Standards for a Culture in Crisis (Paperback)

I can't express you how delighted I am that this work exists. I have been talking about it and describing it and recommending it incessantly.

Heimbach clarifies the problem we face so marvelously, and writes so readably, there is no excuse for this book not to become a standard reference. I'm not sure I have ever endorsed a book this highly.

It is essential that we stand back and examine the great myth we all have grown up inside of, which skews and distorts our understanding of what God wants and expects of us regarding sexuality. I myself had no idea how harmful the Romantic sexual paradigm is, and how much I need to correct in my self; I grew up listening to the songs quoted in the book, and came to realize that the Romantic set of assumptions suffuses my instincts regarding sexuality. It is somewhat wrenching, the process of removal of those false assumptions, but liberating and exciting, too. I have always tried to hold the Bible in tension with what I absorbed as "obviously true" about real-life sexual morality. Heimbach doesn't scold or decree; he takes the reader out of the maelstrom, and examines all of our assumptions from a perspective-giving distance. When we return to our accustomed way of thinking, we discover that we now know why we've been wrong all along, like a kid who gives up thumb-sucking for lent, and finds no pleasure in it when he tries it again the day after Easter.

The other paradigms he examines (playboy, thereputic and pagan) are less applicable to me personally, but I am confident that Christians looking for answers to those sets of issues will be just as satisfied. It is a comprehensive work. Perhaps, it's the definitive work on the subject.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An encyclopedia of sexual morality, July 4, 2009

By 

PastoralMusings "mslapastor" (Dixie) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: True Sexual Morality: Recovering Biblical Standards for a Culture in Crisis (Paperback)

Wow! Is my response to this book.

The author of True Sexual Morality (henceforth TSM) knows his Bible.

He also knows his sexual mores. They are Scriptural.

This book is not an easy read. It is one that is important, however. As the subtitle states, we are a culture in crisis. We need to recover Biblical standards. If professors, teachers, preachers, and all Christians would take heed to this book we could indeed recover these Biblical standards. Our churches, as well as our culture, are in crisis.

From the spiritualizing of sex by paganism to the spiritual aspect of sex in Christianity; from the reason why sex should be exclusive to marriage to the reasons against polygamy, TSM covers its subject matter almost exhaustively.

TSM should be given a second subtitle: "An Encyclopedia of Christian Sexual Ethics." I don't think there is anything neglected.

TSM should be used as a textbook in every Christian Bible college, seminary, university, and should be used as a reference by every committed Bible teacher.

It's that good.

7 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyed this work, May 17, 2007

By 

David (NC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: True Sexual Morality: Recovering Biblical Standards for a Culture in Crisis (Paperback)

This book does an excellent job of examining sexual morality in our culture today and demonstrating the necessity to return to a traditional understanding. This conservative work should be required reading for anyone concerned with sexual ethics.