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173 of 180 found the following review helpful:
 The pleasures of God vs. the fleeting pleasures of sin...Oct 14, 2003
By Robert D Hulson
Most of the reviewers have hit upon some of the main things that makes this great. Yet some reviewers accuse Josh Harris of borderline legalism because of the steps he has personally taken to properly handle his lust problem (and some examples from others who are fighting this sin). As a young man who, like Harris, is weak in this area, struggling with legalistic attitudes on one side and full-blown licentiousness on the other, this book has been a breath of fresh air, a glass of cool, clear water. While it does offer practical advice, Harris is not so arrogant as to claim that this is the one-size-fits-all practical guide to lust.First, he points out a group of young people who would fast if one of the group looked at internet pornography. Instead of praising this method, Harris is disappointed and points out that One has already paid the punishment for every sin we have and will commit. To make other people "pay" for your sin is to deny the sufficiency of the atonement of Christ. He says: "If you were to use the practical ideas I'm about to share with you as a legalistic set of guidelines, not only would it be displeasing to God, but you wouldn't change. Your behavior might change for a while, but your heart wouldn't change." (p. 50) And regarding his friend that stayed outside the video store, was he saying it was right for everyone to do so? By no means! His friend had recognized the areas that caused him to lose sight of Christ, and for that time in his life, video stores were a struggle. This is vastly different than telling everyone, "So, like my friend, you shouldn't go into video stores, either." This is exactly it: Have we really tasted of God to the degree that we want nothing less than satisfaction in Him? What I loved most was his chapter on the sword of the Spirit, adapted from John Piper's book, Future Grace. Truly, the only way to break the power of lust in our lives is to taste and see that the LORD is good (Psalm 34:8). When you taste of the Fountain of Living Waters, the broken cisterns of lust cannot compare (Jer 2:12-13). This chapter alone is worth the price of the book. Overall, if you struggle with lust in one form or another as I do, I would, along with John Piper, commend this book for your soul. It correctly identifies how we can turn our fight against lust into legalism, and also how we tend to treat it as "no big deal." So let us also lay aside *every* weight, and the sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us (Heb. 12:1), because the pure in heart, dear reader, the pure in heart will see GOD (Matt 5:8).
126 of 133 found the following review helpful:
The best book on lust I've ever readSep 24, 2003
By Brian G Hedges
This is a powerful book on dealing with sexual temptation. Joshua Harris does a fantastic job of setting every man's battle in its proper biblical and theological context. He is not soft on sin, but neither does he lead one to discouragement or despair. He understands that a right relationship with God is by grace through faith alone, but he knows that the faith which justifies also sanctifies. He is candid and honest, yet remains discreet, writing a book which is appropriate for and targeted to both men and women. He avoids setting hard and fast rules, advocating that we develop "a custom-tailored plan" for fighting against lust, but he provides plenty of practical ideas about how to make progress. He addresses sensitive issues (like masturbation) as well as cultural issues (like media and dress). Best of all, he encourages open accountability ("lone rangers are dead rangers") and provides an excellent chapter on how to fight the lying promises of lust with the true and satisfying promises of God. Drawing on the wisdom of John Piper's Future Grace, and C. J. Mahaney's The Cross-centered Life, this is one of the best books on sanctification I've seen, and the best book on the particular subject of sexual temptation I've ever read. I highly recommend this to both men and women, single or married. Thanks, Josh for sharing your heart with us.
46 of 48 found the following review helpful:
Finally the Topic is Broached ProperlyOct 01, 2003
By a concerned reader
I believe this book ought to be read rather than Every Young Man's Battle. This book is cleaner (no unneeded lude descriptions), it makes solid points, it is directed at both men and women, and it stays close to scripture all the way through. This book will get the legalism out of your battle with lust, and remind you that a biblical battle with lust will always have desiring Christ and a closer walk with Him who has already declared christians righteous despite their struggles and failures at the center of it.
25 of 26 found the following review helpful:
Practical, Bible-centered methods to fight lust for both men and womenAug 07, 2005
By Albert Cerussi
I got this book looking for ideas on how to share the topic of lust with our youth group. What I found was a very practical, Biblically-centered, and informative approach on how both men and women can tackle the immense problem of lust. I quickly found myself realizing that this book was not only good enough for our youth group, but for me, and even for our entire congregation. This will definitely be a future topic in our ministry, both to the teens and to the adults.
I like this book. Harris is not afraid to say what needs to be said. You know that he is like the "rest of us" because as you read the book, you find yourself thinking .. yes I've thought that before ... oh my I did that too ... good grief, is he reading my mind?
Mr. Harris offers some very simple ideas (but not necessarily easy ones) for combating lust in our lives. For example, he asks the reader to take stock as to when and where lust strikes so that we can understand how the problem occurs and how to take steps to fight it. He uses the Bible to show not only the dangers of lust, but also to show solutions to the problem. The book does not offer a "formula" that will help you win the fight. But Mr. Harris expertly points out just how society is permeated with lustful images and innuendos. And like it or not, these things influence and de-sensitize us to the real problems of lust.
The book is a very light read; you could put this one away in one sitting. But you might just find yourself going through it many times because there is a lot of practical advice and strategy to be learned. The book is highly recommended for both men and women, married or single alike. It could just be one of the most important books you will read for a long time.
19 of 19 found the following review helpful:
Not a legalistic or impossible standard!Jun 26, 2004
What I appreciate about Not Even a Hint is that the author's stance on sexuality is utterly biblical; it is rooted in grace. Joshua Harris acknowledges and even celebrates the fact that God made us as sexual beings. He doesn't trample on attraction as a sin. He thanks God for his goodness in making men and women to be drawn to one another in complimentary ways and points to the precious gift of marriage as God's intended setting for the fullest expression of our sexuality. Joshua also reminds us of the Bible's clear teaching that lust (which he defines as "craving sexually what God has forbidden") in any form is a sin, which, like all sins, must be punished by the God who created us. The good news of the gospel then -- that Jesus Christ has paid in full for all of our sins by taking our punishment on the Cross, and that He rose from the dead to give us new life in Himself -- provides the foundation for this book. We can work to put lust to death -- work with all of our hearts and all of the strength we have in Christ -- because Christ has set us free already from sin's penalty, which is death. And because Christ's Spirit now is at work within us, we have true hope for progress against our sin in this life and the promise of perfection in the next! The words "not even a hint," which Joshua took from the NIV transaltion of the Bible, do not set up a legalistic and impossible standard designed to bring us to despair. Instead, the book's title (and text!) points us to the bar set by Christ Himself, who is both our Savior and the only hope we have for change. And what a hope! Joshua Harris has done a courageous thing in writing this book. Those of us who have been helped by his biblical foundation and practical counsel commend him!
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