Making All Things New: Restoring Joy to the Sexually Broken
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This book offers hope for both the sexually immoral and the sexually victimized, pointing us all to the grace of Jesus Christ, who mercifully intervenes each moment in our lifelong journey toward renewal. Author David Powlison casts a vision for the key to deep transformation, better than anything the world has to offer—not just fresh resolve, not just flimsy forgiveness, not just simple formulas, but true, lasting mercy from God, who is making all things new.
David Powlison
David Powlison (1949–2019) was a teacher, a counselor, and the executive director of the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation. He received his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania and was also the senior editor of the Journal of Biblical Counseling. He wrote a number of books, including How Does Sanctification Work?; Making All Things New; and God's Grace in Your Suffering.
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Reviews for Making All Things New
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Making All Things New - David Powlison
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Crossway on FacebookCrossway on InstagramCrossway on Twitter"In Making All Things New, David Powlison offers us a gem, a helping hand, and a sure bet. True to the Bible, he is a realist. He shows us how a Christ-redefined life changes what sex means. This book is not pie in the sky. It is feet on the floor. Where do you or people you love struggle? Take David’s hand and walk this road with the Lord. He shows us all how besetting sexual sin is symptomatic of something yet hidden. Repentance of sin commences sexual repatterning, and this accessible book will take you into that dark place with the light of Christ. As the world clamors about sexual rights and privileges, the people of God must show up with something beyond moral platitudes or behavioral modification programs. We already have a Savior who knows how to rescue his people. And now we have an accessible guidebook, one that helps the sexual sinner recognize the deeper battle, and one that helps parents and allies apply faith to the dire facts of being held captive."
Rosaria Butterfield, former professor of English, Syracuse University; author, The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert
Sexual sin can seem like a trap from which one can never escape. David Powlison brings good news to those caught in sexual sin, and to those who have been sinned against. This book addresses sexual sin not with shame and moralizing but with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We all need to hear the message of this book.
Russell D. Moore, president, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention
David Powlison’s ministry to all fallen humanity is evident in this book. He calls those impacted by the pain and sorrow of sexual struggle and sin to repentance while finding refuge in the arms of our faithful Savior. Likewise, he presents to all who bear God’s image a picture of what God is doing to restore the beauty of sexual intimacy in the lives of his people.
Timothy Geiger, president, Harvest USA; author, What to Do When Your Child Says, I’m Gay
"Finally, a gospel-centered book for both genders that beautifully brings the hope of Christ to bear upon broken sexuality. Women, like men, have been sinned against sexually and have pursued their own expressions of sinful sexual behavior. Making All Things New masterfully achieves the author’s vision to be candid and hopeful regarding the real possibility of life transformation and to restored joy to women and men bound up in the shame and pain of sexual brokenness."
Ellen Mary Dykas, women’s ministry coordinator, Harvest USA; author, Sexual Sanity for Women: Healing from Sexual and Relational Brokenness
I love David Powlison. Few living authors have shaped my approach to gospel growth, and even preaching, more than he has. Gifted Christian counselors like Powlison read the Bible in a unique way, laying open both the truth of Scripture and the foundations of the human heart, showing where one intersects the other. I have to think that if you heard Jesus preach in the first century, you would have assumed you were listening to a very gifted counselor. In this remarkably insightful book, Powlison offers gospel hope to those who have sinned through sex and those who have suffered through it. I am excited to provide this resource to people dealing with an area in which many first experience their need of the gospel.
J. D. Greear, pastor, The Summit Church, Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina; author, Gaining by Losing: Why the Future Belongs to Churches That Send
"Making All Things New is a helpful perspective for understanding a common theme in life. David Powlison will help you to see sexual transgression and sexual affliction under the unique lens of the gospel, and will guide you to find hope in the purity and the cleanness of Christ. Jesus makes all things new, even our sexual experience."
Alexandre Chiaradia Mendes, pastor, Maranatha Baptist Church, São José dos Campos, Brazil; director of vision and expansion, Brazilian Association of Biblical Counselors; coauthor, Dating and Engagement That God Desires
Nothing hinders joy more than sexual misuse and abuse, and nothing troubles more people more profoundly today than sexual deception, corruption, and brokenness. This easy-to-read book is compassionate yet uncompromising, practical yet principled. It shines light into darkness for those seeking a way out, and extends hope to those needing it most desperately.
Daniel R. Heimbach, senior professor of Christian ethics, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary; author, True Sexual Morality: Recovering Biblical Standards for a Culture in Crisis
Making
All
Things
New
Restoring Joy to the Sexually Broken
David Powlison
Making All Things New: Restoring Joy to the Sexually Broken
Copyright © 2017 by David Powlison
Published by Crossway
1300 Crescent Street
Wheaton, Illinois 60187
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided for by USA copyright law. Crossway® is a registered trademark in the United States of America.
Some portions of this book appeared as David Powlison, Making All Things New: Restoring Pure Joy to the Sexually Broken,
chapter 4 in Sex and the Supremacy of Christ, ed. John Piper and Justin Taylor (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2005).
Cover design: Micah Lanier
Cover image: Quilt provided by Nan Powlison
First printing 2017
Printed in the United States of America
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked NASB are from The New American Standard Bible®. Copyright © The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.
Scripture references marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Trade paperback ISBN: 978-1-4335-5614-2
ePub ISBN: 978-1-4335-5617-3
PDF ISBN: 978-1-4335-5615-9
Mobipocket ISBN: 978-1-4335-5616-6
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Powlison, David, 1949– author.
Title: Making all things new: restoring joy to the sexually broken / David Powlison.
Description: Wheaton: Crossway, 2017. | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016055822 (print) | LCCN 2017026211 (ebook) | ISBN 9781433556159 (pdf) | ISBN 9781433556166 (mobi) | ISBN 9781433556173 (epub) | ISBN 9781433556142 (tp)
Subjects: LCSH: Sex—Religious aspects—Christianity. | Consolation.
Classification: LCC BT708 (ebook) | LCC BT708 .P69 2017 (print) | DDC 261.8/357—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016055822
Crossway is a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
2022-03-02 02:53:44 PM
To Nan
Contents
Introduction
1 Getting Oriented
2 Making Renewal Personal
3 Renewing All That Darkens Sex
4 Renewal Is Lifelong
5 Renewal Is a Wider Battle
6 Renewal Is a Deeper Battle
7 Renewal Brings an Increasingly Subtle Struggle
8 Remembering the Goal of Renewal
9 Getting Down to Today’s Skirmish in the Great War
Notes
General Index
Scripture Index
Introduction
A vibrant quilt has adorned a wall in our home for many years. The artist took bright swatches of fabric and cut hundreds of tiny squares and triangles. She created a lattice pattern through which you gaze into a luminous, iridescent garden. I view her quilt as an invitation to pause and catch a glimpse into a paradise. The latticework encloses, protects, provides structure, and reveals wonders. The garden within creates an impression of flower and color, air and light, life and pleasure. It gives a small picture of our God’s two great works: the goodness of his creation and the goodness of his salvation.
Both creation and salvation embrace human sexuality. Sex is an elemental good in God’s fruitful work in creation. Our sexuality is a renewed good by his fruitful working in salvation. Imagine sexuality transformed into a garden of wise love, safety, wisdom, self-control, and delight.
Imagine growing up within the protection of the lattice. Children are protected from the stains of betrayal, molestation, and assault. Sons and daughters are not defiled and sexualized by exposure to