David Bowden. Rewire Your Heart: Replace Your Desire for Sin with Desire for God. Nelson Books, 2018. See here to buy the book.
How can Christians overcome sin in their lives? One suggestion, of
course, is “Just say no.” But I have heard alternative advice from
Christians over the years. “Don’t focus on not lusting, but draw closer
to God, and then you will not lust.” I heard a pastor offer similar
advice about smoking.
David Bowden leans more towards the latter advice. For Bowden, sin is
the result of misplaced affections. We seek fulfillment from sin when
only God can satisfy those needs. I remember Tim Keller making a similar
point: maybe, contrary to Freud, religion is not the result of
unsatisfied sexual desire, but rather our search for sexual fulfillment
is really an aim to satisfy a religious need.
In my opinion, and other readers may differ, the book is a little
thin on how Christians can replace their desire for sin with a desire
for God. The book talks about focusing on God’s free grace in Christ.
Bowden draws a lot from Reformed thought, but, unlike some prominent
Reformed thinkers, he leans heavily towards the grace side of the
grace-law/works/fruit continuum.
Such an approach leaves questions unanswered. How can a Christian
rest in God’s grace, when there is so much in the Bible about divine
wrath, the need for good works, and the contingency of forgiveness, or
even God’s acceptance? If simply trusting in God’s free grace decreases a
desire for sin, why do so many believers in God’s free grace still
struggle with sin, and in some cases simply give in to it?
And can devotional religious activity or thinking the right religious
thoughts decrease sexual desire or addictions? I do not hastily answer
“no” to this question, for people do look to sex or addictions for a
sense of peace or fulfillment, often in unhealthy ways. But some desires
are due to human biology.
The book has its assets, though. Bowden offered effective
illustrations. His interpretations of Genesis 3 and Romans 7 were
intriguing. He does well to attempt to offer something positive, rather
than merely saying “Just say no” to the negative.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through BookLook Bloggers. My review is honest.