Carl Trueman has said, “Internet pornography is probably the number one pastoral problem in the world today.” Heath Lambert’s Finally Free: Fighting for Purity with the Power of Grace is a welcome contribution this most pressing problem. Lambert is the executive director of the National Association of Nouthetic Counselors and an associate professor of Biblical Counseling at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
FILLING THE GAP
“This book is not about pornography. You can find countless book about pornography,” Lambert writes in the introduction (11). Some approach the issue by addressing the damage pornography does, still others spill much ink in showing people how to think about pornography. While not doubting the dignity of such approach, Lambert aim to fill a gap in the conversation, namely, “I want to share with you the amazing depth and effect Christ’s power to eradicate pornography from your life. Whether you struggle with pornography yourself or are trying to help someone who struggles, I have good news for you: no matter how intense or long-standing the struggle, it is the work of Jesus Christ to set people free from such sin” (12).
With his purpose articulated Lambert goes on in chapter 1 to explain the nature of grace. He encourages readers that, “It is possible to be free from pornography. Because of his grace, God sent his Son to pay the penalty for the sins we all commit. When you believe in God’s grace toward you, you get God’s righteousness” (19). And this righteousness is experiential. Lambert rightly remarks that the popularity of all things “gospel-centered” runs the risk of created people who delight in discussing the gospel’s power rather than experiencing the gospel’s power. “The danger in our day is taking grace for granted and not considering how to make it practical” (19). In order to make the fight for purity practical, the rest of Lambert’s book illuminates eight strategies in the fight.
EIGHT GOSPEL-CENTERED STRATEGIES
The eight strategies are:
- Using Sorrow to Fight Pornography
- Using Accountability to Fight Pornography
- Using Radical Measures to Fight Pornography
- Using Confession to Fight Pornography
- Using Your Spouse (or Your Singleness) to Fight Pornography
- Using Humility to Fight Pornography
- Using Gratitude to Fight Pornography
- Using a Dynamic Relationship with Jesus to Fight Pornography
Lambert warmly weaves sound exegesis to case studies to practical exhortation with each strategy. His unfolding of godly sorrows true nature and fruit in chapter two is strikingly clear – in a good way. The chapter on accountability provides seven principles that “strengthen the common weakness we find in most accountability relationship” (47) and I found it to be the best wisdom on true accountability I’ve read. One choice nugget is when he writes, “You will not experience dramatic change in your struggle as long as you use accountability to describe your sins instead of declaring your need for help in the midst of temptation” (49).
One strength of Lambert’s work is that he is blunt when necessary, but the bluntness never contains unnecessary bite. It is always clearly tethered to Scripture and filled with a warmth that you would expect from such a seasoned counselor. For example, in the chapter on humility Lambert begins, “Here is the point I want you to get in this chapter: If you look at pornography, you are arrogant” (108, emphasis original). Using James 3:13-16 as his guide, Lambert so ably reveals the biblical reasoning for his pointed claim, that I think every reader will cry “Amen!”when he reads, “You can look at porn, or you can be humble. But you cannot do both” (109).
An added advantage of Lambert’s work is that each chapter concludes with with a list of next steps or questions for the reader’s consideration. Instead of being useless accessories these final meditation give pastors, small groups leaders, accountability partners, and struggling individuals direct counsel of where to go in light of each chapter’s truth.
ONE CONCERN
One concern I have with the book is housed in the final strategy of “Using a Dynamic Relationship with Jesus to Fight Pornography” (135-148). Using John 6 as his guide, Lambert says, “Your relationship with Jesus is bigger than your struggle with porn” (142). His desire is to move the reader from being a consumer of porn to a consumer of Christ; “You need to be the kind of person who fights for a close relationship with Jesus more than you fight against pornography.” Amen! The three main ways we do this, he writes, is by reading God’s word, praying God’s word, and singing God’s word. Again, amen! But here’s my concern: Lambert never clearly ties these practices to the church. They are individual disciplines that a porn fighter should strive after to be sure, yet it would have been better for Lambert to show how these practices are enriched by and encouraged through the local church. I also believe that Lambert would have been wise to discuss how the Lord’s Supper – what we might call “seeing God’s word” – can fuel the fight for purity. The connection seems especially right in light of Lambert’s using John 6 to drive the chapter.
FILLING THE GAP INDEED
This concern need not be overblown. Lambert’s book is a fantastic grace-fueled filling of the gap in modern literature on the subject. If you took out the chapter on “Using Your Spouse (or Your Singleness)” to Fight Pornography” the book is actually a field manual for killing all kinds of sin. Surely one can use sorrow, humility, gratitude, and confession to slay various, fleshly enemies. I kept thinking that his strategies find a happy partner in the directives Owen provides in The Mortification of Sin.
I agree that “internet pornography is probably the number one pastoral problem in the world today.” Any Christian – pastor, small group leader, lay member – should read this book.
Book Details
- Author: Heath Lambert
- Title: Finally Free: Fight for Purity with the Power of Grace
- Publisher: Zondervan
- Paperback: 176 pages
- Score: 8 out of 10