"Captured by a Better Vision" Tim Chester

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Tim Chester, Captured by a Better Vision: Living Porn Free. Intervarsity Press, 2010. 192 pgs. 

As most of my readers probably know, porn addiction was a struggle for me.  I wish this book had been written ten years ago.  As you can guess from the title, this is a book about being set free from pornography.  In it, Chester takes the reader through 5 steps, beginning with abhorring porn and moving towards embracing the glory and vision of God.  His idea is that in order for us to be free we need to not just leave the sin behind, but to grasp, and be grasped by, God's greater vision.  

He begins with 12 reasons to avoid porn, which is a necessary, if sad, starting point.  However, he moves on from there to discuss the deep spiritual needs around which porn addictions revolve, how these needs are never met through porn, but how they are truly and fully met through the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Along the way, he discusses the nature of beauty and desire, the fight of faith, and much more. 

This book was excellent.  It deals very well with a sensitive and burgeoning (burgeoned?) issue.  It is scripturally and theologically sound and well-written too!  As a personal note, not only do I wish I had this years ago, but I am glad I have it now.  I am a youth pastor and know, only too well, the statistics about porn usage in teenagers lives.  This is a real, important, issue which we ignore at our peril.  I think, and I am fairly certain that I am not the first person to think this (it may have come up in Chester's book, I can't remember), that one common reason for men not being very active in living out the gospel is because of struggles with pornography. 

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1

Indeed, it is for freedom we have been set free, so let us know allow porn to enslave us. 

Conclusion: 5 stars.  Conditionally, but highly, recommended.  Probably anyone can benefit from reading this at some point. Even if you do not share this struggle, I can pretty much guarantee that someone close to you does.  However, I say conditionally because we are not all at a place right now where this would be a good read.  

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