Holy Sexuality and the Gospel: Sex, Desire, and Relationships Shaped by God’s Grand Story

In his early twenties, Christopher Yuan (who is now a professor at Moody Bible Institute) found himself in prison for dealing drugs. He was a practicing homosexual. After finding a Bible in a trash can, he opened it and began to read because he had nothing better to do. Over time God transformed his heart. Yuan told his story in Out of a Far Country: A Gay Son’s Journey to God. A Broken Mother’s Search for Hope.

Yuan’s newest book is Holy Sexuality and the Gospel: Sex, Desire, and Relationships Shaped by God’s Grand Story. His biblical theological approach helps us understand how we were made, how sin warps God’s intentions for us, how Christ is the answer, and how sexuality ultimately points to our glorious future in Christ. Yuan’s approach is not only biblical and effective, it is extremely encouraging.

As a former gay man, Yuan knows the issues of sexuality and their underlying struggles well. He knows the root of so much sin are identity and meaning issues, things only resolved when we take God’s view of us and understand our worth as made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26–28). He then moves through the Bible storyline as it relates to matters of sexuality, same-sex struggles, singleness, marriage, sanctification, the church, and finishes with several practical chapters sharing how to relate to friends and family members different than us.

I found Holy Sexuality and the Gospel to be a breath of fresh air. Yuan skillfully and appropriately explains how the Bible story relates to sexuality and what it means for each of us. He also dismantles false views many claiming the name of Christ import from psychology or other non-biblical frameworks. The result is an accessible book that is theologically precise, tremendously encouraging, and practically helpful for a variety of people thinking through issues of sexuality for themselves or with a loved one. Let me share just one example of how he dismantles common false arguments:

To attempt to justify human same-sex relationships by referring to the “natural” occurrence of homosexuality among animals reflects a low anthropology in which humans are no different from beasts. It’s quite simple: don’t take your moral cues from animals. After all, some animals cannibalize each other and even eat their own young! (20)

While I recommend this book to every Christian, I suspect singles, those struggling with same-sex attraction, or those with a gay loved one will value it the most. The eight-session study guide will provide fruitful fodder for small group conversations. If I were a youth pastor, I would seriously consider working through this book as a youth group since so many of today’s identity issues and sin struggles deal with sexuality.

I loved Holy Sexuality and the Gospel and will probably read again. (Or listen to the audiobook again. Yuan even reads it himself.) If you don’t believe me about the utility of this book, perhaps others will convince you:

“In Dr. Christopher Yuan’s Holy Sexuality and the Gospel, you are holding in your hands the most important humanly composed book about biblical sexuality and godly living for our times.” —Rosaria Butterfield in the foreword
“Holy Sexuality and the Gospel is profoundly relevant in an age of toxic confusion. It should be read by every person questioning their sexual identity as well as by every pastor, parent, friend, or sibling.” —Randy Alcorn
“When it comes to sexuality, singleness, and marriage, we need all the good books we can get. And we certainly need this book from Christopher Yuan.” —Kevin DeYoung

Buy Holy Sexuality and the Gospel on Amazon.

Listen to this interview on the ERLC’s Countermoves podcast.

Watch the book trailer:

Hear Dr. Yuan speak on the topic