10 of those

Any identity other than Christ is idolatry

Matthew Roberts expertly critiques the spirit of our age, the identity movement, from a Biblical perspective. The Pride movement says that we are defined by our desires, which by denying our status as made in the image of God is idolatry. Man is made in the image of God as male and female, and so an attack on this is part of our rebellion from God. Individual freedom is the great idol, which is sometimes confused by Christians as a good thing. But is very different from the liberty in the Gospel. It is a rejection of God's rule. He shows that is as impossible to be a Gay Christian as a Muslim Christian - any identity outside Christ is idolatry. He also argues that desires can be sinful even if not acted upon, and condemns as deeply harmful the view that Christians who have lustful thoughts about the same sex can't marry. The answer to all this is of course the Gospel. The Lord Jesus takes away the shame of our sin, and will restore to be the image bearers we should have been. Most gloriously, he allows us to be part of his bride, the Church. An excellent book to reframe your thinking and move you to repent of your idols and look to Christ, our all in all.

Stephen

Brilliant - but Dangerous!

I bought this book (at the 2023 W Midlands Men's Convention) because I desired to understand more about Pride ideology. The book does this brilliantly but it quickly revealed the idols of my own heart. It's all too easy for Christians in the west to worship free speech, God's Word, our evangelical church structures and expository preaching etc. All good stuff but they can quickly become idols and prevent us from worshipping the one true God and lying face down and crying, "God have mercy on me a sinner." The author reveals the idolatry and destruction of Pride and especially Sexual Orientation but also shows that evangelical churches can also construct their own idols which make salvation from Pride idolatry very difficult. I read this book in order to help me to understand and call, for example, LGBT people to repentance. Instead, this book has driven me to my knees and demanded that I live out the true gospel and preach this to all irrespective of any identity - perceived or otherwise. The book makes a key point that all of us - all humans - are male human beings created in God's image or female human beings created in God's image. Therefore, we are to image God accordingly, pointing to the final marriage supper of Christ and His church. All church leaders and workers need to read this book. It offers hope for the sinner and Godly rebuke to those of us who think we are righteous.

Alastair

Pride

The first half of the book was pretty technical and over my head in parts, however the second half feels more practical and critiques a popular Christian view to sexual identity. Matthew Roberts does a very good job at showing a different approach to the popular way, and I believe shows from the Bible why he’s got it right. Worth reading carefully, and prayerfully. Big issues that have serious consequence and we should heed Roberts’ message before we sleepwalk into worldliness.

Jonathan