Paul David Tripp - Sex and Money: Pleasures That Leave You Empty and Grace That Satisfies

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CONTENTS

Its the afternoon following the morning that I finished the book that youre now reading. The best description of my mood right now is that I am a sad celebrant. I am devastated at what this book has exposed in me. I am grieved by the lust that still resides in my heart, and I am saddened by the evidence that I still throw away money on things that simply dont matter. But I am far from hopeless, because writing this book has excited me at an even deeper level than ever before with the liberating and transforming power of the grace of the Lord Jesus.

I am sad to think that when it comes to sex and money we still buy into the legalism that says if we can organize peoples lives, give them the right set of rules, and attach them to efficient systems of accountability, we can deliver people from their sex-and-money insanity. The fact that we can look at the power of sex-and-money sin to deceive and enslave people and feel comfortable in our reliance on the scant power of human intervention is itself insane. Few areas of the human struggle reveal more powerfully the sad sinfulness of sin than the sex-and-money evils that are done thousands of times every day.

Yet in the face of all of this, there is still robust reason for joy. All over, the church of Jesus Christ is returning once again to the hope of the gospel. All over, Christian leaders young and old are looking to the gospel of Jesus Christ to help them diagnose sex-and-money problems while at the same time holding out to those who are tempted, weak, or addicted the hope that is found only in the grace of Jesus.

Still, it is sad to think of how many people will look today to sex and money to give them what sex and money cannot give and, in so doing, give way to temptation and deepen their addiction. It is sad to think of how many people in their shame will deny the wrong of what they are doing and the depth of their enslavement. And while so many struggle in private, it is sad to see that the surrounding culture seems to get more and more sex-and-money insane with every passing day.

Yet in the face of all of this there is a happy rest in knowing that Jesus still reigns and will continue to advance the march of his kingdom until the last enemy is under his foot. He reigns over all the situations, locations, and relationships that would otherwise give you and me cause for despair. He reigns for his own glory and your good. And his reign is your guarantee that he will deliver all that he has promised you because only he can guarantee hell make good on his promises in the places where he rules; by the way, thats everywhere.

So, go ahead and read this book as a sad celebrant. I hope that at times it will bring you to tears and at other times cause you to shout for joy. Rejoice with a frown or celebrate with tears. It really is what we should be doing between the already and the not yet, while we still wait with the assurance that our Messiah will bring our sex-and-money struggles to an end.

Paul David Tripp
October 11, 2012

Sex and Money: Pleasures That Leave You Empty and Grace That Satisfies

Copyright 2013 by Paul David Tripp

Published by Crossway

1300 Crescent Street

Wheaton, Illinois 60187

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic , mechanical , photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided for by USA copyright law.

Cover design: Faceout Studio, www.faceoutstudio.com

First printing 2013

Printed in the United States of America

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV Bible ( The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ), copyright 2001 by Crossway. 2011 Text Edition. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture references marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV, Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. TM Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-4335-3649-6
PDF ISBN: 978-1-4335-3650-2
Mobipocket ISBN: 978-1-4335-3651-9
ePub ISBN: 978-1-4335-3652-6

Crossway is a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

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For new morning mercies and daily rescuing grace I am eternally grateful.

Ive come to count on Paul Tripps books being biblical, Christ-centered, deep, engaging, and well-written. Sex and Money is no exception . Its insights into our cultural idolatries and Gods transforming grace are priceless.

Randy Alcorn, author, The Purity Principle and Managing Gods Money

Fresh. Honest. Real. Paul Tripp tackles the familiar snares of sex and money with fresh perspective, honest answers from Gods Word, and a real sense of our need for Gods grace. I commend this new resource to you from my friend and ministry partner.

James MacDonald, Senior Pastor, Harvest Bible Chapel; author, Vertical Church

Sex and money. Are there any other subjects that occupy our thoughts more than these? Are there any other subjects that enslave our lives more than these? Paul Tripp provides insight into how we have turned these blessings from God into bondage and how a Godward perspective is the only way that they can be put back into their proper place in service to him. All who have struggled with these issues, which includes most everyone, will find practical, biblically grounded help in these pages.

Tim Witmer, Professor of Practical Theology, Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia; author, The Shepherd Leader and The Shepherd Leader at Home

Paul Tripp reaches out to those weighed down by the sexual insanity and rampant materialism of our day. With careful biblical teaching, grace, and gospel at the heart of his argument, Tripp explains that it is only when we recognize God as the unchallenged master of our hearts that everything else will be in its rightful place. As he writes, The gospel is the only reliable diagnostic when it comes to sex and money, and because it provides the only reliable diagnostic, the gospel also graces us with the only truly effective cure. This is a humble, hopeful, relevant booka wonderful reminder that Jesuss way truly is easy and his burden light. I highly recommend it.

Chris Brauns, Pastor, The Red Brick Church, Stillman Valley, Illinois; author, Unpacking Forgiveness

I always benefit from Paul Tripps relentless focus on how the posture and beliefs of our heart are the seat of our behavior. In Sex and Money , he has taken two of the greatest idols and unmasked them against the glorious gospel. If you really want to unseat the insanity and power of lust and materialism in your life, this book will take you to the one true solutionJesus himself.