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Passions of the Heart: Biblical Counsel for Stubborn Sexual Sins
Enticed by rage, sensuality, or pride, anyone can become caught up in previously unimaginable acts. Experienced biblical counselor John Street takes a hard look at the heart idolatries that lead even Christians to commit egregious sexual sin . . . showing how to bring lasting change by identifying the underlying motivations of the heart. Here there is any sin can be forgiven, and Christ gives men and women the grace to mortify fleshly desires and to humbly live for him.
338 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 28, 2019
138 people are currently reading
279 people want to read
About the author
John D. Street
9 books9 followersJohn Street is the chair of the graduate program in biblical counseling at The Master’s College and teaches pastoral counseling at The Master’s Seminary. He contributes regularly to The Biblical Counselor and The Journal of Biblical Counseling and is a fellow, board member, and vice president of the National Association of Nouthetic Counselors (NANC).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
May 22, 2022
Fantastic book. Clear biblical insight into motivations of the heart fueled by heart idolatry. Biblical, skillful, practical, and full of sweet gospel grace for needy sinners.
April 28, 2025
This is the best book that I have read on the subject of dealing with sexual sin. It is in-depth, practical, thoroughly biblical, and very readable. Dr. Street explains the heart idols and motivations that feed and drive sexual sin. This is a must read for pastors, counselors, or anyone struggling with sexual sin.
June 24, 2022
Wow! Dr. Street's Passions of the Heart is top notch a spiritual x-ray of the heart, from a biblical counseling approach. This book delves into the heart to see where sexual sins and temptations start, so the root of the problem can be addressed. Because the issue of sexual sins is such a problem in today's world (even among Christians), we had our men's leadership group read this book and discuss it together. Would not recommend for younger than 18 without parental guidance due to the nature of some of the sins mentioned. But would highly recommended for any pastor, counselor, or Christian struggling with these sins (which is likely about 90% of Christians I would guess).
August 11, 2022
I used this book with a counselee struggling with past sexual sin. She was greatly helped as I walked through identifying the idols of her heart. I love how Dr. Street lays out the different idols and how to identify what yours are. I’d love to see him take this wisdom and apply it in a book not specifically relating to sexual sin.
There are some parts of the book that I felt were more directed at the biblical counselor and not the counselee. Also there are very detailed counseling cases used throughout as examples that may be too much for someone struggling with a sexual sin.
There are some parts of the book that I felt were more directed at the biblical counselor and not the counselee. Also there are very detailed counseling cases used throughout as examples that may be too much for someone struggling with a sexual sin.
April 27, 2019
We find ourselves in the midst of a culture that is awash in sexual sin. Yet ironically, there are very few resources available to help people deal with this vexing problem. Some books minimize sexual sin and even ignore its pernicious effects on the lives of people. Other books address the subject aggressively but fail to subject it to the weight of biblical revelation. Instead of approaching sexual sin through the lens of the gospel, it is dealt with psychologically, which in the final analysis is unhelpful.
John D. Street offers a different approach; one that is biblical, timely, and practical. The book is arranged in three parts.
Part One: The Nature of the Heart and Its Passions
Dr. Street sets the stage by helping readers understand the complex nature of the human heart. If the human heart is an “idol factory,” as Calvin says, this section shines the spotlight on the idols that are produced daily in hearts and lives around the world.
The author’s aim is to highlight the deception nature of the heart. Such a view runs counter to conventional wisdom that says lays claim to the autonomous heart. I need, “Trusting your feelings and allowing them to dictate your choices is the dogma of the day.”
Ultimately, trusting one’s heart will lead to catastrophe and ultimately, damnation. True repentance is evidenced by the pursuit of purity, righteous indignation, pursuing holy fear, deep desire for God, zeal for truth, and a desire for justice.
The author shows how “heart idolatry” manifests itself and how the end result is enslavement, in this case, sexual sin.
Part Two: The Motivations of Sexual Idolatry
The author digs deeper into the heart of sexual sin by revealing its hidden motivations. Various desires such as self-pity, discontentment, anger, and fear are exposed as sinful motivations that undergird sexual sin.
A helpful diagnostic test is offered that helps clarify heart motivations. Honest interaction is sure to lead to spiritual benefits, including a conscience which is cleansed and freedom from sin’s guilt.
Part Three: The Characteristics of a Pure Heart
The final section proves to be the most helpful as Dr. Street sets forth the criteria for lasting heart change, which is found exclusively in the gospel: “The gospel is intended to be not only a message of salvation to the unbeliever but also an ongoing message of change for the believer.” In my mind, this observation is missing in many churches. As a result, it is neglected in many Christian lives.
The gospel reveals sin and applying the truth of the gospel brings death to the flesh. Street adds, “The heart ruled by sexual lust must be ministered to in such a faithful and determined way that the Holy Spirit may use the gospel to transform the enslaved person by the power of God. This is the beginning of lasting change from stubborn and enslaving sexual sin.”
Summary
Passions of the Heart: Biblical Counsel for Stubborn Sexual Sins contains a wealth of biblical resources that will both equip biblical counselors and challenge sexual sinners to turn from their sin and cast all their hope upon their Savior, banking on his redemptive benefits found in the gospel.
Highly recommended.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.
John D. Street offers a different approach; one that is biblical, timely, and practical. The book is arranged in three parts.
Part One: The Nature of the Heart and Its Passions
Dr. Street sets the stage by helping readers understand the complex nature of the human heart. If the human heart is an “idol factory,” as Calvin says, this section shines the spotlight on the idols that are produced daily in hearts and lives around the world.
The author’s aim is to highlight the deception nature of the heart. Such a view runs counter to conventional wisdom that says lays claim to the autonomous heart. I need, “Trusting your feelings and allowing them to dictate your choices is the dogma of the day.”
Ultimately, trusting one’s heart will lead to catastrophe and ultimately, damnation. True repentance is evidenced by the pursuit of purity, righteous indignation, pursuing holy fear, deep desire for God, zeal for truth, and a desire for justice.
The author shows how “heart idolatry” manifests itself and how the end result is enslavement, in this case, sexual sin.
Part Two: The Motivations of Sexual Idolatry
The author digs deeper into the heart of sexual sin by revealing its hidden motivations. Various desires such as self-pity, discontentment, anger, and fear are exposed as sinful motivations that undergird sexual sin.
A helpful diagnostic test is offered that helps clarify heart motivations. Honest interaction is sure to lead to spiritual benefits, including a conscience which is cleansed and freedom from sin’s guilt.
Part Three: The Characteristics of a Pure Heart
The final section proves to be the most helpful as Dr. Street sets forth the criteria for lasting heart change, which is found exclusively in the gospel: “The gospel is intended to be not only a message of salvation to the unbeliever but also an ongoing message of change for the believer.” In my mind, this observation is missing in many churches. As a result, it is neglected in many Christian lives.
The gospel reveals sin and applying the truth of the gospel brings death to the flesh. Street adds, “The heart ruled by sexual lust must be ministered to in such a faithful and determined way that the Holy Spirit may use the gospel to transform the enslaved person by the power of God. This is the beginning of lasting change from stubborn and enslaving sexual sin.”
Summary
Passions of the Heart: Biblical Counsel for Stubborn Sexual Sins contains a wealth of biblical resources that will both equip biblical counselors and challenge sexual sinners to turn from their sin and cast all their hope upon their Savior, banking on his redemptive benefits found in the gospel.
Highly recommended.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.
May 22, 2023
Wow. So thankful for this book and the in-depth dissection of the heart John makes. The questions at the end of each chapter are so good. I recommend this to everyone.
December 15, 2022
This is a book I’ve heard many praise. Furthermore, as one preparing for pastoral ministry, and as one living within a culture growing in perversion and sexual temptations, I was eager to read this book, and I approached such with the expectation of finding this book to be a 5 star review. Sadly, Street provides a less than helpful resource for battling sexual sin.
First, the positives of the book. Street’s desire to genuinely help those struggling with sexual sin is abundantly clear in his writing. It’s obvious that was what he wanted to accomplish in writing this book.
Secondly, Street provides helpful chapters on seeing sexual sin as ultimately a heart issue, and ultimately a sin issue. Street does a good job showing how sexual lusts and temptations (as all other lusts and temptations) have their genesis within our hearts. Furthermore, the deceitful nature of our heart is therefore evidence that we must look outside of ourselves for any hope. Likewise, Street speaks of the severity we must deal with our sin and temptation. He also shows how motivations and idolatry of the heart are to be dealt with regarding sin.
Within these two areas, Street succeeds. However, despite the above positives, there are significant negatives that of the most unhelpful kind.
For starters, it’s hard to tell the intended audience of this book. At times it seems to be written for those struggling with sexual sin (which is the primary audience this reader gathered from reading). However, there are many times where the book seems to be written for those counseling others in and through sexual sin. Perhaps, the book was intended as some form of hybrid. The issue with this lack of clarity is that, for this reader, it made the overall argument and flow clunky and unnecessarily repetitive without building on the argumentation in area of repeat.
The second issue is in relation to the intention and intended audience. For a book that is seeking to aid those who are entrapped in serious and deep sexual sin, the book uses language that is, to be quite blunt and honest, overly graphic and encouraging to the imagination. Street’s apparent lack of consideration here would not be helpful for the imagination for one seriously struggling with, and wanting to kill, sexual sin. If anything, it is a book that is written with such graphic language at times, I would fear it may cause someone to fall into the very sin this book is seeking to rescue them from. Overall, the language chosen in this book is not edifying. This also leads me to think perhaps this book was written for the counselor, not the counselee. And even so, the language is unhelpful at times.
More sensitivity, discernment, and consideration for this perhaps would have saved this book from such a devastating flaw.
Discussing this issue with others that read it, they likewise found the same issue to be a burden while reading.
Despite the above negatives, there is still one that is more problematic for this reader. Simply, Street does not actually provide any hope for those entrapped with this category of sin. There is very little hope offered in the gospel, in Christ, and through sanctification found in this book. Street ends with an apparent attempt at such hope, but it’s really just a quick list of things with little to no explanation. If a reader is struggling with sexual sin, I have very little confidence they would walk away with any sense of hope and encouragement in Christ through the gospel. If anything, they would most likely walk away defeated, if a Christian, doubting their salvation, and faced with the question if there is any hope of escape from such serious sin.
Street simply spends virtually 95% of the book showing how to identify sexual sin and the seriousness of sexual sin, but never actually giving hope of conquering sexual sin through sanctification.
In sum, this would be a book I would reference on my bookshelf for counseling someone entangled with sin, but is not a book I would ever place in the hands of one enslaved to sexual sin wanting to kill it.
First, the positives of the book. Street’s desire to genuinely help those struggling with sexual sin is abundantly clear in his writing. It’s obvious that was what he wanted to accomplish in writing this book.
Secondly, Street provides helpful chapters on seeing sexual sin as ultimately a heart issue, and ultimately a sin issue. Street does a good job showing how sexual lusts and temptations (as all other lusts and temptations) have their genesis within our hearts. Furthermore, the deceitful nature of our heart is therefore evidence that we must look outside of ourselves for any hope. Likewise, Street speaks of the severity we must deal with our sin and temptation. He also shows how motivations and idolatry of the heart are to be dealt with regarding sin.
Within these two areas, Street succeeds. However, despite the above positives, there are significant negatives that of the most unhelpful kind.
For starters, it’s hard to tell the intended audience of this book. At times it seems to be written for those struggling with sexual sin (which is the primary audience this reader gathered from reading). However, there are many times where the book seems to be written for those counseling others in and through sexual sin. Perhaps, the book was intended as some form of hybrid. The issue with this lack of clarity is that, for this reader, it made the overall argument and flow clunky and unnecessarily repetitive without building on the argumentation in area of repeat.
The second issue is in relation to the intention and intended audience. For a book that is seeking to aid those who are entrapped in serious and deep sexual sin, the book uses language that is, to be quite blunt and honest, overly graphic and encouraging to the imagination. Street’s apparent lack of consideration here would not be helpful for the imagination for one seriously struggling with, and wanting to kill, sexual sin. If anything, it is a book that is written with such graphic language at times, I would fear it may cause someone to fall into the very sin this book is seeking to rescue them from. Overall, the language chosen in this book is not edifying. This also leads me to think perhaps this book was written for the counselor, not the counselee. And even so, the language is unhelpful at times.
More sensitivity, discernment, and consideration for this perhaps would have saved this book from such a devastating flaw.
Discussing this issue with others that read it, they likewise found the same issue to be a burden while reading.
Despite the above negatives, there is still one that is more problematic for this reader. Simply, Street does not actually provide any hope for those entrapped with this category of sin. There is very little hope offered in the gospel, in Christ, and through sanctification found in this book. Street ends with an apparent attempt at such hope, but it’s really just a quick list of things with little to no explanation. If a reader is struggling with sexual sin, I have very little confidence they would walk away with any sense of hope and encouragement in Christ through the gospel. If anything, they would most likely walk away defeated, if a Christian, doubting their salvation, and faced with the question if there is any hope of escape from such serious sin.
Street simply spends virtually 95% of the book showing how to identify sexual sin and the seriousness of sexual sin, but never actually giving hope of conquering sexual sin through sanctification.
In sum, this would be a book I would reference on my bookshelf for counseling someone entangled with sin, but is not a book I would ever place in the hands of one enslaved to sexual sin wanting to kill it.
January 8, 2023
Very informative
June 30, 2019
Most helpful resource I have read on the topic. Dr. Street elucidates the deeper causes of sexual immorality showing the multi-layered nature of idolatry in our hearts. Rather than simply desiring pleasure, our hearts have hurts and hungers that sexual sin can alleviate temporarily, but will also lead us into shameful captivity where we hurt and hunger even more. He effectively shows how all sexual sin is the result of an entitled, greedy, and covetous heart and gives hope for a better way of finding true and lasting satisfaction in Christ.
June 26, 2020
Great understanding of the idols of the heart and how it applies to sexual immorality. God made us worshippers because he designed us to worship him. However, because of sin, we are skilled in worshipping anything but God. Satan is a master at taking God’s good gifts, in this case sex, and perverting it and leaving a trail of countless lives in the wake of his destruction. Dr. Street not only does a great job at identifying the problem and the hurtful consequences, he also provides ample reason for hope and steps for lasting change for anyone who struggles in this area and for those who are helping those who struggle. I highly recommend it!
February 10, 2021
4.5. Helpful- especially with uncovering what happens in the heart with its desires that can pave the way for lust.
May 8, 2021
Immensely deep and biblically strong counseling on sexual sins. Even after reading to the end, I will be keeping it in reach and off the bookshelf for a while; it is that insightful.
September 17, 2021
This was a very good book and a wonderful resource to use for the biblical counselor. Recommended to pastors for sure.
March 6, 2024
There were four big concepts that I took away from this reading:
1.) Heart Idolatry is the idea that our hearts pursue idols like recognition and rewards for hard work and how this influences sexual drives. Sometimes, self-pity is a motivation as well for undeserved suffering.
2.) People sin sexually not because they have a low self-esteem, which is what secularists suggest in clinical counseling, but because they have a high view of self.
3.) Living in Grace means that we are enthralled with the fact that God has actually forgiven us a greater debt than we can conceptualize. We have such a strong sense of the grace that has been shown us, that we repent daily and seek Him in His word and in prayer, and out of gratitude we exercise self-discipline in areas of sexual temptation, which is out of love for God.
4.) Biblical Heart Hermeneutics is the concept that we clearly understand the desires and motivations of our hearts because it can be a massive task just to nail that down, and as soon as we think we understand ourselves, our hearts are deceptive and resist this process. So there is constant need for attention to ourselves.
1.) Heart Idolatry is the idea that our hearts pursue idols like recognition and rewards for hard work and how this influences sexual drives. Sometimes, self-pity is a motivation as well for undeserved suffering.
2.) People sin sexually not because they have a low self-esteem, which is what secularists suggest in clinical counseling, but because they have a high view of self.
3.) Living in Grace means that we are enthralled with the fact that God has actually forgiven us a greater debt than we can conceptualize. We have such a strong sense of the grace that has been shown us, that we repent daily and seek Him in His word and in prayer, and out of gratitude we exercise self-discipline in areas of sexual temptation, which is out of love for God.
4.) Biblical Heart Hermeneutics is the concept that we clearly understand the desires and motivations of our hearts because it can be a massive task just to nail that down, and as soon as we think we understand ourselves, our hearts are deceptive and resist this process. So there is constant need for attention to ourselves.
April 10, 2024
This book does an excellent job of tackling a very difficult subject that most people are uncomfortable discussing. But that is what makes this book so helpful and important. Street describes comprehensively the dangers of sexual sin, all rooted in the deep, multifaceted deception of the heart. Getting to the heart of sexual sin is not a simple process, but it will result in such joy in a person’s life and marriage as a result.
December 28, 2021
This book is truly fantastic. It is an invaluable resource for anyone struggling with the sin of lust or counseling someone with it. The incredible thing about Street’s achievement is that, though the book targets lust, the key elements in the fight can be applied to any sin. Since sin is always choosing self over God and others, the strategy for conquering sin, as Street lays it out, targets the heart first and foremost. This is the key with which all sin must be addressed! Passions of the Heart has become a valuable tool for me in helping several other men with there own sins, and clear progress is being made, Praise God!
November 22, 2019
One of the best books on the subject of sexual sin I have ever read, as well as one of the most helpful counseling books I’ve read. As you read through the book, you almost have to remind yourself that you’re reading a book on sexual sin. This is because Dr. Street so helpfully clears away the nonessentials and focuses on the main issue: the heart. This is the very thing that gives this book an edge over others of its kind.
Very helpful. Would highly recommend for men’s or women’s studies, as well as individual counsel.
Very helpful. Would highly recommend for men’s or women’s studies, as well as individual counsel.
March 29, 2020
An excellent book on sexual purity. This is probably the best book on this subject that I've ever seen. John Street offers a truly biblical approach to dealing with the many forms of sexual deviancy. He understands the spiritual nature of this sin, the importance of confession and repentance, the necessity of Christ's work along with the Spirit's work, and the underlying heart issues that are involved in our sin. So good! I only wish he would write a version that's a tad more accessible and readable by, say, a teen audience.
April 29, 2020
This is an excellent book addressing in detail how to deal with sexual sins biblically. Modern American culture is saturated with sex, making handling sexual temptation a constant battle. When those battles are lost, the sinning individual may form sinful habits that enslave them to in cycles of sinful thinking leading to sinful actions. This book will enable the enslaved individual to break that sinful hold, enable the individual to successfully battle sexual temptation after the hold is broken, and enable one to counsel others who are battling sexual habits or temptations.
October 21, 2025
This book expertly presents the nature of the heart and the power of sin as it applies to sexuality. The book relies heavily on Scripture, yet also details the necessary application for living in purity. Where many books of this topic rely on behavior modification, Passions of the Heart convicts through wisdom found in Scripture. The reader is left with no choice but to confront the underlying needs and motivations of the heart instead of attempting to resolve, through will power, to modify behaviors that lead to lust. Truly an incredibly helpful work on the topic.
November 4, 2019
This book was very helpful at getting below the surface of dealing with sexual sins. The heart is the root of the matter and Dr. Street has directed the attention of the reader to address the heart instead of just dealing with surface bandaids. If you need help dealing with this sin or are helping others, this is a helpful resource to really understand what is going on at the root of the problem and then addressing it. May God bless you in your endeavour for His glory!
January 19, 2021
A long book that needs to be read slowly with someone. Street gives powerful commentary to brokenness of the human heart and how that impacts how we live, what we believe, and how habitual sin is fostered.
Would highly recommend to any person who is stuck in a ongoing battle with sexual sin. Street develops a needed tension within the book that is broken with the miraculous gospel of Jesus Christ and how the good news of Jesus must change us at the heart level.
Would highly recommend to any person who is stuck in a ongoing battle with sexual sin. Street develops a needed tension within the book that is broken with the miraculous gospel of Jesus Christ and how the good news of Jesus must change us at the heart level.
February 25, 2019
This is an excellent biblical resource that offers hope to anyone who is struggling with sexual sin. Dr. Street offers more than simply behavior modification; he gives wise instruction about identifying the heart idols which produce sinful thoughts, desires, and actions. Then he explains the biblical means of dealing with those idols so that you can pursue holiness by the grace of God.
December 8, 2020
Such a great book. Everyone should read this book that has ever had any kind of sexual lust problem. This book not only explains the why, but helps you find your why. Then helps to give you a game plan to get back to the way God designed you to be. Will be passing this along to other brothers and sisters that struggle with lust.
April 28, 2021
This Book is an excellent resources for People who are struggling with sexual sins. It goes deeper into the consequences of sexual sins and it effect. It helps believers to understand the great idols of the heart and sexual immortality.
I would recommend this book to pastors, Biblical counselors and to anyone who are struggling with sexual sins.
I would recommend this book to pastors, Biblical counselors and to anyone who are struggling with sexual sins.
May 31, 2025
This is the best treatment of the subject of sexual sin that I am aware of. Regardless of the specific struggle, it will give unparalleled insights to both those who feel stuck in these sins and those who are trying to help others. Even if you're not in either of those positions though, it will help you understand yourself better.
May 11, 2019
Masterful
This book is pure gold...filled with Scripture and Scriptural wisdom to be applied to fight the good fight of faith in the battle with impurity. Get this book and read it...then read it again while using it to build a strategy to live with heartfelt purity.
This book is pure gold...filled with Scripture and Scriptural wisdom to be applied to fight the good fight of faith in the battle with impurity. Get this book and read it...then read it again while using it to build a strategy to live with heartfelt purity.
January 29, 2020
I have read a few books on Sexual sin but this is by far the best one. First dealing with the heart and rooting out how sexual sin started in your life and then how to deal with it. It took me a while to read but great book.
December 30, 2022
This is a pretty thorough look into what the Bible indicates about the heart's desires. I appreciated the organized or systematized cataloging of these descriptions. Dr. Street walks through sanctification relating to these sinful desirs and pursuing Christlikeness.
August 22, 2024
Excellent book. It does a great job getting at heart issues underlying the symptoms of outward sins with a thoroughly biblical approach. I listened straight through the audiobook and am now enjoying going through it more slowly with the men at church.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews