The Smell of Sin: and the Fresh Air of Grace

by Don Everts

An old man saws through his right ankle. A smooth-skinned boy lies to his father's face. Fetid tombs, harsh slavery, fatal choking . . . these images come right from the words of Jesus! They are word pictures Jesus asks listeners to imagine. But why? Why did Jesus paint such vivid pictures when he talked about sin? And why did he make them so sobering―and downright gory at times? In The Smell of Sin , Don Everts seriously tackles these stark images, coming face to face with Jesus' clear, graphic theology of sin. It's a view of sin that might make you uncomforable. But a collision with this hard truth may be just what you need.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Religion

141 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Don Everts began writing while spending nearly two decades on college campuses in Washington and Colorado. He wrote his first book, Jesus with Dirty Feet, as a 25 year-old who had just gotten married and moved to Boulder, CO.

Since then Don has published 12 books with InterVarsity Press and is currently mulling over writing an uplifting zombie novel.

Having finally gotten off the college campus, Don is serving as a minister at a nearly 200 year-old Presbyterian Church outside of St. Louis, MO.

Reviews

[Brett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sin stinks. Really! But we often see sin more casually. Maybe we imagine it like a giant carnival. True, there are some weird carnies to avoid, but you can also have time of your life! Or maybe we imagine sin like breaking some dusty old rule in the classroom of life. Yeah, so, I'm passing notes and throwing paper airplanes, but what's the big deal? Well, despite our perceptions, Jesus uses some very powerful - even grotesque - images when talking about the seriousness of sin: a 2x4 splitting your face, sawing off body parts, plucking out your eye. Everts walks his readers through some of Jesus' descriptions of sin, reminding us of the thick stench that sin leaves behind. B

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was turned off by the title at first--who wants to read about sin? But as I read it I experienced the subtitle: the fresh air of grace. What a wonderful, easy-to-read, way to think about what's really important in life and what hinders us from living the kind of life we want to lead! Don uses striking imagery and stories that stick in my mind to this day (I read it years ago). I also remember being struck by his own, fresh poetry that opened each chapter.

When I finished it, I told myself I'd reread it every few years. Guess I'd better pick it up again! (And I'm looking forward to it.)

[Ronda Koch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very hard book to read but also one that has touched my soul forever...

[Deirdre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suuuuper helpful in exposing some of the inaccurate ways that North American culture in particular thinks about sin and presenting a clear, vivid, Scriptural alternative. Evert's analogies and metaphors really do paint the picture of how good life with God is and how damaging any alternative is, in a non-preachy, grounded, realistic kind of way.

As I think about where I focus my attention, my only desire is that he had included a bit more about what we *are* aiming for in live with God, how it *does* work better and feel better than sin, and how beautiful God is.

Would recommend.

[Brian Christensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sobering view of sin. Hard to read but great. Like all truth you sometimes say 'ouch' and sometimes 'Amen'. But the smell of sin makes the Gospel...the good news beyond just ok, lukewarm news - it makes it AWESOME news.

[Arlen Nagata · Rating 5 out of 5]

An older book with timeless truth

I love the easy way this book reads and draws you into the uncomfortable topic of sin. The truth is so simple but life changing.

[Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm pleasantly surprised! This was better than I expected

[Maegan Spivey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes the format was a little hard to track with. But the overall point was not missed - even "small" sins separate us from God. Sin is serious. So serious Jesus had to die for them.
For me, this book was a stepping stone to start recognizing how precious what Jesus did on the cross was. The Gospel had become like white noise, I had become detached from my sin. Getting a hold on the seriousness of sin refreshed the wonder of the Gospel for me.
I would highly recommend a book like Jesus + Nothing = Everything by Tullian Tchavijan as follow up. Or the Gospel Centered Life.

[Meredith Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I make it a point to read this book at least once every year and I give it to everyone for Christmas! This book really revitalized my walk with The Lord. It gave me the tools I needed to honestly name the sin in my life and then, instead of shaming me, it showered me with the Amazing Grace of the gospel! Every Christian should read this book!

[lori hoad · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Don Everts writing style. He has such simple, poetic, picturesque ways of describing things. This is a good book to wake you up from simplistic views of sin and grace, and to start thinking about why Jesus used such graphic imagery when he talked about it. I read it at the same time as a commentary on 1 John, which helped illuminate some of John's strong language on the subject too.

[Chris Bowen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the simplest clearest teaching that I have read on sin. It is convicting and yet freeing all at once. It gives a great view into what it was like to hear Jesus tell the stories that he told about sin.

[Fubzi · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was OK. Fairly repetitive but in general easy to read. I didn't appreciate the grusome examples he used but I suppose that that was the point. Generally, I don't think I gained that much from reading it, but you never know, when I need it something may come back.

[Aj · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don Everts gives a unique and fresh perspective on the topic of sin and how grace can lead us to freedom from bondage and entrapment of sin.

[kyle thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great little read. It offers a heavy dose of reality in light of a very overlooked and dark aspect of the christian walk...our sin.

[Robby Eckard · Rating 5 out of 5]

You will never look at sin the same way again. And by extension, grace.

[Jt]

Another great read of the year.

[RICHARD W PERRY · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eye Opening

This book tells me I have a lot of things in my life that makes me look like a fool.

[Daniel]

Awesome