"Dangerous Virtues" (John Koessler)

TITLE: Dangerous Virtues: How to Follow Jesus When Evil Masquerades as Good
AUTHOR: John Koessler
PUBLISHER: Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2020, (208 pages).

What is virtuous? How can virtues ever be dangerous? After all, the way we counter vices is to incorporate virtues into our lives. Not exactly. The saying, "A wolf in sheep's clothing" is a warning for us to beware of what's on the inside, and not to be deceived by what we see on the outside. This is what this book is about: Beware of the dangerous vices disguised as virtues. In short, be careful of dangerous virtues. Using the classic seven deadly virtues as a framework for the book, author John Koessler attempts to warn us not to be too comfortable with sin, especially those vices that masquerade as respectable sounding virtues. Going back to the desert fathers, one of the key purposes of these ancient saints is not about becoming more holy but to be more aware of their sinfulness. By understanding the characteristics and behaviours of these sins, they would be better equipped to deal with these impediments on the path to holiness. This means we do not just rest at calling something as sin. We need to recognize and remove their roots. One of these roots is the insidious way in which sins have become too comfortable in our daily lives. Fornication has been replaced by a generic "making love" where the superficial use of love covers the multitudes of sensuality. Greed has been replaced by ambition. All these subtle degradation of the flesh needs to be dealt with firmly and if needed, forcefully. This means diligent and deliberate perseverance toward sanctification. The author notes that while Christian living implies the "being" before the "doing," it does not mean we remain passive. Instead, we make a conscious choice to eradicate sin as a way to establish our virtues. Focusing on eradicating sin is a step forward to a virtuous life. 

Koessler begins with the big one: Love. He describes the shifts of attitude from the sexual revolution in the late 60s to the confusion over sexual desire and preferential lust. Are we captive to our lusts or are we able to align our values with biblical virtues? By recognizing the dangers of lusts, we begin the journey to its opposite: Love. On gluttony, the basic problem is the "sin of inordinate appetite." By setting limits and self-denial, we will be able to overcome such sin even in the light of worldly temptations. On greed, the author warns us that it has been replaced by "prosperity" which is unlimited wanting. Worse, it "will make atheists of us in the end." 

The classic seven deadly sins have also been countered by the seven holy virtues. According to author John Koessler, that is not so. In fact, the effects and deceitfulness of sin could derail and demonize any virtues that humans want to practice. Like the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve thought that it was alright to eat the forbidden fruit, under the guise that knowledge was good for them. Unfortunately, it was direct disobedience of God resulting in the entry of sin into the world. We could also justify any sinful act with the general statement: "We are imperfect people living in an imperfect world. Of course, we went off the rails." That was one of the reasons why the earliest monks went to the desert to grow in their spirituality is not just to be more holy, but to be more aware of their sinfulness. Indeed, spirituality has two parts. The masquerade for sloth is "leisure." Some subtle thoughts could include the popular "Work smart not hard." Beware of the "empty hours" that we carve out, where we fail to make good use of the time we saved. The vice of wrath is also disguised by an outrage cry out for justice. This is especially so when the outrage comes from a crowd. This could quickly lead to violence and riots. It is important to be careful about philosophical abstraction and personal experience. Grace and mercy are powerful counters to the wrongful expressions of justice. On envy, we are cautioned against "materialistic porn" and how it "collaborates with pride and anger." It is good to learn that envy only goes to build up a dangerous secondary image instead of our true primary character. The final warning is on pride, and how it is often a form of narcissism. 

My Thoughts

My first thought is that vices are more dangerous than before. This is because of how it has shape shifted from ancient vices into modern renditions of acceptable virtues. What is worse is the human tendency to desire things that are sinful. This is perhaps the more dangerous of them all. Put it another way, when the heart is corrupt, anything can be corrupted. Thus, it is never too drastic to overestimate the problem and be diligent about eradicating sinful thoughts and actions. Avoid sin like a plague. Using the language of Covid-19 prevention, maintain a distance from sin. Wear masks of biblical values if distance cannot be avoided. Wash our hands regularly through confession and repentance.

Secondly, sins are most dangerous when dabbled with. There is a reason why the Bible calls us to flee the temptations of youth (2 Tim 2:2). That is why I appreciate Koessler's consistent calls to avoid the slippery slope, and if necessary, fight the sinful desires. In each chapter, he offers us ways to do just that. One interesting observation is how he sees social media being a platform "suited for pride." This forces the reader to take a step back to ask why do they post what they post. Is it for personal likes or is it truly to contribute to the wider Internet community? Even more dangerous is how each vice pairs or partners with other vices to become a bigger monster. This reminds me that the vices cannot be taken piecewise manner. They must be dealt with as a whole, because they come in different forms at different times. Even the use of the seven cardinal sins could be a misnomer too. Perhaps, recognizing the traits of each and to label them as sinfulness will help us avoid being caught up with semantics. 

Finally, we all need this warning. For some, it might come too late. I think it is never too late to turn away from wicked ways and toward holy living. In fact, there is a good chance that the longer one is a believer, the bigger the blind spots that these sins occupy. Whether visible or invisible, we need to heed the warning that Peter has mentioned in 1 Peter 5:8 to "Be alert and of sober mind" for the enemy is like a prowling lion looking for someone to devour. 

The seven deadly sins might be a classic framework developed many centuries ago. However, sin is not bound by time. They metamorphosed into new shapes and sizes in each new generation. We all need to wake up to this danger before it is too late. 

John Koessler is Professor Emeritus of Applied Theology and Church Ministries at Moody Bible Institute. He is also a writer and contributing editor for the Moody Bible Institute publication Today in the Word, where he served for 25 years as a faculty member. Prior to joining the faculty of Moody, he served as a pastor in central Illinois for nine years. John posts regularly to his podcast and blog, JohnKoessler.com.

Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book has been provided courtesy of Moody Publishers and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.