cover image Three Free Sins: Recovering a Neglected Perspective on Sin and Grace

Three Free Sins: Recovering a Neglected Perspective on Sin and Grace

Steve Brown. Howard, $14.99 trade paper (240p) ISBN 978-1-4516-1226-4

Brown (What Was I Thinking?) intends his approach to be controversial. He tells how he has used the gimmick of “three free sins” to engage listeners to his radio show and has been rewarded with no shortage of unkind remarks. Brown explains his unorthodox delivery in this way: “I decided to ditch the theological and religious words, and to be as outrageous as God was in his giving of himself for us.” While the title may appear brash, its underlying concept is certainly orthodox Protestant Christian teaching. Brown asserts that all sins are “free” for Christian believers because Jesus paid the price for them at his crucifixion. Brown proposes that, instead of trying to be holy, Christians admit and embrace what they really are: forgiven. The book is peppered with humorous tales and personal testimonies that Brown has collected over more than 25 years as a Christian pastor, radio host, and seminary professor, to prove his point. The result is a refreshingly candid view of how Brown sees humans and their relationship with God. Agent: Wolgemuth & Associates. (Feb.)