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Pride. Greed. Anger. Envy. Sloth. Gluttony. Lust. These sins have endured since the beginning, but they do not need to endure in a believer’s life. This book explores their counterpoint virtues—showing how we can drive out vice with Christlikeness as we learn to increasingly desire, discern, and practice what is good.

• The Pursuit of Virtue — Daniel M. Doriani
• The Paths to Virtue — Daniel M. Doriani
• Virtue and Vice in Christian Thought — Robbie Griggs
• From Pride to Humility — Dustin Messer
• From Greed to Generosity — Philip Graham Ryken
• From Anger to Graciousness — Michael J. Kruger
• From Envy to Contentment — Melissa B. Kruger
• From Sloth to Diligence — Trent Casto
• From Gluttony to Thanksgiving — Daniel M. Doriani
• From Lust to Love — Christine Gordon
• Building Godly Character — Jen Pollock Michel

Endorsements

“In The Death of the Deadly Sins, we are reminded of the vices that are alive and well in every human heart. The nature and presence of such sins are honestly and insightfully analyzed, but the greatest blessing of the book is its direction to the hope of overcoming these sins by the understanding that believers have been freed not only from the penalty of sin, but also from its power. We are made most resistant to the vices that attract us (even as they attack us) by the expulsive power of new, virtuous affections stimulated by our Savior’s grace and exercised with confidence in the promise of his strength. Tomorrow does not have to be like yesterday for those united to Christ by faith.” 

—Bryan Chapell, Author, Christ-Centered Preaching and Holiness by Grace

“We live in a day when the highest virtues seem to be self-definition, self- determination, and self-expression, all unmoored from any objective standard outside the self. We desperately need to be reoriented toward a life that engenders well-being and flourishing for all. Editor Daniel Doriani and his fellow authors have done us a service in this book. They lay before us the timeless virtues that God has established in his Word and show us the Spirit-empowered path from anti-virtue to virtue. To God be the glory.”

—Irwyn L. Ince, Adjunct Professor of Pastoral Theology, Reformed Theological Seminary, DC; Coordinator, PCA Mission to North America; Author, The Beautiful Community and Hope Ain’t a Hustle

“The list of deadly sins is an example of a perennial topic that richly benefits from a contemporary treatment. In The Death of the Deadly Sins, Daniel Doriani and his excellent cast of contributors remind Christians that the cultivation of virtue is always in style. Like John Owen’s classic The Mortification of Sin, this compilation sets forth both the necessity and blessing of taking a hard look at our sins and taking up God’s gracious resources in putting them to death. This book is a must-read for preachers of God’s Word and a rich resource for every kind of Christian.”

—Richard D. Phillips, Senior Minister, Second Presbyterian Church, Greenville, South Carolina

“In The Death of the Deadly Sins, the authors argue against the Greek philosophical perspective that pursuing virtue leads to happiness (the good life). Instead, they propose that true virtue flows from our communion with God (the highest good). In relationship with God through Christ, we are empowered by the Spirit to put off vice and put on virtue. The good life, then, is that life lived for the glory of God as we grow more and more in Christlikeness, desiring, discerning, and performing the good.”

—Juan R. Sanchez, Senior Pastor, High Pointe Baptist Church, Austin

“Dan Doriani has been my friend for nearly four decades, and we share a treasury of other wonderful friends, colleagues, and gospel-hearted pastors whom we both know and love. But among the whole lot, Dan has always been my first call when I need wisdom on ethical conundrums and on choices that we believers face in the malaise and madness of contemporary culture. Dan happens to be smart and well-read, but I trust him eminently because he reasons with a gospel heart and has a genuine curiosity about people. My friend cares about kindness just as much as rightness. Thus, I’m really excited about his new book of reflections on the topic of virtues. Dan’s chapters in the book are priceless. But if I likened this book to a band, Dan has chosen a wonderful group of players and voices, who make this little volume sing. Bottom line: Dan helps us understand not just the truth of virtues from a biblical worldview, but also their goodness and beauty as expressions of the love and glory of our God.”

—Scotty Smith, Pastor Emeritus, Christ Community Church, Franklin

“In our modern culture of self-indulgence, a virtuous Christian life is magnetic. We are drawn to those who consistently embody the virtue of Jesus. We aspire to be people like that. Yet in many ways, cultivating a virtuous life is harder than ever before. This timely book helps us reclaim the biblical vision of virtue that we so desperately need.”

—T. J. Tims, Lead Pastor, Immanuel Nashville

“Those of us who want desperately to be gospel-centered in all our thinking sometimes forget how important it is to be gospel-centered in our daily living. Daniel Doriani and the other outstanding contributors to The Death of the Deadly Sins revive for us all this most important topic of Christian virtue. While explaining the classical and early-church roots of the concept of virtue, they also help us understand how the Scriptures define virtue, why we must desire and seek it, and how we may attain it. This book is worth reading. And worth putting into practice.”

—Sandy Wilson, Interim President, The Gospel Coalition; Pastor Emeritus, Second Presbyterian Church, Memphis

“This compelling book features a distinguished cast of authors, men and women, digging deeply into human sin and God’s remedies. The theme is not rebuke but restoration. The tone is not punitive but positive. Designed for either personal or small-group study, the book draws on sages and especially Scripture through the centuries to serve up heartening fare that will nourish the drive to do what we say that we believe to be right. Savor these studies in virtue for a boost in overcoming your internal vices with God’s life-changing good.”

—Robert W. Yarbrough, Professor of New Testament, Covenant Theological Seminary

“It seems that vice and virtue have switched places in our cultural estimation. Doriani’s book helps us see anew the danger of vice, the beauty of virtue, and how to move from one to the other. Convicting, encouraging, and practical, this is a great tool for either personal devotions or a small-group discussion.”

—Sarah Zylstra, Senior Writer/Faith and Work Editor, The Gospel Coalition

Contributors

Trent Casto serves as senior pastor at Covenant Church of Naples. He holds degrees from West Virginia University (BS), Covenant Theological Seminary (MDiv), and Gordon- Conwell Theological Seminary (DMin), with additional studies at Harvard Business School. He is the author of 2 Corinthians in the Reformed Expository Commentary series and of a forthcoming commentary on Deuteronomy.

Daniel M. Doriani earned degrees from Geneva College, Westminster Seminary, and Yale University. He is professor of biblical theology at Covenant Seminary and has authored eighteen books on Scripture, biblical ethics, and work. He has pastored large and small churches and hosts the podcast Working for the Center for Faith and Work, St. Louis. He also serves on the board of The Gospel Coalition.

Christine Gordon earned her MATS from Covenant Seminary. She is the cofounder of At His Feet Studies and has coauthored ten Bible studies. She teaches the Bible in churches around the country, is a visiting instructor at Covenant Seminary, and regularly writes for online Christian publications. She loves to make music with others, take long walks with friends, and snuggle her ridiculous dogs.

Robbie Griggs earned degrees from the University of Missouri–Columbia, Covenant Theological Seminary, and Durham University. He is associate professor of systematic theology, chair of systematic theology, and director of the ThM program at Covenant Theological Seminary. He researches, writes about, and speaks on Paul’s theology in the context of ancient Judaism, modern morality, and the ethics of digital technology and artificial intelligence. Robbie has been a Presbyterian pastor and churchman for over twenty years.

Melissa Kruger (BA, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) serves as vice president of discipleship programming for The Gospel Coalition. She is the author of multiple books, including The Envy of Eve: Finding Contentment in a Covetous World, Parenting with Hope: Raising Teens for Christ in a Secular Age, and Wherever You Go I Want You to Know. Her husband, Mike, is the president of Reformed Theological Seminary, and they have three children.

Michael J. Kruger (PhD, University of Edinburgh) is the president and Samuel C. Patterson Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte, North Carolina, and author of fourteen books. He is a leading scholar on the origins and development of the New Testament canon and blogs regularly at his website, Canon Fodder (www.michaeljkruger.com).

Dustin Messer holds degrees from Boyce College, Covenant Theological Seminary, and La Salle University. He serves as vicar of All Saints Dallas and teaches courses relating to apologetics and philosophy at Reformed Theological Seminary-Dallas.

Jen Pollock Michel is the award- winning author of five books, including Teach Us to Want and In Good Time. She holds a BA in French from Wheaton College, an MA in literature from Northwestern University, and an MFA from Seattle Pacific University. Jen lives in Cincinnati with her family and attends New City Presbyterian Church.

Philip Graham Ryken is the eighth president of Wheaton College. Following his graduation from Wheaton in 1988, Dr. Ryken earned advanced degrees from Westminster Theological Seminary and the University of Oxford. He preached at Philadelphia’s Tenth Presbyterian Church until his Wheaton appointment in 2010. Dr. Ryken has published more than fifty Bible commentaries and other books. He serves as a board member for The Gospel Coalition, the National Association of Evangelicals, and the Lausanne Movement.