Customer Reviews

Passion and Purity: Learning to Bring Your Love Life Under Christ's Control

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Until "I Kissed Dating Goodbye" hit the evangelical Christian scene, "Passion & Purity" was the de facto standard for dating and marriage. And while the former book has gathered more press, Elliot's is still as useful and has stood the test of time.

Having read some of the one and two star reviews here, I would simply say that virginity, making sure one's relationships are upright, asking serious questions about the worthiness of a potential mate, surrendering one's sexuality to God, dealing with loneliness, and knowing how to die to self daily are practices and beliefs that never go out of style.

Frankly, I believe this book has as much to offer as anything out there. That it is coming up on twenty years in the market does not diminish the power of the words contained inside. With the rampant promiscuity among young people, even those who claim the name of Christ, and the fallout that results in young lives because of a shattered soul given away in pieces to one sex partner after another, "Passion & Purity" still calls to all who will hear.

As for me, I heeded the words of the author as a young man and was able to hold on amidst the storm of sexual imagery and waning morality. This book was invaluable in that regard, helping me to see that I was not my own - I was bought with a price. How could I trample on that price?

Let me also say that after reading this book, I wrote Elisabeth Elliot and she wrote me a very kind and thoughful reply. If there is anything anochronistic about the author and her views, I will take her position any time. I mean, when was the last time an author personally responded to a letter you wrote? It just doesn't happen anymore.

If you are struggling with your sexuality, your dating life, and your desires for marriage, by all means read "Passion & Purity". It helped me. It can help you, as well.

When I first read this book, I always had an extra copy on hand to give to anyone I met who hadn't read it. Mrs. Elliot is honest and direct about her own experience and with what she's learned from other women through the years. I think the model she presents is something everyone should strive for, however, I don't believe that doing everything just the same is a requirement for having a happy, healthy marriage. For example, if you tell the person you love them before you get engaged, well, that doesn't mean your marriage is doomed. I still think its a nice idea though.

This book is a beautiful romance as well as a practical guide for young men and women today. It was a gift given to me and I hope to keep on giving it to others. The ideas and principles therein may seem outdated, but I believe we would all be better off if we followed them instead of letting our passions be our guide.

"Bettie" really exposes her relationship with past husband Jim Elliot. She tells all, from the battles of passions to the trials of being separated from one she loved ...for years. I have no doubt that if you've been in or are in a relationship, that you'll relate and nod your head to at least one of her experiences. That's the beauty of the book. She doesn't just give you the three R's of How to Surrender Your Desires to God's Desires. She gives examples from her own life of how she succeeded, and failed, to die to self and say "Lord, Your will be done". There are letters from her to Jim and vice versa. In her chapters on sexual purity she admits that she and Jim made poor choices on being together sometimes and battled the "urge to merge". I had always pictured Jim Elliot as this conservative robot who would go where angels feared to tread. He was very courageous, yet he had his dark side too. He wrote a letter to Elizabeth confessing that his greatest thought was to go to bed with her. Nice to know the guy was human after all. Yet they stayed pure in the midst of passions and desires for intimacy that we all share. I felt as though Elizabeth and Jim were putting their arms around me and saying "we've been there too. It is possible to honor God in your relationships."

Some favorite quotes: "Life requires countless 'little' deaths. -occasions where we are given the chance to say no to self and yes to God."
"Until the will and the affections are brought under the authority of Christ, we have not begun to understand, let alone to accept, His Lordship. My heart would forever be a lonely hunter unless settled 'where true joys are to be found'."
"The kind of love that sustains a marriage is God given, but it is also a daily choice. For the rest of your life. Never forget that."

Passion and Purity by Elisabeth Elliot has had a major impact on my life. I've always loved reading from authors who are frank and to the point; those who do not mess around with millions of metaphors and fancy phrasing to get around telling it like it is. Elliot is such an author. Her style of writing is down to earth and inspiring, putting a different spin on everyday thinking. It is refreshing to read a book that presents God's truth in a way that is straight forward and clear. While the subtitle of the book implies that it is like every other dating book out there, let me say that it is anything but that. It probes our true motivations, our pains, and our victories in a way that made me forget that I was reading a so-called "dating commentary". It encouraged me to switch my views around, set better moral standards with more definite lines, and cleared up many gray areas. I believe that every Christian who wishes to date should read Passion and Purity so that they are prepared for all the challenges and temptations that dating holds.

When a friend lent me this book, I couldn't put it down!! As page after page I read Ms. Eliot's words reflect what my heart and soul had been going through, I knew God had put this book in my hand! I had to buy my own copy, and then I bought copies for friends. In fact I often find myself reccommending this book while in casual conversation. This book changed my life, however, it was hard for me toward the end when she pointed out mistakes women often make, and I kept hitting my head---I'd made the same one's she talked about over and over! It seemed as if she had been following me all of my dating life to write this book--and as I have discussed it with friends I find that they feel the same.
I am a 24 year single mother, if I could apply her words to my life, you can too!

This is quite an amazing book. Elisabeth Elliot is a woman of God seeking to tell the next generation of her experiences and that it is possible to stay pure until marriage. It recognizes that our physical desires are "natural", but under the Lord's control they can be something so blessed and sacred for our husbands or wives. This book touched me so personally that I am recommending it to all of my friends, believers and not. Praise God for such words of wisdom!

I enjoyed reading this book. In an odd way it reminded me of a Greek drama or something... narrative interrupted by moral statements every now and then. The story was interesting. Actually I never got to the end but I got to the wedding night scene which was close enough to a happy ending.

This book has some good advice, like for people separated from lovers or feeling alienated. I liked the ones about enduring through suffering without giving into it or trying to escape it. She would have agreed with Bruce Lee who once said, "Don't run away, let go." Parts like that - there are lots of them - are genuinely inspiring.

But take it with a grain of salt, because not everything she says is based on the Bible. The most glaring example is the strictly man initiates/female receives thing. This is not based on the Bible but on ancient myths of Mother Earth and Father sky (read the paragraph she quotes about them... I'll never think the same way about rain again XD) and also the assumption that... how do I put it politely... that male and female anatomy is reflective of everything else in life.

The one Bible passage she quotes on this is where Eve gives Adam the fruit. A woman initiated something and the whole universe goes to the toilet, right? Not that simple. In the book of Ruth, the title character PROPOSES to a man, who praises her for it, and God blesses their union. They were the ancestors of David, and Jesus Christ. And then in Esther, the title character defies the rules by approaching her husband the king without his prior permission, and in doing so saves her people the Israelites from genocide. Based on all this, in my opinion, if somebody has an idea or romantic proposal, what matters is if they are right or wrong. Not whether they are male or female. God put some assertive women on the planet and I don't think he meant for individuals to necessarily be placed in humanity's boxes.

Elliott is a Christian author and has some good ideas but Christians are human too, and not always right. Read a lot of books and keep an open mind, but be sure to check it up to the ultimate Truth.

I finished reading this book today and would really recommend it for guys/girls committed in a serious relationship, and who want to bring this relationship into a God-centered relationship. Through her stores and words, she helped me understand how to discern the many temptations we face in the society we live in. She talks about how sometimes girls/women can feel lonely if the significant other isn't calling or anything for some time, instead of feeling lonely we should spend that time filling ourselves with God's word. There is no reason for us to feel lonely because God's always there. The story is a really moving and placed in me the urge to want to know more about Jim Elliot's story as a missionary in Ecuador. This book is just so amazing, even readers not committed in a relationship would really benefit from this, I highly recommend this read!

I expected the product to be shipped to me from New Jersey but apparently it came from the U.K. I thought it would take too long to ship with this new arrangement, but it wasn't terribly long. I was busy with other books when this one was delivered in great time. I'm still reading it and it is an amazing guide for people who are looking for purity in their relationships. It's also very practical in its recommendation. There is no pretentiousness here. Love this book. And I am reading it with a humble heart.

This book has honestly changed my life so much. Elisabeth Elliot so obviously knows God and His heart and gives such great advice for what women, and men, ought to do in relationships. Her words have brought me closer to the Lord and have brought a lot of important things up in my life. God has truly worked in my life and blessed me so much through this book.