The HEART of ADICTION A Biblical Perspective
Introduction
My primary purpose for writing this book is to glorify God by pointing you
to His Word that you may see how it sufficiently addresses the problems of
“addiction” and substance abuse. Frankly, I find it troubling that, although God’s
Word lovingly tells us the truth about “the heart of addiction,” it is a neglected
resource for those who suffer from a variety of “addictions.” Why would people
disregard such a valuable resource as the Bible? Are some Christians limiting
themselves by neglecting to consult God’s Word and His powerful wisdom on
this subject?
One of the reasons for failing to seek God’s Word is that it does not fit with
the world’s ideas of addiction as a “disease.” What a shame that Christians do
not start with the Word of God but rather choose to start with the theories and
ideas of mankind! Nearly every common behavioral problem is “diseased” in
American culture: gambling, overeating, excessive time spent on the internet,
excessive shopping and spending, stealing, and rebellious behavior. It all started
less than one hundred years ago with the popularization of alcohol and drug
abuse as a “disease concept” that is now widely accepted as “truth” rather than
hypothesis and conjecture. The originators of this “disease concept” believed
that the symptoms of “addiction” looked like a “disease” so they developed an
analogy to describe the similarities. The symptoms were so frequently observed
that the originators of this concept concluded that the heart of the problem had to
be a “disease” that attacked the “addict”. This of course would then relieve the
addict of his guilt. The originators of this “disease concept” were not committed,
evangelical, Bible-believers, therefore most of their ideas do not reflect
foundational, biblical principles.
Consistent with this reasoning, non-Christians have no power to truly
overcome an “addiction” so they really are “powerless.” But can a Christian
claim to be powerless if he or she has the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit to
enable them to say “no” to a choice to excessively use a mood-altering
substance? The answer is “no” since the power working in and through the
Christian is the Holy Spirit. Because of the physical results of excessive
consumption associated with “addiction,” it is true to say that a Christian can be
overtaken by a drug physically speaking; however, a Christian must not allow a
drug to enslave him. The Bible calls this a “sin” problem.
Sin?
Sin is a misunderstood concept even in Christianity today so there is no
wonder that it is misunderstood by unbelievers. If you watch television or listen
to the radio, let me challenge you to a contest. Take a pen and paper and record
how many times you hear the word “sin” used in a serious manner in a twentyfour
hour period on any secular program. Do not count Christian television or
radio (though some programs in that medium would be deficient!). If you hear
the word “sin” used correctly just one time, I will be pleasantly surprised and
you will win the contest (no prizes, of course).
Sadly, our culture has successfully removed this word from our everyday
speech, and the concept of sin is nowhere to be found. So why did Jesus die? Did
Jesus die for a “disease of addiction” that is not really our fault in the first place?
No. Why would Jesus have to die for something that is not our fault? If God is
fair, He would not unnecessarily punish His Son on the Cross. If one believes the
“disease concept of addiction,” there is no need for a Savior since the disease is
not the addict’s responsibility.
So, what did Jesus die for? “Our sins” is the obvious answer, but if sin is
rarely mentioned in the culture, the Cross becomes less important in the minds of
people. We need a larger understanding of sin so we can obtain a larger
understanding of the Gospel message of the Cross. We need a solution for our
sin problem and God has graciously provided the answer for sin in the atoning
sacrifice of His Son Jesus and in the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. You
can overcome a sin problem but you will never overcome a “disease of
addiction” problem. For this reason, I believe that purely biblical teachings
provide hope for addicts.
We must establish a foundational principle about the use of the term “sin”
when dealing with addiction. Since the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3, man has
rejected the truth of God’s Word, and the same rejection often holds true today in
addiction counseling. I encourage you to embrace the idea of sin as the
underlying cause for your addiction and you will gain more insights into how to
overcome it.
