Freedom from Addiction

By Stephen Terry

Sabbath School Lesson Commentary for March 5-11, 2011.

"What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me...?" Romans 7:24, NIV

Our lesson this week is about the subject of addiction. Our natural tendency is to start listing all the addictions we can think of and then comparing our present standing with the list. If we score well, we might feel pretty good about ourselves, but have we really dealt with the issue of addiction?  As Christians we tend to develop an "us versus them" attitude toward addicts. They are "outside the camp."  They are weak individuals who have no self control.  We should not encourage their behavior by treating them as normal.  They need to properly understand the seriousness of their position before they can ever be helped.  Like the prodigal son, they must "hit bottom" before they will be ready to listen to the preaching we are so ready with.

This is the popular paradigm, but is it true? Is this really the best way to handle addicts? The reality is that even those who truly believe this only apply it to certain addicts. Those who are addicted to alcohol, drugs and sex are definitely to be kept out of the body of believers, but those who are addicted to overeating, the internet, power politics, and a host of other "clean" addictions are fine.  We even go so far as to praise the churchaholic who is addicted to church at the expense of their families.  Pastors in particular are subject to this addiction, and it can be terribly hard to root out. For the church leader who manages to spend time with his or her family but all the while is thinking about the church and its needs is still addicted.  But all addictions are problematic, "clean" or otherwise.  Picking and choosing addictions does not face the problem.  It only allows us to delude ourselves into thinking that we are dealing with it when in reality we are just patting ourselves on the back that we are "not as this addict." (Luke 18:11)

First of all let’s deal with this issue of "clean" and "unclean" addictions.  There are no "clean" addictions, because there are no clean addicts, and we are all addicts.  "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" Romans 3:23, KJV But some might say, "Wait a minute! That passage is talking about sin, not addiction!"  Is there really a difference? What is the end of the addict?  Isn't it the same end as the sinner? "For the wages of sin is death;" Romans 6:23. KJV The end of the sinner and the end of the addict is the same; their behavior will only bring them death.

Again, some might object, "But a drug addict will die much sooner!" Maybe this is true and maybe not. If we are honest about any of God's commandments don't we have to admit that not obeying them has the potential to shorten our lives?  In fact, one commandment tells us that obeying it will actually lengthen our lives: “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you." Exodus 20:12, NIV The temptation then is to believe that if by force of will we can practice perfect obedience, we will escape the fate of the addict.  But the Bible, like a mirror reveals the truth of the matter.  Even Paul the Apostle could not accomplish this.  He wrote:"... I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing." Romans 7:18-19, NIV God knows this is our problem, through Jeremiah the Prophet he said, "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil." Jeremiah 13:23, NIV

Maybe we are the ones who really need to "hit bottom" before we can be helped. Paul seemed to hit bottom when he lamented "Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?" Romans 7:24, NIV The truth is that God does not want anyone to "hit bottom," and many have come to Him without doing so. Why do some then wait until they do before coming to Jesus?  The answer is shame. Just as some Christians have taken it upon themselves to shame addicts to the point that many addicts fear exposing themselves to more shame by coming to church, sinners have also been shamed. This is a primary work of the Devil, to shame us so badly that we would never dare come to Jesus.  The Bible calls Satan the "accuser of the brethren" that "accuses them day and night.""(Revelation 12:10)  But he doesn't stop there. That is his entering wedge, and it is pretty effective because he accuses us truthfully. We have really messed up our lives, and those choices keep hurting us over and over again when we think about them.

 But the real problem is that the Devil also adds a lie to his accusation.  He tells us that not only should we be filled with shame for what we have done, but how could we ever, ever come before a holy God with what we have done?  And this lie, too many of us choose to believe and accept, and why not? The Devil is pretty good at spinning lies. The Bible says he is not only a liar but the father of all liars. (John 8:44) He is such a good liar that he convinced a third of all the thousands and thousands of angels in heaven that he was right and God was wrong. (Revelation 12:3-9)

We should not believe his lies. God has told us the truth. He says “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness." Jeremiah 31:3, NIV Like the father waiting for the prodigal son, he looks for us with a yearning heart and is eager to welcome us into his arms of love. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him." Luke 15:20, NIV This story that Jesus told goes on to say that rather than pointing out his son's shame, he threw a party that his son had returned.  Jesus assures us that heaven throws a party for everyone that comes to Him. (verse 10)

Some, like the brother of the prodigal, feel that this is too easy and encourages the returning brother to take advantage of such easy reconciliation and presume upon the father's compassion.  But God never says this. This comes from the Devil. First he tells the lost that they should be too ashamed to come to God. Then if they do come, he says they should never trust God to love them if they fail to obey.  It is as if the brother of the prodigal told him, "You better not mess up again, or Father will cast you out!"  But he would never say this in his father's presence because he knows it is not true. The Devil knows that it is not the sinner but he himself that was cast out.  He cannot stand the thought that because of Jesus, all can hope for a heaven that he can never enjoy.  They only need to come to Jesus.

Whether manifested as "clean" or "unclean" addictions, sin is only healed by One. The only way that we can find that healing is to come to Him.  God gave us the cure through, Jesus.  Won't you ask him to heal you?  He will. He will pick you up every time you need it. Though others may give up on you and you may even give up on yourself, He never will.  His currency is love, and His message is hope. Cling to Him, and He will cling to you.

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