Sun 9:30a Class; 10:30a Worship; 11:35a Communion
Bible Bites
Is There Hope for Addiction?
According to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead (Eph. 1.19–20)
After my last paper on the hideousness of addictions, some friends wrote, urging me to do a follow-up where I say something hopeful for addicts and their loved ones. It was a good sug- gestion, which I now try to fulfill by mentioning two considerations that offer all the hope in the world to those dealing with an addiction—regardless of the object, or whether directly (as an addict) or indirectly (as a family member or friend) affected.
First, addictions can be broken because with God all things are possible (Luke 18.27). Being hooked is a reversal of what ought to be. God created man to subdue the earth (Heb. 2.6–8), but an addict has been subdued by some- thing earthy (1 John 2.16). Addicts are caught in the grip of a life-destroying habit, and everyone knows that habits are hard to break. But they can be broken; with God’s help the power of a habit can be shattered.
Scripture doesn’t stutter as to how this occurs. Two words that I think summarize the steps involved in breaking an addiction are resolve and replacement. Look, for instance, at Ephesians 4.22–24: “That ye put off con- cerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Renewed in the spirit of your mind speaks of the inner resolve the addict must have. This is undoubtedly the toughest part of the equation, for habitual sin compromises and emasculates our will. But all true change, all lasting change, is from the inside out, not vice versa. Before God can get us to do, He must get us to will, and He offers countless incentives to this end (e.g., Phil 2.1–4, 13).
With the resolve in place, the next step is replacement, wherein the old man is deliberately replaced by the new man. For every sinful practice in which we engage, there is a Scriptural alternative (Eph. 4.25–5.20). Bad habits are broken by consciously quitting the wrong, consciously doing the right, and maintaining this lifestyle reorientation until doing the right in place of doing the wrong unconsciously fills (Eph. 5.18) our life.
An addict’s attempt to change should always be bolstered by a loving and compassionate sup- port system (e.g., Gal. 6.1–2, Heb. 10.24–25). With love that bears and hopes all things (1 Cor. 13.7), with an individual re- solve that responds to godly motivation, and by exercising one’s self unto godliness (1 Tim. 4.7), there is hope.
Second, addictions can be broken because an innumerable host of addicts have done so. Paul said, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6.9–11). The past tense of to be (i.e., were) is all I need to see to know that addicts can stop being addicts. Lives dominated by sin can be dominated by God; captives can be set free.
My friend Jim McGuiggan reminded me of something Pascal said: “It is equally dangerous for man to know God without knowing his own wretchedness, as it is to know his own wretchedness without knowing the Redeemer who can free him from it.” Listen, believers have access to resurrection power (Eph. 1.19–20)—and if God can raise His Son from the dead, can anyone doubt His ability to raise one from an addiction?
