Addiction & Grace Pt. 2
So what is this root and how should we biblically define addiction? In his book, “Addictions: A Banquet in the Grave”, Christian Psychologist Ed Welch defines addiction as a worship disorder. To elaborate on what this means, Welch states, “So what is the deepest problem of an addict?...The deepest problem is sin.” Long before addiction becomes a physiological issue or withdrawal symptoms become a threat, addiction begins as a heart issue. Namely, it is an issue of idolatry in the heart. While the circumstances, desires, and promptings of the heart may vary from person to person, the root of the matter remains the same.
The individual sees something in the substances that they believe will save, satisfy, or deliver them from a particular circumstance. As a result they seek to abuse and manipulate the drug to satisfy their need. However, over time the promises of these false gods fail and unbeknownst to the worshipper, the gods themselves bring the worshipper into slavery and bondage.
The drawing of the addict into slavery to the drug of worship is typified by the pattern of Israel in the Old Testament. Here, the Israelites would look to manipulate the gods of the surrounding nations to meet their physical, emotional, or spiritual needs. Yet, time after time, this would result in the nations that represented those gods conquering Israel and bringing them into physical bondage. Such is the plight of those in addiction. They look to the drug, seeing some perceived benefit to its usage, and they seek to manipulate it to their own benefit. However, after extended use both their bodies and their souls become enslaved to the substance and the spiritual forces that lay behind it.
This pattern of false worship and bondage is a foundational theme that cycles throughout the Old Testament even beyond the Israelites exile and return to Jerusalem. This cycle continues today in the hearts of unbelievers who are battling against addiction as the allure to bow their knees to idols draws them into bondage. It then repeats itself over and over again in relapse and recovery cycles with the end result being that of, “Jails, institutions, or death.”
Yet the idolatrous cycles of ancient Israel don’t end with chains of bondage. Rather, over and over again, the bondage eventually brings Israel to a place of utter brokenness and despair. Their lowly despondence renders them helpless to save themselves and in need of a savior. It is here in the lowliest of places that Israel finds their hope and salvation in the very God that they have rejected and scorned. Throughout the course of their history, he himself intervenes and delivers his people when they fully turn to him. This promise still stands today for those who are called by his name, yet still find themselves in spiritual bondage to addiction.
If it is true that addiction does not first begin with our genetics and socio-economic factors, but begins and develops in our hearts. Then it must also be true that real healing and salvation from addiction must begin in the heart as well. It is not enough to deal with withdrawal symptoms or learn behavior modification tools. While such interventions may be necessary and such tools may be helpful. Without an intervention in the heart, our inner man will only fashion new gods to worship and we will remain in the cycle of bondage with gods of a new face.
Yet the good news is that God has intervened! That root of idolatry upon which addiction is founded has found its defeat in the person and work of Jesus. This is the beauty of the gospel applied to our lives! At the cross, our sins were judged in Christ and nailed to the cross with him (Col. 2:14). In his death, sin's power was put to death and in his resurrection, freedom to obey and worship him has been provided to all who would repent and believe in him (Rom. 6). It is in this truth where we see the same God that intervened into Israel’s bondage intervene in the bondage of those who are in active addiction! This is where healing truly begins.
True freedom from addiction goes beyond the cessation of drug use. Rather, freedom from addiction is found in the same place as freedom from adultery, pride, anger, greed, or any other sin found hidden in the hearts of men. Freedom from addiction is foundationally found in the person and work of Jesus Christ. This freedom is then obtained, not through finding the right medication or learning how to behave correctly. Rather, it is obtained when one, who is broken in their bondage, looks away from the gods who enslave them and cries out by faith to the God who has died and risen to break the power of sin upon them.
In summary, addiction is a messy and elusive problem that wreaks havoc on all that it touches. Countless lives, my own included, have been ravaged in the wake of its war path. Yet, contrary to the secular claim that there is no freedom from addiction, only maintenance of a disease, the Holy Scriptures present to us a full orbed picture of humanity. One that is unobtainable by the secularist mind due to their rejection of the God that created them. In the Word of God, we find the truth about addiction that cuts deeper than genetic predispositions, socioeconomic influences, and mere maintenance of a medical condition. Rather, we see addiction defined at its root and the healing of it set forth in the fullness of its glory.
It is here where addiction is not just a problem of the drug addict, but is a problem of all men, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23).” As a result, the road to recovery from addiction is revealed to be the narrow road of salvation that all sinners are called to walk. Thus, the addict is not to be seen as an ultra filthy class of sinner, but rather as one on common ground with the rest of mankind in their need for grace. The beauty of the gospel is this, even for the worst of sinners, grace has been purchased and presented by the blood of Christ. Through him there is not only forgiveness of sins, but freedom from bondage and slavery to sin… even that of addiction.
The individual sees something in the substances that they believe will save, satisfy, or deliver them from a particular circumstance. As a result they seek to abuse and manipulate the drug to satisfy their need. However, over time the promises of these false gods fail and unbeknownst to the worshipper, the gods themselves bring the worshipper into slavery and bondage.
The drawing of the addict into slavery to the drug of worship is typified by the pattern of Israel in the Old Testament. Here, the Israelites would look to manipulate the gods of the surrounding nations to meet their physical, emotional, or spiritual needs. Yet, time after time, this would result in the nations that represented those gods conquering Israel and bringing them into physical bondage. Such is the plight of those in addiction. They look to the drug, seeing some perceived benefit to its usage, and they seek to manipulate it to their own benefit. However, after extended use both their bodies and their souls become enslaved to the substance and the spiritual forces that lay behind it.
This pattern of false worship and bondage is a foundational theme that cycles throughout the Old Testament even beyond the Israelites exile and return to Jerusalem. This cycle continues today in the hearts of unbelievers who are battling against addiction as the allure to bow their knees to idols draws them into bondage. It then repeats itself over and over again in relapse and recovery cycles with the end result being that of, “Jails, institutions, or death.”
Yet the idolatrous cycles of ancient Israel don’t end with chains of bondage. Rather, over and over again, the bondage eventually brings Israel to a place of utter brokenness and despair. Their lowly despondence renders them helpless to save themselves and in need of a savior. It is here in the lowliest of places that Israel finds their hope and salvation in the very God that they have rejected and scorned. Throughout the course of their history, he himself intervenes and delivers his people when they fully turn to him. This promise still stands today for those who are called by his name, yet still find themselves in spiritual bondage to addiction.
If it is true that addiction does not first begin with our genetics and socio-economic factors, but begins and develops in our hearts. Then it must also be true that real healing and salvation from addiction must begin in the heart as well. It is not enough to deal with withdrawal symptoms or learn behavior modification tools. While such interventions may be necessary and such tools may be helpful. Without an intervention in the heart, our inner man will only fashion new gods to worship and we will remain in the cycle of bondage with gods of a new face.
Yet the good news is that God has intervened! That root of idolatry upon which addiction is founded has found its defeat in the person and work of Jesus. This is the beauty of the gospel applied to our lives! At the cross, our sins were judged in Christ and nailed to the cross with him (Col. 2:14). In his death, sin's power was put to death and in his resurrection, freedom to obey and worship him has been provided to all who would repent and believe in him (Rom. 6). It is in this truth where we see the same God that intervened into Israel’s bondage intervene in the bondage of those who are in active addiction! This is where healing truly begins.
True freedom from addiction goes beyond the cessation of drug use. Rather, freedom from addiction is found in the same place as freedom from adultery, pride, anger, greed, or any other sin found hidden in the hearts of men. Freedom from addiction is foundationally found in the person and work of Jesus Christ. This freedom is then obtained, not through finding the right medication or learning how to behave correctly. Rather, it is obtained when one, who is broken in their bondage, looks away from the gods who enslave them and cries out by faith to the God who has died and risen to break the power of sin upon them.
In summary, addiction is a messy and elusive problem that wreaks havoc on all that it touches. Countless lives, my own included, have been ravaged in the wake of its war path. Yet, contrary to the secular claim that there is no freedom from addiction, only maintenance of a disease, the Holy Scriptures present to us a full orbed picture of humanity. One that is unobtainable by the secularist mind due to their rejection of the God that created them. In the Word of God, we find the truth about addiction that cuts deeper than genetic predispositions, socioeconomic influences, and mere maintenance of a medical condition. Rather, we see addiction defined at its root and the healing of it set forth in the fullness of its glory.
It is here where addiction is not just a problem of the drug addict, but is a problem of all men, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23).” As a result, the road to recovery from addiction is revealed to be the narrow road of salvation that all sinners are called to walk. Thus, the addict is not to be seen as an ultra filthy class of sinner, but rather as one on common ground with the rest of mankind in their need for grace. The beauty of the gospel is this, even for the worst of sinners, grace has been purchased and presented by the blood of Christ. Through him there is not only forgiveness of sins, but freedom from bondage and slavery to sin… even that of addiction.
Doug Clarke serves as the Executive Director of MARKINC Ministries, a faith-based 501(c)3 resource ministry dedicated to offering help and hope to the hurting and heartbroken through the triage, treatment, and teaching of Jesus Christ. He is presently pursuing a Master of Divinity at Westminster Theological Seminary, is a certified advanced alcohol and drug counselor (CAADC) through the Delaware Certification Board, and is licensed to preach in the Presbyterian Church of America (PCA).
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