ADDICTIONS
Filling Ourselves Yet Never Satisfied
What are addictions?
Being out of control, especially before mind-altering drugs
Trying to fill ourselves yet never being satisfied.
Being ruled by a substance, person or activity
Our assumption - Scripture explains the cause and offers the cure
The popular assumption - the cause is physical, not spiritual
Thinking Biblically about Drunkenness, the prototype for all addictions
I. Drunkenness is sin.
A. Biblical descriptions - Pro 23:29-35.
B. Drunkenness is condemned in the Old Testament, the New Testament, and all other Ancient Near Eastern cultures.
Pr 23:20; Ro 13:13; I Cor 5:11; I Co 6:9,10; Ga 5:19-21
C. Why is it sinful? It is against God and against other people.
Therefore, addiction is a type of sin, not a category different than sin.
Therefore, addicts are, at root, like non-addicts.
II. POINT/COUNTERPOINT What about alcoholism?
“Alcoholism is a chronic, primary, hereditary disease which progresses from an early, physiological susceptibility into an addiction characterized by tolerance changes, physiological dependence, and loss of control over drinking. Psychological symptoms are secondary to the physiological disease.”
Two arguments
A. Genetics
B. Cravings
1. Craving for a drink after taking the first drink
2. Craving even when you aren’t near alcohol.
3. Craving when you are physically dependent.
Therefore, don’t overestimate or underestimate the physical pull toward addiction
III. Points of contact
A. The body can be troublesome, but addictions come from me.
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (James 1:13-15)
B. Addicts feel as if they have lost control – they feel like something has them. And you don’t really know what that is like.
C. Addiction is saying something. It is many layered. It is about our relationship with God. It is political – but don’t allow that from hindering your search for related purposes.
D. We know a lot about recidivism. We know a lot about a dog returning to his vomit. We are recidivist. We are addicts.
E. Four alternative metaphors
1. The idolater
2. The adulterer
3. The fool
4. The victim
Detection and Confrontation
I. Detection
II. Confrontation or “Intervention”
III. Hospital or Home? Follow-up options.
How to Help The challenge: you want to partner. You want to work with the addict, but the addict might be insane.
Walls and Wisdom that are Rooted in the Fear of the Lord
Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control. (Prov.25:28)
Above all else guard your heart for it is the well spring of life. (Prov.4:23)
I. Initial wall-building. How much control should you take? How much accountability?
II. The past and the purposes
III. “Do you want to change?”
“Why?”
“Do you have a plan?”
IV. Lies: if you tell lies, you believe lies.
V. The fear of the Lord. Or, better, the Lord who is to be feared.
The fear of the Lord is the awareness that the Sovereign and Gracious Creator-King observes every part of my life, and I delight in knowing him and doing what he says.
The fear of the Lord is my response to the forgiving mercy of the Father.
The Lord who is “Fear” is the beginning of wisdom.
The fear of the Lord is walking on holy ground with my shoes off.
The Lord who is to be feared can be our delight – above all other things
VI. “What is your plan?” “Does it include violence?” Temptation demands strategic planning, aggressive action, wholeheartedness. Proverbs 23:1,2; Matthew 5:29, 11:12, 1 Cor.9:24-27, and remember 1 Corinthians 10:13
The prerequisite? Every plan must pass through the cross for approval.
SIN OBEDIENCE
TRUST
A. Violence with sin at the imagination level.
B. Violence by reconciling with (and offering restitution to) those you harmed.
C. Violence by reconciling with those who harmed you.
D. Violence by reconciling with the church.
E. Violence by following the second Adam in saying no because life is found in the very words of God – they are found in Christ, who didn’t create bread to eat for himself, but became bread for the world. Therefore, self-control – a new definition of freedom (we are not like a muzzled dog), and new definition of humanness – controlled/mastered by nothing other than God.
Ideas: Fasts, Lord’s prayer
Be in the marathon, not the sprint. Jesus came and was anointed KING in the middle of time, rather than the end; and in the middle of time, when sin has been defeated but not eradicated. Therefore, we look forward to the end and fight with hope.
