Addiction is a chronic state of the brain. This condition makes it revert to compulsive behaviors or the use of substances due to an irresistible urge, not considering the long-term implications. Addiction makes one think less of being ‘a victim’ due to the manipulative enjoyments that come from it. Addictions are multifarious in nature. For some Christians, it could be anger issues, pride, validation, food, gambling, excessive time on social media, smoking, or the love of money. These are obvious addictions in nature. They are works done outside and others could see them plainly. For others, it could be the immorality of the flesh; pornography, masturbation, and secret sexual dirty habits. These are secretive and more destructive to a man than the first aforementioned.
Oddly, many Christians are silently battling these forms of addiction. Not because they were not saved or had not been delivered by the Lord Jesus Christ after believing in the gospel, but, these were vulnerable to the things of flesh, simply because they gave in to the flesh to exploit them. Many Christians would say, “Whoever is addicted is not a child of God and does not belong to God.” Another group believes that, “Addiction is normal and everyone struggles.”
Scriptural and spiritual perspectives matter in this discourse. It requires us to diligently take into account the Holy Scriptures and understand certain things. The reality must be underlined, it should sound uncomfortable and unfortunate that many indeed are on active status in our fellowship but are restless in addictions. Thus, such a Christian must see that he needs some help to thrive and trash every addiction in the eternal bin where it belongs. Addiction does not respond to your trying. “I’m trying to give them up may not work. You renewed your knowledge by trusting in Jesus Christ for the perfect state of your spiritual health.”
If Believers are “Free in Christ,” Why Do Some Remain Addicted?
In Galatians 5:1, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” Apostle Paul here was teaching the people about knowing the raw essence of the grace of God which has brought them into liberty. You noticed he mentioned; “Wherewith” as used in the KJV version, signifying the components on which their salvation rests ‘The finished work on the cross’. This has not only delivered believers from the bondage of law, eternal damnation, and judgment due to their sins. But from all natural sins as bondage which the subject of addiction is inclusive.
‘Standing fast in the liberty’ condensed into a subject that the same deliverance a man once had is a daily reflection. That in his flesh, he must glorify God. Not because he is adherent to the law nor is he lawless, but a place he has never known before. Whatever man must not be entangled by bondage into a slave. But, rather a rightful use of liberty, Gal 5:13.
If a man remains addicted, meaning, he has not utilized the liberty he has gotten. This either he is not consistent enough with the word, Psalms 119:11, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” or he has obtained wrong knowledge of the word of God, Romans 10:17, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” When a man struggles with sin. Though, he needs prayers from other believers. But his deliverance can not come by a dramatic merely laying on of hands on his head which is tagged ‘deliverance’. He needed personal fasting. But these can not take the position of the word. The word birth faith and faith is what the ‘just man’ needs to live. Habakkuk 2:4, “The just shall live by his faith.” Paul said this thrice in his letters.
Does Addiction Mean a Person is not Truly Saved?
Salvation does not remove the deeds of the flesh overnight. One of the mistakes many believers make is imagining that salvation instantly removes the deeds of the flesh. One man who had been smoking for many years shared his story that after hearing the gospel and accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, he was much pressed afterwards, and he sees himself being held down by the giant of addiction to smoking. As time passed, he leaned on God for help after some years until he finally got down from the top of it. Today, he ministered to people under the influence of the same sin. Paul disclosed, Romans 7:8, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.”
By default, every man is born with the old nature. The old nature is susceptible to doing evil. The old nature no man can take away. The old nature can not die while we live. It is the glorified body we would be given at redemption, Phil 3:21, Roman 8:23, We’ve been called unto salvation. We have been justified. Have we been glorified? Surprisingly, yes! But this is God’s activity in the future. But fulfilled already.
Twisting back to what Paul said in Romans 7:8, He declared that, “For to will is present with him.” He desired to do good. He does not have the actual power to go about doing the good. This is telling us our actual state on earth as believers. The complexity of our nature. As complex as nature appeared to be. The most shocking part is the ‘Old Man’. Paul mentioned it in Romans, Ephesians, and Colossians. When a man activates the ‘New Man’ by coming to Jesus Christ, the old man is drowned and begins to perish until it is no more. The New Man reawakens a man who, being addicted is damnation to his own body.
A man with the ‘New Man’ has the desire to do good and he is ready to quit. A believer who stays addicted and ready to quit receives help. But, it comes with renewal in the knowledge of the word of God. Col 3:10. Further in the same chapter, “Let the word of God dwell in you richly in all wisdom…”
When a believer is not conscious of the state of his sin. Not ready to quit. Not willing to be revived. Helpless in all situations. Then his salvation is either compromised by the wrong gospel or he is not saved at all.
To this end, Gal 5:17, there is a conflict within the believer. The presence of temptation, trials, and sins, does not suggest the absence of salvation. The Christian life is a life of warfare. Christ Jesus fought the greatest one. The lesser ones are simply reserved to train our spirit man.
How To Obtain Freedom From Addiction
To obtain freedom from addiction is paramount. You need sincerity and genuineness to quit the sin and receive strength to stand. You can never afford to be a Christian sleeping while you are being challenged in addiction. There is a difference between falling into sin and building a home inside the actual sin. For instance, a man’s attention was drawn by lust and he instantly cautioned himself. Another look upon a woman until he begins to lust. He found out a way to burn it by watching pornography, masturbating, and doing every conjunction with it. Such a man has built a man in that sin. The original product now have branches.
The danger in sin is not the sin itself but dwelling in it while claiming grace as permission to do it. Grace is not a weakling tool. While we have it cleared out shall we continue in the same? Truly, we have ancient sin. The one committed by Adam and responsible for afterwards sins. While we confess our sins and we have received forgiveness of the same sin shall we continue in the typical water cycle system of the same sin? 1 John 1:8-10, 2:1-2.
Freedom can be obtained from an addiction when we realize the greater damaging part of it. Then, we will hate it, feel convicted, desire freedom, keeps restraining until victory is achieved. Compared to someone who normalizes it, excuses it, and feels comfortable in it.
A man that desire freedom must, ‘Flee’, Paul wrote to us in 1 Tim 6:11, “Flee these things and follow after.” James states, “Submit yourself to God and resist the devil,” who has come to you with loads of affliction to put you in addiction. He will flee.
A man who wants freedom from addiction must abstain. 1 Thess 5:22, “Abstain from all appearances of evil.” 1 Pet 2:11, “Abstain from fleshy lusts.”
When a man both flees and abstains. The space would be empty. Such emptiness must be filled. Filled with consecration. Commitment to the things of God. The total turnaround is not just sure. It would be permanent.
