Shaw - The Heart of Addiction: A Biblical Perspective

The Heart
of Addiction

Mark E. Shaw

The Heart of Addiction

by Mark Shaw

Copyright 2008 FOCUS PUBLISHING, INC.

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced by any means without written consent of the publisher except for brief quotes used in reviews written specifically for use in a magazine or newspaper.

Scripture references are quoted from The English Standard Version of the Bible and where noted, The King James Version
and The New King James Version

Cover design by Melanie Schmidt

ISBN 1-885904-68-1

Dedication

I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

(Ephesians 1:16-23, ESV)

In Memoriam

Kenneth Hobbs Libby (1925-2005) and Don Bowen (1945-2007) two of my favorite Christians, who through their radical obedience to their Father in heaven, and by their demonstration of loving service in thanksgiving for eternal life, lived their final years as a living sacrifice of praise to their Savior, Jesus Christ.

Acknowledgments

I have attempted to diligently cite all the information I have learned from such great teachers as Jay Adams, Howard Eyrich, Stuart Scott, Lou Priolo, Aaron Fleming, Wayne Mack, and Harry Reeder. I have read so many of these mens books and listened to their preaching that it is often extremely difficult to differentiate from whom I learned which truth. However, I must particularly thank Lou Priolo, who opened the world of biblical counseling to me, and first instructed me in the crucial foundational concept that all of Gods Word is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and disciplined training in righteousness. All wisdom comes from God, and I am grateful for the faithful preaching and teaching of these and many other Christian men.

I thank my parents, Ronny and Sandra, for their love, support, admonishment, and encouragement.

A special thanks to my wife, Mary, who is my helper suitable, and from whom I have learned the most about my blessed Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Contents

My primary purpose for writing this book is to glorify God by pointing you to His Word that you may see how it sufficiently addresses the problems of addiction and substance abuse. Frankly, I find it troubling that, although Gods Word lovingly tells us the truth about the heart of addiction, it is a neglected resource for those who suffer from a variety of addictions. Why would people disregard such a valuable resource as the Bible? Are some Christians limiting themselves by neglecting to consult Gods Word and His powerful wisdom on this subject?

One of the reasons for failing to seek Gods Word is that it does not fit with the worlds ideas of addiction as a disease. What a shame that Christians do not start with the Word of God but rather choose to start with the theories and ideas of mankind! Nearly every common behavioral problem is diseased in American culture: gambling, overeating, excessive time spent on the internet, excessive shopping and spending, stealing, and rebellious behavior. It all started less than one hundred years ago with the popularization of alcohol and drug abuse as a disease concept that is now widely accepted as truth rather than hypothesis and conjecture. The originators of this disease concept believed that the symptoms of addiction looked like a disease so they developed an analogy to describe the similarities. The symptoms were so frequently observed that the originators of this concept concluded that the heart of the problem had to be a disease that attacked the addict. This of course would then relieve the addict of his guilt. The originators of this disease concept were not committed, evangelical, Bible-believers, therefore most of their ideas do not reflect foundational, biblical principles.

Consistent with this reasoning, non-Christians have no power to truly overcome an addiction so they really are powerless. But can a Christian claim to be powerless if he or she has the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit to enable them to say no to a choice to excessively use a mood-altering substance? The answer is no since the power working in and through the Christian is the Holy Spirit. Because of the physical results of excessive consumption associated with addiction, it is true to say that a Christian can be overtaken by a drug physically speaking; however, a Christian must not allow a drug to enslave him. The Bible calls this a sin problem.

Sin?

Sin is a misunderstood concept even in Christianity today so there is no wonder that it is misunderstood by unbelievers. If you watch television or listen to the radio, let me challenge you to a contest. Take a pen and paper and record how many times you hear the word sin used in a serious manner in a twenty-four hour period on any secular program. Do not count Christian television or radio (though some programs in that medium would be deficient!). If you hear the word sin used correctly just one time, I will be pleasantly surprised and you will win the contest (no prizes, of course).

Sadly, our culture has successfully removed this word from our everyday speech, and the concept of sin is nowhere to be found. So why did Jesus die? Did Jesus die for a disease of addiction that is not really our fault in the first place? No. Why would Jesus have to die for something that is not our fault? If God is fair, He would not unnecessarily punish His Son on the Cross. If one believes the disease concept of addiction, there is no need for a Savior since the disease is not the addicts responsibility.

So, what did Jesus die for? Our sins is the obvious answer, but if sin is rarely mentioned in the culture, the Cross becomes less important in the minds of people. We need a larger understanding of sin so we can obtain a larger understanding of the Gospel message of the Cross. We need a solution for our sin problem and God has graciously provided the answer for sin in the atoning sacrifice of His Son Jesus and in the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. You can overcome a sin problem but you will never overcome a disease of addiction problem. For this reason, I believe that purely biblical teachings provide hope for addicts.

We must establish a foundational principle about the use of the term sin when dealing with addiction. Since the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3, man has rejected the truth of Gods Word, and the same rejection often holds true today in addiction counseling. I encourage you to embrace the idea of sin as the underlying cause for your addiction and you will gain more insights into how to overcome it.

The Specific Name of the Sin

Chemical addiction problems and excessive substance abuse really have two biblical names: one is a general name and the other is more specific. In general, idolatry is the proper biblical name for substance abuse problems whether you consider yourself a drunkard, binge drinker, drug addict, substance abuser, or whatever name you wish to call it. The problem is biblically labeled as the sin of idolatry and it is a heart problem from within ones sinful nature. Websters Dictionary defines idol as a person or thing too much loved, admired or honored. The substance abuser seeks to please himself with his god of choice above pleasing God. The excessive user of alcohol and drugs is his own god; he is actively serving and pleasing the god of self by using drugs and alcohol. Ask yourself: Am I serving God right now or seeking to please myself?