“Addicted to God” New Ways of Seeing and Walking Free
“The unfolding of Your words gives life; it gives understanding to the simple.” (Psalm 119:130) Addictions research needs something new. Its vision has been controlled for decades by one particular lens. And although this lens highlights certain features of the addictive experience, it can blind as much as reveal when it is the only way of seeing. Reducing all discussion about addiction to one image is sacrificing other helpful perspectives that can bring meaning and understanding. For decades the one and only and controlling metaphor when talking about addictions has been “addiction as disease,” and this model has vehemently guarded its turf, not allowing any other metaphors or models to offer a different perspective. Troubling to biblical Christianity is the metaphor of “addiction as disease” is no longer just a metaphor. Addiction is not “like” a disease today, addiction “is” a disease today. This is vital for biblical understanding of addiction: describing addiction as “like a disease” does highlight the way we can feel controlled by something other than our own will, but it does not highlight that the bondage we experience is a voluntary slavery. A disease is “a diagnosable condition with a physical cause.” Addictions do not fit this medical definition. Even AA says, “alcoholism is largely a spiritual disease requiring a spiritual healing.” The physical and biological differences that addicts show have been proven to be the result of or influence of the addiction, not the cause of the addiction. Circumstances can influence, incline, and pull us toward chemical dependency, but they can still be resisted. Our influences are not our unavoidable destiny, which many addicts in recovery testify. Given all this about “disease” as a metaphor for addiction, a theology of addictions needs to consider other metaphors which spring from Scripture to help us and heal us of life-dominating sins. In this serious we will consider five different biblical metaphors for addictive behavior: idolatry, adultery, foolishness, attacks by a beast, and then finally disease. Though the word “sin” is often used as a club to clobber sufferers over the head, we must remember it is part of the Good News: the Kingdom of God in the Person of Jesus Christ, and He has liberated the captives. This is cause for celebration. It is beautiful. It is the path of life itself. It is the path on which God never fatigues in extending grace and mercy. “The LORD longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion.” (Isaiah 30:18) Beautiful gifts must be presented in the most attractive way possible, and so those who help addicts must know how to give God’s beautiful gift of grace in an attractive way. As we shall see in this series, God’s beautiful gifts of freedom and grace call forth a very active response from the one who receives. This gift of walking free and peacefully means “going to war with oneself.” We will learn that there is a “mean streak” to authentic self-control, for even Jesus said, “Men have been ‘forcing’ their way into the Kingdom. And if your hand or foot causes you to sin, then cut it off!” (Matthew 11:12; 18:8) To truly “recover” from addiction, sinful addiction must be replaced with holy addiction, for addiction is merely a perverted form of worship. Are you ready to be “addicted to God?”
