The idea of caring for dependents is likely to be intimidating for most Christians. Addictions often lead to other sins such as lying or stealing, which makes it unpleasant or even dangerous to be with someone who is addicted. By the time the problem arises, the lives of many addicts become uncontrollable and it’s hard to imagine gathering the kind of resources and energy needed to really help someone dominated by addiction. This type of department may seem like the kind of thing that requires special training or specialization. it’s certainly not the kind of thing you do?His church would think of undertaking, and many congregations are paralyzed when it comes to working with people who fight addiction.
Two biblical categories can help us understand what happens in a person’s life when they are fighting addiction:
- First.
- Drug addicts are idothers.
- Addiction is fundamentally about worship.
- The Bible tells us that whatever others run for comfort.
- Comfort.
- And hope.
- This functionally plays God’s role in their lives.
- An addict is someone who seeks something destructive.
- Something that is not the only true God to eliminate boredom.
- Pain.
- Loneliness or anxiety from life.
- The joy of drug addicts in the presence of what they crave.
- Whether gambling.
- Alcohol.
- Narcotics or pornography.
- Has all the characteristics of worship.
Second, drug addicts are slaves. This is perhaps the most common thought when examining addiction. The difference between someone who is simply addicted to someone we consider addicted is that the addict cannot contain himself, even when he thinks he can. The addict is enslaved by a teacher who apparently has to obey every time he makes a sign.
These two categories represent a very different way of understanding dependence on what is most commonly thought in the world, in most medical and psychiatric communities it is assumed that addicts suffer from a disease and therefore cannot be fully responsible for their behavior. it is often a very real physical component of addiction, a Christian understanding of sin requires us to insist that God hold accountable those who are responsible for their behavior and decisions.
This understanding also helps close the gap we can feel between ourselves and the addicts we serve, because when we look at the Bible, we see that the same things that are true for addicts are also true for all sinners. By nature and without Christ, every man, woman and child is guilty of false worship (Romans 21-23). We will all be exalted and turn to creation, rather than the Creator, to find meaning and help; we’re all idothers. Moreover, apart from Christ, we are all slaves to sin (Jn 8:34), we cannot stop siding and, alone, we cannot do anything to change this situation (Rom 1:28?31; Eph 2, 1?). 3).
If we look at it from that perspective, we’ll see that we have something in common with someone who’s addicted, their destructive behaviors can make it look very different from us, but we actually have the most important things in common. , we are all sinners, idol-worshipping slaves; In fact, you can say that we all depend on sin. We may be tempted to look at someone who is addicted to alcohol, drugs, pornography or gambling and think, “This person is very different from me, can I help you?But instead, we have to think, “This person is basically just like me. Apart from Christ, are we all slaves to sin and idolatry?”
Once we see that the problem of addiction is really the problem of sin, we see that the solution to addiction is the same as the solution to sin—the message of the gospel. Drug addicts need the love of their hearts to be reorganized by God’s grace. Both must assume responsibility for sin in repentance and also reassign their hope in Christ. That’s, at the end of the day, the only hope for addicts, and that’s enough hope. As churches seek to serve dependents, we need nothing more than we already have in the gospel and in the church that the gospel creates.
That said, however, we need to recognize that there are unique challenges when dealing with addiction addicts, so here are four practical things to consider when trying to help people in these circumstances:
Families of net negligence. Often, an addict’s spouses and children experience great emotional and financial stress. Drug treatment programs sometimes place the dependent at the center of the universe, but their families are often innocent victims who deserve support and compassion.
2. Beware of false solutions. Many popular treatment programs fail to solve a central problem for addicts: their own idolatry, selfishness, lack of self-control, and bad choices. Instead, addicts are sometimes encouraged to trade their harmful addictions for less dangerous or more socially acceptable obsessions.
3. Consider the cost. For a church to walk with an addict, there will be a price in terms of time and energy. Often, the only friends of an addict are other addicts. The church should provide an alternative community where addicts can be close to spiritually healthy people and learn to live for more than just themselves.
4. Have reasonable expectations. Many people do not change completely and immediately. If you and I are slowly changing, why should we expect addicts not to?Don’t give up when failures occur, but persevere in bringing the gospel into your lives.