The Bible on addiction

We can summarise by saying that, in one sense, the entire Bible is focused on the general problem of what we now call “addictions”, including compulsive behaviours and obsessive thoughts. However to unlock its secrets, a key is needed. The difficulty lies in English Bible wording. Words have lost meaning and relevance as language changed over the years. Bible words needs updating in reveal their wisdom.

The change in meaning of “addicted”

As mentioned in Chapter 1, you can’t just look up “addict” in your Bible concordance because it’s meaning has completely altered over the years. Originally it meant “consecrated and devoted”, particularly to things holy. Then the word changed from positive to negative in the nineteenth century when many otherwise respectable people took patent medicines containing opium. “Addict” was a euphemism applied to nice ladies hooked on laudanum (opium and alcohol) for female complaints who became “consecrated and devoted” to their medicines. It was kinder to call them “addicts” than to label them “inebriates”. Many other English words have similarly changed: “delinquent”, “offender”, “pervert”, even “moron” and “idiot” were originally unemotional euphemisms applied by caring professionals trying to be politically correct in their day.

Of course the word “sin” has retained much of its original meaning. As a result, it is not often used these days. Too blunt!

A key concept: Slavery

As mentioned in Chapter 3, the key concept for understanding the Bible on addictions is “servitude”. There are many words for it but the meaning is pretty much the same, “captivity”, “bondage”, “indenture”, “subjection”, “oppression” and related words like “fetters”, “chains”, “shackles” etc. Generally speaking, the Bible equates what we now call addiction with the modern notion of being controlled against your will.

In Old Testament slavery, the nation Israel, due to falling away from God, gets captured by its enemies and put to work at hard labour for no or low pay. In the New Testament, Jesus says His kingdom is “within and among”[1] us. This means His kingdom is now more internal and social not so much external, national and political. The “sinful kingdoms” are now among us and inside us so that, when we disobey God these days, we become slaves to the power of sin in our personal lives rather than being dragged off to a foreign nation. But we suffer just as much – or even more. Psychological “alienation” from friends and family due to personal sin can actually be more painful than enforced physical isolation. The prison in the mind can be as intolerable as any jail on earth.

So as this New-Testament kind of slavery goes on in our heads and in our personal behaviour, losing loved ones through misbehaviour can cause more grief than losing them in battle. The Bible says a spiritual war[2] is waged in our minds over control of our individual lives. When we surrender to God, He wins the battle for us. When we disobey Him, we become captivated by drugs, porn, resentment, self-pity, pride, compulsive eating, gambling, etc. and no longer control our own lives.

In both Old Testament and New, sin leads to slavery and, once we are controlled by the enemy, there is nothing we can do to free ourselves – except call on God to deliver us – which He does, time and again. Finally, for our permanent deliverance, God sent his son, Jesus, to show us how to conquer addiction and death.

Jesus’ Mission to all captives

Jesus said his mission on Earth was to set captives free[3]. Most certainly, by “captives” he meant drug addicts, compulsive gamblers, compulsive over eaters, compulsive under-eaters (anorexics and bulimics), alcoholics, compulsive self-harmers, sex-addicts of all kinds, compulsive liars and cheaters, kleptomaniacs, etc. He also came to save those addicted to violence and mayhem – even rape and murder.

First you get right with Jesus through surrender and then He removes your compulsions, restores your freedom and lifts you up, making you “the head and not the tail”[4].

Jesus’ mission-statement also focused on persons addicted to meaningless religious rituals and vain repetitions. Jesus realised that superstitious religious formalities were a type of slavery similar to other addictions and compulsions.

Superstitious rituals interfere with our relationship with God as much as sick compulsions do. God wants to interact with us as free, unfettered human beings in full control of all our faculties. He is less interested in watching us act out ceremonies or hearing us repeat rote passages. We don’t mind listening to Jonnie say his alphabet while he’s still memorising it, but rote recitation is no substitute for genuine conversation[5]. Religious leaders in Jesus’ day endlessly recited elementary stuff to God instead of talking to him honestly about their problems. They were slaves to compulsions that interfered with God’s removing their other bad habits.

Jesus wants to set us free to relate to God openly. That way He can remove our defects of character, heal our obsessions, and remove our bad habits.

Habits

The word “habit” is also a recent term not in the Bible. The Bible concept for bad habits is “dead works”[6] and “vain repetitions”[7]. However, some habits are necessary and decidedly good for us. Remember, we are meant to be addicted (consecrated and devoted) to the “things of God.” Going to church is an example of a good habit. If you go to church regularly, you are much less likely to take up bad habits.

One important “habit” that Jesus prescribed is called “communion”. As often as we want to, when we eat bread and drink beverage, we remember that He died for our sins – and rose again. This reminds us that, no matter how deadened we have become, He can bring us to life. His very name in Hebrew, Yeshua, means, in modern lingo, “the one who saves us” from obsessions and compulsions.

Fellowship

Harvard Psychologist George Vaillant says that, in order to recover from alcoholism, one must adopt a “substitute dependency”[8]. The most effective substitutes, like joining AA, encourage sobriety. Such fellowships can be highly effective in preventing relapse[9].

The most effective “dependency” however is independent of human contingencies. The Bible calls it the “fellowship of the Holy Spirit”. If you join Jesus in the “Holy Spirit Club”, He will lead you in such a way that you have all the totally sober human fellowship you need. In order to do this, however, you must rely totally on Jesus. The Bible puts it this way: “believe on Him”.

The meaning of “belief”

Bible scholars agree that the word “believe” has a stronger meaning in Scripture than in modern everyday life. The Greek word pisteuo means, “to adhere to, to cling to, to trust, to have faith in, to rely on, to depend on”[10] and connotes obedient behaviour not just mental agreement. In common usage today, “beliefs” often have a weaker status than “facts”, being classed with “hopes” and “wishes”.

Jesus the person and his principles

Complete recovery from any major addiction requires relying on the Master as a living being in addition to “working the program”. We need both the person and the principles of Jesus Christ.

Jesus’ principles can be memorised and recited but a personal relationship only comes through worship, prayer and revelation. By knowing and applying the principles. I can avoid drugs and addictive behaviour but only by knowing Him can I fill the void. The principles can guide my behaviour but only the Person can love me set me free.

So true recovery involves more than just “not using.” To experience the joy of the Lord, I must communicate with Jesus as a live person. He is “the Word made flesh” and His Holy Spirit must take over my will and my life. I surrender to Him and pray each day forming a personal relationship. Applying principles becomes easier when His Word gets written on my heart not just stored in my head.

Still principles must be learned by doing: to stay drug-free I meet regularly with other recovering addicts who are also abstinent. I tell them I am “clean today” and listening to them do the same. I am accountable to God and man.

Of course it is possible to follow Jesus’ principles without having Him as my living Saviour and Master. Many try to do just this. They want the results but are unwilling or unable to believe He is alive. Throughout history such people have borrowed Jesus’ commandments and applied them without confessing He is God and/or without regularly joining with others to worship Him. Non-Christians such as Mahatma Gandhi and Semone Weil and doubtful Christians like Leo Tolstoy and Feodor Dostoevsky achieved powerful intellectual, political and social influence by taking Jesus’ preachings seriously and applying them to aspects of their work.[12]

Likewise, addicts, alcoholics, compulsive gamblers etc. can and do remain abstinent through the principles without communicating with their Author. Others, sadly, try to have a relationship with Jesus without remaining abstinent. They want His love without His principles: Jesus in one hand and a joint in the other!

In my experience, few churches sufficiently understand the importance of complete abstinence and how to achieve it. On the other hand, few abstinence-based fellowships properly encourage members to seek and know the original Author of their program. The Church gets relationship with God right but slips up on the principle of “not picking up the first drug”: AA-type programs get abstinence right but sorely lack in the relationship department. Consequently churched addicts relapse on drugs while 12^th Step members lose out on Salvation.

When you get it right, it all works together splendidly[13]. We “dwell in Him” by keeping his commandments and staying off drugs and booze and “He dwells in us” providing us comfort, courage, wisdom, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, patience and faith.