“For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise, you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” – Romans 6:5-14
Christians struggling with any addiction, or seeking to help others who do, need to be good students of saving grace, finding biblical answers as they have a deeper understanding and application of the distinction between the old man and new man, as well as have a deeper understanding of the necessity of redeemed sinners refusing to voluntarily enslave themselves in the darkness that Christ has freed them from. Indeed, if you are in a dark pit of addiction, you need to let go of the chains Christ has broken, fleeing the sins that burden you, running to Jesus for forgiveness and help in your weakness. For He calls you to deny ungodliness and lusts and lively soberly and godly today, as your walk also includes your forward gaze in hope to the glorious return of your Savior, Jesus Christ, knowing what He will do when He comes. We considered this wonderful lesson by the Apostle Paul in Titus 2 in our last devotion here. You can listen to the podcast version here.
Another important piece of a solid foundation that leads to freedom from addictions is the marvelous reality of your union with Christ and its impact in your whole person. Paul lays this out to you in helpful detail in Romans 6 above. It’s true that the glorious truth of this doctrine undergirds Paul’s words in both Titus 2 and Romans 6. Yet, I want to consider the significance of our old man being crucified with Christ, “that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.” The corruption that dwells in you is the body of sin. Because of your union with Christ, when He died, you died with Him. When He rose, you rose so that you would walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4). You have been freed from sin. It no longer has dominion over you. You are now reckoned as dead to sin and alive to God in Christ. Praise the Lord!
Whatever the addiction of choice is, the message temptation convinces you of is the opposite- that you’re alive to sin in that moment. Therefore, the body of sin is the root to which the axe must be laid. What does this mean? You must not only cease from the acts of sin, but you must also weaken and mortify your sinful habits, following hard after Christ.
Considering this, keep in mind that addictions affect you in body and spirit. Some may believe that addictions are only a physical problem, others that they are only a spiritual problem. However, the two are connected. Addiction is a spiritual problem that is connected to a brain-based body problem. And yet, not all sin patterns affect the body in the same way. For example, you don’t get a physical high from gossiping or slandering. Your body doesn’t develop physical dependance when you murmur or complain and then go into withdrawal when you don’t. This being said, it’s true that as sin can be spiritually and relationally reinforced by a variety of influences and the conscience is more and more seared, the sin in view can and will be revisited or repeated to some frequency.
As you seek to understand the physical components in the spectrum of addiction that are experienced when using and abusing drugs, alcohol, prescription medication, engaging in sexual sin, etc. there are four big things to be aware of. On the spectrum, use ranges from “abuse” to “dependence”:
- One can abuse when they use a drug, substance, or engage in sexual sin and that use brings negative consequences but doesn’t lead to dependence. An example is drinking in excess to drunkenness or committing any sexual sin (even looking at pornography) occasionally and not habitually. Yes, sexual sin has physical effects that are similar to using drugs.
- One can be found to be dependent when the body adapts to repeated use of a drug or sexual sin so that withdrawal symptoms occur if use is reduced or stopped. Dependence is also active if the person relies on the substance or activity to function normally.
There are two common things that are present in a person who is dependent:
- “Tolerance” occurs when one is dependent. This refers to the body’s adapting to a substance or activity where the person has to take more and more of it in order to have the same effect.
- “Withdrawal” occurs when a person reduces or stops using the substance after tolerance and dependence were built up. It can include physical symptoms like headaches, sweating, shaking, nausea, intense cravings, and fatigue. Emotionally and spiritually speaking, you may see anger, increased irritability, anxiety, mood swings, etc.
Now, some of you may be thinking, “Pastor, why are you getting clinical with us here?” The answer is simple. First, as Christians it’s good for you to know what is going on with yourself, or those you try to help so that you can be better able to provide needed care. Second, knowing this will help you help many people who abuse or depend, and even more so those who depend, get the pastoral or professional care they need as their road to recovery will be longer, complex, and multi-layered. Folks who are at the severe end of the spectrum and those who are using multiple substances at the same time may need medical detox so that they can go through withdrawals safely.
Further, having more insight about how addictions affect body and spirit then gives you a well-rounded view and path to be faithful in carrying out Paul’s command in verses 12-13a. Because you are dead to sin and alive to God in Christ- “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin…” In other words, treat the old man as it really is- done away with and powerless over you. May this truth be evident in your walk as you then “present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” (vv. 13b-14) How amazing is the grace and work of Christ to you and in you. What He calls you to do, He equips you to do. Praise Him for it even more today, my friends! Use the freedom, gifts, and tools Christ has given you for His glory!