I Am An Addict | How I Am Recovering
I am a recovering addict, clean and sober since 1995. What follows is a brief selection of passages to show how I relate to my addiction and recovery as a Christain. All Scripture is from the New American Standard Bible.
"If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." Rom 8.10,11
I remain an addict in my body, which is dead because of sin, though I am alive in the Spirit.
"For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not." Rom. 7.18
Therefore it is necessary to continually put to death the deeds of the flesh by the Spirit.
"So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live." Rom. 8.12,13
Being alive in the Spirit, according to Scripture, does not mean the flesh is perfected now. The body is corrupt through sin. "Putting to death the deeds of the body" is a lifelong process as we abide in Christ. Sanctification is not an instantaneous event.
I am a recovering addict in this sense.
"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day." 2 Cor. 2.16
"For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee." 2 Cor. 5.2-5
"If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." Rom 8.10,11
I remain an addict in my body, which is dead because of sin, though I am alive in the Spirit.
"For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not." Rom. 7.18
Therefore it is necessary to continually put to death the deeds of the flesh by the Spirit.
"So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live." Rom. 8.12,13
Being alive in the Spirit, according to Scripture, does not mean the flesh is perfected now. The body is corrupt through sin. "Putting to death the deeds of the body" is a lifelong process as we abide in Christ. Sanctification is not an instantaneous event.
I am a recovering addict in this sense.
"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day." 2 Cor. 2.16
"For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee." 2 Cor. 5.2-5
As a spiritual discipline in my recovery I follow the teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, beginning with his Beatitudes, as my fundemental guide for understanding the principles of recovery. The 12 Steps of AA, NA, and other 12 step programs follow these principles. God in Christ with the Spirit is my Higher Power.
I do this because here Jesus systematically lays out, step by step, the way of realty in God's Kingdom. He is restoring us to sanity. It is progressive, a process.
The foundation of his Kingdom is the cross, the spirit of which underpins all that he teaches. Here is the opening to his sermon. (The entire Sermon on the Mount is found in Matthew 5-7. )
It is also important to note that the entire sermon is about love, about relationship between ourselves and God, ourselves and others, and ourselves within our own hearts. God is love and reconciliation (recovery) to God and Kingdom life is about living God's love.
And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness 'sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Salt and Light
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."
Matthew 5.3-16
