I love our Savior: Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)
What greater love can someone offer another person than to lay down His life and that’s precisely what Jesus did for sinners which includes “addicts” and “alcoholics” who really are idolaters and drunkards, biblically-speaking! You see, when we call sin “sin” as the Bible does, then Jesus is the answer! But when we re-label sin by some other name like “disorder, disease, or mistake,” then we deny opportunities to proclaim the Gospel.
Jesus laid down His life for drunkards, idolaters, and sinners who confess and forsake their sins not shift the blame for their choices to so-called disorders and diseases since those people never confess their true sinfulness. Do you know what I mean? To find true freedom and the forgiveness of Christ, we must agree with the Word of God about our sinful condition (Rom. 3:23) and confess our sins – not deny it behind a so-called, man-made “disease.”
Romans 10:8-17 says it well: “But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?[c] And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”
What are you hearing? The ideas of this world which relabel sin into sickness (Col. 2:8) or the truth of the Bible that proclaims all are sinners in need of a Savior? Are we all insane with a mental illness (sickness) or are we all sinners in need of saving grace and mercy?
I know you know the true answer, Fellow Sinners Saved by Grace. We need the Gospel and we desperately need Christ our Savior!
-Mark (sad I am a sinner but glad I am now a forgiven saint by God’s grace)