Christian Living

Does It Matter That We Are More Than Matter?

by Jeff Drinnan
04/10/20
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"All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right." -2 Timothy 4:16

Originally Alcoholics Anonymous was integrated with Scripture, but compromised it's Scriptural basis and took on worldy ideas. Consequently, spiritual problems became medical problems, which helped usher in the world of psychotrophic drugs, medicine mated with modern psychology to help people change. The modern mantra that drug addiction is a disease is a logical consequence of not seeing the problem as a result of not having a good relationship with God. Drug addiction, considered a disease, would rule out the belief that the problem is caused by sin and it would not be considered a character flaw.

On TV, we are bombarded with the incessant ads about various products that will help people deal with psychological problems such as being bi-polar, which is really just a matter of being in two minds, wavering to and fro like the waves of the sea in what you believe. Medicine is also championed as a way to overcome drug addiction. It's touted as better living through chemistry. The only legitimate way to use drugs to help people overcome problems are those substances which help with physical problems, for example methadone to help treat heroine addiction. Methadone helps people kick the habit slow turkey, as opposed to cold turkey, as the stop smoking product ad goes. The idea is not to just replace heroine with methadone but to systematically wean the heroine addict off of heroine.

One of the regulars at a 12 step program once told me that there is a substance that is used simply to replace a needed chemical in the body that was drained away after years of alcohol abuse. It doesn't work on altering your brain to resolve what is essentially a spiritual problem.

Many years ago my grandmother learned of a neighbor who had a problem with alcohol. "Take him to the Lord," she exclaimed. That may seem a bit over simplistic, but it is really just a start, although a good start! Before you start counseling someone, as the Biblical Counseling Movement founder Jay E Adams points out in "How To Help People Change", you evangelize them. Dr. Adams calls this "pre-counselling." Once you are saved, Christ works in you as you are continually edified, and grow to be more like Jesus, which is sanctification. Adams' book is subtitled "The Four-Step Biblical Process," which is teaching, conviction, correction, and disciplined training in righteousness.

The answer to your problems, my friend, is not blowing in the wind or through chemistry or human reasoning, but through worshiping and following God and reading and obeying His Word.