The Perils of Addiction

Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? – Romans 6:15

The English word addiction comes from a Latin word that means “to give oneself over” or “to surrender.” An addict is one who gives themself over to obey some other object than Christ. In, Romans 6:15-23, the Apostle Paul uses the imagery of slavery to explain how sin can master someone. In verse 16, Paul explains that we are “slaves to the one whom you obey.” All men are slaves of something. They are either a slave to sin, which leads unto death (Rom. 6:15), or they are a slave of God which leads unto eternal life (Rom. 6:22).

In Romans 6:15-23, we see three dangerous consequences of addictions.

1.     Addiction leads to more lawlessness (v. 19)

2.     Addiction leads to shame (v. 21)

3.     Addiction leads to death (v. 21)

Lawlessness

In verse 19, the Apostle Paul teaches that “you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness.” Paul is writing this letter to the saints who are in Rome. Here, he is reminding them of who they once were before life in Christ.

Fundamentally, lawlessness is walking contrary to the law of God. It is rebellion against our Creator. Addiction is wrong because it is sinful to be given over to anything that is not God himself. In 1 Cor. 6:12, Paul says “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be dominated by anything.” Though Christians are free to enjoy all of God’s good gifts, it is wrong and even harmful to be mastered by anything other than Christ.

Lawlessness inevitably has a ripple effect that leads to more lawlessness. Consider how an addiction to alcohol could potentially lead to more lawlessness. Man struggles enough with temptation in his sobriety, but when one is drunk, his defense mechanisms are weakened. Alcoholism can lead to bouts with rage and anger. It can lead to sexual immorality. It can also cause bodily harm to the consumer and to others. All of this demonstrates that lawlessness leads to more lawlessness.

Shame

In verse 21, Paul says, “But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed.” Here, Paul reminds the saints at Rome of how the sins that they were once enslaved to, before conversion, had now caused them great shame. Heath Lambert helpfully points out that “shame is the painful remorse we feel when, in our right minds, we reflect on the miserable things we did in our foolish obedience to the harsh mastery of our addictions.” For addicts, others see their self-destructive patterns long before they see their own folly. When at last they do see it, the damage has already been done. This leads to the kind of shame that Paul addresses here.

Death

In the last part of verse 21, the Apostle Paul explains that the end of slavery to sin is death. Death in the Bible can be seen on three different levels ­­– physical death, spiritual death, and eternal death. All three are in view here. Almost all addictions are harmful to the physical body in some way which can shorten physical life. If the addiction is left unaddressed, it can certainly cause death to one’s spiritual life. And for some, who never experienced genuine salvation, addiction can cause them to permanently and completely fall in to unbelief and experience eternal death.

Slaves To Righteousness

Though Paul warns about the dangers of sin and addiction in these verses, he also shares the good news for believers. They are no longer slaves to sin! Paul reminds believers, “ you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness” (v. 16-17). Believers have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. God has made provisions for enslaved addicts to follow a much better master who delivers us from slavery by making us followers of Him. Christ died not only to pardon us from sin but also to free us from sins dominion. Through the Spirit’s work in our lives, we die more and more unto sin, and live more and more unto righteousness. As He works in us, we also work to actively kill sin in our lives.

For a helpful short essay on fighting addiction see https://learn.ligonier.org/articles/mortification-addictions