I am an addict. Since it is just us and I can trust you to keep this between us, I am making this confession. I have struggled all my life with my addiction. I confess my addiction to be hopeless. I am addicted to sin. Now before you begin to look down on me, you might as well confess your own addiction with me. All of us are addicts to some particular avenue of sin. Romans 3:23 tells us that all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. You see many have too long thought of sin as “taking a smoke, drink, swear or chew and hanging with guys and girls who do”. Sin is actually anything that causes us to fall short of the glory of God.
The word most often used for sin in the Scriptures is the Greek word, HAMARTIA, which means to ‘miss the mark’. It is the picture of an arrow headed for the bull’s eye but landing short of the intended target. Of all that exists in God’s handiwork, we are the only entity that was created in the image and likeness of God. We were aimed for a high target. Aristotle also used the word Hamartia to describe tragedy, the fall of a noble man caused by some excess or mistake in behavior, not because of a willful violation of the gods' laws. Hamartia is related to hubris which means extreme haughtiness or arrogance. Hubris often indicates being out of touch with reality and overestimating one's own competence or capabilities, especially for people in positions of power. Simply speaking, it is thinking we are somehow special and above the rules that apply to others.
Anytime we fall short of God’s glory in the way we live, love, express joy we seek to satisfy our addiction or sin. Each of us has our own avenue for this addiction. I once heard that one could sum the trifecta of Pride, Sloth and Fear from which most sin evolves. We are either too arrogant to notice or admit our real problems, too lazy to do what is necessary to change or too fearful to really live a life trusting God by faith.
Often we will accept and try to tolerate our addiction by drowning it in many ways. Some will live in blind ignorance as whole religions and philosophies have done proclaiming “we don’t have a problem.” Ignoring, expressing tolerance won’t make it better. Others live with the addiction claiming “I was born this way.” All of us were born with an addiction. I was born with an addiction to heterosexuality. I always had a very strong appreciation of pretty women. My addiction often troubled me as a young single man seeking to live a righteous and celibate Christian life until I met a very pretty woman who loved me enough to be my wife. I still appreciate God’s creation of the opposite sex but I made a lifelong comment to be addicted only to the one to whom I said “I do” thirty years ago. Now it is fun to mount up to God’s glory and love her as Christ loved the church. Just the other night we had a romantic supper on the deck, held hands on the swing for hours and…well I digress.
If you do not admit (as I just did) and deal with your addiction, it will destroy the joy God intends you to have as you are created and aimed for a higher target. For instance I also have an addiction to Double Stuff Oreos. I know they are on the shelf of the cookie isle, waiting to jump into the shopping cart, so I don’t go down that isle. Sometimes avoiding places, people and activities is necessary to avoid problems with addiction. A 12-step program will not work. Trusting your life completely to Jesus, receiving his forgiving healing grace and the inward power of the Holy Spirit to change you day by day is the only answer. He will teach, change and guide you if you will be honest with yourself and let Him work to heal your addiction.
Hello, I my name is Bill and I am an addict.
