Addictions: Sin or Disease?

 On a FB group a question was asked if we consider addictions (gambling, alcohol, drugs, etc.) to be sin or disease. I answered: “We are all addicted to sin. As far as other addictions  

as gambling, porn, alcohol, etc., some people have a genetic weakness. Thus if someone has relatives who are addicts of some sort, there must be the conscious effort and choice to avoid, as in never start. Addictions bring physical pleasure, so the pressure builds to do the act again. Thus the choice is never to start, and if started to choose not do. The breaking of addictions must involve Bible reading/study, prayer, and support from the church. Most cannot break free without help of God and the church.”

I might mention some things that we should be addicted to:

• Bible reading
• Bible studying
• Prayer
• Living the Christian life
• Being kind
• Loving our spouse and children
• and many more

Because speaking pompous words of emptiness they entice through fleshly lusts, through licentiousness, those who have actually escaped from those who are living in error, promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the real knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter circumstances have become worse for them than the first ones. (2 Peter 2:18-20, WPNT).

"For You said, ‘I will surely treat you well, and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude." (Genesis 32:12, NKJV). "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise." (Galatians 3:26-29, NKJV)

Christians believe...?

Christians believe...
in absolute truth?
in strict moral absolutes?



The Barna group did a survey on absolutes.

They found, among other things, these six principles:

1. 'The best way to find yourself is by looking within yourself.' An incredible 91% of US adults and 76% of practicing Christians agreed 'completely' or 'somewhat' with this statement.
2. 'People should not criticize someone else's life choices.' Overall 89% of adults and 76% of Christians agree.
3. 'To be fulfilled in life, you should pursue the things you desire most.' 86% of American adults and 72% of Christians said, 'Yes.'
4. 'The highest goal of life is to enjoy it as much as possible.' 84% of adults and 67% of Christians agreed that this was the highest goal of life.
5. 'People can believe whatever they want, as long as those beliefs don't affect society.' Those who agreed with this statement consisted of 79% of American adults and 61% of practicing Christians.
6. 'Any kind of sexual expression between two consenting adults is acceptable.' Incredibly, nearly 69% of American adults and an astonishing 40% of Christians agreed with this.

 Seriously?
Something is wrong.
If morality is different in different countries and with individuals based on their own views, there are not standards. Is God so fickle that He has differing laws and rules that change all the time? What kind of weak-kneed God is that?

Consider:

1. "For I, Yahweh, have not changed, and you, O children of Jacob, have not perished. (Malachi 3:6 LEB)
2. in order that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge may have powerful encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us, (Hebrews 6:18 LEB)
3. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of change. (James 1:17 LEB)

Which is correct? Does God and His rules change at every whim or do they remain the same?
I believe that God does not lie, nor change. He is consistent. I can rest in that. If He changes all the time, how could we ever know what He wants or maybe He will change His mind about His love for us.
The Christians today are starving spiritually. We need to study our Bibles. We need this food.
God bless you.
Therefore having put away all malice, all guile, hypocrisy, envy, and all slanders, as newborn babes, desire the genuine milk of the word, that by it you may grow, if indeed you tasted that the Lord is good. (1 Peter 2:1-3 EMTV)
 
 

Undeserved Blessings

Theme: God Chose by Grace

Scripture: Genesis 27:1-46

Objectives:

Know: God chose Jacob in order to accomplish His purposes.

Think: Live with the awareness that God chose to offer grace and blessing to me through Jacob's descendant, Jesus Christ. His choice was not dependent on who I am or what I have done.

Do: Honor the Lord with your life because of His grace, not to obtain it.

Notes and questions

B1 Ever think of something good that you want to do? Some go about it the right way and some the wrong way. What happens when we go about doing something right the wrong way? Here is a picture of someone who it the right thing the wrong way.

B2 Why do people hold grudges?

B3 What had God promised Rebekah? See Genesis 25:22-23

B4 In our passage, what was Rebekah doing? (She believed God that Jacob was to receive the blessing, but she was doing things her way).

B5 What would have happened if Rebekah had not done these things? Would Jacob still have received his blessing?

B6 Does God need our "assistance" to accomplish His will? (He uses our cooperation but doesn't need our interfering to get the job done. Our timing is usually off. God promised a son to Abraham (Genesis 12:2, Genesis 13:6, Genesis 15:4, Genesis 17:19). This child was not born when Abraham and Sarah thought he should be, so Sarah thought she would help out (Genesis 16:1-2, Genesis 17:16). Isaac was born, as God promised, at the right time (Genesis 21:1-2). Abraham and Sarah should have waited. When we "help" God this way, it causes trouble for us").

B7 Genesis 27:1-29

C1 What was Isaac's failure?

C2 How did Rebekah fail?

C3 How did Jacob fail?

C4 How did Esau fail?

C5 How do we fail?

C6 Does guilt have any effect on these and us?

B8 Genesis 27:30-40

C1 Do foolish decisions affect the course of our lives? Compare Hebrews 12:17

C2 What do you think Esau was thinking after the words of his father in Genesis 27:33?

C3 Was Isaac correct when he said, "Your brother came with deceit and has taken away your blessing?" What should Isaac have remembered? (Genesis 25:23).

C4 Was Esau telling the truth in Genesis 27:36?

B9 Genesis 27:41-46

C1 Genesis 27:41, what does hate often lead to? What could Esau have done differently at this point in time?

C2 Genesis 27:44, did Rebekah and Jacob think that Jacob would be gone only a few days?

B10 Did Rebekah's actions lead to family peace? What could she have done differently?

B11 What are the motives of Isaac, Rebekah, Esau, and Jacob?

B12 Does God know the future? Does God know your future? Does that inspire and comfort you whether you are facing trials or joyful times?

B13 Can God accomplish His plan even if we mess up?

B14 When we realize we have done wrong as our characters in Genesis 27, what are we to do?

B15 Did Esau or Jacob look to the future or just the right-here-and-now?

B16 When there are family scars like this, what is the Christian response?

B17 How do we handle bitterness?

B18 How do we handle grudges against others, church, God, or even ourselves?

B19 Which is better to hold a grudge or to forgive?

B20 Is a grudge really worth it?

B21 Wait on the Lord. "But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31, NKJV)

B22 Forgive each other. "Thus also My heavenly Father will do to you, if you do not forgive each one his brother their trespasses, from your hearts." (Matthew 18:35, EMTV)

A few doctrinal notes

Death is not merely separation but is termination of life. Physical death is the end of cellular respiration and metabolic processes. The Christian understands that there is a separation of the spiritual (soul and spirit) from the flesh (2 Peter 1:14, 2 Corinthians 5:8). Death is a result of sin (Romans 5:12, Romans 6:23). Spiritual death is also a termination of which all humans have. This is an end of fellowship with God (Ephesians 2:1, 1 John 3:14). Death is the punishment for sin (Genesis 2:17, Romans 5:12).

Faith is believing God. Adam did not believe God and chose to disbelieve. Adam’s disbelief was shown by his actions of deliberately disobeying God. God said, “Do not eat.” Adam chose to eat. After eating, God revealed the substitutionary sacrifice of a sheep. Faith is then seen though out the Bible as people “believed God, and it was accounted as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6, Daniel 6:23, Jonah 3:5, John 3:16, Romans 4:3, Romans 4:22-25, etc.).

Original sin is the doctrine that all have sinned. We have inherited the “me first” concept, since Adam was the head of human race.

Sin is disobedience to God’s law. This is best seen in His commandments. We are not good because we are liars, blasphemers, covetous, disobedient to parents, adulterers at heart (if not in flesh), thieves, etc.

Sin is punished by death, not only physical but eternal (Revelation 21:8, Daniel 12:2).

All people are in darkness (John 3:19, Ephesians 5:8, etc.) and dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1, Colossians 2:13, etc.). This is total depravity. We are complete sinners and are not good enough for heaven according to God’s standards.

No one seeks God (Romans 3:10-18, Psalms 14:2-3). This is total inability. Unless God initiates salvation (prevenient grace), no one will be saved. God seeks us (Luke 19:10). God is the one who opens our eyes and hearts to the Gospel (Acts 26:18, Acts 16:14). God draws us to Himself (John 6:44) to understand the Gospel.

The Lord Jesus had our sins laid on Him, suffered for our sins (1 Peter 3:18), and died in God’s judgment for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3).

The Lord Jesus was raised physically from the dead proving righteousness (Romans 1:4, 1 Peter 1:3).