Is Addiction Sin?

[DiZent]

Some of my co-workers (mostly protestants) were discussing a celebrity with a known addiction problem. The celebrity has been in an abusive marriage (husband also has a known addiction) After one stint in rehab, she was “saved”, but has suffered more than one relapse following her spiritual awakening. The question came up as to whether someone who is actively using drugs is still saved. Most of my co-workers couldn’t reconcile this, but insisted that she was saved, that it wasn’t actions that get you to heaven. I stated that this was true, but actions can get you to hell. Then my question was whether someone who accepted Jesus, but then acted in ways that were not God’s will such as using drugs, was still in a state of grace. Most of my co-workers were confused as to what I meant by a state of grace, but stated that she would still be in God’s grace because God’s grace is freely given. My next question was whether or not the celebrity was rejecting God’s grace by using drugs, and they stated yes, but that she was still “saved”. My premise then was that since the celebrity has an addiction, that because of her addiction, maybe the drug use was not done with free will and full consent, so the action may not totally separate her from God’s grace, but she would still need to repent. One co-worker took me aside and said “you study the Master, and they don’t understand”. This co-worker is a fellow Catholic, and recently I’ve heard a couple protestant co-workers try to evangelize him into their churches. I think he was the reason I got involved in the discussion.

 

[Timbothefiveth]

1 corinthians 6:10

nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.

This supports the idea that you can lose salvation by sinning.

 

[Langdell]

Interesting conversation. As far as I know, many (most?) Protestant denominations subscribe to the “once saved, always saved” view. According to that theology, falling off the wagon wouldn’t “unsave” you if you’ve already been saved.
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[buffalo]

Addiction may lessen one’s culpability.

 

[DiZent]

Interesting conversation. As far as I know, many (most?) Protestant denominations subscribe to the “once saved, always saved” view. According to that theology, falling off the wagon wouldn’t “unsave” you if you’ve already been saved.
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Yeah, I was challenging that. OSAS doesn’t cover what happens to someone who falls back into sin, if they’re still saved. I know that God’s grace is still there, but subsequent sins separate us from that grace. Continued conversion & repentance is necessary.

 

[Peter_Dawson]

I think that addiction, per se, is not sinful.

Languishing in the addition – living with it, feeding it , instead of warring with it – is sinful.

 

[Newbie2]

Yeah, I was challenging that. OSAS doesn’t cover what happens to someone who falls back into sin, if they’re still saved. I know that God’s grace is still there, but subsequent sins separate us from that grace. Continued conversion & repentance is necessary.

Exactly.

And if they fall back into sin, the explanation is that they were never truly saved in the first place, but merely think they were. Yet one can know if they’re saved? Dizzying theology behind OSAS.

I think that addiction, per se, is not sinful.

Languishing in the addition – living with it, feeding it , instead of warring with it – is sinful.

Exactomundo.

 

[DiZent]

Exactly.

And if they fall back into sin, the explanation is that they were never truly saved in the first place, but merely think they were. Yet one can know if they’re saved? Dizzying theology behind OSAS.

The Catholic view of “I have been saved (Baptism), I am being saved (keeping His commandments, living a Christian life, Sacraments), and I will be saved (at the hour of death)” reflects faith and reason.

Addiction does take away from a person’s free will, so it would lessen the culpability. If one ascribes to the disease model, then addiction itself is a sickness and would not be a sin. However, much sinful behavior is often a result of addiction (lying, stealing, promiscuity, etc). To say that none of this matters is presuming on God’s grace. On the other hand, God does use addiction to draw sinners to Himself in their struggle against the disease.