Can A Believer Become Addicted To Sin?

Is it possible for a believer to become addicted to a specific sin?

Yes.

In Galatians 6:1, Paul states,

"Brothers, if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted."

To be caught in a trespass is to become addicted to a specific sin.

It is to be controlled by a certain sin or combination of sins.

The addicted person is not happy in the sin.

He is struggling to free himself…but he just can’t seem to break free.

He is caught…trapped…addicted…in bondage to a sin, and he can’t break loose.

He is frustrated.

When a fellow brother or sister in Christ or an unbeliever is addicted to a sin, who should seek to restore that person, and how should restoration happen?

Paul tells us in Galatians 6:1:

"…you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness."

According to Paul, restoration should be done by those who are spiritual and in a spirit of gentleness.

But this restoration should be done while also practicing observation, meaning they should be very watchful and careful because they could be caught in the same sin.

Who are the spiritual?

The spiritual are those who walk by the Spirit.

So what does it mean to walk by the Spirit?

To walk by the Spirit, in the context of Galatians, is to no longer live by the Law of Moses, where a person seeks to be justified (be righteous) by religious activity and morality, but rests completely by faith in the grace of God for righteousness.

Those who walk by the Spirit rest in grace.

They are resting in grace, which is everything God has freely, fully, and forever done for and given to us in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (Galatians 2:21, Galatians 5:4).

In the context of Galatians, the person who lives by the Spirit lives by faith in Jesus who loves him and gave his life for him, rather than by the Law of Moses (Galatians 2:20).

Those who live by the Spirit live in a personal, grace-based, love-relationship with God, calling God "Abba Father" (Galatians 4:4-6).

They relate to God as their loving Father…their Father who is patient, kind, good, gentle, and faithful.

The Spirit produces the Father’s love in them (fruit of the Spirit).

The Father’s love flows through them to others.

They are patient.

They are kind.

They are good.

They are gentle.

They are faithful.

Their lives are controlled by the Father’s love.

They do not relate to God in fear as slaves under law (Romans 8:14-16; Galatians 4:7).

They do not relate to God through religious performance to gain his acceptance and forgiveness.

Those who walk by the Spirit understand the grace of God, meaning God's unconditional love and acceptance, unmerited kindness, unearned blessings, and unlimited forgiveness freely, fully, and forever given to us in Jesus.

Those who walk by the Spirit are not ashamed of the grace of God.

They do not condemn those who teach grace, because they, too, are teachers of grace.

Since they are aware of the depths of their own sin, and how easily it would be for themselves to be caught up in the same sin their brother or sister is caught in, they have a deep appreciation for grace.

These are the ones who should go and restore someone trapped in or addicted to a specific sin.

The goal of those who help others caught in a sin is restoration.

Restoration is to bring someone back to spiritual, mental, emotional, relational, and physical health.

Why does Paul say for those who walk by the Spirit to go to this addicted person?

Because the law-based believer would go with a prideful spirit of judgment and condemnation, rather than a humble spirit of grace and restoration.

Condemnation does not bring restoration...grace brings restoration.

If law-based believers were to go to one caught in a sin, they would punish this person with guilt and shame, thus pushing this person deeper into sin.

In the context of Galatians, the NON-spiritual ones (but highly religious and externally moral), had deserted grace for law (Galatians 1:6).

They were NOT the ones who should go and help a fellow believer.

The spiritual ones were those who were living completely under grace and who had matured in grace.

It was those living under and who matured in grace whom Paul instructed to go to a brother or sister who was addicted to a specific sin.

Those who go to a brother or sister caught in a sin should go with an attitude of gentleness and kindness...an attitude of grace.

The one caught in sin already feels condemnation, guilt, and shame.

They do not need a law-based believer heaping more condemnation, guilt, and shame upon them.

No...they need grace.

They need someone who will come to them in an attitude of humility, lavishing upon them God's unconditional love and acceptance, unmerited kindness, unearned blessings, and unlimited forgiveness.

They need someone who will be patient, kind, good, and gentle.

It is in this response of grace to the one trapped in sin that restoration begins...that healing begins.

So, is it possible for a believer to become addicted to sin?

Yes.

According to Paul, who is to go to them?

Only those who walk in the Spirit...only those who relate to God as their loving Father under grace should go to someone addicted to a sin.

So rather than judging them from afar with an attitude of law-based condemnation, let's love them up close with an attitude of grace-based restoration.

This is from Brad’s book on Galatians: Return to Grace. Available on Amazon.

If you are someone you know is battling an addiction, check out Brad’s book, Addicted Grace for help breaking free from addiction.

If you would like to start an Addicted Grace group in your area for those battling addictions, Contact Brad.