Addiction: Sin or Disease?

Addiction: Sin or Disease  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  26:05
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Good morning,
I am Patrick Whittington
I have been attending for about 4 years
A member for 3 years.
Speaking about a topic that is very personal to me, and is relevant to us all.
Title today is Addiction: Sin or Disease?
Scripture passage is James 1:13-15

Background of James

half brother of Jesus
leader of church in Jerusalem
James 1:13–15 NIV
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
Prayer

My Testimony

Personally thought it was disease for many years

Disease: definite entity of sickness

a definite entity of sickness of part of the body with a characteristic of sickness

Addiction: a strong inclination

A strong inclination to do, use, indulge in something repeatedly

Sin:

This passage truly defines sin...
Here are the three questions we are going to consider:
How did we get here?
++What do we do about it?
++How do we prevent it?

How did we get here?

some people think it is God's fault
James 1:13 NIV
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;
God cannot be tempted -
God has no desire for evil
there is no evil in Him
God does not tempt
God does not want us to sin
God wants us to be safe
God wants us to trust Him
fall of man, Genesis 3
Romans 5:12 NIV
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—
We were all right there sinning along with Adam, our ancestor,
Everyday we prove that we are just like Adam, choosing what we want instead of what God says.
James 1:14 shows us how we get here, being tempted and sinning
James 1:14 NIV
but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.
we do not get to the bottom abrupt and suddenly
one step at a time
Eve
lust of flesh (it was good for food)
lust of eyes (it was pleasing to the eye)
pride of life (it was desirable for wisdom/being like God)
My personal experience
desires, dragged away and enticed

What do we do about it?

Christian walk is most unfair:
1 John 1:9 NIV
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
God is faithful and just
we are unfaithful and unjust
Jesus came
all we have is to confess?
gospel

How do we prevent it?

Jesus’ example in Matthew 4.
Matthew 4:4 NIV
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Deuteronomy 8:3
Matthew 4:7 NIV
Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
Deuteronomy 6:16
Matthew 4:10 NIV
Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
Deuteronomy 6:13
He used the Word of God
We need to be reading, meditating and using the Word of God.
We need right thinking
Romans 6:1–2 NIV
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?
Romans 6:6–7 NIV
For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
James gives us another thing we need
James 5:16 NIV
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
We need accountability and fellowship
confess sins to one another,
fellowship
Paul tells us another thing we need:
Romans 6:11–14 NIV
In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.
Closing remarks
How did we get here?
Our own evil desires
The end of the story in the truck stop bathroom
What do we do about it?
Repent, turn to God, and confess
How do we prevent it?
Right Thinking - Word of God
Accountability & Fellowship
Offering ourselves for righteousness - Right actions
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