Christian Recovery: The Problem with Justification

In our Christian recovery ministry, we have seen and heard a lot. Nothing surprises us, but there’s a lot that makes us cringe, especially when we’re sure that no good can come from the words we hear. Recently, a former addict decided that having wine with dinner was perfectly acceptable and condoned by Jesus. We tried to correct her carefully crafted reasoning, but she rejected our warnings with two typical points of justification:

1. Jesus drank wine so I can too.
2. Alcohol is not my problem.

Well, we’ve heard these two points before – more times than we care to count! Why is it that addicted personalities like to use Jesus as the example of drinking wine, but leave out all the Biblical warnings about its link to the demonic and the dangers of drunkenness? In my blog titled “What Does the Bible Say about Being Sober?” I list many of the Scriptures that refer to this issue. Here are some of the points that these Scriptures make.

• Bad things happen when you drink.
• You shouldn’t hang out with people who party.
• Your drinking can cause someone else to stumble. In other words, you can trigger them.
• Alcohol makes you a slave to it.
• Don’t act like the world acts.

It’s true that having a glass of wine is not a sin, that is, if you’re not someone who struggles with addiction. If you are one of those people, then even a single glass of wine is foolish, no matter how it’s cleverly justified.
Like every one of Satan’s tricks, justification works out great in the beginning, but the snare is fully set in no time at all. Consider the passage of Scripture in Proverbs 23:29-35.

“Who has Woe?
Who has sorrow?
Who has contentions?
Who has complaints?
Who has redness of eyes?
Those who linger long at the wine,
Those who go in search of mixed wine.
Do not look on the wine when it is red,
When it sparkles in the cup,
When it swirls around smoothly;
At the last it bites like a serpent,
And stings like a viper.
Your eyes will see strange things,
And your heart will utter perverse things.
Yes, you will be like one who lies down
in the midst of the sea,
Or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying
“They have struck me, but I was not hurt;
They have beaten me, but I did not feel it.
When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?”

When justification rears its ugly head, The Solid Rock Road team does its part to tell people that what we see isn’t pretty, but then we often find ourselves stepping back, letting go and allowing the consequences to unfold.

If you or your loved is a Christian in addiction or struggles to get set free, visit our website at www.thesolidrockroad.com . You can also find our book “Follow The Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery” on Amazon (in print and on KINDLE). Click here! You can also call us at 541-301-3717.