Breaking Free from Sin: Choosing God Over the Slavery of Addiction

Summary

This article compares addiction and sin, revealing how both addiction and sin enslave those who believe they are in control. Using everyday illustrations and Scripture, it shows that humanity is naturally bound to sin unless freed by Christ. True freedom comes through daily surrender to God, resisting sin’s pull, and living under the Holy Spirit’s control rather than self-directed independence.

Recognizing the Nature of Addiction

The top ten things to which people are addicted are nicotine, alcohol, illegal and prescription drugs, caffeine, gambling, internet and social media, food, shopping, work, and video games.1 The sign of addiction is when too much of something is not enough.

The Illusion of Control

Addicts are like my driver’s training teacher. He sat in the passenger’s seat while students were driving. He had a brake pedal he could push to stop the car whenever he wanted. He stomped on it once while I was behind the wheel. I remember exactly where I was at the time.  A lecture followed!

He could stop whenever he wanted, and I have known addicts who said they could stop whenever they wanted. Somehow, they never seemed to get around to wanting to quit.

Sliding From Driver to Slave

They remained slaves to whatever controlled them. They began in the driver’s seat of life but gradually slid to the passenger’s seat with a brake they never use. Their addictions are the drivers and bullies. Addictions are rarely loners. They run in packs.

Addicts remain as long as they live. Some learn not to start what they can’t stop. For example, recovering alcoholics recognize that one drink will send them spiraling downward back under alcohol’s control.

Sin as Humanity’s Common Bondage

Being controlled by someone or something is unpleasant and universal.  We have felt it because we are all sin addicts. At best, we are recovering sinners. Sin’s siren call never ceases. We must say yes to God and no to sin multiple times daily.

Breaking Free from Sin Through Christ Alone

We are slaves to whatever controls us” (2 Peter 2:19b). The Apostle Paul described redeemed humanity as no longer slaves to sin. “We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin” (Romans 6:6 NLT).

“Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living” (Romans 6:16 NLT). “Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living” (Romans 6:18 NLT). Jesus empowers us to choose Him as our master and break free from sin.

Living Daily Under God’s Control

If Christ doesn’t control us, sin does. No other options exist. Sin is independent, self-focused living. Obedience is dependent, God-centered living. Like a recovering alcoholic, we are one disobedient act away from the return of sin’s domination. It’s a difficult, never-ending battle.

The Apostle Paul confessed his addiction to sin. “So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin” (Romans 7:14).

He blamed his sinful nature for making him a slave (Romans 7:25). He said that Jesus Christ set him free from a life dominated by sin and death. He purposed in his heart not to be a slave to anything.

You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything” (1 Corinthians 6:12 NLT). His last sentence describes our Christ-glorifying goal.

The Apostle John describes the underlying dynamics of addiction to sin—"a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions” (1 John 2:16). They explain the rip currents of the above top ten addictions.  

Continually giving the Holy Spirit control of our lives sets us free from the life-wrecking undertow of sin’s deceitfulness (Ephesians 5:18).

1.     What are the Top 10 Things People are Addicted To?

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