How should a Christian view addiction?

Answer

The term addiction carries two fundamental meanings. The initial definition, which is commonly known, refers to “causing someone to become physically or psychologically dependent on a habit-forming substance.” Those who are addicted or described as “given to much wine” (Titus 1:7;Titus 2:3), “drunkards” «not given to wine, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money», (1 Timothy 3:3), or “heavy drinkers” «Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain.», (1 Timothy 3:8) are deemed unfit to teach or hold a position of authority within the church. It is evident that church leaders must be temperate and disciplined so that they can instruct others by their conduct to do the same, as “drunkards . . . will not inherit the kingdom of God” «nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.», (1 Corinthians 6:10). Believers should not rely on alcohol, and it follows that this principle extends to addiction to any other substance, such as drugs, pornography, gambling, gluttony, tobacco, and so on.

The second definition of addiction is “to engage (oneself) with or involve (oneself) in something habitually or compulsively.” This pertains to an unnatural (especially for Christians) preoccupation with anything other than God: sports, work, shopping and/or accumulating material possessions, even family or children. We are instructed to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind”

ht” «and thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. », (Deuteronomy 6:5), which is, according to Jesus, the first and greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37-38). We can conclude, then, that an addiction to anything other than God Himself is incorrect. God is the only thing we can (and should) occupy ourselves with habitually. To do so with anything else draws us away from Him and displeases Him. He alone is deserving of our complete attention, love, and service. To offer these things to anything or anyone else is idolatry.