Can a Christian with addictions to enter heaven?
Vincent from Georgia asked: “If a Christian is addicted to alcohol, pornography, or drugs, will God still send them to hell, even though they're constantly fighting the addiction?”
Vincent,
As we mature in Christ, the battle with sin does not get easier. It often gets more difficult. I remember as a young seminary student, visiting the office of one of my dear professors who was in his sixties. I said to him “It must be wonderful to be an older man and not have the struggle with things like a lust or other fleshly temptations.” He chuckled and then said to me: “Stephen, the older I get, the more difficult it becomes.” That was a great lesson for me as a young man.
The longer a person walks with Christ, the more His character is formed in you. As that happens, you become more sensitive to your sins. There are things about myself that bother me now that didn't bother me when I was a 20 year old. Why? Because sin I thought I could manage didn’t bother me then.
So Vincent, believers can and do continue to sin. For every one of us, it's going to be different. The struggle might be pride or greed or unkindness. The struggle might be those that you mentioned—drunkenness, pornography or drug use. However, a believer should never become comfortable with his sin or begin to cherish that sin. Loving and cherishing sin is an evidence that the person is not a believer because the Holy Spirit lives in all true believers and causes us to regret our sin.
Keep in mind that sin is always a choice. God tells us that with every temptation comes a way of excape. We never have an excuse for our sin. Labeling something an addiction does not alleviate the responsibility to remove the sin from our lives. We don't just fall into sin helplessly. Whenever we sin, it’s because we wanted to.
I've often told people that the mark of maturity is not that you don’t sin, but the span of time between your sin and confession. How long does it take you? Does it take you a day? Does it take you an hour? It only should take a moment. That's maturity.
So Vincent, a persistent struggle with sin does not keep a Christian from heaven. But the way that person deals with his sin is an indicator of his spiritual health. If he confesses, repents and seeks God's help to shun that sin, he is acting as God desires. If he loves, nurtures and never confesses his sin, he is not acting how God desires. In case of the latter, I suggest spending time evaluating if he truly is a child of God.
Thanks for your question,
Stephen
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I was clean off of meth for 5 years and I got tricked into doing it. I thought it was a sub when it was really meth and for the past 4 years I’ve been going back and fourth doing it and then I’ll stop and then I do it and 2 weeks later I do it again and I can’t stop because I am so tired and exhausted all the time. I’m so depressed I’m so tired I can’t get out of bed even with the adderall.
I can’t do it there’s something wrong with me we just don’t know why I am so tired I fall asleep sitting up I can’t keep my eyes open. I then give in to meth because it’s the only time I can actually calm down and have motivation to get up and work or clean and get all of my stuff done I love God I am ashamed of this but I cannot stop.
I keep asking for help from him I can’t go to rehab I am barely making it as it is to pay my bills. I have to work. I am so scared I’m starting to lose things not because I am spending money on drugs but because God is taking them away from me because he is mad at me. I am so tired of doing this.
I don’t want to go to hell. I keep hearing him saying that was my last chance and it’s too late for me but idk if that’s God or the devil. Im so confused I just keep hearing I don’t have enough time now it’s too late for me and I’ll be dead at 45 now I Al almost 44. I am just so tied if being scared I’ve been an adddict all my life and I have lost almost all hope.
Let’s face it, the 7 deadly sins were preached in the Church for centuries. Until pastors that can’t button their sports coats decided not to mention it anymore.
I used to weight 265 lbs. and have found Church a very hard place to keep my “food sobriety.” Every celebration is around food.
Why not fast instead? Lol
Love, Rev. Dave