Really the thread title says it all, but I will expand a little just to ask this; can someone actively in the midst of drug addiction, not recovery, be a christian? If no, why not? If yes, how is that reconciled?
So the difference is the recognition that it is wrong and a desire to stop doing it even though the person struggles with the issue (whether it be drugs, sex, idolatry)?
I appreciate the concern, but no, I am good. This was a question simply based on stuff I was reading in other threads about who could and couldn't be a christian. I am someone who tries to have better understanding, and the only way to do it in this situation is to ask questions.
I will be honest though, if I was a baby christian, I think this thread would scare the heck out of me. It use to be mature believers would tell baby christians and unbelievers that all they had to do was believe that Christ was the son of God, He died on the cross, rose from the dead. And we are saved by grace through faith in Christ, and they would be saved and spend eternity in Heaven. This I can find scripture for. Now we are talking about well, wait, God will know, and no if you're an addict you can't be saved or yes if you are an addict you can be saved if you are trying to quit. Or if your a long term addict you can't be saved because a christian would be delivered.
I'm not saying I have an answer, just that I would hate to be somebody struggling early in their walk trying to feel secure in my Savior while hearing all these interpretations.
[SUP]
I agree with your last posting here, young Christians are most vulnerable to interference from those who would pervert the true way of Christ, and as such showing them Christ as first and last in all things should keep them safe. As has also been said within this thread sometimes things go awry and God has to leave his 99 and come looking for the one, Bless Him.
I spent a few years in the turmoil of addiction, and the harm it does, if not to you to those around you. I think that I used it to try and force God's hand, I knew He existed, but could not find Him, so in my own perverted way I used my behaviour to force Him to do something, to show himself to me. It sort of worked LOL (laughing with tongue in cheek) but certainly not the way I intended.
There is also a train of thought that has been shown on this thread that we should leave these kind of people alone and have nothing to do with them, or once saved we meet only with those we know to be saved. The Holy Spirit has led me otherwise, or how else do we witness what God has done in our lives and how else can we show the Love Christ has for them unless we keep meeting with the friends we had to bring the "Light of God" into the darkness of those lives.
5 [/SUP]This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. [SUP]6 [/SUP]If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. [SUP]7 [/SUP]But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[SUP][
b][/SUP] sin.
[SUP]8 [/SUP]If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. [SUP]9 [/SUP]If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. [SUP]10 [/SUP]If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
Meeting with what we call our 'former friends' is not walking in darkness, it is placing your light on a table giving light to the room, showing a 'better way' if they don't want anything to do with you that is their choice. I can hear people saying "OH we must be careful not to fall back into the ways of evil again". Yes OK but who has the power here, us or God, is it not written;
Isaiah 52:7
How
beautiful on the mountains are the
feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!” And Paul repeats this in Romans 10 v 15.
I would like to add this, if we know of anyone in this situation of being addicted to things that they would have to go into the darkness to obtain (and this is where the concern is for me), tell them to take the light with them. They obviously have concerns about their usage, OK let them give thanks to God for it (does that sound blasphemous to you? are you addicted?).
We are told "In all things give thanks to God", this is no different. As they hand over the money and say thanks, also within the hearing of those selling give thanks to God for what He has provided, just say "Thank you Jesus" out loud so they can hear, and as a Christian with problems always be prepared to give an explanation of your faith, because it will happen, and in doing so your light will shine in a very dark place.
Or else what will happen is they will free up the Holy Spirit within them to convict them and completely bring them out of that addiction. Our God is an awesome God, He reigns in heaven and earth, in our lives and in the kingdoms of men, whether they admit it or not. and I, we, whoever is addicted can do all through Him who died for us.
