Can a drug addict be a christian?

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posthuman

posthuman

Senior Member
#61
Jul 31, 2013
38,298
13,730
113
#61
JennaLeanne said:
Do we pick out addiction as an illness and magnify it as more of an issue than say gossip or jealousy?
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amen, sis!

people can be just as 'addicted' to gossip or vanity as meth.
many people - even Christians - treat television, cell phones, facebook, cars, clothes or any number of other things the same way a person addicted to a drug treats his or her pipe or kit.

would we say these people aren't 'true believers' ?
that word 'addict probably applies to every single one of us in one form or another.
 
posthuman

posthuman

Senior Member
#63
Jul 31, 2013
38,298
13,730
113
#63
this topic touches me particularly, both because i've had my own background in substance use & abuse, and because one of my dearest brothers in Christ that i've known for 30 years is right now serving a prison sentence for making meth in his home. he was addicted. he's struggled with addictions to various things his whole life, and from the time he accepted Christ at a very young age till the present, he's also followed Him and believed and never rejected the faith, though he may stray. i never considered him 'not a Christian' -- though his behavior, like all of ours, was sometimes very un-Christ-like.

God has been using his arrest and prison term in a very profound way to draw him back to Himself, to help sanctify his life, and to remove these entanglements in his flesh. it is the answer to many prayers, and he sees it this way too. we both bless God for this! for this man, it took this shocking and troubling circumstance to get through his thick skull. we thank God that it didn't take death! as it does finally for some others.
the Lord chastises and teaches His sons and daughters. we don't cease to become His children because He is reproving us -- it makes us all the more His children; it is evidence.
 
B

bikerchaz

Guest
#64
#64
Corby2, if a person came into your meeting/church/fellowship in leathers and cut off, with piercings tattoos and stinking of drink and or drugged up to the eyeballs with pornography falling out of every pocket, would you ask them to leave and come back sober, with a change of clothes and empty pockets?
 
JennaLeanne

JennaLeanne

Senior Member
#65
Dec 26, 2015
411
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#65
posthuman said:
this topic touches me particularly, both because i've had my own background in substance use & abuse, and because one of my dearest brothers in Christ that i've known for 30 years is right now serving a prison sentence for making meth in his home. he was addicted. he's struggled with addictions to various things his whole life, and from the time he accepted Christ at a very young age till the present, he's also followed Him and believed and never rejected the faith, though he may stray. i never considered him 'not a Christian' -- though his behavior, like all of ours, was sometimes very un-Christ-like.

God has been using his arrest and prison term in a very profound way to draw him back to Himself, to help sanctify his life, and to remove these entanglements in his flesh. it is the answer to many prayers, and he sees it this way too. we both bless God for this! for this man, it took this shocking and troubling circumstance to get through his thick skull. we thank God that it didn't take death! as it does finally for some others.
the Lord chastises and teaches His sons and daughters. we don't cease to become His children because He is reproving us -- it makes us all the more His children; it is evidence.
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AAAAAAAAAAMEN love this little chunk right here... Let's all remember that it's only the Love of God that leads a man to repentance... We have no right to say where a person is with God. Remember that God doesn't see the outward appearance of a man but his heart... 1 samuel 16:7

Love this thread. I pray God will lead people to read what is wrote here. To all the baby Christians. He loves u where u are right now.. Allow his love to change u inwardly.. Only then will u see the manifestation outwardly. Xx
 
W

WarriorForChrist

Guest
#67
#67
Depleted said:
A. Who says there is no remorse?

B. Since when is remorse the path to heaven? I thought that was Jesus.
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If a Christian has no conviction for a sin then they were probably never saved. The bible is full of examples of how a true Christian is suppose to live their lives. It specifically states if we live in continuous sin then we aren't followers of Christ. Read 1 John it is full of examples of how a Christian should be. If you think just saying the sinners prayer makes you a Christian then you are dead wrong. If there is no change in your life then most likely it is a false conversion.
 
P

psychomom

Guest
#68
#68
JennaLeanne said:
Please listen to this... It's so beautiful
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may i help you a little? :) in hope more will listen. ♥

[video=youtube;ipwEtvWL_3c]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipwEtvWL_3c&feature=youtu.be[/video]
 
C

coby2

Guest
#69
#69
bikerchaz said:
Corby2, if a person came into your meeting/church/fellowship in leathers and cut off, with piercings tattoos and stinking of drink and or drugged up to the eyeballs with pornography falling out of every pocket, would you ask them to leave and come back sober, with a change of clothes and empty pockets?
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Drugaddicts and pornaddicts come and are set free. If people are saved a long time and choose to live together they leave because they can't stand the preaching. If they're addicted to porn they raise their hand and the unclean spirits get kicked out. It's only a problem If people want to stay in sin and don't even want prayer and counseling.
 
JennaLeanne

JennaLeanne

Senior Member
#70
Dec 26, 2015
411
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#70
psychomom said:
may i help you a little? :) in hope more will listen. ♥

[video=youtube;ipwEtvWL_3c]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipwEtvWL_3c&feature=youtu.be[/video]
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Yessssss! I wouldn't have a clue how to do that haha. Thanks :)
 
P

psychomom

Guest
#71
#71
P

psychomom

Guest
#72
#72
JennaLeanne said:
Yessssss! I wouldn't have a clue how to do that haha. Thanks :)
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haha! took me a year to figure it out :rolleyes:

when you want to post a song, open another window to youtube with the song you like.
then, see up at the top of the posting window, beginning from the right, there's an icon looking like a quote box?
the icon just to the left of that is sorta filmstrip-y looking, and if you click on it, it opens a little window that says 'enter video clip'. copy the youtube URL, paste it into the white box there, and violà!

practice, if you like. i am quite sure hoss won't mind at all. (he's kind like that)
in fact, he probably knows an easier way! :)
 
C

coby2

Guest
#73
#73
psychomom said:
well, i tend to like a site that has a link to Spurgeon sermons.... ;)

but i think what we're saying is not that you ought not put away your own sin.

though we're called to be encouragers to others in the faith, we can't put away their sin.

since we ALL struggle with something, we are to show mercy as we have been shown mercy.
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Yes don't condemn, but help them out of it. Just saying it's no problem isn't really loving. I remember That preaching. It was so funny, the Guy had a British accent: He thought He could be a christian gangster.
I once lead a drugaddict to the Lord but didn't say the idea was to get free from the heroin too, so He Prayed the sinner's Prayer only. Took Him to a service. He Said: the Holy Spirit is a goner.
 
JennaLeanne

JennaLeanne

Senior Member
#74
Dec 26, 2015
411
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#74
psychomom said:
well, i tend to like a site that has a link to Spurgeon sermons.... ;)

but i think what we're saying is not that you ought not put away your own sin.

though we're called to be encouragers to others in the faith, we can't put away their sin.

since we ALL struggle with something, we are to show mercy as we have been shown mercy.
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And to not see people as disposable because they don't change the minute they are told they are living in error... We are to speak the truth.. Truth is so misinterpreted though.. The truth is love... The truth is Jesus... The truth is the Gospel, the resurrection... Not u are a sinner.. your on drugs your going to hell. Man I hate preaching that preaches truth when there is no "truth" in it.. Just a bunch of self righteous people that think they know it all...
 
P

psychomom

Guest
#75
#75
coby2 said:
Yes don't condemn, but help them out of it. Just saying it's no problem isn't really loving. I remember That preaching. It was so funny, the Guy had a British accent: He thought He could be a christian gangster.
I once lead a drugaddict to the Lord but didn't say the idea was to get free from the heroin too, so He Prayed the sinner's Prayer only. Took Him to a service. He Said: the Holy Spirit is a goner.
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what do you think he meant by that?

i completely agree with the helping them out of that, but it sometimes takes a while.

it's God Who does the sanctifying work in His dear children, and He's not going to fail in it. :)
 
P

psychomom

Guest
#76
#76
JennaLeanne said:
And to not see people as disposable because they don't change the minute they are told they are living in error... We are to speak the truth.. Truth is so misinterpreted though.. The truth is love... The truth is Jesus... The truth is the Gospel, the resurrection... Not u are a sinner.. your on drugs your going to hell. Man I hate preaching that preaches truth when there is no "truth" in it.. Just a bunch of self righteous people that think they know it all...
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i mean :eek: sometimes love looks like this:

Better is open rebuke Than love that is concealed.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend (Prov 27:5-6a)

Whoever rebukes a man will afterward find more favor than he who flatters with his tongue. (Prov 28:23)

but i think we must be careful how we love others, and we certainly need God's wisdom in that. :)


 
JennaLeanne

JennaLeanne

Senior Member
#77
Dec 26, 2015
411
37
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#77
I think sometimes we can be so focused on Tryna get a person right we forget to love them... That's where we slip up.. Let's pray for patience for one another.. I thank God and the faithful people who he has put in my life the past 7 years I have been walking.. if walking is what ud call it.. crawling, tripping,stumbling,falling sound much better haha ! I always say Lord you have got ya work cut out with me!! His grace is remarkable... I'm able to love and be patient with others because I know what's it like to fail 7777777777777×777777777777
 
P

psychomom

Guest
#78
#78
it's a 90s flashback! lol

[video=youtube;23ow3vui7l8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23ow3vui7l8[/video]



I couldn't help but wonder
What he was thinking
As he stared out the window
Through the sky
It seemed he was taking
His last look at freedom
From the hopeless, longing look in his eyes
There were chains on his hands
And chains on his feet
And as I passed him by
The thought came to me...

Remember your chains
Remember the prison that once held you
Before the love of God broke through
Remember the place you were without grace
When you see where you are now
Remember your chains
And remember your chains are gone

There's no one more thankful
To sit at the table
Than the one who best remembers from his pain
And no heart loves greater
Than the one that is able
To recall the time when all it knew was shame
The wings of forgiveness
Can take us to heights we've never seen
But the wisest ones, they will never lose sight
Of where they were set free

[Chorus]

And in the light of all that we've been forgiven of
We will find our heart's full look at freedom
To give and receive God's love

[Chorus]

Remember your chains are gone
 
JennaLeanne

JennaLeanne

Senior Member
#79
Dec 26, 2015
411
37
28
#79
Never heard this... What a beautiful song!! Making me fill up xx
 
P

psychomom

Guest
#80
#80
JennaLeanne said:
Never heard this... What a beautiful song!! Making me fill up xx
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that guy always makes me cry :)

he has another song on that CD called "Miracle of Mercy".

i think you'll like it :)
 
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