Can A Christian Be an Alcoholic?

Several weeks ago I listened to a pastor telling about his experience attending a Christian twelve step meeting.

This pastor related that as they went around the room, each man identified himself by saying something like "My name is ______. I'm an alcoholic but I love The Lord".

When it came time for the pastor to identify himself, he said "My name is ________. I used to be an alcoholic, but I'm now a new creation in Christ Jesus."

The pastor then went on to complain that by teaching people to identify themselves as alcoholics, twelve step programs were actually keeping people in bondage.

I've heard variations of this argument since I got into recovery, and it really shook me at first. It seems that many Christians object to the idea of a Christian identifying himself as an alcoholic.

If I identify myself as an alcoholic, am I denying the work that Jesus did in me? Doesn't scripture teach us that we are a "new creation"? Does this mean the alcoholism is gone?

In all fairness to this pastor, he may not be defining the term "alcoholic" in the same way that it is defined by most folks in Alcoholics Anonymous.

When I say that I am alcoholic - I simply mean that I lack the ability to drink like a normal person. I have absolutely no will power when it comes to alcohol. Once I begin drinking, I will invariably get drunk.

Now - while I am an alcoholic - I'm not a drunkard. I have been set free from that bondage by the power of Jesus Christ, and have not experienced drunkenness for almost ten years now.

See - I am a new creation in Christ. I have been washed clean by His blood, and am indwelled by His Spirit. My spirit has been completely redeemed by His sacrifice.

My flesh, however, is still very alcoholic. Because my flesh is still waiting for the redemption, it's still the old creature. This is why we are commanded to crucify the flesh daily.

The funny thing about sin is that it's actually right there in our genetic makeup. That's why it's been passed from parent to child since the days of Adam.

And when we're talking about alcoholism, that predisposition can also be genetic. Anyone who thinks otherwise should drive to their nearest Indian Reservation and talk to a few native Americans.

Just as being saved does not change our genetic makeup - being saved doesn't erase that predisposition towards alcoholism in our flesh.

In my case, I still have brown hair, brown eyes, a tendency to put on weight easily, and am still an alcoholic. Nothing in my flesh was changed when I became a new creation in Christ. My spirit was renewed - my flesh still stinketh.

The good news, though, is that if I continue to walk in The Spirit, God will daily provide me with the strength to crucify my flesh, and I never, ever, need to return to the sin of drunkenness.