Addiction

Addiction is a problem to multitudes: it can be of alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, gambling, pornography, sex, even the for-some-people uncontrollable addiction to kill people. Scientists experiment with alternative drugs to ameliorate the problems. "Just say 'No!'" doesn't work, is the view of many. Some demon-like force works within the blood stream or in the nervous system or in the brain to drive the victim to distraction unless his/her urge is satisfied by another indulgence. Then when the craving is temporarily satisfied, the addict often longs for release until the mysterious craving returns and must again be satisfied. Is it a pious, naive truism just to say "Jesus saves"? Is it faith in Him, or is it His faith, that is truly the practical solution to these apparently incurable addictions? The Bible says the faith OF Jesus is the answer: "He is also able to save to the uttermost [completely] those who come to God through Him, since He ever lives to make intercession for them" (Heb 7:25, NKJV). There will be a people in the last days who do overcome "to the uttermost," for they are a people who "keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus" (Rev 14:12). Is the preposition "of" important? These victorious people "come to [God] through Jesus," and they "keep [that is, grasp firmly] the faith of Jesus." It doesn't say, "faith in Jesus," good as that may be. They have found and they keep something that is peculiar to Jesus, that is of Him, that is His - His faith. Obviously, they get this precious commodity from Him, for it is "through Him" that this effective salvation "to the uttermost" is realized. They identify themselves with Him, for they say, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Gal. 2:20). It is the most sure and certain truth in heaven and earth: let the addict of whatever kind identify with Christ on His cross, and "henceforth" the life he/she will live "in the flesh" will be that of Christ (2 Cor 5:14, 15).