Recently published research by the National Institute of Health has shed some light on the process of addiction to
alcohol.[i] “Chronic alcohol exposure leads to brain adaptations that shift behavior control away from an area of the brain involved in complex decision making and toward a region associated with habit formation, according to a new study…” Granted the study was done on mice and not men, but it appeared to give us an understanding of why alcohol abusers become enslaved to the habit. As the brain moves away from thinking about choices to fulfilling
habitual behavior, the individual becomes controlled by the use of the drug.
This is not surprising in the least to anyone of us who understands what the Bible says about alcohol and addiction.
“And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,” (Eph 5:18 NASB). The comparison between drunkenness and being filled by the Holy Spirit does center on the issues of control and behavior. The
man or woman who chooses to be controlled by alcohol will eventually be enslaved by it.
As with the NIH study, the longer the individual gives themselves to serve alcohol, the more they become a slave to
it as Paul said in Romans 6:16. “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?
(Rom 6:16 NKJ) Just like the mice, the longer I choose to be drunk, the more it becomes a habit that controls me.
And, that is the bad news. The good news is that men and women by God’s grace can find freedom from drunkenness and the trouble that comes with it. Paul reminds us that although drunkards are on a
list of sins that are very popular today, being on that list will exclude us from God’s kingdom unless we confess Christ as our Lord and Savior. When we do that, Paul says that we have been washed, sanctified and justified “in the name of Jesus Christ.” (1Corinthians 6:9-11) The best part of the passage is when Paul looks at the group and says, “and such were (my emphasis) some of you. Nothing in the Bible tells us that we should expect to be slaves to our sins as Christians. Instead, we have the hope and promise that since we have been raised with Christ, that “we too might walk in newness of life.”(Romans 6:4)
Another article a week ago took aim at the idea of sexual addiction.[ii] A research study showed that the brains of individuals who struggle with pornography simply do not respond as those with other addictions such as substance abuse. It is always interesting when science finds itself agreeing with the Bible even unknowingly. Sexuality outside
the confines of marriage is not a disease. It is simply sin. You only need to read Romans 1:18-32 to understand what the real problem is. When we choose to worship creatures/ourselves instead of the Creator, eventually God will give us over to the degrading passions that we want most.
That is the bad news. But, the good news is the freedom from the power of sin over our lives that we find in the
gospel. "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed." (John 8:36 NKJ)
[i] http://www.nih.gov/news/health/aug2013/niaaa-22.htm?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
NIH study finds chronic alcohol use shifts brain’s control of behavior, 8/22/2013
[ii] http://www.socioaffectiveneuroscipsychol.net/index.php/snp/article/view/20770/28995
Sexual desire, not hypersexuality, is related to neurophysiological responses elicited by sexual images
Vaughn R. Steele, PhD1,2, Cameron Staley, PhD3, Timothy Fong, MD4 and Nicole Prause, PhD1,4*
1The Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, NM, USA; 2Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM,
USA; 3Counseling Center, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID,
USA; 4Department of Psychiatry, University
of California, Los Angeles, USA
alcohol.[i] “Chronic alcohol exposure leads to brain adaptations that shift behavior control away from an area of the brain involved in complex decision making and toward a region associated with habit formation, according to a new study…” Granted the study was done on mice and not men, but it appeared to give us an understanding of why alcohol abusers become enslaved to the habit. As the brain moves away from thinking about choices to fulfilling
habitual behavior, the individual becomes controlled by the use of the drug.
This is not surprising in the least to anyone of us who understands what the Bible says about alcohol and addiction.
“And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,” (Eph 5:18 NASB). The comparison between drunkenness and being filled by the Holy Spirit does center on the issues of control and behavior. The
man or woman who chooses to be controlled by alcohol will eventually be enslaved by it.
As with the NIH study, the longer the individual gives themselves to serve alcohol, the more they become a slave to
it as Paul said in Romans 6:16. “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?
(Rom 6:16 NKJ) Just like the mice, the longer I choose to be drunk, the more it becomes a habit that controls me.
And, that is the bad news. The good news is that men and women by God’s grace can find freedom from drunkenness and the trouble that comes with it. Paul reminds us that although drunkards are on a
list of sins that are very popular today, being on that list will exclude us from God’s kingdom unless we confess Christ as our Lord and Savior. When we do that, Paul says that we have been washed, sanctified and justified “in the name of Jesus Christ.” (1Corinthians 6:9-11) The best part of the passage is when Paul looks at the group and says, “and such were (my emphasis) some of you. Nothing in the Bible tells us that we should expect to be slaves to our sins as Christians. Instead, we have the hope and promise that since we have been raised with Christ, that “we too might walk in newness of life.”(Romans 6:4)
Another article a week ago took aim at the idea of sexual addiction.[ii] A research study showed that the brains of individuals who struggle with pornography simply do not respond as those with other addictions such as substance abuse. It is always interesting when science finds itself agreeing with the Bible even unknowingly. Sexuality outside
the confines of marriage is not a disease. It is simply sin. You only need to read Romans 1:18-32 to understand what the real problem is. When we choose to worship creatures/ourselves instead of the Creator, eventually God will give us over to the degrading passions that we want most.
That is the bad news. But, the good news is the freedom from the power of sin over our lives that we find in the
gospel. "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed." (John 8:36 NKJ)
[i] http://www.nih.gov/news/health/aug2013/niaaa-22.htm?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
NIH study finds chronic alcohol use shifts brain’s control of behavior, 8/22/2013
[ii] http://www.socioaffectiveneuroscipsychol.net/index.php/snp/article/view/20770/28995
Sexual desire, not hypersexuality, is related to neurophysiological responses elicited by sexual images
Vaughn R. Steele, PhD1,2, Cameron Staley, PhD3, Timothy Fong, MD4 and Nicole Prause, PhD1,4*
1The Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, NM, USA; 2Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM,
USA; 3Counseling Center, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID,
USA; 4Department of Psychiatry, University
of California, Los Angeles, USA
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