Letter to the Editor of Christianity Today in response to the

March 2008 Cover Story, Addicted to Sex

While CT is to be praised for reporting on this grave and pervasive issue, and while the
article did not fail to reference some biblical perspectives on sexual addiction, several
serious concerns are raised as a result of the March 2008 cover story, “Addicted to Sex”.

Why should any Christian subscribe to a false, negative failure identity as an addict when
the Bible says they are new creations, fearfully and wonderfully made in God’s image,
God’s workmanship and complete in Christ? Think about attending a meeting day after
day, week after week, month after month, and repeating the words, “I am an addict”. Well,
what do addicts do? For as he thinks within himself, so he is (Proverbs 23:7). Further, why
should any Christian believe they are powerless when the Bible says they have been given
a spirit of power and can do all things through Christ who strengthens them (1 Tim. 1:7,
Philippians 4:13)? We Christians need to do the hard work of research and begin think
critically and theologically about claims made by “experts” and “authorities”. Most of
what is promoted as “Christ centered” or “Bible based” in these types of ministries is not –
it is actually syncretism, the blending of antithetical belief systems. Hence, poor success
rates often no better than their secular counterpart programs after which they are modeled.

The statement was made in the article that, “People can’t change the sin until they address
the disease part”. This is simply wrong. The truth is that no progress will be made until the
sin is removed. God doesn’t tolerate sin while we fumble with disease theories. Extremely
critical is the fact that no one has ever discovered the “disease of addiction”; no one has
ever discovered an “addictive gene”; and no one has ever discovered the “addictive
personality”. These things simply don’t exist. No authoritative researcher accepts the
classic disease concept and not a single one is trying to revive it (Fingarette, Heavy
Drinking, 1988). Standard pathology textbooks do not include any type of addiction
because addictions do not fulfill the nosological criteria for diseases (Schaler, Addiction is
a Choice, 2000). The disease concept is a discredited theory, but as Dr. Hebert Fingarette
puts it, “Almost everything that the American public believes to be the scientific truth
about alcoholism [addiction] is false”. If the Church continues to approach addiction from
a medical, psychological or sociological perspective, we’ll never get there.

Jesus said he who commits sin is the slave of sin (John 8:34). Commits is a present tense
verb, meaning he who repeatedly commits sin will in fact become (indicative mood)
enslaved by that sin. Sin enslaves and controls. It doesn’t matter what it is, it could be
gossip. Do it often enough and sooner or later it’s got you. Thus, from a theological
perspective, we are face-to-face with a spiritual stronghold within which sin predominates.
Fortunately, Jesus already dealt conclusively with sin, so that no Christian is addicted for
life. Rather, he is made free by the truth and is sanctified in the truth (John 8:32, 17:17).
The biblical prescription for change is the renewing of the mind according to the truth. If
we hope to help Christians find true and lasting freedom from addiction, sanctification is
the answer because (are you ready for this?) the more like Christ we are, the more power
we have over temptation and sin. A radical new concept – from 2000 years ago.

Paul Stark
Founder and Executive Director
Provision House Ministries