Biblical Answer

The Bible teaches us that we are not in control of our spiritual formation. This is a difficult lesson for followers of Jesus to learn, as we would expect God to simply tell us to shape up. However, God's ways are much better than our own, and He teaches us through the power of the Spirit within us. One of the essential features of sin is that it loathes boundaries and prefers to follow its own desires, rather than being controlled by God. This is why self-control is a vital aspect of our spiritual lives, as it involves mastering our own impulses and emotions, our willfulness, our tongue, our behavior, and our moods.

Self-control is not about punishing ourselves for our past mistakes, but rather about having more practice at mastering our desires. This is a skill that can be developed through reliance on God's grace, which is available to us through Jesus Christ. When we choose to follow God's ways, we are not in control, but rather, we are allowing Him to have free rein over our formation. This is not a bleak or joyless existence, but rather, it is a channeling of our energies towards God's purposes. As we learn to say no to sinful desires, we become more like Christ and experience a deeper level of joy and satisfaction in our lives.

The concept of loss of control is a critical issue when deciding whether to look at addiction through the lens of sin or sickness. If we view addiction as a sickness, we may see it as a medical issue that needs to be treated, rather than a spiritual issue that requires a change of heart. However, the Bible teaches us that addiction is a form of idolatry, where we are giving in to our own desires rather than following God's will. By choosing to look at addiction through the lens of sin, we can see it as an opportunity to develop self-control and rely on God's grace to overcome our addictions. This requires a willingness to surrender our own desires and allow God to have control over our lives.