The Scriptural "Basis" of Alcoholics Anonymous

One charge that has legitimized the 12 Steps has been the compelling argument that the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous are based on the Scriptures.

Unfortunately, the Word of God has not life to impart if not read with the primary focus in min: Christ and Him Crucified.

Paul's primary goal was to preach Jesus Christ, He whom the Scriptures declare:

"For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." (1 Corinthians 2: 2)

Jesus Christ Himself made the point clearly to the most learned of religious types:

"Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

"And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life." (John 5: 39-40)

Without Jesus as the central focus in all Scripture, then the Bible can impart nothing to the reader:

"But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.

"Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.

"Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. " (2 Corinthians 3: 15-18)

The "vail" can be on the heart of any man who reads Scripture in order to promote his own works or to seek out the steps on how to do anything. Moses is a picture of the law, or any attempt for many to receive or achieve anything based on his own merits, as the entire law, Torah and Tanakh, witness to the Old Covenant, in which man had to

Jesus came to give us life, and that more abundantly (John 10: 10).

The Bible will be a closed book to any man who has not received His Holy Spirit, by which we can receive all knowledge (1 John 2: 20, 27)

So, whenever reading and receiving revelation, the Word of God must glorify the One who lives in and through the Believer -- Jesus Christ:

"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.

"I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain." (Galatians 2: 20-21)

If we try to be obedient, try to work up instead of work out our salvation (Philippians 2: 12-13), then we frustrate God's grace, for:

"But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

"And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

"That no flesh should glory in his presence." (1 Corinthians 1: 27-29)

And

"For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." (Philippians 3: 3)

Scripture must glorify God, not us, make His life manifest, not make anything of man.

So, let us look over the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. I will first attack the untrue assumptions of the steps themselves, then respond to  misapplied Scripture which has bolstered weak and beggarly arguments for the Twelve Steps.