Alcoholism is not An Illness -- Christ Has Recreated Our Lives

We believe, and so suggested a few years ago, that the action of alcohol on these chronic alcoholics is a manifestation of an allergy; that the phenomenon of craving is limited to this class and never occurs in the average temperate drinker. These allergic types can never safely use alcohol in any form at all; and once having formed the habit and found they cannot break it, once having lost their self-confidence, their reliance upon things human, their problems pile up on them and become astonishingly difficult to solve.

Frothy emotional appeal seldom suffices. The message which can interest and hold these alcoholic people must have depth and weight. In nearly all cases, their ideals must be grounded in a power greater than themselves, if they are to re-create their lives.  (The Doctor's Opinion)

No! No! No!
We believe, and so suggested a few years ago, that the action of alcohol on these chronic alcoholics is a manifestation of an allergy;

As I have written before, "alcoholism" is not a "disease", but a work of the flesh:

"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

"Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

"Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." (Galatians 5: 19-21).

These allergic types can never safely use alcohol in any form at all; and once having formed the habit and found they cannot break it, once having lost their self-confidence, their reliance upon things human, their problems pile up on them and become astonishingly difficult to solve.

It is foolish to have any confidence in oneself, in one's flesh:

"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)

The Psalmist also declares:

"In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me." (Psalm 56: 4)

We do indeed have to put our trust in God.

The next statement in this quote is staggering for its contradiction:

In nearly all cases, their ideals must be grounded in a power greater than themselves, if they are to re-create their lives.

We do not need better ideas. We do not need help. We need Life.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." (John 5: 24)

We do not "recreate" ourselves, either. God transforms us:

"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3: 3)

then

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." (1 Peter 1: 3)

This is not something that we do. We cannot recreate ourselves, because in ourselves we are still dead. Christ's death and resurrection takes us from death to life, and makes us one with Him:

"I and my Father are one." (John 10:30) then "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;  "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me." (John 17: 20-21). In Christ, we are made a new Creation: "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5: 17)