Martyr's Complex Created By Al-Anon and AA

One constant them in the Twelve Step literature focuses on the prevalence of the martyr complex among men and women who are the "co-dependent", or the people who live with and struggle with abusive people who abuse alcohol or other substances.

Why do such people tend to hook up with sick types who drink or abuse drugs?

Most people concluded that something hardwired in people, whether as alcoholics or enablers, was secretly leading people to enter into these toxic, unhealthy relationships.

The reality, however, is much simpler.

Every human being is born dead in trespasses. Either they stay dead in Adam, or live in Christ.

As long as we stay in dead Adam, condemnation and dysfunction will reign in our members.

THIS SENSE OF SHAME CANNOT BE WIPED AWAY.

At least, that sense of shame cannot be removed by our efforts.

The perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ alone not only atones, but removes our sins completely.

Yet only His death can do that.

Only His life can satisfy, for we are dead and powerless of ourselves.

As long as we buy into the lie that we can fix ourselves, we will find ourselves confronting problems which we cannot resolve, let alone put away from us forever.

The martyr's complex, which appears to afflict individuals who need Al-Anon, is actually created by Al-Anon, AA, and all Twelve Step programs.

Any sense that the work is not finished, or that our right standing depends on what we do, or whom we meet with, or anything else, will only create an unending sense of sin and shame:

"26For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries." (Hebrews 10: 26-27)

That "Fearful looking after" means that we are constantly looking over our shoulders, convinced that we may do something wrong, or that God may or may not be mad at us. Oh, the pain of the life that I used to live. It was not even a life! Never a sense of peace and wholeness, convinced as I was that everything depended on me.

This martyr's complex will flow into our flesh if we do not rest once and for all in all that Christ Jesus did for us at the Cross. He is our martyr, and through His Finished Work we can serve as witnesses to the world of all that Jesus is and has done for us, and that He still ministers on our behalf.