this was an email regarding the question of does God heal completely from addictions or does he heal in such a way that the individual is always susceptible to the sin (i.e. "recovering" alcoholic).
A perspective on the concept of: "complete healing": God's grace is all-sufficient and there is nothing He is incapable of healing. But we are trapped in imperfect bodies with a sinful nature and "As a dog returns to his own vomit, so a fool repeats his folly" (Pro 26:11). I think this puts us in a position when where we will NEVER, within these bodies and upon this earth, be invulnerable to sin and addiction. That is why we are told to flee from sin:
A perspective on the concept of: "complete healing": God's grace is all-sufficient and there is nothing He is incapable of healing. But we are trapped in imperfect bodies with a sinful nature and "As a dog returns to his own vomit, so a fool repeats his folly" (Pro 26:11). I think this puts us in a position when where we will NEVER, within these bodies and upon this earth, be invulnerable to sin and addiction. That is why we are told to flee from sin:
Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 1 Cor 6:18
Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 1 Cor 10:14
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 1 Tim 6:11
Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 2 Tim 2:22
If we draw a distinction between healing that constantly relies on his grace and "complete healing" it would suggest that God sometimes heals us in a way that we wouldn't be fully dependant on his grace or that we'd be invulnerable to the same addiction in the future. Although I know of people who have been healed radically from addictions and don't have ANY desire to try those things again, if they started dabbling in it again it'd be easy to go back to that old lifestyle.
I would suggest that God granting us freedom from addiction through relying on a constant flow of His grace IS "complete healing". God's promise of healing is a conditional promise: like any other physician's promise of healing, you have to take the steps toward healing and change your life in a way that doesn't put you at risk to make yourself sick again. I don't mean we can do anything to heal ourselves, it's totally God's grace that does the work but its our responsibility to accept it, to step into the flow and STAY there!
And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Cor 12:19
"For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power." Col 2:9-10
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