Addictions: A Banquet In The Grave

Cole_H · March 9, 2018, 3:08am

Edward T. Welch, M.Div., Ph.D. is a counselor and faculty member at CCEF. He is Reformed and is the person a lot of the Reformers go to for their information. They sell his materials at the 5 point Calvinist Presbyterian church I now attend. He earned a Ph.D. in counseling (neuropsychology) from the University of Utah and has a Master of Divinity degree from Biblical Theological Seminary. Ed has been counseling for over 30 years and has written extensively on the topics of depression, fear, and addictions. I have read his book on addictions and have benefitted from it greatly. He’s not too enthused about A.A. but I can see some similarities between his writings and A.A. This is a fantastic book whether you struggle with addictions or not.

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TurtleJoy · March 9, 2018, 3:08am

Thank you for sharing this. Hopefully I’ll be able to read this soon. I’ve read Addiction and Grace by Gerald May and I love it and this book also strikes my interest.

Cole_H · March 9, 2018, 3:08am

No problem TurtleJoy! I think you will enjoy it. I haven’t read the one you are talking about but I think I will look into it. Anyway, here’s a little snippet from Ed Welches book about God’s love:

If we say that Jesus’ love is unconditional, we flatten and misrepresent the character of His love. If we say that Jesus’ love is not unconditional, it seems like we are veering off into a fear-based response to God. That is, we have to measure up to His conditions before He loves us. But God’s love is a deeper love. It extends to us when we are thoroughly undeserving of His grace and mercy. It is extended to us even when we were His enemies. It is a sophisticated love whose definition is summarized by Christ’s death on the cross.

Perhaps we could call it “contra conditional” love. Contrary to the conditions normally required to know God’s blessing, He has blessed me because His Son fulfilled the conditions. Contrary to my due, He loves me. And now I can begin to change, not to earn love, but because of love.

God’s love for us must never be reduced to the abstract and ambiguous “unconditional love.” Rather, “This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:10). The love of Jesus is a very concrete love; it is always tied to the gospel itself, His cross and resurrection. It is one thing to know that someone smiles on us; it is another to know that behind that smile was the greatest sacrifice that could possibly have been offered. One smile makes you feel temporarily warmed; the other leads you to gratitude and worship.