The road of Christian alcohol recovery is not paved with self-help slogans or vague promises of “steps” that might lead to freedom. If we are honest with ourselves, the bottle is not our only problem, it is simply the fruit of a deeper root: the sinful nature that enslaves every man and woman apart from Christ.
The Law speaks plainly: “Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). Yet how many times have you resolved to quit, only to return again to the same empty cup? The Law reveals the depth of our bondage. It tells us, with no wiggle room, that drunkenness is sin, rebellion, and a refusal to trust God. The Law crushes the excuse that “I just can’t help it.” The truth is, you won’t help it, because your flesh is in rebellion against God.
This is why recovery for everyone Christian cannot simply be about following a program or adopting better habits. If sin was something we could conquer with willpower or steps, Christ need not have died. But He did die. And He did rise. And in Him, there is real hope.
Why Christ, Not the Steps
Many turn to AA or search out AA Christian recovery books for answers. Yet as well-meaning as these resources may be, they often point inward, to man’s effort, rather than upward, to Christ. The steps can never regenerate the heart. Only the Spirit of God, working through His Word, can.
That is why I wrote Jesus, Not the Steps, not as another self-help manual, but as a clear proclamation that the gospel alone is the power of God for salvation, even from the grip of addiction. If you are hungry for more than recycled slogans, I commend this book to you.
The Difference Between Law and Gospel in Recovery
- The Law says: “You must be sober. You must obey.”
- The Gospel says: “You cannot, but Christ has fulfilled it for you. He bore your sin and gives you His Spirit.”
Sobriety is not first about you choosing God, but about God choosing to raise the dead. This is why Calvinist preaching on Christian living by pastors has always begun with man’s inability and Christ’s sufficiency.
Christian Recovery Is Not Self-Recovery
If you are searching for Christian recovery, do not settle for half-truths. You don’t need vague spirituality. You need Christ crucified. Christian alcohol recovery means confessing that you cannot fix yourself and trusting that God alone grants repentance and new life.
This is where practical tools matter. Daily reminders of Scripture, spaces for prayer, and a faithful way to track God’s work in your life can help keep your eyes fixed where they belong: on Christ. That’s why we built the SoberPath app, not as a substitute for the gospel, but as a companion, a way to anchor your day in Scripture, prayer, and accountability.
The Hope for the Drinker Who Despairs
If you’ve relapsed, if you’re tired of empty promises, if you’ve tried the steps and still wake up enslaved, hear this: You are not beyond hope. The Law has condemned your sin, yes, but Christ has borne the condemnation in your place. He is not a step on your journey. He is the narrow way, the only way.
Friend, you cannot recover yourself. But in Christ, you can be raised from death to life. That is the only true Christian alcohol recovery; not twelve steps, but one Savior.