#367 | Mark E. Shaw#367 | Mark E. Shaw
The Addiction Connection Podcast
Dr. Mark E. Shaw talks about addiction as a sin issue and contrasts disease-based models with a biblical view of confession, repentance, and identity in Christ. The focus stays on becoming a new creation, finding mercy, and embracing reconciliation with God instead of living under labels like "alcoholic" or "addict."
13:38•22 Jun 2026
A New Identity in Christ: Mark E. Shaw on Addiction and True Change
Episode Overview
- Addiction is described as a sin problem of the heart, not a medical disease, and must be owned personally rather than hidden behind labels.
- Proverbs 28:13 is used to show that concealing sin blocks spiritual growth, while confessing and forsaking it leads to mercy.
- 2 Corinthians 5:17 is highlighted to explain that those in Christ become a "new creation" with a completely new identity.
- The 12-step model, disease model, and similar approaches are criticised as spiritually inadequate and, in the case of 12 steps, a false religion.
- True hope is presented as coming through confession of sin, faith in Jesus, and reconciliation with God, resulting in a transformed life and identity.
“"If you're calling it a disease, you're hiding it. Just own it. Own it. Say, I have sin. It's not a disease. It's my sin. It's me. I'm the problem."”
How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? This episode of The Addiction Connection Podcast zooms in on one central idea: a new identity in Christ for those caught up in addictive behaviour. Dr. Mark E. Shaw speaks directly and passionately about addiction as a sin issue of the heart rather than a disease, grounding everything in Scripture.
He walks through Proverbs 28:13 and 2 Corinthians 5:17, stressing that hiding addictive choices and calling them a disease keeps people stuck. As he puts it plainly, "If you're calling it a disease, you're hiding it. Just own it. Own it. Say, I have sin. It's not a disease. It's my sin. It's me. I'm the problem." For anyone tired of labels like "Hi, I'm Mark. I'm an alcoholic", this episode offers a different perspective.
Shaw explains what it means to be "a new creation in Christ" and talks about the Holy Spirit living within a believer: "The same power that raised Jesus from death to life lives inside of a Christian who has become this new creation, a new identity." That new identity, he argues, brings real hope that no programme or model can match.
You’ll hear strong critiques of the 12-step disease model, harm reduction, and medication-assisted approaches, with Shaw calling the 12 steps "a false religion" that competes with Christianity. Instead, he urges confession, repentance, and faith in Jesus as the only way to genuine spiritual transformation and reconciliation with God. This episode is especially suited to Christians wrestling with addiction, people confused by mixed messages about "disease" versus "sin", and those working in biblical counselling or church-based recovery.
Expect direct Bible teaching, clear lines in the sand, and a repeated invitation to trade an old identity of addiction for a new one in Christ. It might prompt you to ask: how do you really see your struggle—with shame, as a diagnosis, or as sin that can be forgiven and left behind?
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