I want to be an addict… or do I?

1 Corinthians 16:15 You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints.

Yes ministry is hard, but I have not yet sought solace in illegal substances. Yes we’d love to have a bit more money to spend on gospel work at All Saints, but I’m not going down the same road as “Breaking Bad”!

I want to be addicted to service.

My Explore Bible study notes in 1 Corinthians  told me that the King James Version translates 1 Corinthians 16:15 “…that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,”. Wouldn’t that be great? Imagine so loving God and his people that you couldn’t stop yourself serving them, that you longed to serve them, that you got a high out of serving them.

The problem is that you can be addicted to serving the saints for the wrong reasons as well.

You can need their affirmation for your self-worth. You can feel that you have to do things for others to maintain God’s favour towards you. You can be dependent on fellow Christians rather than on Christ for your day to day joy. You can be desperate to feel a success and so be unable to rest, because for some reason you can’t solve sin in the church!

I guess the difference is whether your service flows out of love for Christ or love for self. That’s probably why 1 Corinthians 16:14 says …“Do everything in love.”