“Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them (Ephesians 5:11).
“Believers should have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, either by participation or by any attitude that might indicate tolerance or leniency.” —Believer’s Bible Commentary, William MacDonald, p. 1943
“Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other” (Isaiah 45:22).
“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
The Lord declares that He alone is God. Alcoholics Anonymous, on the other handasserts it does not matter whom or what is your god. “God” could be a rutabaga. Could be St. Jerome. An A.A.friend of mine informed me recently his higher power is “love.”
According to official A.A. literature:
Any concept of the Higher Power is acceptable. [The alcoholic] may choose to think of his inner-self, the miracle of growth, a tree, man’s wonderment at the physical universe, the structure of the atom, or mere mathematical infinity. Whatever form is visualized, the neophyte is taught he must rely on it and, in his own way, to pray to the power for strength. [1]
Christis holy. He is not just another tin god to be placed in what is essentially the 21st century equivalent of the temple of the gods. Our God is sufficient. If we just gave Him the opportunity, many would find freedom. Butmany do not give Him the opportunity. It is very much a case of Jesus, and. Jesus and Alcoholics Anonymous. Exposure to A.A. weakens the faith of many.
Increasingly we see those who call themselves Christians but who really are loyal to the A.A. religion. They will do anything to defend it, including ignoring the Word of God. Just as the Samaritans had a blended religion, so have many Christians in A.A. taken on aspects of 12 Step theology.
How many now confuse recovery with sanctification? How many prefer A.A. fellowship over fellowship with the saints? How deviousthe devilis.This is an ancient strategy.
Are we warned about participating in non-Christian spirituality? According to 2 Corinthians 6:14-17: “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?
Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, ‘I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.
Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE,’ says the Lord.
‘AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; and I will welcome you.”
In his Commentary, William MacDonald notes that 2 Corinthians 6:14 “would apply to religious matters. A faithful follower of Christ would not want to hold membership in a church where unbelievers were knowingly admitted as members.” [2]
Alcoholics Anonymous is very much a religion, and has been ruled as such by numerous higher and lower courts. We were never supposed to join such a thing, and we are paying for it. So are unbelievers in A.A., for they are pointed away from the Christ of the Bible.
I cannot tell you how often I observed thisduring my timein A.A. There are always negative comments about “church,” i.e. Christianity, and A.A. is hostile to Christ.
This is to be expected, considering A.A.’s origin. A.A. was birthed from spiritualism, contemplative prayer, and New Thought heresy. Despite the claims of pro-A.A. author Dick B. and others, Christ was never in the beginnings or formation of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Christ is not in A.A. And He doesn’t want you there, either.
Endnotes
[1] Jack Alexander, “Alcoholics Anonymous: Freed Slaves of Drink, Now They Free Others” (Saturday Evening Post, March 1, 1941). According to the A.A. website, A.A. World Services publishes the article in pamphlet format and sells about 22,000 of them each year; http://www.aa.org/lang/en/subpage.cfm?page=472.
[2] William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary, p. 1845,