What does it mean to be spiritually dead?

http://www.gotquestions.org/spiritually-dead.html

To be cut off from God. ...like we were before Christ restored us back to God.

Spiritual death means to under the dominion of the devil. To be subject by the law of death and to be a slave to sin.
Spiritual death means to be dominated by carnality. To have your mind ruled By the flesh and worldly things.
Yes you may be born again, alive in Christ but yet still bears fruit onto death By being carnally minded. But that doesn't mean your are spiritually dead, it simply means you are heading towards spiritual death.

dein77:


To be cut off from God. ...like we were before Christ restored us back to God.

We thank God for Jesus.

Hiswordxray:


Spiritual death means to under the dominion of the devil. To be subject by the law of death and to be a slave to sin.
Spiritual death means to be dominated by carnality. To have your mind ruled By the flesh and worldly things.
Yes you may be born again, alive in Christ but yet still bears fruit onto death By being carnally minded. But that doesn't mean your are spiritually dead, it simply means you are heading towards spiritual death.

This is confusing. Are you describing spiritual death or near spiritual death?

OLAADEGBU:


This is confusing. Are you describing spiritual death or near spiritual death?

Am sorry but your question is also confusing.
Paul never use any word like spiritual death because death is death.
You can't differentiate death from death because death is death.
OK let me try to help you understand : -
There is the spiritual law of death (read Rom 7:23). This law makes you obedient to sin and a slave to the devil.

There is dying spiritually (which means to be spiritually dead ). Those who are spiritually dead are citizens of the kingdom of death or darkness, hence they are separated from God.

There is bearing fruit onto death which is as a result of operating by the law of death or being govern by the law of death (this happens to both born again and spiritually dead people ). For those who are born again operating by the law of death will lead them to die spiritually (read Rom 7:5 & Rom 8:6).

There is the physical manifestation of spiritual death (which is physical death read 1Cor 15:21-22). This causes the cell to stop regenerating leading to old age, deterioration, death and decay.

There is the kingdom of death which is ruled by the devil through the power of the law of death.

Lastly there is eternal death which is called hell or the second death (Rev 21: 8 )

Ho! and least I forget, there is also the spirit of death which will be thrown into Hell fire (Rev 20:14).

Actually Paul see them all as one- DEATH

Your question should be what is death?

It is simple really, to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritualy minded is Life and peace. The life there is more of eternal and spiritual not physical.

Hiswordxray:

Am sorry but your question is also confusing.
Paul never use any word like spiritual death because death is death.
You can't differentiate death from death because death is death.
OK let me try to understand you: -
There is the spiritual law of death (read Rom 7:23). This law makes you obedient to sin and a slave to the devil.

There is dying spiritually (which means to be spiritually dead )

There is bearing fruit onto death which is as a result of operating by the law of death or being govern by the law of death (this happens to both born again and spiritually dead people ). For those who are born again operating by the law of death will lead them to die spiritually (read Rom 7:5 & Rom 8:6).

There is the physical manifestation of spiritual death (which is physical death read 1Cor 15:21-22). This causes the cell to stop regenerating leading to old age, deterioration, death and decay.

There is the kingdom of death which is ruled by the devil through the power of the law of death.

Actually Paul see them all as one- DEATH

Bidam:
It is simple really, to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritualy minded is Life and peace. The life there is more of eternal and spiritual not physical.

Simple.

Bidam:
It is simple really, to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritualy minded is Life and peace. The life there is more of eternal and spiritual not physical.

The point I was trying to make is that there is nothing like spiritual death because death itself is spiritual. Physical death is just a physical manifestation of death which is spiritual in itself.

Hiswordxray:

The point I was trying to make is that there is nothing like spiritual death because death itself is spiritual. Physical death is just a physical manifestation of death which is spiritual in itself.

No there is. The wages of sin is death( spiritual death) but the gift of God is eternal life( spiritual life) through our Lord Jesus. The Spiritual death here reigned from Adam to Moses. Jesus gives eternal life to whoever believes in Him. We as believers have passed on from death(separation from God) to life through the vicarious work of Christ.

Bidam:
No there is. The wages of sin is death( spiritual death) but the gift of God is eternal life( spiritual life) through our Lord Jesus. The Spiritual death here reigned from Adam to Moses. Jesus gives eternal life to whoever believes in Him. We as believers have passed on from death(separation from God) to life through the vicarious work of Christ.

I understand what you are saying but look at these verses - "For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive." (1Cor 15:21-22 and read the rest of this chapter). Here Paul was talking about physical death and he equated it to the death that Adam died which we all know to be spiritual death. This means that physical death and spiritual death can not be separated as two kind of death because death itself is spiritual and physical death is not a kind of death but a manifestation of death which is spiritual in itself.

I pray God help you understand. Understanding this will help you see the Bible from a different perspective.

Bidam:
eternal life( spiritual life)

And there is nothing like spiritual life and physical life for life itself is spiritual. Physical life is not a kind of life but a manifestation of the breath of life. The breath of life is the breath of the Spirit of life which is God himself.

Hiswordxray:

I understand what you are saying but look at these verses - "For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive." (1Cor 15:21-22 and read the rest of this chapter). Here Paul was talking about physical death and he equated it to the death that Adam died which we all know to be spiritual death. This means that physical death and spiritual death can not be separated as two kind of death because death itself is spiritual and physical death is not a kind of death but a manifestation of death which is spiritual in itself.

I pray God help you understand. Understanding this will help you see the Bible from a different perspective.

No, the believer is born twice( John 3:3-6). and dies once( Hebrews 9:27). A sinner who doesn't repent and accept Jesus Christ is born once and dies twice( Hebrews 9:27,Revelation 21:8.).

It might also do you good to read the bible wholistically and not pick a verse and run into doctrinal error. The scripture you quoted talks about resurrection from the dead, are you telling us you have been resurrected from the dead apart from Jesus Christ?

Hiswordxray:

And there is nothing like spiritual life and physical life for life itself is spiritual. Physical life is not a kind of life but a manifestation of the breath of life. The breath of life is the breath of the Spirit of life which is God himself.

I don't know your doctrinal beliefs nor religious affiliations. Do you believe in the Christian doctrine of regeneration?

Bidam:
No, the believer is born twice( John 3:3-6). and dies once( Hebrews 9:27). A sinner who doesn't repent and accept Jesus Christ is born once and dies twice( Hebrews 9:27,Revelation 21:8.).

It might also do you good to read the bible wholistically and not pick a verse and run into doctrinal error. The scripture you quoted talks about resurrection from the dead, are you telling us you have been resurrected from the dead apart from Jesus Christ?

I don't belong to any denomination and my understanding of the Bible is based on what I learnt on my own with the help of the Holy Spirit.
Have you ever ask yourself why did the Bible never mentioned the word "spiritual death" And why did Paul never said the word "physical death"?
This is because according to Paul death is death and there is nothing like two type of death which we call spiritual death and physical death.
Please understand me. I am saying physical death is not independent of it own. It is not a type of death but a physical manifestation of death. Hence death itself is spiritual and can not be classified into Spiritual death and Physical death.
When Adam eat the food he die. God did not say that Adam was going to die a spiritual death but God said that Adam will die. And when he eat the fruit he died. When Adam died physical it wasn't another death but a physical manifestation of the death he died when he ate the fruit. Adam didn't die twice but he died, the death made him sinful and the death later manifested in the natural realm as physical death.

If you don't understand this now, don't throw it away but meditate on it, read the Scripture and I know with the help of the Holy Spirit you will understand it.

Bidam:
I don't know your doctrinal beliefs nor religious affiliations. Do you believe in the Christian doctrine of regeneration?

Like I said before I don't know much about doctrines because I don't read theology and I don't belong to any denomination. I only read my Bible.
But I have heard of the word "regeneration" and I think it means to be born again (you can correct me if am wrong ). If you are talking about being born again, I understand we are born of the Spirit and spirit gives birth to spirit just as the flesh give birth to flesh (John 3:6).

Bidam:
No, the believer is born twice( John 3:3-6). and dies once( Hebrews 9:27).

A human being is born once through the physical birth and a child of God is born once through the spiritual birth. If by "believer" you mean a child of God then a believer is born once. When you are born again old things are pass away and all things have become new (2Cor 5:17). You are not the person you use to be because that person you use to be had pass away you are now a new creation therefore you as a new creation is not born twice but once.

OLAADEGBU:
What does it mean to be spiritually dead?

Spiritual life or spiritual death is relative to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in a man. Anybody who has the Holy Spirit in him is alive spiritually and anyone who doesn't is in a state of spiritual death.

So every unbeliever is spiritually dead even though they have a human spirit that is also consciously "alive" (if you get my drift).

And the lake of fire (the second death) is the consequence of spiritual death. It is not where people become spiritually dead, it is where those who are spiritually dead end up.

Spiritual life or spiritual death is relative to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in a man.

Bidam:


It is simple really, to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritualy minded is Life and peace. The life there is more of eternal and spiritual not physical.

Simples.

Hiswordxray:


The point I was trying to make is that there is nothing like spiritual death because death itself is spiritual. Physical death is just a physical manifestation of death which is spiritual in itself.

If death is spiritual does that not make it spiritual death?

Bidam:


No there is. The wages of sin is death( spiritual death) but the gift of God is eternal life( spiritual life) through our Lord Jesus. The Spiritual death here reigned from Adam to Moses. Jesus gives eternal life to whoever believes in Him. We as believers have passed on from death(separation from God) to life through the vicarious work of Christ.

That is it! Separation from God is spiritual death. Simples!

Hiswordxray:


I understand what you are saying but look at these verses - "For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive." (1Cor 15:21-22 and read the rest of this chapter). Here Paul was talking about physical death and he equated it to the death that Adam died which we all know to be spiritual death. This means that physical death and spiritual death can not be separated as two kind of death because death itself is spiritual and physical death is not a kind of death but a manifestation of death which is spiritual in itself.

I pray God help you understand. Understanding this will help you see the Bible from a different perspective.

I would say spiritual death is separation from God while physical death is the separation of the spirit and soul from the physical body.

Hiswordxray:


And there is nothing like spiritual life and physical life for life itself is spiritual. Physical life is not a kind of life but a manifestation of the breath of life. The breath of life is the breath of the Spirit of life which is God himself.

Have you heard about the dead man working? One can be spiritually dead and yet physically alive.

Hiswordxray:


A human being is born once through the physical birth and a child of God is born once through the spiritual birth. If by "believer" you mean a child of God then a believer is born once. When you are born again old things are pass away and all things have become new (2Cor 5:17). You are not the person you use to be because that person you use to be had pass away you are now a new creation therefore you as a new creation is not born twice but once.

A "believer" is first of all born biologically, which is the first birth and when he becomes born spiritually we say that he/she is born again, that is, "born twice". The unbeliever that has only been born biologically/physically and never gets born spiritually, that is, his spiritual man remains dead, such a person is only born once before he dies which will thereby lead to the second death in the lake of fire.

ayoku777:


Spiritual life or spiritual death is relative to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in a man. Anybody who has the Holy Spirit in him is alive spiritually and anyone who doesn't is in a state of spiritual death.

True.

ayoku777:


So every unbeliever is spiritually dead even though they have a human spirit that is also consciously "alive" (if you get my drift).

How can the human spirit be consciously "alive" when he/she is spiritually dead?

ayoku777:


And the lake of fire (the second death) is the consequence of spiritual death. It is not where people become spiritually dead, it is where those who are spiritually dead end up.

Absolutely.

ayoku777:


Spiritual life or spiritual death is relative to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in a man.

Agreed.

OLAADEGBU:

How can the human spirit be consciously "alive" when he/she is spiritually dead?

My drift is that if your human spirit isn't alive you couldn't even be alive physically.

Even people in hell are conscious and alive even though they are in a state of spiritual death.

Like how the rich man's spirit in hell could see, hear, talk and thirst.

Or like how evil spirits are alive and active even though we can't say they are spiritually alive (in the context of having the Holy Spirit).

Maybe the edges of my explanation are abit rough. But my drift is, just coz a human being is not spiritually alive in the context of having the life of the Holy Spirit doesn't mean his human spirit is inaminate or not "alive".

ayoku777:


My drift is that if your human spirit isn't alive you couldn't even be alive physically.

Even people in hell are conscious and alive even though they are in a state of spiritual death.

Like how the rich man's spirit in hell could see, hear, talk and thirst.

Or like how evil spirits are alive and active even though we can't say they are spiritually alive (in the context of having the Holy Spirit).

Maybe the edges of my explanation are abit rough. But my drift is, just coz a human being is not spiritually alive in the context of having the life of the Holy Spirit doesn't mean his human spirit is inaminate or not "alive".

My drift is that the moment we are separated from God who is a Spirit our spirit man becomes dead or "inactive," at this point the Word of God severs our conscious awareness of our spiritual bodies from our souls (Hebrews 4:12). Our spirits only become alive when we are spiritually awakened, reborn or revived when we become born again by the Holy Spirit through our faith in Jesus Christ. And God only enables this for us to engage in spiritual warfare, worship, understanding spiritual truths from Scriptures, discerning the spirits etc. Those who are consciously aware of their spirit bodies contrary to the will of God are being used of demons to disobey and rebel against God.

OLAADEGBU:


My drift is that the moment we are separated from God who is a Spirit our spirit man becomes dead or "inactive," at this point the Word of God severs our conscious awareness of our spiritual bodies from our souls (Hebrews 4:12). Our spirits only become alive when we are spiritually awakened, reborn or revived when we become born again by the Holy Spirit through our faith in Jesus Christ. And God only enables this for us to engage in spiritual warfare, worship, understanding spiritual truths from Scriptures, discerning the spirits etc. Those who are consciously aware of their spirit bodies contrary to the will of God are being used of demons to disobey and rebel against God.

Thats what i'm trying to say. That someone is spiritually dead doesn't mean that his spirit is inanimate. If your spirit is inanimate you would not even be physically alive because thats where the breath of life resides.

So being spiritually alive in the context of having the Holy Spirit and alive to God ; and being alive spiritually in the context of having a spirit that is animate and still draws breath are two different things.

Only believers have the former, but unbelievers retain the latter even if they don't have the life of God by the spirit.

One thing we shouldn't forget is both believers and unbelievers are spirit beings. Unbelievers are not just a walking mass of flesh with an inanimate spirit.

That the spirits of unbelievers are not God-conscious or alive to God by the Holy Spirit doesn't mean their spirits is inanimate, their spirits still have the breath of life and still draw breath.

ayoku777:


Thats what i'm trying to say. That someone is spiritually dead doesn't mean that his spirit is inanimate. If your spirit is inanimate you would not even be physically alive because thats where the breath of life resides.

I don't think you get my drift. What am trying to get across is that our spirit man/body remains inactive, inanimate until it becomes reawakened by the Holy Spirit at spiritual birth. Other than this it remains dead to God. The right to consciously use our spirit body has been withdrawn because of sin and even when we become born again our spirit man can only be used by God's permission.

ayoku777:


So being spiritually alive in the context of having the Holy Spirit and being alive to God ; and being alive spiritually in the context of having a spirit that is animate and still draws breath are two different things.

I believe you are mixing the soul with the spirit here they are two separate entities. Human and animals draw breath but only humans have the spiritual entity that communes with God.

ayoku777:


Only believers have the former, but unbelievers retain the latter even if they don't have the life of God by the spirit.

Can you please explain what the unbeliever retains?

OLAADEGBU:


I don't think you get my drift. What am trying to get across is that our spirit man/body remains inactive, inanimate until it becomes reawakened by the Holy Spirit at spiritual birth. Other than this it remains dead to God. The right to consciously use our spirit body has been withdrawn because of sin and even when we become born again our spirit man can only be used by God's permission.



I believe you are mixing the soul with the spirit here they are two separate entities. Human and animals draw breath but only humans have the spiritual entity that communes with God.



Can you please explain what the unbeliever retains?

I understand you well. But for you to understand me better let me ask?

People that have died and are in hell, what part of then is in hell now, animate and conscious, even though they are spiritually dead?

ayoku777:


One thing we shouldn't forget is both believers and unbelievers are spirit beings. Unbelievers are not just a walking mass of flesh with an inanimate spirit.

This is where we will have to agree to disagree. I don't believe we are spirit beings. We are actually tripartite beings consisting of spirit, soul and body. Unbelievers have these three entities it's just that their spirit man is dead because of sin.

ayoku777:


That the spirits of unbelievers are not God-conscious or alive to God by the Holy Spirit doesn't mean their spirits is inanimate, their spirits still have the breath of life and still draw breath.

Outside God there is no life. Soulish they may be but certainly not spiritually alive.