Spiritual death refers to separation from God. When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, humanity became spiritually dead and separated from God (Genesis 3). Since that time, every person has been born spiritually dead, inheriting the sin nature from Adam (Romans 5:12). Spiritual death means being alienated from the life of God (Ephesians 4:18). It is a state of being unable to respond to God, being insensitive to spiritual things, and being incapable of fellowship with Him.
Spiritual death has several key characteristics according to the Bible:
1. Spiritual Blindness
Spiritually dead people are blind to spiritual truth. 2 Corinthians 4:4 says “the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” Those who are spiritually dead lack understanding of scripture and are unable to grasp the meaning behind God’s truth. They cannot receive spiritual wisdom from the Holy Spirit because He only indwells believers.
2. Bondage to Sin
Those who are spiritually dead are enslaved to sin and cannot break free from its mastery over their lives (John 8:34, Romans 6:16-20). They habitually and continually sin because their basic orientation is to go against God’s standards. Even efforts to reform or make themselves acceptable fall short because the root problem is spiritual death. Only through Christ can that enslavement be broken.
3. Spiritual Ignorance
The spiritually dead lack understanding of God’s spiritual truth. 1 Corinthians 2:14 tells us “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.” Without the indwelling Holy Spirit, the spiritually dead cannot properly interpret, apply, or delight in the word of God.
4. Inability to Please God
Without the life of God in them, the spiritually dead are incapable of truly pleasing Him or measuring up to His perfect standards. Hebrews 11:6 says “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.” All our righteous works are like filthy rags before a holy God (Isaiah 64:6). Only through Christ’s righteousness applied to us can the spiritually dead be made acceptable.
5. Eternal Separation
Those who die in spiritual death without being regenerated will experience eternal separation from God. Revelation 20:11-15 depicts the great white throne judgment where the spiritually dead are condemned because their names are not written in the book of life. Their eternal destiny is the lake of fire, completely cut off from the presence and blessings of God (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9).
The Bible uses vivid imagery to depict spiritual death:
Darkness vs. Light
Scripture contrasts spiritual death with spiritual life by using the metaphors of darkness and light (John 1:4-5, Ephesians 5:8). Just as physically dead people cannot perceive or respond to physical light, the spiritually dead cannot understand or embrace spiritual light. Only Christ can shine light into a heart deadened by sin (2 Corinthians 4:6).
Deafness vs. Hearing
Deaf people cannot respond to normal auditory stimulation. Likewise, the spiritually dead are unable to hear the voice of God, the gospel, or the words of Scripture (John 8:43, Proverbs 28:9). They cannot understand God’s communication to them, whereas believers have ears to hear the message of divine truth through the Spirit’s illumination.
Sickness vs. Health
Leprosy and other maladies cause loss of sensation and feeling. In the same way, spiritual death brings an inability to properly respond to the conviction of the Holy Spirit. He stimulates our conscience to understand right and wrong, but spiritual sickness prevents that sensitivity. Only spiritual rebirth brings health and restoration (Luke 5:31).
Inability vs. Ability
Just as a paralyzed person cannot respond or move physically, the spiritually dead are unable to turn to God of their own volition. They are totally dependent on the gracious enabling of God to receive Christ and believe (John 6:44,65). While physically dead people cannot raise themselves, neither can the spiritually dead make themselves spiritually alive.
Rebellion vs. Submission
Spiritual death renders people hostile to God and rebellious against His standards. They actively suppress the truth in unrighteousness (Romans 1:18). The things of God are foolishness to those who are perishing (1 Cor 1:18). They proudly resist any notion of repentance or humble submission to God. Only the regenerating work of the Spirit can replace rebellion with willingness to yield.
The Bible uses other descriptions of the utter lostness resulting from spiritual death:
– Alienated from God (Colossians 1:21)
– Hostile in mind (Colossians 1:21)
– Separated from Christ (Ephesians 2:12-13)
– Far off (Ephesians 2:13)
– Strangers to the covenants (Ephesians 2:12,19)
– Having no hope (Ephesians 2:12)
– Without God in the world (Ephesians 2:12)
– Darkened in understanding (Ephesians 4:18)
– Hardness of heart (Ephesians 4:18)
– Futile in mind (Ephesians 4:17)
– Ignorance (Ephesians 4:18)
– Blindness (2 Corinthians 4:4)
– Dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1)
Every human being is born spiritually dead:
Psalm 51:5 – “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.”
Ephesians 2:1-3 – “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world…and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”
Romans 5:12 – “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.”
Spiritual death is universal human condition that can only be remedied by spiritual rebirth:
John 3:3 – “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
Titus 3:5 – “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.”
1 Peter 1:23 – “Since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God.”
While all are born spiritually dead, those who put their faith in Christ are made alive together with Him:
Ephesians 2:4-5 – “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved.”
Colossians 2:13 – “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses.”
John 5:24 – “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.”
Believers receive spiritual life and their sins are washed away:
Acts 22:16 – “And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.”
1 Corinthians 6:11 – “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
Titus 3:5-7 – “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
Those made spiritually alive are transferred from the kingdom of darkness to light:
Colossians 1:13 – “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son.”
1 Peter 2:9 – “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
The spiritually dead can do nothing to save themselves. Salvation is completely a work of God’s grace:
Ephesians 2:8-9 – “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
2 Timothy 1:9 – “[God] who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began.”
Titus 3:5 – “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.”
In summary, spiritual death means separation from God and alienation from His life. The spiritually dead lack understanding, are enslaved to sin, incapable of pleasing God, and deserving of eternal condemnation. Thankfully, those who put their faith in Christ can be made spiritually alive together with Him, transferred from darkness to light, washed of their sins, and empowered to walk in newness of life through the indwelling Holy Spirit.