Spiritual Death
The Bible is very clear that death is not restricted to merely the physical death of the body, but the death of the spirit. When Adam and Eve sinned against God, they died that very day spiritually and lost their personal relationship with God. Is the concept of spiritual death supported in the Bible? Here are the scriptures (many by Jesus Himself):
- But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me; and allow the dead to bury their own dead." (Matthew 8:22) - (How can physically dead people bury anyone?)
- "And do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10:28)
- "'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?’ He is not the God of the dead but of the living." (Matthew 22:32)
- "But we had to be merry and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found." (Luke 15:32) - (The prodigal son was spiritually dead until he repented)
- And if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. (Romans 8:10)
- And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, (Colossians 2:13)
- For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. (James 2:26)
- For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God. (1 Peter 4:6)
- And the Law came in that the transgression might increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:20)
- I protest, brethren, by the boasting in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. (1 Corinthians 15:31)
Reflections
We are what we think.
- 02/16/2021 01:00 PM
Neighboring Faiths: A Review of Winfried Corduan’s Timeless Book
Fifty years ago, if I wanted to carry on a serious dialogue and apologetic debate with Hindu, Buddhist, Confucian, and Muslim scholars I probably needed to go overseas. But with the emergence of the internet and influx of immigration in America and other parts of the Western world, all of that has changed. Great religious diversity now exists in America, especially…
() - 02/02/2021 01:00 PM
The 3 Transcendentals: Truth, Goodness, & Beauty
What is real? What is right? What is lovely? Human beings ask these kinds of questions because we long for at least three things: truth, goodness, and beauty. Prominent philosophers through the centuries have called these three cosmic values transcendentals. A transcendental refers to something that exists beyond the time-space-matter world. It is a universal reality that extends beyond our everyday sensory experiences and is…
audio/mpeg (18.4 MBytes) - 01/19/2021 08:27 PM
Christians and the Tragedy of Suicide
Suicide remains a serious problem in our world today. And some researchers say suicide rates have increased during the pandemic.1 In fact, during the month of October 2020 there were more deaths in Japan from suicide than from COVID-19.2 Suicide is but one aspect of the broader problem of evil, pain, and suffering. Thus, Christians are not immune from this tragic reality.…
() - 01/05/2021 01:00 PM
An Author Read by Popes, Rock Stars, and Atheists
One Christian author in history owns the distinction of having been read by popes, rock stars, and leading atheists. He lived almost 1,600 years ago and was from North Africa. He is the single most prolific author of the ancient world and has influenced countless Protestants and Catholics. Named after two Roman emperors, he is known to us as St. Augustine of…
() - 12/22/2020 01:00 PM
Does Original Sin Explain the Human Condition?
Skeptics of the Christian faith often say that the Bible is filled with contradictions and errors. Therefore, it cannot be trusted as a source of truth. How can a Christian respond? Here’s one way. What is the best attested biblical truth? It’s confirmed every single day in every person’s life. In his famous book Orthodoxy, Catholic writer G. K. Chesterton said: “Certain…
() - 12/08/2020 01:00 PM
Holding the Line against the Tide
Religion and science are two of the most powerful forces active in the world today. But has the scientific enterprise somehow rendered belief in God unnecessary or even contradictory? If not, why are some leading and outspoken scientists so dismissive of God’s very existence? The informative and engaging new film Against the Tide: Finding God in an Age of Science (Pensmore Films,…
() - 11/24/2020 01:00 PM
What Book Changed Your Life?
Have you ever read a book that was so dynamic that it changed the direction of your life? For most Christians that book would certainly be the Bible. According to historic Christianity, Scripture is the uniquely inspired Word of God. Thus, the Bible is the greatest of all great books. But besides Holy Writ, has there been a book that deeply influenced you spiritually and…
() - 11/10/2020 01:00 PM
Explaining Pagan Gods and Human Idolatry
People were created to be worshippers. That’s one way of defining the image of God in human beings. Humans are also fallen worshippers. Thus, our religious-based tendency to worship has expressed itself in distorted ways in human history. Recently I was asked a question about how to understand the pagan gods of the Old and New Testaments and human idolatry. Here’s the question: I’ve always dismissed other “gods” in the Bible as nothing…
() - 10/27/2020 12:00 PM
Christianity’s Central Focus: Incarnation or Atonement?
Christmas or Good Friday? Which of these days on the historic Christian calendar holds greater importance for Christians? Should the central focus of Christianity be on the incarnation (Jesus Christ as God coming in the flesh) or on the atonement (Jesus Christ’s death on the cross for human sin)? I had a theological exchange recently on Facebook with a pastor over this question of incarnation or…
() - 10/13/2020 12:00 PM
God Shouted in My Pain
One very sad event in my life shaped me as a young adult. Here’s why I’m sharing it with you. I don’t think you can separate a person’s philosophy or worldview beliefs from their life. Therefore I like to study the details of the lives of my favorite philosophical and theological thinkers. That’s why in my book Classic Christian Thinkers: An Introduction, I introduce key…
()
http://www.godandscience.org/doctrine/spiritualdeath.html
Last Modified December 24, 2005
Top of Page 
Back