Ezekiel Kimosop Supporter

How can someone be spiritually "dead"? (Ephesians 2:1).

Theologically speaking, a spiritually dead person is one who is lost in sinful condemnation and alienated from fellowship with God. Simply put, he is person trapped in sinful depravity from which he is incapable of escaping without divine intervention. He is under the dominion of Satan. 

In Ephesians 2:1-7 the writer of Scripture uses a number of metaphors to explain the sinner's alienation and separation from God. Some of these metaphors are recorded in vv.2-3 where Scripture says "And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others." (NKJV). 

God rescues sinners in Christ who were trapped in sinful depravity and ostracized from God in Adam (Genesis 2:16-17). The use of allegorical language should be interpreted in context to permit the Scriptures to communicate the mind of God. Notice that the sinner who is here described as "dead in sin" also "walked according to the course of this world according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience" (v.2). It is logically contradictory that a "dead corpse", as some have described a sinner, can literally walk at the same time!

In Ephesians 2;1-3, Paul outlines what God had done for the believers, here personified by the Ephesian Christian community. God made them alive, transforming them from their pitiable position of sinful depravity to a community of God’s covenant people. Believers were previously dead in their trespasses and sins. They were lost in sinful transgression and were alienated from a holy and righteous God until they received Christ’s atonement which was proclaimed to them through the gospel. 

The statement in v.2 confirms that Paul’s reference to believers being previously dead in trespasses and sins was an allegorical phrase rather than a literal statement. A literally dead sinner could not again be deemed to have “walked according to the course of this world” or even “conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh”. The Pulpit Commentary rightly suggests that “a kind of life remained sufficient for walking; but not the true, full, normal life.” [see Pulpit Commentary on Ephesians 2:1-10].

Paul further observes that believers were rescued from the dominion of Satan, here described as “the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience” (v.2). Satan is elsewhere described as “the god of this world” who blinds the minds of the disobedient (2 Corinthians 4:4). 

The status of the believers’ previous life of sinfulness under the kingdom of darkness is illustrated in v.3. They conducted themselves in the lusts of the flesh, and were therefore justly classified as children of wrath until Christ graciously saved them. They were part of sinful men who were deserving of God’s righteous condemnation. 

Elsewhere in Scripture, some of the imagery employed to describe the sinners’ condition include blindness (2 Cor. 4:3-4) and slavery to sin (Romans 6:7). Sinners are also projected as lovers of darkness (John 3:19-20); sick (Mark 2:17) and lost (Luke 15). That is exactly where we all were before we met Christ. Those who are presently trapped in sinful depravity are spiritually dead. They too require to be rescued from their moral ruin.

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Donna Williams Supporter

Dear Anonymous, simply put, we were disconnected from the Source of Life, which is God.

Now, we have been given eternal life, because we are connected to Christ, and are in union with Him.

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Mark Vestal Supporter Proud of nothing of myself. Freed by Christ who did it all!

Unbelievers are “dead” in the sense that they lack the new spiritual life that is in Christ and required for salvation, thus they are trapped under sin’s power (Eph 2:1–3).

In Eph 2:4–6 Paul attributes God's remedy: He “made us alive together with Christ”, which is the resurrction/creation act, not an achievement "of (ourselves) yourselves".

Paul states the means of reception as “by grace you are saved through faith” (2:8), which identifies the gift to be "saved" (salvation/quickening), where faith functions as the believing response through which His saving work (not ours) is received, “...lest any man should boast” (2:9).

The making alive (quickening) of the new believer gives them the power/ability to now walk according to the guidance of the Spirit, rather than the course of this world or "after the flesh":

Rom 8:10-13

"And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live."

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Jeffrey Johnson Supporter

Being spiritually "dead" (Ephesians 2:1) means being separated from God due to a life immersed in trespasses and sins, existing in a state of spiritual dormancy, blindness, and inability to respond to God. Though physically alive, one is unresponsive to spiritual truth, wilfully disobeying God's laws, and serving the passions of the flesh.

Definition of Spiritual Death: It is not physical death, but rather a lack of God's life-giving Spirit residing in the soul. It is described as being "dead in trespasses and sins," which implies a state of being lost, without spiritual life.

Characteristics of Spiritual Deadness:

Walking in Disobedience: Actively living according to the ways of the world and following "the prince of the power of the air".

Controlled by Fleshly Desires: Being driven by the cravings of the body and mind, resulting in a lifestyle of sin.

Spiritual Blindness: Inability to see the glory of Jesus Christ or the truth of the gospel.

Helplessness: A condition where the individual cannot make themselves spiritually alive, needing divine intervention.

The Cause: All humans are born into this state of alienation from God's life, as the natural consequence of sin.

The Contrast: While "dead," a person is still physically active but spiritually unresponsive to God. It is a state that requires being "made alive" through Christ.

Eph 2:1 ESV: "And you did he make alive, when ye were dead through your trespasses and sins,"

The apostle wrote to the Christians at Rome: "Quit being fashioned after this system of things, but be transformed by making your mind over." (Ro 12:2) It was not the time period itself that set the fashion, pattern, or model for people of that time, but it was the standards, practices, manners, customs, ways, outlook, styles, and other features characterizing that time period. At Ephesians 2:1, 2 the apostle speaks of those to whom he writes as having been "dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you at one time walked according to the system of things ["following the way," JB; "following the course," RS] of this world."

In commenting on this text, The Expositor's Greek Testament (Vol. III, p. 283) shows that time is not the sole or prime factor here expressed by ai·onʹ. In support of the rendering of ai·onʹ by "course," it says: "That word conveys the three ideas of tenor, development, and limited continuance. This course of a world which is evil is itself evil, and to live in accordance with it is to live in trespasses and sins."—Edited by W. Nicoll, 1967.

Paul writes in Eph 2:2, "Wherein ye once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the powers of the air, of the Spirit that now worketh in the sons of disobedience."

The Scriptures tell us: "We received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is from God." (1 Cor. 2:12) What is "the spirit of the world"? It is the same Spirit as that mentioned in Ephesians 2:2, which says: "Wherein ye once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the powers of the air, of the spirit that now worketh in the sons of disobedience." This "air" is the world's Spirit, or mental attitude, and it surrounds us like literal air. It is everywhere.

Eph: 2:2: How is the Spirit of the world like the air, and where does its authority lie? "The spirit of the world"—the Spirit of independence and disobedience—is as pervasive as the air we breathe. (1 Cor. 2:12) Its authority, or power, lies in its persuasiveness, persistence, and relentlessness, and this Spirit is poisonous. Why? Because it proceeds from Satan, who is called "the ruler of the authority of the air, the spirit that now operates in the sons of disobedience." Eph 2:2

It is death dealing, "for if you live in accord with the flesh, you are sure to die."[Spiritually] 

And Romans 8:13 confirms this: "We must be on guard and never drift back into the world and be choked spiritually."

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