Spiritual Death
Three Possible Interpretations

1. "There is not an ounce of spiritual life left in them. If they are to be made alive, God must do more than offer them medicine. Dead men will not open their mouths to receive anything. Their jaws are locked in death. Rigor mortis has set in." Sproul, Chosen By God, p. 90-91
2. "Those who are dead do not respond to stimulus. Indeed, they cannot respond to stimulus. You can poke them and yell at them and flash bright lights at them, but they will not, they cannot respond." http://tcpii.tripod.com/wrath.htm
3. "Like a corpse in a morgue" Amazing Grace, (DVD) 2:42:45.
4. “He is not merely drowning, he has already sunk to the bottom of the sea. It is futile to throw a life preserver to a man who has already drowned. If I understand Paul, I hear him saying that God dives into the water and pulls a dead man from the bottom of the sea and then performs a divine act of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. He breathes into the dead man new life." Sproul, Chosen By God, p. 90-91.
5. "Unregenerate man can no more choose Christ or see spiritual truth than a rotting corpse can play tennis or debate philosophy. There is no middle ground between being alive and being dead. Unregenerate men are not just sick, handicapped or impaired but dead." http://www.graceonlinelibrary.org/reformed-theology/total-depravity/an-examination-of-the-five-points-of-calvinism -part-i-total-depravity-by-brian-schwertley/
6. “He cannot even open his mouth. Nor does he have any desire to call a doctor to help him. He is dead … The Calvinist … would compare man to one who jumps off the top of the Empire State Building and is spattered over the sidewalk. Even if there were anything left of him when he landed, he could not know that he needed help, let alone cry out for it. That man is dead -- lifeless -- and cannot even desire to be made whole.” Palmer, The Five Points of Calvinism, p. 17-18
7. "[M]an is not capable of ‘cooperating’ anymore than a corpse is able to help in its own resurrection. p. 100...But what does it mean to say that a spiritually dead person, while dead, can still 'reach out and accept the lifeline'? How can that be? Dead men do not reach out for anything." White, James. The Potter’s Freedom, p. 104
8. "He is unable to ask for help unless God changes his heart of stone into a heart of flesh, and makes him alive spiritually.” Palmer, The Five Points of Calvinism, p. 19
9. "[S]piritual death means to be like a physically dead corpse and so nonresponsive and unable to believe the gospel " http://www.monergism.com/deadinsin.html
10. "Apart from Sovereign Grace that makes alive we would do as well screaming at a corpse in the county morgue, ‘Rise up and live!’” Storms,C. Samuel. Chosen for Life, p. 133.
11. "Can a dead man think? Can a dead man will? Can a dead man give evidence of life? The spiritually dead man is incapable of any spiritual good.“ Hanko, Herman. “The Five Points of Calvinism.” http://www.prca.org/fivepoints/chapter1.html

Aliens Eph 2:12-19; • Blinded By Satan II Cor 4:4 • Blinded by Self Jn 12:40 • Children of Disobedience Eph 2:2, 5:6; Col 3:6 • Children of Satan John 8:44 • Children of Wrath Eph 2:3 • Darkness Itself Eph 5:8 • Deaf / Not Hearing Mt 13:9-17 • Enemies of God Rom 5:10; Col 1:21 • Fools Rom 1:18-32; • Foreigners Eph 2:12-19; • Hearts Darkened Eph 4:18 • Hearts Hardened Jn 12:40; Ep 4:18,19 • Hearts Uncircumcised Acts 7:51; Col 2:13 • Ignorant Acts17:30; Eph 4:18; I Pet 1:14 • Just Plain Lost, Mt. 18:11 • Lost Coins, Lk 15 • Lost Sheep, Lk 15; Is 53:6 • Objects of Wrath Eph 2:3 • Prodigals, Lk 15 • Sick Mt 9:12; Mk 2:17; LK 5:31; • Sinners I Tim 1:15 • Slaves of Sin John 8:34; Rom 6:6, 6:16-22; Gal 4:8 • Spiritually Dead Eph 21,5:, Col 2:13 • Strangers Eph 2:12-19;

• Matthew 24:28 "Wherever the carcass is, there the vultures/eagles will gather.”
• Mark 6:29 "When John’s disciples heard about it, they came and removed his corpse and placed it in a tomb.”
• Revelation 11:8,9 ”8 Their dead bodies will lie in the main street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. 9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and a half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves."

• Matthew 8:22 "But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
• Luke 9:60 "But he told him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.'”
• Romans 11:15 "For if their rejection brings reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?”
• Colossians 2:13 "And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive with him and forgave us all our trespasses.”
• 1 Peter 4:6 "For this reason the gospel was also preached to those who are now dead, so that, although they might be judged in the flesh according to human standards, they might live in the spirit according to God’s standards."

• "Lazarus was a dead man. There was absolutely nothing he could do to cause or assist in his physical resurrection from the dead. Lazarus could not obey Jesus' command to come out of the tomb until God first made him alive again. Such is the case with salvation also “ http://carm.org/lazarus-come-out-john-11-38-44
• "Those who are dead do not respond to stimulus. Indeed, they cannot respond to stimulus. You can poke them and yell at them and flash bright lights at them, but they will not, they cannot respond." http://tcpii.tripod.com/wrath.htm

• Totally misunderstand and therefore misrepresent the facts in the story of Lazarus,
• Take the opposite view from Christ himself on the meaning of Lazarus's resurrection, and
• Treat Lazarus's resurrection as though an explicit Scriptural link exists between the Lazarus story and Ephesians 2 (or any other Scripture relating to spiritual death). NO SUCH CONNECTION EXISTS.

1. First, read the story of a different Lazarus in Luke 16:19-26 "19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 23 And in hell he lifts up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence."
   
   
2. Second, read John 11:43 - “Lazarus, come out!”
   
   
3. Third, answer this question Jesus is addressing Lazarus in John 11;43. Is Jesus speaking to
   
   

   The lifeless blob of flesh in the tomb

   OR

   The living soul of Lazarus, dwelling in the Bosom of Abraham with the other Lazarus, the Lazarus from Luke 16?

   
   
   
4. Lastly, accept or somehow disprove that the Bosom of Abraham view is the genuinely Biblical view. This Bosom of Abraham view renders the Calvinist claim irrelevant--"Those who are dead do not respond to stimulus. Indeed, they cannot respond to stimulus. You can poke them and yell at them and flash bright lights at them, but they will not, they cannot respond." http://tcpii.tripod.com/wrath.htm -- since Jesus is not addressing the lifeless blob of flesh that used to be Lazarus but, rather, is addressing the living, responsive soul of Lazarus temporarily residing in the Bosom of Abraham.

• You Are Alive to the World - "[Y]ou previously walked according to this worldly age" Eph 2:2
• You Are Alive to Your Flesh - "We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts" Eph 2:3
• You Are Alive to the Devil - "According to the ruler of the atmospheric domain, the spirit now working in the disobedient" Eph 2:2
• But You Are Dead towards God - "And you were dead in your trespasses and sins" Eph 2:1.

• Luke 16:24 “For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. So they began to celebrate.”
• Luke 16:32 “But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”
• Historical Note: In the ancient world, POWs were either ransomed or sold into slavery.They were declared dead by those back home so their families could inherit their estates and their wives remarry.

We have seen well over a score of relationship-based phrases or expressions inside Ephesians 2. Now let’s match the Calvinist quotes we began our study with to Bible texts either in Ephesians 2 or, for that matter, anywhere else in the New Testament.

Fill In the Appropriate Scripture

1. _______________________ "There is not an ounce of spiritual life left in them. If they are to be made alive, God must do more than offer them medicine. Dead men will not open their mouths to receive anything. Their jaws are locked in death. Rigor mortis has set in." Sproul, Chosen By God, p. 90-91
2. _______________________ "Those who are dead do not respond to stimulus. Indeed, they cannot respond to stimulus. You can poke them and yell at them and flash bright lights at them, but they will not, they cannot respond." http://tcpii.tripod.com/wrath.htm
3. _______________________ "Like a corpse in a morgue" Amazing Grace, (DVD) 2:42:45.
4. _______________________ “He is not merely drowning, he has already sunk to the bottom of the sea. It is futile to throw a life preserver to a man who has already drowned. If I understand Paul, I hear him saying that God dives into the water and pulls a dead man from the bottom of the sea and then performs a divine act of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. He breathes into the dead man new life." Sproul, Chosen By God, p. 90-91.
5. _______________________ "Unregenerate man can no more choose Christ or see spiritual truth than a rotting corpse can play tennis or debate philosophy. There is no middle ground between being alive and being dead. Unregenerate men are not just sick, handicapped or impaired but dead." http://www.graceonlinelibrary.org/reformed-theology/total-depravity/an-examination-of-the-five-points-of-calvinism -part-i-total-depravity-by-brian-schwertley/
6. _______________________ "He is unable to ask for help unless God changes his heart of stone into a heart of flesh, and makes him alive spiritually.” Palmer, The Five Points of Calvinism, p. 19
7. _______________________ "[M]an is not capable of ‘cooperating’ anymore than a corpse is able to help in its own resurrection. p. 100...But what does it mean to say that a spiritually dead person, while dead, can still 'reach out and accept the lifeline'? How can that be? Dead men do not reach out for anything." White, James. The Potter’s Freedom, p. 104
8. _______________________ “He cannot even open his mouth. Nor does he have any desire to call a doctor to help him. He is dead … The Calvinist … would compare man to one who jumps off the top of the Empire State Building and is spattered over the sidewalk. Even if there were anything left of him when he landed, he could not know that he needed help, let alone cry out for it. That man is dead -- lifeless -- and cannot even desire to be made whole.” Palmer, The Five Points of Calvinism, p. 17-18
9. _______________________ "[S]piritual death means to be like a physically dead corpse and so nonresponsive and unable to believe the gospel" http://www.monergism.com/deadinsin.html
10. _______________________ "Apart from Sovereign Grace that makes alive we would do as well screaming at a corpse in the county morgue, ‘Rise up and live!’” Storms,C. Samuel. Chosen for Life, p. 133.
11. _______________________ "Can a dead man think? Can a dead man will? Can a dead man give evidence of life? The spiritually dead man is incapable of any spiritual good.“ Hanko, Herman. “The Five Points of Calvinism.” http://www.prca.org/fivepoints/chapter1.html

• The centerpoint of our spiritual condition,
• The foundation of our spiritual condition,
• The apex of our spiritual condition, or
• The starting point for discussions of our spiritual condition