You may be familiar with a fictional novel, Frankenstein, written in the early 1800s, by a young Englishwoman, Mary Shelley. It was a short work of gothic horror and science fiction, one of the earliest, and has become an American classic1. The story is of a young scientist, who is able to create a "living" man from the various parts of other dead humans - - - a brain here, a torso there, you get the picture. Grotesque, isn't it?
The modern day parallel is the immensely popular television series, The Walking Dead. Man has for centuries been fascinated with bringing the dead to life again, and has tried many different approaches to make this happen. I'll spare you the gory historical and deeply-buried (if you'll pardon the heinous pun) details.
Since death is our enemy, we try to slay it in our own power. And, especially in the realm of the spiritual, again, the results of such misguided attempts are grotesque.
1And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 3Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
Ephesians 2:1-3 (NET)
Here, Paul describes what it is like to be spiritually dead, by using the analogy of physical death, something every human comes to understand, sooner or later. Let's decompose it (sorry...my macabre humor is out of control).
- First of all, what killed the spirit of man? Answer: trespasses and sins. "Trespasses" or "transgressions" in some passages, means to "wander off the path" or "fall off the wagon". "Sins" is a word Paul uses in the general sense to mean "falling short of God's standard" or "missing the mark" (Benson)2 We are told in Romans 6:23 that the consequences of sin is spiritual death.
- Second, what does spiritual death mean? It means that the human, although physically alive, is living under the control and rule of the evil one and/or his minions/demons. Now, I predict that, at this point, some of you are going to "bow up", raise your hackles, and disagree with that last statement. The Bible is plain, however. Each person alive today is either serving and following Satan, OR he/she is serving and following Father God, Jesus Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit. There's no other option given or allowed. Serving the former leads to eternal spiritual death, the experiencing of God's wrath; serving the latter leads to an eternity of life and joy.
- Third, what does this "walking in death" look like? It is demonstrated by a life disobedient to the ways of God, habitually, as one's custom, indulging the desires of the body and a dead, corrupted mind. It is evidenced by rebellion, going one's own way, by a careless disregard or disdain for "the Way, the Truth, the Life", Jesus Christ. Look how The Message version described that old, stagnant life-walk of spiritual death. "You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, whenever we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat."
Pretty damning, isn't it?
So damning that most people will not accept this truth, even though acknowledging it is a foundational prerequisite for becoming spiritually alive. How can one be made alive, if he or she will not even accept that he or she is dead?! It is impossible, just as impossible as it is for a person to make him or herself spiritually alive.
Oh, but we try. We make our spirits Frankensteinian! (I'm told that adjective is not a word; but, I'm ignoring....) We put on masks to hide the depths of our sin and despair. We use techniques like "self-improvement" or "social justice" or "charity" or "service leagues" - - - and we make of ourselves spiritually-dead zombies. None of the "good works" mentioned are bad things, unless they are used in attempts to "raise the dead" soul. Properly used, these things are OUTWORKINGS from an alive spirit; they flow out of the abundance of the transformed, Christ-follower! Look....
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away. Behold! All things have become new!"
2 Cor. 5:17 (NKJV)
In the original King James version, the word "creation" is "creature" - - a beautiful, new, alive creature, not a cobbled-together horror show. Only the true, living Savior, Jesus Christ, can bring the dead spirit to life. Only He can make this transformation. (John 14:6)
Lay down your bone saw and scalpels, Dr. Frankenstein, and open your arms to the Living One, the only One who gives eternal life!
Dear Father, I was bemused to see when I googled the word "Therefore", the first word in 2 Cor. 5:17, that verse immediately popped up. Probably, it is the most important "therefore" in the entire Bible. I praise You, the only One who can raise the dead, the only One who can give life eternal. I thank You for giving it to me, and I pray for those reading this who may have seen themselves in a Frankensteinian state and who long to be re-born, made new, re-created, made alive by Your almighty hand. I pray that they will put their hand in your outstretched hand today, Lord. In Jesus' name, amen.
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