To be spiritually dead is to be without spiritual life — dead in trespasses and sins.
This is the condition of every lost person before salvation. Les Feldick says the world is full of “walking dead people” — spiritually dead even while they are physically alive. Scripture describes it as “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1) and shows that because one died for all, all were dead (2 Corinthians 5:14).
Ephesians 2:1 — This verse directly names the condition: dead in trespasses and sins.
Romans 3:23 — It explains why the condition is universal: for all have sinned.
2 Corinthians 5:14 — It connects Christ's death for all to the fact that all were dead.
Ephesians 2:1 says, “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.” Verse 2 adds, “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.” Verse 3 continues: “Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” Romans 3:9 states, “What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin.” The conclusion in Romans 3:23 is, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:14 adds, “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead.”
Les Feldick defines spiritual death as being without spiritual life. He explains that Ephesians 2:1 is describing people who are “dead in trespasses and sins.” He emphasizes that Paul was not talking about physical death, since these people were still walking in the flesh according to the course of this world and under the power of Satan. The world, Les says, is full of “walking dead people” — spiritually dead. Les traces this condition back to Adam. As sons of Adam, we are spiritually dead. He also points out that everyone is guilty of disobeying the revealed will of God — Jews and Gentiles, black and white, rich and poor — and that is sin in any of its colors. Romans 3:9-23 proves all have sinned, and 2 Corinthians 5:14 shows that if one died for all, then all were dead. Les also highlights the hopelessness of the condition: the lost person is totally bound up in Satan's web, and no one can cut that web but the power of God. Spiritually, before God made us alive, we stood before Him stark naked, with no hope of helping ourselves.
No. Les Feldick emphasizes that the people described as “dead” in Ephesians 2 were still physically alive — they were walking in the flesh and living in the course of this world. He says Paul was not talking about physical death but about spiritual death, because these people were still physically living. Death is the result of sin, not only physical but spiritual.
Les traces spiritual death to Adam: as sons of Adam, we are spiritually dead. He also points to Romans 3:9-23, where Paul proves that both Jews and Gentiles are under sin, and everyone — black and white, rich and poor — has disobeyed the revealed will of God. Then 2 Corinthians 5:14 shows that if one died for all, then all were dead. Every human being is dead spiritually.
A spiritually dead person walks according to the course of this world and according to the prince of the power of the air, who is Satan. Les describes lost people as wrapped up in the spiderweb of Satan — totally bound in his web without realizing it. Even while they go about their everyday activities, in offices and on freeways, they are spiritually dead.
In Ephesians 2:1, “hath he quickened” means made alive. Les contrasts this with the past condition: “who were dead in trespasses and sins.” The believer has been made alive with eternal life, not just a temporary thing. Before that, spiritually, we had to stand before God stark naked, with no hope of getting help.
The Universal Guilt of Sin
Les defines sin as anyone who has disobeyed the revealed will of God, and he says all Jews and Gentiles, black and white, rich and poor, have sinned — setting the stage for why all are spiritually dead.
Walking Dead People
Les says that as sons of Adam we are spiritually dead, and that the world is full of walking dead people who are spiritually dead while living according to the course of this world under Satan.
Without Spiritual Life
Les explains that “dead in trespasses and sins” means without spiritual life, and that Paul was not talking about physical death because these people were still walking in the flesh.
One Died for All — Therefore All Were Dead
Les uses 2 Corinthians 5:14 to show that since one died for all, then all were dead spiritually — every human being, not just the worst or a particular group.
Dead in Trespasses and Sins as Result of Old Adam
Les says plural trespasses and sins are the result of sin as the old Adam, and that in that spiritual deadness people walked according to the course of this world and the prince of the power of the air, Satan.
Spiritual Death Distinct from Physical Death
Les clarifies that death is the result of sin, not only physical but spiritual, and he turns to Revelation 20 to clarify what spiritual death is.
World Full of Spiritually Dead People
Les says the unsaved world, even in all its daily activity, is made up of spiritually dead people wrapped up in the spiderweb of Satan — not physically dead, but spiritually dead.
The Hopelessness of Spiritual Death
Les describes the believer's former spiritual condition as standing before God stark naked, with no hope of getting help — showing the helplessness of the spiritually dead.
Ephesians 2:1: And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
This verse directly describes the condition of being spiritually dead before being made alive.
Ephesians 2:2: Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
It shows how spiritually dead people live and who influences them.
Ephesians 2:3: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
It confirms that everyone was once in this condition by nature.
Romans 3:9: What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
It establishes that both Jews and Gentiles are under sin, which is the cause of spiritual death.
Romans 3:23: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
It is the conclusion that every person has sinned and therefore shares the same condition.
2 Corinthians 5:14: For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
It shows that Christ's death for all proves that all were spiritually dead.
2 Corinthians 5:15: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
It explains the purpose of Christ's death for those who were dead.
Romans 6:23: For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
It connects the result of sin with death, both physical and spiritual.
According to Les Feldick, it means being without spiritual life. It does not mean physical death, because these people are still walking in the flesh. It describes lost people who live according to the course of this world under the power of Satan.
No. Les Feldick clarifies that Paul was not talking about physical death in Ephesians 2:1, because the people who were dead were still physically alive and walking. Death is not only physical but spiritual.
Because all have sinned — Jews and Gentiles, black and white, rich and poor. Every person has disobeyed the revealed will of God. Also, as sons of Adam, we are spiritually dead and have disobeyed by virtue of Adam's disobedience.
A spiritually dead person walks according to the course of this world and the prince of the power of the air, who is Satan. They are wrapped in Satan's web and may appear busy in everyday life, but they are spiritually dead.
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