Being spiritually dead means being born with a spirit made dead by sin, and it is resolved through regeneration by the Holy Spirit when a person believes the gospel.
According to Les Feldick, every person born as a child of Adam is born spiritually dead—the spirit is present but unable to function properly, like a car battery that has run down. This condition persists until, upon hearing and believing the gospel (Christ's death, burial, and resurrection), the Holy Spirit regenerates that dead spirit, making the person alive. This is not achieved by works or church rituals, but solely by faith in Christ, after which the believer is also sealed and indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 2:1 — This verse directly addresses the state of being spiritually dead and the resolution—being made alive—which is central to the question.
Ephesians 2:1 (KJV) states: "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins." This describes believers as having been spiritually dead—not physically dead—as they were still living. The following verses (Ephesians 2:2-3) describe the past manner of life of the spiritually dead: they 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," and they fulfilled "the desires of the flesh and of the mind." This was the condition of all, by nature, as children of wrath. The resolution is implied in the same passage: God "hath quickened" (made alive) those who were dead, which is a past action for believers.
Les Feldick explains that spiritual death is the condition of every person born as a son of Adam, who is the federal head of the human race. Adam's disobedience plunged all humanity into this state, so everyone is born spiritually dead. Les uses the analogy of a dead car battery: it is not gone but is unable to function until an outside power regenerates it. Similarly, the human spirit is dead and unable to function as it should until an outside power—the Holy Spirit—regenerates it. This regeneration occurs when a person believes the gospel of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. Les emphasizes that this is not achieved by good works, church membership, baptism, or catechism, but solely by faith. After belief, the believer is sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Les also notes that even after regeneration, the old Adam nature remains and causes a continual battle with the new nature.
Les teaches that Adam, as the federal head of the human race, plunged every person into spiritual death. This is why everyone is born spiritually dead, regardless of upbringing. The evidence in Ephesians 2:2-3 confirms that before salvation, all people walked according to the course of the world and the prince of the power of the air, and fulfilled the desires of the flesh, because they were children of disobedience.
Les uses the analogy of a dead car battery: you don't wash its outside with soap and water; you need an outside power to regenerate it. Likewise, spiritual death requires an outside power—the Holy Spirit—to regenerate the dead spirit. Good works, church rituals, or moral behavior cannot accomplish this. Salvation is solely through faith in Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.
Les explains that when a person hears the gospel (the good news of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection) and believes, they are then sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise (Ephesians 1:13-14 context). The Holy Spirit regenerates the dead spirit, restoring fellowship, and the believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit. This is a new Pauline doctrine not seen in the Old Testament or Christ's earthly ministry.
Les clarifies that the spirit is not gone but is dead, meaning it is unable to function as it should. Like a dead battery, it needs an outside power to regenerate it. This is why the unsaved are described as 'dead in trespasses and sins'—they are spiritually dead, not physically dead.
Les teaches that even after regeneration, the old Adam nature (old man) is still present in experience, though God reckons it as dead. This creates a 'royal battle' as the new nature and the old nature both influence the believer, but the believer is now alive spiritually and has eternal life.
Sealing with the Holy Spirit
Les emphasizes that after a person believes the gospel (trusting in Christ's death, burial, and resurrection), they are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise—this is a new Pauline doctrine.
Regeneration of the Dead Spirit
Les explains that the Holy Spirit regenerates the dead spirit upon belief, restoring fellowship and indwelling the believer.
Descriptions of the Unsaved
Les describes the unsaved world as spiritually dead, active but dead in trespasses and sins, and ensnared by Satan.
Dead Battery Analogy
Les uses the analogy of a dead battery needing an outside power to regenerate, illustrating that spiritual death requires divine regeneration, not good works.
Spiritual Death in Ephesians 2
Les explains that being 'dead in trespasses and sins' means being without spiritual life, and that believers, though now alive, previously walked according to the world and Satan.
Born into Spiritual Death
Les clarifies that we are born spiritually dead because Adam, as federal head, plunged the human race into that state.
Widespread Spiritual Death
Les notes that the world is full of spiritually dead people, setting the context for needing regeneration.
Ongoing Battle with Old Nature
Les teaches that even after regeneration, the old Adam nature remains, causing a battle, but God reckons it as dead.
Ephesians 2:1: And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
This is the key verse describing the state of spiritual death and the act of being made alive by God.
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:
This verse describes the lifestyle of the spiritually dead, following the world and Satan.
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.
This verse shows that all people, by nature, are spiritually dead and live according to sinful desires.
No. Les Feldick clarifies that spiritual death is not physical death. A person can be physically alive but spiritually dead, meaning the spirit is unable to function as it should. This is the state of all unsaved people.
Spiritual death is resolved through regeneration by the Holy Spirit when a person believes the gospel of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. This is an act of God's outside power, not achieved by good works.
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