Was Jesus talking about being dead spiritually or being dead physically in John 11:25

[pajaro]

John 11:25 says, "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live". This verse is often quoted at funerals when a person has died physically. However, the phrase 'were dead' is the same phrase used here in Eph 2:1:"And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;". This Eph 2:1 verse is apparently referring to a person being born again from being spiritually dead rather that physically dead. Accordingly, it seems like Jesus is talking about people that believe in him but have not died physically yet in John 11:25. Do you agree? If that is true, however, it means that from the moment a person believes in Jesus they never die again ever. That is because he says, "And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" immediately after the above scripture. So, he must mean never die spiritually, because believers can believe and then die physically after being born again. Any thoughts?

 

[clark thompson]

It is a double meaning He gives the believer a new life this continues after we shed our flesh thru physical death.

 

[Travis]

The scriptures state that you must be born again. I think that is true

 

[Curtis]

John 11:25 says, "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live". This verse is often quoted at funerals when a person has died physically. However, the phrase 'were dead' is the same phrase used here in Eph 2:1:"And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;". This Eph 2:1 verse is apparently referring to a person being born again from being spiritually dead rather that physically dead. Accordingly, it seems like Jesus is talking about people that believe in him but have not died physically yet in John 11:25. Do you agree? If that is true, however, it means that from the moment a person believes in Jesus they never die again ever. That is because he says, "And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" immediately after the above scripture. So, he must mean never die spiritually, because believers can believe and then die physically after being born again. Any thoughts?

Physical death is no big deal, as it is just like changing our clothes, and can never separate us from God. As the scripture tells us....

Rom 8:38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,
Rom 8:39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Jesus is the "resurrection" and the life that we have. We were raised with him and we are right this second sitting on the right hand of God in Christ. That life can never be taken away as it is protected in God him self!!
If Christ is now our new life, and he is very well aware of his surroundings in us, then why are we not very well aware of our surroundings in Christ in Heaven?

 

[Nang]

John 11:25 says, "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live". This verse is often quoted at funerals when a person has died physically. However, the phrase 'were dead' is the same phrase used here in Eph 2:1:"And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;". This Eph 2:1 verse is apparently referring to a person being born again from being spiritually dead rather that physically dead. Accordingly, it seems like Jesus is talking about people that believe in him but have not died physically yet in John 11:25. Do you agree? If that is true, however, it means that from the moment a person believes in Jesus they never die again ever. That is because he says, "And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" immediately after the above scripture. So, he must mean never die spiritually, because believers can believe and then die physically after being born again. Any thoughts?

Both . . .

• Christian believers live forever by faith in Jesus Christ by His Spirit (John 11:25-26), and only bodily "sleep" in their graves until the final resurrection. John 5:28-29

 

[Chad]

John 11:25 says, "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live". This verse is often quoted at funerals when a person has died physically. However, the phrase 'were dead' is the same phrase used here in Eph 2:1:"And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;". This Eph 2:1 verse is apparently referring to a person being born again from being spiritually dead rather that physically dead. Accordingly, it seems like Jesus is talking about people that believe in him but have not died physically yet in John 11:25. Do you agree? If that is true, however, it means that from the moment a person believes in Jesus they never die again ever. That is because he says, "And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" immediately after the above scripture. So, he must mean never die spiritually, because believers can believe and then die physically after being born again. Any thoughts?

Spiritual death. Usually when death/sin is spoken of, it's in the context of spiritual. That's the ultimate consequence of sin apart from Christ: spiritual death = eternity in hell.

Ephesians 2:1-3
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.

RSB Study Notes
2:1–3 The natural state of all human beings is a kind of spiritual death. This spiritual condition is universal: both Gentiles (v. 2) and Jews (v. 3) are “by nature children of wrath” (v. 3; on Paul’s view of “nature” see Rom. 1). Second, they are in active rebellion against God; note the use of “walked” in regard to Gentiles in v. 2 and “lived” in reference to Jews in v. 3. Third, they are subject to the evil rule of Satan (called in v. 2 “the prince of the power of the air”; cf. Gal. 4:3; Col. 1:13). Fourth, they are totally unable to change themselves from rebellion against God (John 3:3). Fifth, they are exposed to the just anger of God (v. 3; 5:6; Rom. 1:18–20).

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
Sin is the death of the soul. A man dead in trespasses and sins has no desire for spiritual pleasures. When we look upon a corpse, it gives an awful feeling. A never-dying spirit is now fled, and has left nothing but the ruins of a man. But if we viewed things aright, we should be far more affected by the thought of a dead soul, a lost, fallen spirit. A state of sin is a state of conformity to this world. Wicked men are slaves to Satan. Satan is the author of that proud, carnal disposition which there is in ungodly men; he rules in the hearts of men. From Scripture it is clear, that whether men have been most prone to sensual or to spiritual wickedness, all men, being naturally children of disobedience, are also by nature children of wrath. What reason have sinners, then, to seek earnestly for that grace which will make them, of children of wrath, children of God and heirs of glory! God's eternal love or good-will toward his creatures, is the fountain whence all his mercies flow to us; and that love of God is great love, and that mercy is rich mercy. And every converted sinner is a saved sinner; delivered from sin and wrath. The grace that saves is the free, undeserved goodness and favour of God; and he saves, not by the works of the law, but through faith in Christ Jesus. Grace in the soul is a new life in the soul. A regenerated sinner becomes a living soul; he lives a life of holiness, being born of God: he lives, being delivered from the guilt of sin, by pardoning and justifying grace. Sinners roll themselves in the dust; sanctified souls sit in heavenly places, are raised above this world, by Christ's grace. The goodness of God in converting and saving sinners heretofore, encourages others in after-time, to hope in his grace and mercy. Our faith, our conversion, and our eternal salvation, are not of works, lest any man should boast. These things are not brought to pass by any thing done by us, therefore all boasting is shut out. All is the free gift of God, and the effect of being quickened by his power. It was his purpose, to which he prepared us, by blessing us with the knowledge of his will, and his Holy Spirit producing such a change in us, that we should glorify God by our good conversation, and perseverance in holiness. None can from Scripture abuse this doctrine, or accuse it of any tendency to evil. All who do so, are without excuse.

 

[Hekuran]

I'm not at all sure that the Bible has the concept of "spiritually dead".

There are quite a few places that talk about being "dead in sin" such as the Ephesians 2 passage

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus​

The most natural way to understand that is, "due to sin, we were captive to death; now with and through Christ we are released to life".

Our western way of thinking has a strong tendency to divide the physical and the spiritual. The writers and first readers of the Bible did not have the same compartmentalising approach.

 

[Travis]

Fourth, they are totally unable to change themselves from rebellion against God (John 3:3).

It sounds like whoever wrote that must be a Calvinist.

I'm not at all sure that the Bible has the concept of "spiritually dead".

The foundation for what we call spiritual death is in genesis, chapter 3 I believe. God was not lying when he said that the day you eat of that fruit, you would die. I don't think anyway.

 

[RJ]

Accordingly, it seems like Jesus is talking about people that believe in him but have not died physically yet in John 11:25. Do you agree?

• You are born physically of your worldly Mother and Father
• If you believe, you are born spiritually by your heavenly Father
• If you die your physical death without being a believer, you also die spiritually absent from your heavenly Father.
• If you die your physical death as a believer, you will live spiritually in the presence of you heavenly Father.
• The verse says, if you believe, yet when you die physically, you will live spiritually!

 

[Nang]

It sounds like whoever wrote that must be a Calvinist.



The foundation for what we call spiritual death is in genesis, chapter 3 I believe. God was not lying when he said that the day you eat of that fruit, you would die. I don't think anyway.

Agreed.

Physical death is evidence that spiritual death has happened to all men. Romans 5:12-15