The first component of man’s radical corruption is his utter deadness in sin. It is admitted here that what is meant by “utter deadness” is not a physical deadness but rather a spiritual deadness. However; before one moves to quickly away from this assertion, let it be noted that in real, temporal life, one’s sinful actions have very real consequences that may in fact lead to physical deadness in that sin promotes what may be called a “high risk” lifestyle with many physical ramifications resulting in bad behavior and sinful choices. None-the-less, what will be discussed herein is the nature of spiritual deadness or the natural man’s complete and utter inability to do anything related to spiritual life. Two introductory thoughts must be covered however before a discussion of spiritual deadness can be under taken.
Utter Deadness As Opposed To Total Deadness
In the context of this discussion, the word “utter deadness” is appropriate. What is intended here is the idea that the natural man cannot be anymore spiritually dead than he is. This differs from the usage of the term “total depravity” in that although the natural man is depraved, that is infected with sin; he is not as bad as he could be. The common grace of God restrains the natural man from being utterly depraved; that is as bad as he possibly could be.
The Logical Conclusion Of Utter Deadness
In terms of spiritual deadness, the natural man is as dead as he possibly can be; he cannot be any more “dead” than he already is. In this way utter deadness is an accurate description of where the natural man resides. He is not able to accomplish any spiritual activity just as one would not expect a dead body to be “more” dead than it already is nor would one expect the dead body to accomplish any activity at all. To the contrary, one would be most likely gripped by extreme fear to see a dead body reanimate. Likewise, modern faith life needs to acknowledge that a spiritually dead body being animate of its own accord is a frightening notion.
Ephesians 2: 1 – 3
The utter deadness of the natural man is shown to us in Ephesians 2: 1 – 3.
"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind."
Here, the Apostle Paul lays out the extent of what it means to be spiritually dead. The list that is included is not one of emphasis; that is, the apostle just overwhelming his Ephesian audience with an exhaustive list designed to indicate the degree to which they had rebelled in an attempt to overwhelm them with their sinfulness, although this affect is certainly accomplished. Rather, the apostle gives the subtle and not so subtle characteristics of utter deadness. In verse one Paul says, “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins.” Paul’s use of “were” must not be overlooked. The Greek word ὄντας is a stative verb which indicates a state of being; “I am.” It also is in the present active participial form which is more than just a marker of locality, which is “you lived or resided in sin.” The thrust of this word in the participial form indicates that by their very nature, the lost are dead in sin; that is, there is nothing else valid to claim about the natural man other than he is a dead man; that is just who he is. This singular idea goes against much of mainstream belief in modern faith life that the natural man somehow possesses a “spark” or “fiber” of goodness within him that must be enflamed if he is to accept Christ as his savior. No, Paul says that the sinner is utterly dead by his ontological essence in sin. Paul then goes on to highlight the natural expression of this dead condition in verse two. “in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—“ Here, Paul tells us that those who are spiritually dead “walk” or live as a matter of lifestyle according to certain principles. Namely, that they live according to the views and attitudes of this world. What is in play here is that Paul levels the indictment against the lost that they think, behave and associate most closely with the world system that is now present in temporal life. The utter deadness of the natural man is manifest in that he does those things that come naturally. He functions in mind and body in a way consistent with the temporal or natural order of the physical world. The lost in fact only do what come naturally to them. This condition should not come as any surprise for Paul reveals the source of this utter deadness; it is the reign of the one who now rules over the temporal order. The prince of the power of the air; that is Satan himself. Those who are still in their natural condition are under the rule and reign of this satanic dominion; they are in fact in bondage to this dominion and cannot do anything otherwise. This bondage to sinful rebellion affects one’s thoughts, motivations and actions while at the same time seeming to fit in with all the other subjects of this kingdom. Even though every aspect of the natural man is putrefied by radical corruption, his attitudes and behaviors are accepted as normal or proper when compared to the tenants of the temporal world and it ruler. It is completely normal, supposedly, for the natural man to live in his intrinsic passions for self gratification. It does not seem out of place for him to seek his own good at the mortal expense of those around him. It does not even occur to the natural man that he is engaged in any activity that would be considered outside what is accepted in the world as appropriate thinking and behavior. He is as Paul says, a child of wrath like all the rest. In this way, the natural man is utterly dead in sin. Not only is he unable to do anything else, he would not do anything else even if he could. A departure from what he considers natural is seen as aberrant no matter how holy or righteous the act. This is the basis for the next consideration of the radical corruption of man; his suppression of the truth.
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