Hi Bill. I have been reading with interest your dialogue with Judy. The idea of "spiritual death" has some logical inconsistencies that you seem to be pointing out. Your focus on death being a metaphor is making me think! That's a good thing. :-) Some of the problems I have had over my lifetime with the "spiritual death" perspective is the following:
1. The body without the spirit is dead, so if the spirit is dead, how can one be alive? This assumes, of course, that spiritual death means that the spirit is dead. 2. If people were spiritually dead in the Old Testament times, how did they write prophecy and such? How does anyone do anything good at all if they are dead in their spirit? All good ultimately comes from God, does it not, and how can this good come through us except through the spirit? 3. John says that Christ is the light that lighteth every man that comes into the world. How can that happen if virtually everyone is "spiritually dead"? One way of remedy here is to perceive "spiritual death" as something that is less than perfect death. In other words, there is so much darkness that we might call it being spiritually dead, but that does not mean complete and total darkness. Of course, if we take this perspective, then why not take the same approach in regards to physical death with Adam and Eve? I think it was Ireneus who said that they were given over to death on that very day. In other words, death began its work, they died that very day, but it took time for the full effect of it to be manifested. Another observation I might make is that I think often people use that word "spiritually" as a metaphor itself. In other words, when they think "spiritually dead" they are really thinking along the lines of dead metaphorically speaking. This is what makes the explanation of "spiritually dead" attractive. If this is what is going on, then the phrase "spiritually dead" might not be the most accurate one to use. Is that your approach? Do you prefer to simply say that "dead" is a metaphor in many of these contexts? I can't help but ask you, seeing your embrace of the idea of metaphor, whether or not you believe that the concepts of Satan and demons are a metaphor? Do you believe that Satan and demons are real entities, or are these terms metaphors for an adversary? Another question: the word "spirit." Is this also a metaphor from your perspective? Do you believe that we literally have a spirit, or is spirit simply a metaphor for abstract aspects of our being? Peace be with you. David Miller. ---------- "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org If you do not want to receive posts from this list, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and you will be unsubscribed. If you have a friend who wants to join, tell him to send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and he will be subscribed.
