Did Jesus Die Spiritually?

Did Jesus Die Spiritually?

Dr. Russell K. Tardo

[ JDS-101 ]

1And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2Wherein 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: 3Among 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. 4But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast.

[Eph. 2:1-9]

It is the unregenerate or unsaved people who are spiritually dead. The term refers to those bound up in sin, i.e., the vile, corrupt, those with a depraved nature, having no righteousness in them. Consider Jesus’ death in light of this and one will readily understand that if Jesus died spiritually, then our very salvation itself is at stake.

And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses. [Col. 2:13]

But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth. [1 Tim. 5:6]

And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. [Rev. 3:1]

I. The JDS (Jesus Died Spiritually) Doctrine

The proponents of the JDS Doctrine say that Jesus died unregenerate, went to hell, and then was born again or saved while in hell.

26For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

[Heb. 9:26-28]

9Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. 10If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 11For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. [2 John 9-11]

A. Major Fallacies of the JDS Doctrine.

1. Jesus was made to be sin, i.e., He literally became sin itself. To justify this teaching, advocates use this scripture passage:

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. [2 Cor. 5:21]

Proponents of this doctrine even go so far as to say that sin was in Jesus’ spirit. They have no concept of the seriousness of such doctrine. They fail to go back to the Old Testament and study the types of sin offerings.

2. Jesus died twice, i.e., He died physically and then He died spiritually. As basis, they use the following Old Testament passage:

And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. [Isa. 53:9]

They teach that in order for Jesus to identify with fallen mankind, He had to die spiritually. [How Jesus actually identified with mankind was by His birth.]

3. Redemption was not finished at Calvary when Jesus said, It is finished. They maintain that Jesus was wrong. He still had to go to hell. They also advocate that the blood of Jesus did not atone for our sin.

4. God forsook Jesus and separated Himself from the Son at the cross. God could not look upon Him because He had become wicked and vile with our sin. [Actually, Jesus was never more pleasing to the Father than He was at Calvary.]

To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. [2 Cor. 5:19]