Mostly Dead...

Inigo Montoya: "He's dead. He can't talk."
Miracle Max: "Whoo-hoo-hoo, look who knows so much. It just so happens that your friend here is only MOSTLY dead. There's a big difference between mostly dead and all dead. Mostly dead is slightly alive. With all dead, well, with all dead there's usually only one thing you can do."

Mostly dead, but not all dead.

Such is the way in which many churches and pastors view the fallen nature of humanity.  We're born "mostly dead," but not all the way dead.  Many believe that there is a "divine spark" that still exists within humanity.  The Hollywood version of this is Darth Vader having a spark of good still within him that allowed him to turn from "the dark side."

Sorry Miracle Max, but when it comes to humanity, mostly dead is a lie.
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me."
(Psalm 51:5)

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins
(Ephesians 2:1)

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
(1 Corinthians 2:14)

I could go on.

Scripture is clear that by nature (that is according to our fallen, sinful nature) we are dead in sin, blind to the things of God, and enemies of God.  We're not mostly dead...we're dead dead.

This is why it is only by the miracle of God that we can be made spiritually alive.  It has to come from outside of us, just as God breathed life into Adam, God must again bring new life to the dead by His Spirit. By His Word, by water with the Word, God comes to the dead and gives life.

In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
(Colossians 2:11-14)

This Christmas, rejoice that the Savior has come to bring life to the dead, to bring sight to we who apart from God are spiritually blind, and that we are no longer enemies of God, but that now God and sinner are indeed reconciled.

We who were far more than mostly dead, but truly dead have been made alive through that Christ child of Bethlehem! 

386 Now Sing We, Now Rejoice

1 Now sing we, now rejoice,
Now raise to heav’n our voice;
     He from whom joy streameth
Poor in a manger lies;
     Not so brightly beameth
The sun in yonder skies.
     Thou my Savior art!
     Thou my Savior art!

2 Come from on high to me;
I cannot rise to Thee.
     Cheer my wearied spirit,
O pure and holy Child;
     Through Thy grace and merit,
Blest Jesus, Lord most mild,
     Draw me unto Thee!
     Draw me unto Thee!

3 Now through His Son doth shine
The Father’s grace divine.
     Death was reigning o’er us
Through sin and vanity
     Till He opened for us
A bright eternity.
     May we praise Him there!
     May we praise Him there!

4 Oh, where shall joy be found?
Where but on heav’nly ground?
     Where the angels singing
With all His saints unite,
     Sweetest praises bringing
In heav’nly joy and light.
     Oh, that we were there!
     Oh, that we were there!