DEAD

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 (Eph. 2:1-3).

Every year around Halloween, locals in our community gather for a Zombie Walk to raise money for the city food bank. Adults and children wear ripped clothing as costumes and paint their bodies to look like the undead. It’s a lighthearted event for a good cause, especially since zombies are just fiction.

Still, I wonder if the idea of being among the walking dead is so far- fetched. If you look at Scripture, God has a lot to say to us about being spiritually dead.

In his letter to the Romans, the apostle Paul explains that sin separates us from God and reminds you and me that we were once dead in our trespasses and sins. God’s Word is the standard for upright hearts, pure motives and appropriate conduct. Sin is missing the mark of that standard and drives a wedge in our relationship with Him. But God loved us so much that He freely gave us His Son so that we wouldn’t remain spiritually dead.

Romans 6:23 tells us: For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Because of what Jesus did for us and our acceptance of Him as Lord and Savior, we’re no longer separated. We have been raised to life with Christ.

Still, zombies are all around us.

Lost and wayward children who don’t yet know Jesus as their Savior are found in every sphere of society--where we live, work, learn and play. Like us, these souls matter greatly to God. They don’t understand what it means to be spiritually dead because they don’t know the One who gives life. But we do because we were once like these spiritually dead souls.

Every follower of Jesus is called to make disciples. He has created each one of us as a unique masterpiece and has given us a mission field. He has called us to continue in Jesus’ work of seeking and saving the lost.

Now it’s time to think outside the box. What creative strategies and tactics could you use to begin a relationship with the spiritually dead where you live, work, learn and play?