I remember hearing the term, Dead Man Walking in 1995, when the movie became popular. I never saw it, but it was about a man waiting on death row to be executed for his crimes. The term has been used often in society to refer to situations with no hope. In the Bible, we are taught the truth that we are dead as long as we are without Christ as our Savior. Our sins, from the time we become accountable for them, have already condemned us to Hell for all eternity. We are dead people walking around. We may think we have an abundant life and be completely healthy, but if we are dead in our sins, it is only a matter of time before we experience eternal death.
Those who do not know what the Bible says about life and death have wrong misconceptions about death. To us, we see death as an end to life, but scripture teaches us that physical death is only a passage to our eternal existence. We will either live eternally with Jesus in Heaven, or we will live in torment eternally in Hell with the devil and all those who have rejected Jesus as their Savior. Death does not mean an end but a change.
While we are here, we can make choices about our eternity. Once the physical body dies, there is no longer a choice. In Ephesians 2:1, Paul writes, “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins.” That “you” is all of us; he teaches us that it doesn’t have to stay that way. In verse 5, he explains that when we were dead in our sins, the Holy Spirit “quickened” us, which means made alive. While we were in our sins, we lived according to this world’s standards. We were children of disobedience. The lusts of the flesh govern the dead man’s conduct. Our minds think or see something, and we desire it. Our conduct proceeds to gain it. We are physically alive yet seek the life of a dead man. In Ephesians 2:1-10, we find the problem of being dead while physically alive, changing to a living eternal life.
Ephesians 2:1-9 “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein 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: Among 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. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
We become alive when we accept Jesus as our Savior and repent of our sins. No longer are we slaves to our sins, but we are made alive to live for Him. For those in a faith where your works determine your eternal destiny, these verses can be freeing from the bondage of working to get favor with God, in hopes you have done enough to gain Heaven.
I once stood at the door of a lady in a religion that taught that if her good works outweighed her bad works, she would gain Heaven. In her religion, she would not know for sure if she would gain Heaven until after she died. I showed her these verses, and I will never forget her response as long as I live. She first looked at me and said, “That’s in your bible, not mine.” I asked her to get me her bible, and I showed her that these were also in hers. In one second, her pride of thinking she was going to heaven by her works changed her countenance to sorrow. As a tear rolled down her cheek, she said, “According to this, I have been lied to all my life!” I do not know if she renounced the religion she was in. It was taking her some time to process the knowledge she had gained, but I do know she now sees the truth, and she had the opportunity to accept salvation as a free gift. In this passage, verse 10 teaches us that once we have received that gift, we will want to work to show our gratitude and love to God. As I explained to her, I do not work for my salvation; I work from my salvation.
I met that lady at her door over 25 years ago. I no longer live in that city and do not know her name, but I pray for her that she was able to overcome with Jesus years of wrong teaching that kept her in bondage. She was a dead woman walking, hoping she had done enough. So many people want to be in control of their lives and think they can do things their way. If you are one of those people, you have missed the gospel’s message. It is free to all who will believe, but there is only one way. Jesus said in John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” It is about a relationship, not a religion. When you experience Him, you will work for Him. You will be involved in a church where you can grow and work for Him. You will want to pray and study His word. You will do all you can to keep others from being dead men walking.
