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“Jesus died spiritually”; the concept and doctrine is normally connected with the Faith Movement. It states that Jesus took the devils nature on the cross and was tormented three days in Satan’s place before His resurrection ( = He did born again in hell).

In this essay I like to clarify my understanding and opinion about the matter. First I do understand that that Jesus died both physically and spiritually on the cross, but I don't believe that He was any moment tormented by devil in the hell.

Joh.19:30 “It is finished” did mean that His job was done especially relating to redemption of man as well as His sufferings. Rom 6:7 “He who has died is freed from sin.” Rom 6:10 (Amplified Bible) “For the death He died, He died to sin ending His relation to it.” Rom 6:10 (Finnish translation) “...He died out of sin”

1 Cor 15:56 “The sting of death is sin” meaning the devil has power over us because of our sins, but not over a person who has died out of it.

Rom 6:6 “...Our old self was crucified with Him” and died with Him. Peace offering (Finnish translation: Fellowship offering) was burnt together and on the top of the Burnt offering (Jesus). That means that Jesus took onto the cross not only our sins but us as well with our fallen nature more or less resembling the selfish nature of devil.

Christ has always wanted to unite with His bride and I think that her fallen pitiable state aroused more love and pity in His mind if it is possible. Integration (1Cor 6:17) did happen on the cross and the result was unholy Jesus infested with sins and our disobedience. Joh.3:36 “...but the one who disobeys the Son (=God) won't see LIFE but the wrath of God remains on him.”

“Jacob (depicting believer) I loved but Esau (his older brother who did serve the younger) I hated.” Note that Jacob did have to put on Esau to get his father's blessings just as we should put on Lord Jesus Christ (Rom 13:14) who did great servise for us on the cross. If Isaac who did love Esau had identify Jacob, he had been deceiver in his sight and rejected.(Gen 27:12)

...So on the cross Jesus was not only rejected by the Father but hated by Him as well. Before the cross Jesus was loved by Father because of His nature (He agreed to go on the cross). But on the cross He was completely different person because of the infusion of us and our nature. Gal 4:12 ... “I beg of you, be as I AM, because I AM AS YOU ARE.” Luk. 24:39 “ See My hands and my feet, ( WE are members of His body) that it is I Myself.”

On the cross God was able to resolve His problem which was love-hate feelings towards this world. After the death of Jesus there was clear divide: love and heaven destination for those who LIKE to believe Jesus and wrath and hell relationship for those who chose to follow devil's lies. Many theologian believe that hell's fire depicts the everlasting wrath of God (Matt.3:7) for those who rejects His invitation. Choice is made always on an emotional base depending on what you are willing to believe.

Before Christ born-again experience did only include receiving His Spirit but after it both LIFE of Christ and Spirit. This statement is not accepted or even thought by many of Christians but I like to clarify it by couple of scriptures. John 10:17-18 “Therefore the Father loves me, because I lay down my LIFE, that I may take it again” (that those united with Him on the cross may receive it as well). John 3:3,10 “Most certainly, I tell you, unless one is born anew, he can't see God's Kingdom.” “Are you the teacher of Israel, and don't understand these things?” Jesus demanded that Nicodemus should know these things because they were relevant in Old Covenant. Moses stated: “I wish that all Yahweh's people were prophets, that Yahweh would put his Spirit on them!”(Num.11:29)

By my understanding the LIFE of Jesus is His holy, righteous, happy, joyful, lovable, everyday existence without any inside condemnation.

Eph. 4:17,18 “This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the LIFE of God because of the IGNORANCE that is in them ...”

Luke 9:60 “Leave the DEAD (those without the LIFE of Christ) to bury their own dead...”

Prov. 24:16 “for righteous man falls seven times and rises up again...”

Rom.7:9,11,24,25 “I was ALIVE apart from the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I DIED (SPIRITUALLY).” “for sin... KILLED me..” “What a wretched man I am! Who will deliver me out of the body of this DEATH? I thank God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!”

So I think if sin spiritually killed Paul it did the same for Christ on the cross. Jesus was rejected by the Father and He was without His LIFE at the end as dead person can't lay down his LIFE by exchanging it with sin and sinful nature. Resurrection of the dead is one becoming ALIVE by receiving Christ's LIFE with Him. In Christ all will be made ALIVE. (1 Cor.15:22) Heaven will be heaven because of Christ's LIFE the residents have by themselves. It makes eternity worth living and enjoyable. Those in paradise before the crucifixion were waiting for it to rise up into heaven (outwardly as well as inwardly) with Jesus by receiving His LIFE.

Matt.4:4 “It is written; Man shall not LIVE by bread alone, but every word that proceeds out of God's mouth.” John 6:48,51 “ I am the bread of LIFE.” “Yes, the bread which I will give for the LIFE of the world is my flesh.” “He who eats my (spiritual) flesh and drinks my (spiritual) blood has eternal LIFE,...” John 6:63 It is the spirit who gives LIFE. The (natural )flesh (and natural blood) profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit and LIFE. John 7:38 “He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said (without adding or taking away it's words or doctrines) from within him will flow rivers of LIVING water.”

To be spiritually naked is to be freezing spiritually (have a personal winter time).It is to be more or less distressed without peace of Christ. His condition is comparable to Old Testament believer who had the Holy Spirit but not the LIFE of Christ and who constantly made sacrifices to please God.

That can be a permanent condition like it was with the members of church in Laodicea (Rev.3:17). The main reason is ignorance of Christ's promises and reluctance to change one's mindset and pastor. “Like priest like people”. Secondary reasons like lack of prayer and sin in one's life are more easily to correct if basic belief system is according to bible's doctrine.

Sins of Sodom were arrogance (proud), abundant food (word of God was available), and careless ease ( did not understand it's own situation) and Sodom didn't help (spiritually) poor and needy (“I was naked and you didn't clothe me”; I was spiritually starving and you had only unpure milk to give me.) Sins of the church in Laodicea were similar: “You say: I am rich and I have gotten (spiritual) riches and I have need of nothing (especially your cult-teachings); and don't know that you are the wretched one, miserable, poor (without LIFE of Christ),blind and NAKED.” Church of Laodicea still had the Spirit of God but it's wandering towards the Tree of LIFE (= mindset and flesh of Christ) was at a standstill and prevented.

Col.2:1 “For I (=Jesus through Paul) desire to have you know how greatly I (God) struggle for you, and (especially) for those at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh.

John 17:3 “This is eternal LIFE, that they should KNOW you, the only true God...” You can't eat or love Christ if the image you have of Him is not correct (= more or less mixed with the image of the beast)

God's (and His messengers) problem is that believers need strong word to go further on the narrow path and cross the Jordan river; but too strong word for a baby hristian will kill it's listener as one rejecting God's word will reject Christ as well. The one rejecting Jesus as He is will end up to being Antichrist who will resist all the movements and miracles of Holy Spirit (usually attributing them to the Beelzebub himself).

Certain knowledge is difficult or perhaps not even possible to comprehend until Christ in you have rise up from the dead (if you are spiritually sleeping). It is to be not “I” conscious but “I don't live any more but Christ in me”conscious.( Remember to be imitators of Paul like he is imitator of Christ)

More severe death than to lose Christ's LIFE is to lose His SPIRIT. David after his transgression prayed: “Don't throw me from Your presence and don't take Your Holy Spirit from me.”(Ps.51:11) This kind of death was impossible for Christ as He Himself is and was the immortal Spirit God about which the Holy Spirit is proceeding.

Erno Miettinen

Unless stated otherwise the verses in this bible are referenced from a public domain bible.