I am fully aware some will take issue with this title. They might argue if we are born-again in Christ, we cannot die spiritually. We know that is true, but the sadly the world does not know that. It looks at too many Christians as if we were already dead as Jesus defined our lives if (1) we do not obey His commandments, (2) love people, and (3) bear fruit (make disciples). So, let’s allow the Holy Spirit to examine the following seven symptoms to see if, indeed, we give the appearance of dying, not physically because we all are, but spiritually!
Symptom #1 – Loss of Smell
One sign Spring is in the air is the incredible stench of fertilizer being spread all over flower beds and gardens in the neighborhood. If you go outside and cannot smell that, suffice it to say that you have an issue with your sense of smell. People who work daily with that kind of fertilizer or in places that manufacture things with a foul stench are known get used to the stench we cannot imagine.
There is a spiritual analogy to the loss of smell that was an ongoing problem between God and His people throughout the Old Testament. The Israelites became so disobedient, and their lifestyles decayed to the point, their sin no longer carried with it the foul stench it does to the nostrils of God.
“The righteous hate what is false, but the wicked make themselves a stench and bring shame on themselves.” Proverbs 13:5
“A people who continually provoke Me to My face, Offering sacrifices in gardens and burning incense on bricks; Who sit among graves and spend the night in secret places; Who eat swine’s flesh, And the broth of unclean meat is in their pots. “Who say, ‘Keep to yourself, do not come near me, For I am holier than you!’ These are smoke in My nostrils, A fire that burns all the day.” Isaiah 65:3-5
Cure: Never lose “smell” of the fact that sin stinks in the nostrils of a holy God; thus so do the people who choose to live a lifestyle of sin.
”Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering, and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. But sexual immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be filthiness or foolish talk, or vulgar joking, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know with certainty, that no sexually immoral or impure or greedy person, which amounts to an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Ephesians 5:1-5
“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us reveals the fragrance of the knowledge of Him in every place. For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing: 2 Corinthians 2:1-15
Symptom #2 – Dry Eyes
Sin not only carries with it a foul stench, when true believers see it, in the world and our own hearts, it causes us to weep. When this is not our response, we have to ask the Holy Spirit to show us why and break our hard hearts. The following verses give testimony to this.
Weeping over the sins of a nation and our world.
“My eyes shed streams of tears, because people do not keep your law.” Psalm 119:136
“Now as (Jesus) drew near, He saw the city (Jerusalem) and wept over it,” Luke 19:41 (Jesus knew what was going to happen to Jerusalem because the ongoing punishment of God over their national disobedience.)
Weeping over our own sin.
(David) I am weary from groaning; all night I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears. Psalm 6:6
“Be gracious to me, God, according to Your faithfulness; According to the greatness of Your compassion, wipe out my wrongdoings. Wash me thoroughly from my guilt. And cleanse me from my sin. For I know my wrongdoings, And my sin is constantly before me.” Psalm 51: 1-3
(Jesus said) “Blessed are those who mourn (weep for our sin), for they shall be comforted” Matthew 5:6
“And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and she wiped them with the hair of her head, and began kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume.” Luke 7: 36-48
Cure: “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, without regret; but the sorrow of the world produces death.” 2 Corinthians 7:10
We will continue this message next week. In the meantime please consider your life as it relates to these two dangerous symptoms that damage our relationship with God and destroy our testimony to the lost world looking for hope.
For Christ’s sake,
