Symptoms of Spiritual Death

Matthew 24:3–14 NIV

As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

The Lord Jesus said that in the last days,

"the love of many will grow cold" (Matthew 24:12).

This will not happen in just the blink of an eye. It will be like that bowl of soup – gradually, slowly cooling down.

If you were spiritually dead, how would you know?

Lets see 4 signs

First sign:

There is no effort.

There is an apathetic resignation to the status quo, and no aspiration for a better future.

In other words: “My faults are permanent; that’s just the way I am. Virtues are impossible for me; I’m just not that kind of person.”

Lack of spiritual desires.

“Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of Thy ways.”

Job 21:14 NIV

Yet they say to God, ‘Leave us alone! We have no desire to know your ways.

“There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.”

The purity and holiness of God’s will and law are not perceived or understood, and therefore cannot be loved or desired. There is not, and cannot possibly be, a single self-originated desire after God and holiness in the breast of the natural man. As well might the heart beat and the blood circulate in the mouldering and worm-consumed carcase.

In the face of conflict, lukewarm Christians will often pick what is popular over what is actually right.

They have this deep desire to look ‘good’ in the eyes of the church, but also in the eyes of the world. They care a lot about how other people see them and less about what God thinks of their hearts and their lives.

Second sign:

No compassion.

1 john. 3:17 “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?”

What do I mean by this? A stone cold heart in the presence of sin and suffering.

In the presence of sin, there is no indignation for the rights and dignity of God; there is no grief over the loss of a human soul.

In the presence of suffering, there is no empathy for those afflicted, much less is there action on behalf of those who suffer.

There is simply a lack of movement of body, mind and heart.

Consider Saint Augustine’s haunting observation about:

“Hope has two beautiful daughters: their names are anger and courage. Anger that things are the way they are. Courage to make them the way they ought to be.”

We can conclude that absence of compassion indicates an absence of hope.

Third sign:

No learning.

What do I mean by this? A refusal to be taught about God’s holiness and about our sin.

When we are in love, we frequently ask the beloved, “Tell me more.”

What sane person would not say, “Tell me more!” when Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth and the life”? (John 14:6)

No learning indicates a lack of humility, that is, an un-readiness to hear the truth about God and the truth about ourselves.

Fourth sign:

No repentance.

Nearly every parish priest will confirm what nearly all of us have seen: Lines to receive Holy Communion are far, far greater than lines to go to Confession.

What might a reasonable person infer from that?

Surely not that sin has been defeated in our lifetime!

No repentance refers to anyone who sins without hesitation, without regret, and without shame.

A culture that values self-esteem more than it does contrition is most unlikely to produce many great saints.

Like a soul, a culture without repentance has no good fruit or future.

Having written these words, I know that there is the temptation to think about How these four signs of spiritual death might apply to others.

We might be tempted to make a list of which signs apply to whichever of our acquaintances we can think of.

Let’s resist that temptation!

Instead, let’s look at that list again, and echo the anguished question of the Apostles at the Last Supper:

“Is it I, Lord?” (Matthew 26:22)

If these apply to you, it’s time to examine your conscience, plan a reform of life, and then get to confession as soon as possible—before Easter would be ideal. (Helpful hint: Unless you were immaculately conceived, then you are fallen, and one or more of these apply to you—and me—at one time or another!)

Let’s ask Our Lord in prayer to reveal to us where these weeds have taken root in the garden of our souls. Let’s ask for divine aid in uprooting these weeds and replacing them with the contrary virtues.

Let’s share with a trusted confidant (a spiritual director, a spouse, or some other spiritually mature person) our plans confirmed in prayer to amend our lives. Let’s share with them identifiable and measurable goals, so that, in charity, they can hold us accountable for the reform we all must undertake.

Consider this: If we refuse to admit that spiritual death has already bitten into us, if we stubbornly refuse to admit that we need to confess, repent and reform, then we will be turning our backs on the graces of Lent and the blessings of Easter. We would be akin to Lazarus refusing to come out of the tomb, because it is just too much work to do so. God preserve us from such scandal!

1Coríntios 11.30 (NIV)

That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.

The sin referred to in the immediate context is division within the community, disorders in the celebration of the supper, lack of charity toward the poor on the part of the rich, gluttony, and drunkenness.