Steve, I'm certain that we have all been understanding virtually the SAME
thing, all along with regard to spiritual death.
What you are saying, what I've been trying to say, seems, to put it another
way, that AFTER JESUS DIED ON THE CROSS, HE WAS A-L-O-N-E, ISOLATED, SOLITARY.
Like, God the father was silent to him, had turned his back on him, had left
the room, etc etc.
I don't know about the Holy Spirit. No reason to believe the Holy Spirit
left Jesus. But God the Father did, somehow, such that Jesus referred to
it as having been forsaken.
Like the way King David was toward Absalom (whose sins were his - Absalom's-own)
after Absalom came back. David loved Absalom, grieved for him, but did not
invite Absalom into his presence, because (my opinion here) he hated Absalom's
sin, which Absalom was still unrepentant of.
That, the separation from God the Father, was the worst part of his experience.
Because: Jesus
-------------------------LOVES
..........LOVELOVELOV.................ELOVELOVELO
......VELOVELOVELOVELOVE..........LOVELOVELOVELOVELO
...VELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVEL......OVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVE
..LOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVEL....OVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELO
.VELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVEL..OVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVE
.LOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVE
.LOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVE
..LOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELO
..VELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVE
...LOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELO
......VELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVE
........LOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELO
..........VELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVE
............LOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELO
..............VELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVE
................LOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELO
...................VELOVELOVELOVELOVELOV
...................VELOVELOVELOVELOVEL
...................VELOVELOVELOVELO
....................VELOVELOVELO
.....................VELOVELOVELO
......................VELOVELOVEL
......................VELOVELOVE
........................LOVES
.........................GOD
What did NOT happen was one of the common definitions of death, which is:
DESTRUCTION, EXTINCTION, END, CESSATION OF EXISTANCE.
So, IF "spiritual death" is understood to mean separation from God the Father,
then that is my understanding of what happened to Jesus.
But IF "spiritual death" is understood to mean that Jesus' spirit was DESTROYED,
EXTINGUISHED, ENDED, CEASED TO EXIST, for even one moment, then I'd have to
agree with Shalom, it would be more blasphemous than anything else.
Also, it would not be logical. Something that ceases to exist cannot be judged.
Jesus was judged: INNOCENT and released.
"Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." Hebrews 13:8
John |
