)
Pastor Chris, Nigeria’s globally known Bible teacher, explains why the Bible labels some believers “dead” in spirit and how faith can revive them.
Pastor Chris teaches on the meaning of being spiritually dead and how believers are made alive in Christ.
In a series of teachings, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome has drawn attention to a topic often misunderstood: being spiritually dead. While many associate death only with the end of physical life, he emphasizes that death, in biblical terms, often means separation from God, not just the end of the body.
)
)
)
He explains that to be spiritually dead is to exist without the life of God in your spirit. “You can be walking, talking, breathing—and still be dead,” he said. According to Pastor Chris, this form of death is the root of all spiritual confusion and separation from truth.
Referencing Romans 8:10, he says, “If Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.” This, Oyakhilome teaches, is the dividing line between a life lived in spiritual ignorance and one lived in divine purpose. Understanding this distinction, he argues, is essential for every Christian.
What Does It Mean to Be Dead in Spirit?
According to Chris Oyakhilome, the spiritually dead are not just atheists or criminals. They are anyone who has not received the life of Christ. He teaches that at the moment of Adam’s disobedience in the Garden of Eden, humanity died spiritually, even though Adam continued to live physically for hundreds of years.
This spiritual death was passed down through all generations, meaning every person is born into the world disconnected from God. In this view, religion or moral behavior cannot fix the problem. The only solution is to receive the life of Jesus Christ, which restores that broken connection.
In Oyakhilome’s words, “You don’t get born again by trying harder. You get born again by receiving His life.” His teaching insists that no amount of good deeds can replace the need for a spiritual rebirth. Until that happens, a person may be alive in body but is still spiritually dead.
Beholding Yourself in the Son
A central idea in Pastor Chris’ teachings on spiritual death is the concept of “Beholding yourself in the Son.” Based on James 1:23–25, he compares the Word of God to a mirror. A person who looks into the Word and walks away without acting on it is like someone who forgets what they look like.
For him, the answer to being spiritually dead lies in seeing yourself in Christ. “Behold you in the Son,” he says. “See yourself the way God sees you.” This means more than knowing religious facts—it’s about transformation.
Pastor Chris teaches that when someone truly sees themselves in Christ, they no longer identify with sin, fear, or condemnation. They are made alive in the Spirit. This new identity is key to understanding the transition from spiritual death to spiritual life.
The Word of God and Spiritual Life
A recurring theme in Pastor Chris’ teaching is the power of God’s Word to bring life. He emphasizes that the Word is not just information, it is alive. But, as he often points out, it only becomes effective when acted upon.
“The Word will do nothing until you act on it,” Oyakhilome explains. “It will affect nobody until you act on it.” This is why he connects spiritual death not only to sin but also to ignorance or neglect of God’s truth.
He teaches that the human mind alone cannot understand God. “You don’t contact God through reasoning,” he says. “You contact God with your spirit.” To move from being spiritually dead to alive in Christ requires revelation, not logic.
Who Is Pastor Chris Oyakhilome?
For those unfamiliar with him, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome is a Nigerian Christian leader, teacher, and author. He is the founder and president of LoveWorld Incorporated, also known as Christ Embassy. The ministry began in Nigeria in the 1980s and has grown into a global movement with churches, conferences, media networks, and publishing arms in many countries.
He became widely known for his teachings on faith, divine healing, and spiritual identity. His sermons are broadcast worldwide via LoveWorld satellite networks, digital platforms, and social media. His messages are often delivered in an energetic and compelling style, focused on empowering Christians to understand who they are in Christ.
One of his most influential tools is the daily devotional Rhapsody of Realities, which has been translated into over 7,000 languages. Through this publication and other ministry efforts, Oyakhilome has built a vast global audience.
Christ Embassy and the Message of Rebirth
Christ Embassy promotes a clear message: salvation is not about religion, it’s about life. In this ministry, being spiritually dead is treated not as a permanent identity, but as a condition that can be changed.
The process begins with the acceptance of Jesus Christ. According to Pastor Chris, this is not a ritual or mere confession, it is the impartation of divine life. When that happens, the person is “born again,” not in the physical sense, but spiritually.
This rebirth, as taught in the ministry, results in a total transformation of nature. The spiritually dead become spiritually alive. They gain not just access to heaven but a new way of living here and now. They are empowered to overcome fear, disease, confusion, and sin.
The Role of Obedience in Spiritual Life
While Pastor Chris emphasizes freedom and grace, he also teaches that spiritual life involves obedience. This might seem contradictory at first. But as he explains it, obedience is not bondage, it is surrender to God’s wisdom.
He draws a line between doing things for God out of fear and doing them out of love. “I don’t have to serve Him—I want to,” he says. “I’m a love-slave to Jesus.” This form of obedience is rooted in understanding who you are in Christ. Once a person sees themselves in the mirror of God’s Word, they act differently, not because they must, but because they know they are alive.
In this framework, the spiritually dead lack the capacity to please God—not because God is harsh, but because they are disconnected from Him. Spiritual life is what makes real obedience possible.
The Gospel as the Law of Liberty
A striking phrase in Oyakhilome’s teaching is “the perfect law of liberty.” This comes from James 1:25, and Pastor Chris explains it as the gospel that sets people free.
Freedom, however, is not the absence of rules, it is the ability to live the way God intended. This includes loving others, walking in peace, and living with purpose. For the spiritually dead, such a life remains out of reach. But for those who continue looking into the Word, it becomes reality.
He teaches that the more you look into the gospel, the more you become like Christ. “Looking unto Jesus,” he quotes from Hebrews 12:2. The focus is not on human perfection, but on spiritual connection.