Horror movies occasionally (and sometimes comedies) include scenes or themes of dressing dead people up and treating them as if they are alive. To a degree, the same thing happens in real life. This is macabre, or at least bizarre. This theme of giving life to the dead was the basis for stories like, Mary Shelly's, Frankenstein. I have heard of people taking dead loved ones (including children) out of their caskets during a wake, and sitting them at a table. I have seen a woman carry her dead baby around a funeral home, as if the baby was still alive. However, when you're dead (physically), you're dead.
Unsaved people (the spiritually dead) go through the motions of being alive, by attending church and performing religious exercises, however, they are dead people acting like they are alive. They may be fooling some people, they may be fooling themselves, but they ain't fooling God. Until a person comes to Christ by faith, resulting in confession, repentance and obedience, then that person is still dead in his sins and trespasses.
BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE
Many years ago I saw a TV program (TFTD) that depicted an old man who had died, but he refused to accept that he was dead. (it was kinda gross). During the program it showed the old man (father, grandfather) as he physically deteriorated and as he suffered the spread of corruption. He began to stink, his extremities began to rot and fall off. (told ya so). His family, who loved him, tried to convince him that he was dead, but he had A CASE OF THE STUBBORNS and kept trying to act alive, though he was dead.
The same thing happens with people who have been given life, but then turn back to sin and spiritual death. Those people go through the motions of being saved. They resist and resent anyone trying to tell them that they are backslidden. They stink, they are falling apart, they are empty shells, but they have a BAD case of the stubborns.
When you have sin in your life, and when others try to help you see that sin, it is not to get rid of you. It is to lead you into repentance and newness of life. If a sinner does not accept Christ as Savior, that sinner is dead. If a believer turns away from Christ, he is dead, and in need of repentance. Don't be stubborn. Listen to those who are calling you to repentance, before it is everlastingly too late.
