Was the person already spiritually alive when he heard the gospel?
If no, then how was he able to hear while yet dead?
If Yes, then he was already spiritually alive when he heard it.
So, when was he made spiritually alive?
The scripture which says we were dead---that is about the GENTILES. The Gentiles, not the Jews, were dead in their sins. The Jews had the ceremonial works to justify themselves before God. The Jews had the ceremonial works to make themselves clean, just so they could go to the temple to worship God, for that is where His Spirit was.
Read these scriptures carefully:
Colossians 2:13 When you were dead in your sins and in the
uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,
Did you read how the scripture says uncircumcision of your flesh? That is about the Gentiles.
The Gentiles did not do the ceremonial works, they were without God and Christ in the world, they are the ones who were dead in their sins.
To the Gentiles---
Ephesians 2:12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope
and without God in the world.
God saved us while we were still UNCIRCUMCISED enemies.
That means God did NOT command us to get circumcised in the flesh before Jesus would save us.