Naked Man

9.13.2012

1 John 2.28 28 Children, stay one in your hearts with Christ. Then when he returns, we will have confidence and won’t have to hide in shame. CEV

In Genesis 3 are these words: The Lord called out to the man and asked, “Where are you?” The man answered, “I was naked, and when I heard you walking through the garden, I was frightened and hid!” “How did you know you were naked?” God asked. (Genesis 3.9-11a CEV)

Man fell (sinned) in the Garden (see Genesis 3). Up until that moment he knew nothing but unbroken fellowship with God. But when he sinned all of a sudden something became dreadfully wrong and his nakedness (Genesis 2.25) which was normal and natural became an embarrassment to him. The man up to that moment knew nothing of nakedness.

Nakedness is interesting in that we come into, and depart from, this world naked. We’re born bare (see Job 1.21). From the womb we are naked only to be quickly swaddled and clothed by our mom so that we stay (so we assume) covered and warm. In my experience with my own kids when they were very young, they didn’t fear nakedness until they became a little older and more self-conscious.

Nakedness is a part of intimacy. When the Bible says that the man and the woman were naked and they were not ashamed (Genesis 2.25) they had nothing to hide from each other and nothing to prove; it is no different today between a man and a woman who have promised themselves to each other in marriage. They don’t cower or power in their nakedness.

With God though, we so often do what our first parents did in Genesis 2: we run from Him and try to hide in all kinds of ways and cover ourselves with all kinds of coverings to keep from being found out for who we really are: sinners ashamed. Our sin takes away our confidence, our security, and prevents us from being (in our souls) safe and warm and comfortable with Him. The married couple is comfortable in their nakedness; the sinner is uncomfortable because he doesn’t want to be found out.

So John said, “Children, stay one in your hearts with Christ. Then when he returns, we will have confidence and won’t have to hide in shame.” When we stay connected with Jesus the lying stops, the running and hiding stops; and the covering-up of ourselves with pride and self-righteousness stops. We become as our first parents completely open and honest before God. We are clothed with His righteousness and therefore unashamed of Whose we are. Sin isn’t to be my covering – only Jesus is; and when I stay close with Him I am covered in all He has and is for me and shame has no part in the game (so to speak…) naked in Christ!