“Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves. … The LORD God made clothing out of skins for Adam and his wife, and He clothed them.” (Gen 3:7, 21)
I once saw a bumper sticker that said, “God’s original plan was a couple of naked vegetarians living in a garden.” I thought it was funny then and I still do. But, it also brings up some provoking thoughts about clothing.
In this passage, Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate from the tree of knowledge. Before this act of disobedience the Bible tells us that, “Both the man and his wife were naked, yet felt no shame.” (Gen 2:25)
In reading these passages I always considered the obvious; the shame Adam and Eve felt over their physical nakedness they now realized. But there is a greater nakedness to be considered.
First, the clothing that God provided was made out of skins. The skin had to be that of an animal which means an animal had to be sacrificed. Animal sacrifice in any religion is disturbing to many people. It was not part of God’s original plan. The sacrifice was a constant reminder that with sin comes death. It can be our death or the vicarious death of a substitute sacrifice. The ultimate vicarious sacrifice is Jesus Christ.
Second, being naked and exposed means there is nothing hidden. Earthly garments can hide our physical nakedness from other people but it cannot hide our sin from God. Adam and Eve tried it but it failed. But God can and will clothe us in righteousness. Our sins will be covered with garments of righteousness, the righteousness of Jesus Christ. (2 Cor 5:21)
Throughout scripture, nakedness is used to describe our sins and how they are exposed before God. We can hide nothing from Him. Hebrews 4:13 reads in part, “All things are naked and exposed to [God] to whom we must give an account.”
But just as God clothed Adam and Eve from their physical nakedness, He also clothed them—and us—with His righteousness so that we do not need to feel any shame.
“I greatly rejoice in the Lord, I exult in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation and wrapped me in a robe of righteousness, ... ”. (Isaiah 61:10)
“I advise you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich, white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed, and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see.” (Rev 3:18)
The idea of being found in public physically naked and exposed is fearful. The greater fear should be finding ourselves spiritually naked before God with our sins, our shameful nakedness, being exposed. But the righteousness of Christ is offered to us as a gift from God. It brings with it eternal life and heavenly garments that clothe us in righteousness that we shall no longer fear exposure. This clothing is impermeable and eternal.
How shall you chose? Remain naked and exposed before God? Or, clothe yourself in His righteousness? Seems like a no-brainer to me.
