Christian Nudity...
If you were given one opportunity to come into the presence of God--one appointment in the supreme date book--what do you think you would want to wear? Would you hunt for the perfect suit? Would you spend your life savings on the finest gown? Would jeans and a t-shirt fit the bill?
I think that I would go naked.
Disagree? Seems to me that God made us to be naked. When Adam and Eve walked in the garden with God, their birthday suits were good enough for God. They did not cover up, they did not put on makeup, they did not have gel in their hair--they were completely open with God.
It was only when sin entered the picture that people felt the need to hide from God. It was only when people felt guilty that they felt the need to have something to shield themselves from one another. It was only when ashamed that God's creation could not stand to be looked upon.
Funnily enough, there is no shield that will prevent God's gaze from piercing our souls. No amount of finery or deception, no amount of whitewashing or decorating will change the fact that God knows us. Shields don't work for those who cannot keep themselves alive (PS 22).
Our masks only help us to hide from one another. They even help us to hide from ourselves. It is easy to forget your brokenness when everyone around you is telling you how perfect you are. Kings always serve as a great example of the danger of facade. Though they are nothing more than men, their sycophants elevate them to the level of deity. Who will call down a god? Who will catch the divine in error? Saul started in humility but died in pride. David started in humility and stumbled in pride, but fortunately Nathan had the courage to call down a god. Solomon started in humility but quickly found pride...he may never have fully recovered. After Solomon there was rarely a king of the Jews that displayed any kind of humility or righteousness. They looked glorious in their robes and palaces, but they were simply whited tombs.
We see the same delusion in our kings of today, our sports heroes, our movie stars, our politicians and musicians. They have a false aura built around them that in no way represents who they really are. The greater the disparity between their naked selves and their public clothing, the greater their moral and spiritual decay tends to be.
Clearly I am not speaking simply of clothes in the traditional sense of the word--but those are included. Too often Christians fall into the trap of superficiality. Too often we content ourselves with outward appearances and elevate wrapping above the contents. We do so by wearing suits on Sundays, by sticking hollow fish on our bumpers, by wearing crosses around our necks, by always being at church, by hating Charles Darwin, by hiring a youth minister, by having a meeting, by contributing money to the Church, by singing songs in four-part-harmony, by offering a free lunch to people who don't really need it. Too often we get really busy and don't get anything done--like those guys that made the Emperor's new suit.
Do we need a child to remind us that we are naked?
Why not just beat him to the punch and take all your clothes off now? Why not take off your makeup and show us your blemishes? Why not slouch a little bit and uncap your teeth? Tell the world that you are not actually perfect but are trusting in God to make you that way! Until you can accept that, perfection will elude you. Until you can humble yourself, take away the fig leaves, strip naked, stand in front of the mirror and ask God to be your intimate friend again.
The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame. Gen 2:25
I think that I would go naked.
Disagree? Seems to me that God made us to be naked. When Adam and Eve walked in the garden with God, their birthday suits were good enough for God. They did not cover up, they did not put on makeup, they did not have gel in their hair--they were completely open with God.
It was only when sin entered the picture that people felt the need to hide from God. It was only when people felt guilty that they felt the need to have something to shield themselves from one another. It was only when ashamed that God's creation could not stand to be looked upon.
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Heb 4:13
Funnily enough, there is no shield that will prevent God's gaze from piercing our souls. No amount of finery or deception, no amount of whitewashing or decorating will change the fact that God knows us. Shields don't work for those who cannot keep themselves alive (PS 22).
Our masks only help us to hide from one another. They even help us to hide from ourselves. It is easy to forget your brokenness when everyone around you is telling you how perfect you are. Kings always serve as a great example of the danger of facade. Though they are nothing more than men, their sycophants elevate them to the level of deity. Who will call down a god? Who will catch the divine in error? Saul started in humility but died in pride. David started in humility and stumbled in pride, but fortunately Nathan had the courage to call down a god. Solomon started in humility but quickly found pride...he may never have fully recovered. After Solomon there was rarely a king of the Jews that displayed any kind of humility or righteousness. They looked glorious in their robes and palaces, but they were simply whited tombs.
We see the same delusion in our kings of today, our sports heroes, our movie stars, our politicians and musicians. They have a false aura built around them that in no way represents who they really are. The greater the disparity between their naked selves and their public clothing, the greater their moral and spiritual decay tends to be.
Clearly I am not speaking simply of clothes in the traditional sense of the word--but those are included. Too often Christians fall into the trap of superficiality. Too often we content ourselves with outward appearances and elevate wrapping above the contents. We do so by wearing suits on Sundays, by sticking hollow fish on our bumpers, by wearing crosses around our necks, by always being at church, by hating Charles Darwin, by hiring a youth minister, by having a meeting, by contributing money to the Church, by singing songs in four-part-harmony, by offering a free lunch to people who don't really need it. Too often we get really busy and don't get anything done--like those guys that made the Emperor's new suit.
Do we need a child to remind us that we are naked?
Why not just beat him to the punch and take all your clothes off now? Why not take off your makeup and show us your blemishes? Why not slouch a little bit and uncap your teeth? Tell the world that you are not actually perfect but are trusting in God to make you that way! Until you can accept that, perfection will elude you. Until you can humble yourself, take away the fig leaves, strip naked, stand in front of the mirror and ask God to be your intimate friend again.
Why do you boast of evil, you mighty man?
Why do you boast all day long,
you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God?
Your tongue plots destruction;
it is like a sharpened razor,
you who practice deceit.
You love evil rather than good,
falsehood rather than speaking the truth.
You love every harmful word,
O you deceitful tongue!
Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin:
He will snatch you up and tear you from your tent;
he will uproot you from the land of the living.
The righteous will see and fear;
they will laugh at him, saying,
"Here now is the man
who did not make God his stronghold
but trusted in his great wealth
and grew strong by destroying others!"
But I am like an olive tree
flourishing in the house of God;
I trust in God's unfailing love
for ever and ever.
I will praise you forever for what you have done;
in your name I will hope, for your name is good.
I will praise you in the presence of your saints.
Psalm 52
posted by Christopher Malan at 3:18 PM
2 Comments:
I like it, I like it alot!
mushril
5/20/2006 7:55 PM
Loved that bit about the things we put on!
I was just thinking this morning about all the "friends" I have had since childhood. I realised that I did not have many "real" friends. The ones I consider to have been real were the ones who treated me with kindness; as though we were equals. Even though I am very old I can still remember the names of the people who were nice to me. I honestly hope, above everything else, that people remember me as being a person who treated them kindly too. In reality, however, I clearly remember there were too many times when I was selfish and self-centered and treated friends and strangers with an utter disregard for their value as God's creation. Thank God for his grace that takes away all my gross faults!
6/26/2006 5:48 AM
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