To be naked is to be destitute of covering; without adequate clothing; barren or stripped. Nakedness presents a real problem to God's people in this age when society tends to grace the disgraceful, to honor the dishonorable, to see the obscene, and to chase the unchaste. The Bible warns about two kinds of nakedness.

Since the fall of man in the garden of Eden, a sense of shame has been connected with physical nakedness. The Bible says of Adam and Eve before the fall, "And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed." When they ate the forbidden fruit, the tree of knowledge of good and evil, their eyes were opened, "and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons." Adam explained his attempt to hide from God by saying, "I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself" (Gen. 2:25; 3:7,10).

God placed approval on man's sense of shame by providing the guilt-conscious couple with adequate apparel. "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them" (Gen. 3:21).

Strong drink often contributes to wantonness. In Gen. 9:20-23 it is reported that when Noah was drunk with wine, he was uncovered within his tent. Ham "saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without." Ham "saw," not merely in the sense of an accidental glance, but in the sense of gazing with delight. He "told" his brothers, with what appears to have been delight and satisfaction. Ham felt no shame because his father was undressed. In contrast, Shem and Japheth "took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness."

Decency demands that one properly clothe self and refrain from gazing upon others who have no shame and expose themselves. The individual who delights in staring at others who are nude or near-nude is just as immodest at heart as they are outwardly.

People who parade in nakedness or semi-nakedness disgrace themselves. When Aaron helped the Israelites to worship the golden calf at Mt. Sinai, he "made them naked unto their shame" (Ex. 32:25). Lewd acts are often associated with idolatry in the Bible.

Today, thousands of people have lost their sense of shame toward physical nakedness. Young women wear mini-skirts to the delight of young men who gaze at their exposed thighs. The tiny bikini is popular on the beach, and the beach attracts old and young alike (or is it the girls in the bikinis that attract?). Hotpants and other brief attire are worn on the streets. Topless attire is advertised to lure customers to restaurants. Nudist camps are flourishing as "sun-bathing associations." Skinny-dipping sometimes occurs in ponds in public parks.

And to make bad matters worse, some people are irreverent enough to show their shamelessness by appearing in solemn religious gatherings dressed very immodestly. They dress for a church service as if it were to be a beauty contest or fashion show!

Some readers who would heartily endorse what I have pointed out about the evils of physical nakedness need to think seriously about spiritual nudity.

Many people are destitute of spiritual garments; they are barren because they are stripped of righteousness. In Rev. 19:8 "fine linen" represents the righteousness of the saints. Peter tells us to be "clothed with humility" (1 Pet. 5:5). Paul tells us to "put on" compassion, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearance, forgiveness, and love (Col. 3:12-14). The saints at Rome were admonished to "put on" the armor of light (Rom. 13:12). Peter advised women to "adorn" themselves with the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is of great price (1 Pet. 3:1-5).

The church at Laodicea, spiritually speaking, was "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." That naked congregation was advised to obtain "white raiment, that thou rnayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear" (Rev. 3:18,19).

If we can understand how shameful physical nakedness is, we should be able to comprehend how disgraceful spiritual nakedness is. The soul destitute of the robes of salvation is unprotected from the storms of wrath and the exposure of its shame in the last day. To lay aside righteousness, humility, meekness, love, etc. is to expose one's soul to everlasting shame and contempt.

Numerous congregations are given to spiritual nudism. They strip off the doctrine of Christ, lay aside holiness, divest respect for apostolic authority, force the God-fearing from their membership, and make themselves barren of all that would be productive of honor to the Lord. Like Laodicea, they leave off zeal. They may meet in elaborate buildings and be rich in this world's goods, but the shame of their spiritual nakedness needs covering.

Truth Magazine, XVIII:9; p. 607
January 2, 1974