By Robert Wayne La Coste
(Editor’s Note: Let us apologize to Brother LaCoste for not getting this in print earlier. The material is somewhat dated inasmuch as streaking has somewhat waned. However, what he has said regarding nakedness is as apropos for 1977 as it was when it was written.)
It’s unbelievable at the behavior of some men in this world. A few short years ago, anyone who ran naked on the streets would have been thrown into jail for what the, law used to term as “indecent exposure.” Now it has a new title called “streaking” and can even be seen on television if you are of a mind to stay up that late. It appears to me that many people have lost sight of all that is decent, modest and virtuous. Surely the Bible does not teach that parts of the human body are impure and unholy, but the Bible surely teaches us that the body is to be clothed modestly whenever displayed publicly!
“I desire therefore that men pray in every place, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and disputing. In like manner, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefastness and sobriety” (1 Tim. 2:8-9). Now how does this picture compare with this ungodly, reprobated vulgarity called “streaking?” It is obvious that God does not consider the human body beautiful when displayed in public in the nude. Dear reader, the time for nudeness is in marriage (Heb. 13:4). The time for nudeness is when one must care for the physical needs of the body, its health and hygiene. Paul also wrote, “Know ye not that your body is the temple of the holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body and in your spit, which are God’s” (1 Cor. 6:19-20). When one shows no concern for the will of God concerning the body, he sins! This Biblical evidence can not be denied.
Many people have told me, “Why, preacher, Adam and Eve were nude.” This is true (Gen. 2:25) However, after learning good from evil in partaking of the forbidden fruit, we read they were ashamed and “clothed themselves” (Gen. 3:7).When Moses saw many of Israel naked “unto their shame before their enemies, Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, “Who is on the Lord’s side” (Ex. 33:25). The point is: Public Nakedness and Shamefulness are related. God warned Israel, “Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea thy shame shall be seen” (Isa. 47:3).
You know dear reader, the Bible doesn’t tell us what kind of fruit was on the forbidden tree in the garden of Eden. Some have surmised that it was an apple, but the Bible just does not say. In away, perhaps it would be good if we knew. When Eve partook of it, she immediately realized she was naked and hid herself. If I thought for a moment that this would do any good, I would be for passing that fruit around again! But until people have respect for decency and morality, which the Bible affirms as being the will of God, they will continue to surprise us with their foolishness. We who love God’s word can do something about it! We can insist that stricter laws be passed forbidding these ungodly things. And most important, we can and should warn all about what God has said about the matter!
Truth Magazine XXI: 4, p. 61
January 27, 1977