A Covering for Nakedness

Note: You can say this is my reflection paper on the book "Counterfeit gods" by Timothy Keller, largely inspired by it, of course.  The "cosmic nakedness" term was straight out of Keller's book. The idea about looking to idols instead of Jesus for fulfillment as our common diagnosis is largely what the book is about, but this is an idea I'd already been thinking on. Other than the cosmic nakedness term, nothing else is copied out of the book. I highly recommend reading the book- and of course, The Book! :-)    


          Right after Eve and Adam sin in Genesis 3, The Bible records this event- "Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths." (Genesis 3:7)
          Notice that God confronts Adam about this and asks him who told him he was naked. (Genesis 3:8-13) The tree of the knowledge of good and evil had opened Adam's and Eve's eyes and their first realization was one of shame at their nakedness. After God doles out the judgment for sin to the serpent, woman and man- including one of the earliest Messianic prophecies (Genesis 3:15- the Seed of the woman will be bruised on the heel by the serpent's offspring and He will crush the serpent's head.)- God does an interesting thing. He makes garments of skin and clothes Adam and Eve. (Genesis 3:21) This is interesting for at least two reasons- one, if they were animal skins, then presumably an animal had to die. This is significant because without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins. (Hebrews 9:22) Even here, we have an early picture of the One who bears an animal's name, The Lamb of God, who would be slain for the forgiveness of our sins. 
         And because He rose again, we who have trusted in Him and followed Him know we will rise again too. The other significant thing to note is that God Himself clothes His creation. Why did Adam and Eve want to be clothed? Because of shame. And they tried to substitute what God alone could provide. In the same way, we in our "cosmic nakedness", spiritually speaking, desire to be clothed because we feel something missing. "For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life." (2 Corinthians 5:4)
        We cover ourselves up with counterfeit gods in an effort to hide that nakedness, but in the end they all fall apart and we are laid bare before Him to Whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:13)
Yet Galatians 3:27 says that in that moment, there is a clothing God sees rather than our naked sinfulness..."For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ."
Christ is our righteousness and as Colossians 3:1-4 tells us, He is our life. As the Rolling Stones lamented, though I try and I try and I try- I can't get no satisfaction. There is no lasting ultimate satisfaction to be had in life outside of Christ. Money, sex, power, love, religiosity, philosophy, ideology, materialism, family and friends, etc.- none of them will do. When we reflect on the amazing magnitude of God's love for us-a Love that would rather go through Hell for us so that we would never have to go through it- He who clothed Himself with humanity and all sins (Philippians 2:1-11, 2 Corinthians 5:21) and bore the shame of our nakedness while pinned naked to the cross- and then rose again to prove His Lordship- this is the place where our idols can be replaced by the loving embrace of grace that is The Lord Jesus Christ and we can worship Him alone as God. This is a continual process on earth, ridding ourselves of the idol weights that bind us throughout life (Hebrews 12:1-4), but God is always working to do just that in us. (Philippians 1:6, Ezekiel 36:26)
       And because of our faith in the grace of Christ extended to us (through no works of our own), we can say with Isaiah (literally one day in Heaven :-)), "I will rejoice greatly in The Lord, my soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." (Isaiah 61:10)
       That is the unspeakable joy The Gospel brings and the message of Easter. Doff thy rags and don His riches. Take off the spirit of heaviness and put on the garment of praise. Jesus alone is worthy of all praise. Lord, forgive me for any idols in Your way- cast them out and let me always look to You alone for my joy and satisfaction. Thank You for Your amazing love and grace that still saves wretches like me.