Naked and Afraid

On the History Channel  is a program called Naked and Afraid. One man and one woman return to the elements; without any food, water, fire, nor shelter.  They leave their inhibitions behind and face nature Naked and Afraid.  It's not a program to tantalize, but at times is painful to watch as they face hunger, snakes, wild animals, thirst, disease, calamity and even death. What's more, in order to succeed for 21 days they have the opportunity to work as a team, but often turn on each other as tensions arise. They are truly exposed in all their nakedness for what they are, because, not only is the skin exposed, but also their beliefs, emotions and actions!

As a disclaimer, before the reader rushes to see two people stark naked, what you do see is an ugly sight: bug bites, dirt, bruises and cuts have damaged what people see as beauty. After a few days in the elements, hygiene is gone and two people, at first attractive, soon look Neandrathral. Furthermore, what would interest the voyeur is blurred out.

"What does Naked and Afraid have to do with us?"  you ask.

We are all born naked; even the Puritans were. At one time there was no shame in that:

Genesis 2:25 "And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed."

Our forebears ran around unclothed in a paradise just as the Crene Acore Indians still do. There was no sin in doing so because they were born in innocence and had yet to sin. Two grown people, man and woman, were as little children. What was seen was mere beauty, not lascivious. Then sin did it's dirty work! They were deceived and disobeyed God. Thereafter, things changed!

 Genesis 3:7 "And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons 9 And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? 10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. 11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked?"

Adam and Eve's innocence was no longer there! Because they disobeyed God they had knowledge after eating of "the tree".  Before they sinned it never occurred to them that they were naked.  After they disobeyed God, without being told, they were aware of their nakedness more than anything and immediately covered their privates to hide themselves from God! With knowledge comes consequences. Whereas their bodies were once pure, now their own skins would defile them. Not only that, but the flesh is a constant reminder that they, rather than bow only to God, now bowed to another god before Him. They had become subjects to Satan and now, rather than flesh being the artwork of God, it was an instrument to defile!

Before Adam and Eve stood there facing God and listening to him. After they disobeyed him they stood there exposed, yes even Naked and Afraid! The Bible speaks often of what they flesh can do to a person:

Galatians 5:16 "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."

Before the "fall of mankind", called "original sin" Adam and Eve stood there in the Garden in full communion with God. They stood there "Naked, but Unafraid"! They had no reason to be afraid, for they not only never even knew what sin was, but had never sinned! Afterwards, they were naked, but were afraid! They were scared of God because they had disobeyed him!

We often think of "fruits of the Spirit" for those who're Christians, but now man is born with "fruits of knowledge". Because of disobedience we are now all prone to sin for scripture says:

Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God..."

Since we're all sinners, we are worshipers of "the flesh" which are revealed to us by God as adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings and so forth. Sin is "of the flesh" because Satan wants us to worship our favorite idol; our "Self". That's why they are "sins of the flesh", because as mere flesh, man's lifelong wish is to satisfy their selfish god; to please their own Self! It was Adam and Eve's flesh which exposed their sin! The flesh has become an idol, being material, just as those of gold, stone and wood would someday be a substitute!

Adam and Eve knew God in their innocence and were not ashamed. Later, they feared God because their communion with him had changed. Before they talked and walked with God without fear, but after they ignored and defied him, they stood there alone Naked and Afraid!  However, because they had at one time been pure, and we have never been, they were fearsome of God because they cared that they had betrayed him. Because contemporary people have never been pure, we stand in front of our Creator "naked, but not afraid". We have no shame. We can commit sins of the flesh and never fear unless we are called by God to seek him out!

God called in the Garden to Adam:

Genesis 3:8 "And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. 9 And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? 10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself."

Their "flesh" manifested their sin. They realized that they had betrayed God and worshiped another god alongside him. Their god, in shame to the One True God, hid behind fig leaves to face an awesome God whose presence must never be confronted with sin. God had grace from day one. He gave mankind the gift of life which we never deserved, but now God did something for the first time! He showed mercy on two standing there Naked and Afraid!  He judged them, but did so fairly! They deserved death, but God meted out justice. They were both penalized for their misbehavior, but God offered hope to them!

The hope for Adam and Eve was God in the flesh, walking there in the Garden, communing with them, speaking with the two disobedient children and calling them to come to him "Adam... Where art thou?" That's the same Voice that we hear when we're called! Yes, we too ARE called!

Just as Jesus, and it was Jesus before he was incarnated, called out to Adam, he calls each of us!

John 6:44 "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day."

God's Spirit must call out to anyone who is to have hope in salvation. It's the Voice of God, who is Jesus, who is mentioned in Genesis 3:8!  Adam and Eve suffered mortality, but also died spiritually. There was one way to be redeemed. They must answer the Voice when they are called by God. When God calls, Jesus comes, but it's you who are to go "a knockin'"  to that call:

Matthew 7:7 "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:"

We knock and God answers! What does he answer with? Mercy! Although we're dead in the flesh, standing there Naked and Afraid, God offers hope to allay that fear! Our flesh is symbolic of the hand-made idols, just standing there waiting to be toppled. Our flesh is as much an idol as is Dagon who fell face down in the presence of God!

God said "I will raise him up at the last day"! God's Voice, Jesus, called out to Adam and he answered I heard you God and I am afraid!" That same Voice calls to each of us! "Where are you Larry?" "God, I'm standing here in the flesh Naked and Afraid!"

"Don't be afraid, Adam, nor you Larry!" God says. I know that you are ashamed because you answered me. I heard you knocking at my door seeking me, and you found me. I was right here all the time. You were never alone!" With hope all fear is gone! I wasn't alone, Naked and Afraid, nor were Adam and Eve! The Word was right there in the Garden with Adam all along and Adam heard his voice and answered. The Word, God in the flesh, is with me now and I no longer have to fear for God is with us. He's Emmanuel!

It's strange that our god is our own flesh, but the cure for what ails is is God Incarnate. God's flesh is what redeemed us from our false God, "The Flesh". It took Jesus' body pierced and his blood being spilled to atone for our own self worshiping our our body and lifeblood. The disease that lives within our bodies can only be atoned by the cure which lies within the body of Jesus. It's the blood of Jesus which offers hope! His death for our flesh is why we may have eternal life!

Yes, I still fear death, but I'm no longer alone! There is an "extraction point"! Just as the men and women in Naked and Afraid, know that in 21 days, if they persevere, hope will save them from the deserts and the jungles; from the serpents and behemoths, we too, if we persevere, have that same hope that we'll be there at God's "extraction point" and flown safely home!

Were Adam and Eve redeemed? Scripture never says, but I believe they were. They answered when Jesus called! Jesus' grace and mercy was there for them as it is for us. I believe that because of their shame and remorse that Jesus offered them the same hope that we have. I believe that part of the promise, is that it increases our hope if we know that Adam and Eve, the progenitors of sin, now reside again in Paradise! I can't wait to ask Eve why! They may again be naked, but they are no longer afraid!

Tomorrow I will write more on Naked and Afraid. For a few of us, we're no longer afraid because we have hope, but most will stand there before God, alone and Naked and Afraid!