Unashamed

Some of the consequences of Adam and Eve’s actions in the story of the Garden of Eden are pretty well-known: sin entered the world (see Romans 5:12); death entered the world (Gen 2:17, 3:19); the image of God in humanity was shattered—until Christ came and perfectly mirrored God the Father again.

But one of the other consequences of tasting that forbidden fruit doesn’t seem to get as much attention. After Adam and Eve are deceived by the serpent and disobey the Lord, Genesis says, “the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.” (2:7) Moments later, the couple hears the familiar footfall of God walking in the garden, and they hide from him behind the trees.

But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” (3:9-10)

Before the Fall, Genesis says "the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed." (2:25) But, because of Eve and Adam’s disobedience, fear and shame enter the story of the world. They had always been naked, but they’d never felt the need to hide their nakedness before. They had never worried that someone might see their bodies. That shame and that fear only set in once their minds and hearts have been infected by Sin’s power.

Did you know that shame about our bodies was never God’s intention for us?

The kinds of feelings and fears that we hear about leading kids and teenagers into depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and even suicidal thoughts—those were invented by that serpent from Hell. That’s not what God wanted for us.

But, remember, the story of the Bible is the story of God’s work to repair everything that was broken in the Garden of Eden. And this bit of our brokenness is no exception.

In the book of 1 John in the New Testament, we read, “now, little children, remain in relationship to Jesus, so that when he appears we can have confidence and not be ashamed in front of him when he comes.” (2:28) Where once we hid from him in fear and shame, God has orchestrated a new possibility: a day when we can all be confident and unashamed when he appears. Those feelings and fears will be erased forever.

In Genesis the Lord covered the first couple's shame with animal skins (3:21)—because it would take a little longer before he could clothe us in life and love (2 Cor 5:4 and Col 3:14). In time, though, the Son of God died, naked on a piece of lumber, for that couple who hid their nakedness behind the trees in the garden, afraid of the God approaching. He died, so that one day we could all stand, without shame, when we see our Lord approaching.

He died to set us free from fear and set us free from shame.

Listen to this week's devotional right here!