Naked...or Nekkid?

6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.

7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.

Genesis 3:6-7, NKJV

Naked...or Nekid?

It never ceases to amaze me--and I mean this in a negative way--how some people dress when they go to church. I am of the opinion that you can wear whatever you have, as long as it is clean and does not draw attention to yourself. However, some women and even some men wear things to the church house that are quite revealing and not appropriate. And this is an area in which, if you stand firm on, you do take a beating from some people. In short, your clothing should not be a distraction; a pastor once wrote that a persons clothing and appearance should draw attention to the person’s face, not the body.

Now with that all said, let’s look at today’s key scripture. Eve was tempted by Satan, she willingly rebelled with the thought that she too could be like God. Adam was right there with his teeth in his mouth; he should have stopped the whole thing from happening. This is why it is the curse of Adam, not the curse of Eve.

The first thing that happened was that Adam and Eve all of a sudden had a conscience. The word means "with knowledge". Prior to that moment, they were innocent; they did not know evil. But when they did, they realized they were naked and were ashamed.

Now this brings up a point: why is it a shame to be naked? An examination of the words from the Greek and the Hebrew reveal (pardon the pun) that this is not only a literal nudity but a figurative one. It can also mean to wear clothing that does not quite cover the body, such as someone dressed in rags. In short, when you stand "naked" it can also mean that you are stripped of all righteousness or being exposed for who you really are.

Years ago, I went to an insurance training course and the instructor was an older man from the south. He kind of looked like David Jeremiah, now that I think about it. I don’t remember how we got on the subject but he defined the difference between naked and nekid according to those from the Deep South. Naked is used to describe a nude baby taking a bath, nekid is when you are an nude adult getting caught doing something you should not be doing!

What’s my point? Before the fall, Adam and Eve were as innocent in the garden naked as a baby taking a bath. Afterward, they felt like you or I would feel if we were stripped naked in front of the courthouse in Waynesburg. Sin, and the knowledge of it, brings shame and heartache to the man or woman and separates us from a righteous and holy God. And left undone, that separation remains.