Truth Magazine

Shame is a strong motivating force in people’s lives. In constrains people not to seek to lofty a position lest they be seen by others to be unworthy of it and are made to feel ashamed (Luke 14:8-9). It can cause a person to be responsible and hardworking because he would be ashamed to beg (Luke 16:3). It can motivate Christians to live like the world wants them to live. Hence, the Bible counsels: “If any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed” (1 Pet. 4:16).

There are things we as Christians should be ashamed of and things we should not be ashamed of. However, as we will note in our lesson today, people can become confused with regards to things they should or should not be ashamed of. So it is with nakedness.

The Bible teaches nakedness to be a cause for shame (Rev. 3:18; 16:15). By contrast, before our first parents sinned “they were both naked . . . and were not ashamed” (Gen. 2:25). As we will note, ever since our first parents sinned, the Bible has associated nakedness with shame.

As we will note, this subject has to do with how we are to dress. A lot of people do not seem to care about how they dress, but as I hope we will all see, the Lord does care. A proper sense of shame will affect how we dress. However, we need to recognize that our sense of shame can be affected by other things and fail to operate properly.

The Danger of Acquired Callousness

1. Failure to blush when we should blush. This failure was an indicator of how callous ancient Judah had become (Jer. 6:16). Normally, when we know something is wrong but do it anyhow we feel shame. However, through continued sinning and because those around us see nothing wrong with a certain sin, we can sin and not be ashamed. This can happen with regards to nakedness. While not being a regular reader of Ann Landers, the following letter to her caught my eye under the headline, “Grinning and baring it is an honorable profession:”

Dear Ann Landers,

You have printed letters from doctors, lawyers, nurses, secretaries, auto mechanics and schoolteachers, but I can’t recall ever seeing a letter from a stripper. It could be that I am the first. . . . When I entertain at a bachelor party, I explain the rules up front: no touching, no dirty language, no photos or videos, and no making dates for later. I do my number and give them their money’s worth and there are no encores. . . . . Those who think stripping is obscene should go to the beach and check out the latest swim wear. They’ll see four inches of fabric held together with a string. I feel no need to apologize for my profession. It takes talent and poise to grin and bare it. — Just a working girl (The Stars and Stripes, 10/8/95)

Our point is clear: One can get to the point where he or she is naked and not be ashamed when one should be. It can still get worse.

2. “Glory in shame” (Phil. 3:19). An example of this in our day is non-Christians who brag about drunkenness or fornication. Another good example is when a woman decides to dress provocatively to “impress” men (Prov. 11:22).

Surely all Christians can see the danger of such shamelessness as we have described herein. When we speak of the shame of nakedness we must first understand what the Bible means by the word.

Nakedness in Scripture

1. The meaning of the word in Scripture. In the New Testament it is defined, “1. naked, stripped, bare. . . . 2. without an outer garment. . . . 3. poorly dressed. . . . 4. uncovered, bare. . . .” (Arndt and Gingrich, 167-168). The meaning in the Old Testament is, “Naked . . . but naked is also used for — (a) ragged, badly clad. . . . (b) used of one who, having taken off his mantle, goes only clad in his tunic” (Gesenius, 653). In Genesis 2:25 the word refers to nudity.

However, in Genesis 3:7-10 it can be seen that one can be naked in spite of the fact that he or she is wearing clothes. The word “apron” in v. 7 means, “girdle, loin covering, belt” (Brown-Driver-Briggs Lexicon [BDB], 292).

In light of these facts, when is a person considered naked in the sight of God? When should one feel the shame of nakedness? Adam and Eve were not totally naked and yet they felt the shame of nakedness.

2. When God covered nakedness. In Exodus 28:42, God commanded “breeches” to be made to cover nakedness. The word is defined as follows:

1. Drawers (BDB, 488).

2. Trousers or drawers. This noun occurs. . . . five times in Ex and Lev and once in Ezk 44:18. Trousers were ordered by God in the interests of decorum . . . (Theological Wordbook of the O.T. [TH.W.O.T], I:445).

3. Exodus 28:42, unto the thighs — i.e., to the bottom of the thighs where they adjoin the knee (G. Rawlinson, Pulpit Commentary, I:293).

4. Priests called to officiate at the high altar . . . above the eyes of the watching multitude wore a cloth covering hips and thighs, made of fine linen like the rest of their garments (Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible [ZPE], I:652).

In Genesis 3:21 God made “coats” to clothe Adam and Eve. The word is given the following meanings:

1. A tunic . . . generally with sleeves, coming down to the knees, rarely to the ankles (Gesenius, 420).

2. Tunic, a long shirt-like garment, usually of linen (TH.W.O.T., I:459).

3. The tunics worn by Adam and Eve were of animal skins (Gen. 3:21). . . . The tunic worn by the priests had long sleeves, and it extended down to the ankles, and was fastened about the loins by a girdle (Exod 29:5, 8, 9; 39:27). . . . Joseph’s “coat of many colors” (Gen. 37:3, KJV) or “long robe with sleeves” (RSV) was lit. a tunic reaching to the feet. . . .

Slaves, laborers, and prisoners wore a more abbreviated style tunic (sometime only to their knees and without sleeves) as appear on the Behistune Rock. In the Assyrian relief depicting the siege and capture of Lachish by Sennacherib (701 B.C.), there are Jewish captives (male and female) wearing long, dress-like tunics which reach almost to the ankles (ZPE, I:896).

As one reviews what we have learned under this point about nakedness in Scripture and the clothing God made, he should expect that when the thighs are uncovered a person is considered naked. This is what one finds in Isaiah 47:1-3. This is significant when one considers that nakedness is shameful from Genesis to Revelation.

Keeping Ourselves from Such Shame Today

1. Entertainment and recreation. It must be asked whether movies and TV which portray nakedness are fit- ting for Christians to watch. The meaning of nakedness should influence one’s attitude towards going to beaches or swimming pools where members of the opposite sex are present in the swim wear common to our day. The above words of Ann Lander’s stripper about modern swim wear (she might be a little more unbiased in her view of such clothing than some brethren!) ought to make us realize we should not go to places where such attire is worn.

2. Dress with sense of shame. There are simply items Christians should not wear when in public where the opposite sex can see them. Our clothing ought to reflect the difference in the clothing made by God versus that made by man. Coupling the meaning of nakedness with the Bible’s teaching on modesty (1 Tim. 2:9) should take such things as halter tops, shorts above the knee, low neckline tops and backless dresses out of the Christian’s wardrobe. “How little clothing can I get by with” is a dangerous game for God-fearing people to play.

Conclusion

Let us all think seriously about the clothing we wear and dress with a sense of shame and modesty. What we wear is part of our walk with God.

In religious circles, the subject of God’s “clergy” and God’s “laity” receives much attention. Although the New Testament says nothing about the subject as it is usually thought of, soon after the last apostle died, the bishops of the church in each community began exerting unscriptural power. They assumed power that was not rightfully theirs. These leaders eventually placed themselves above the common member of the church, i.e., the laity, and it was during this period that the laity became dependent upon the clergy for access to God’s favor.

Eventually, the apostle Peter was given pre-eminence over the other apostles in an effort to justify the clergy- laity system. It is said that Peter served as an elder in the church at Rome; upon this foundation the Catholic church claims Peter as her first pope. These events occurred just a short time after the first century church was obeying God’s command to have “elders in every church” (Tit. 1; Acts 14:23; 1 Tim. 3). Forsaking the divine pattern gave rise to the universal distinction between the clergy and laity. God’s plan to have humble servants oversee the spiritual needs of the congregation gave way to man’s plan, which provided an unscriptural elevation of certain leaders in the church over other members. This man made distinction cannot be found in the word of God and is therefore sinful (Acts 15:24; Rev. 22:18-19; 1 John 3:4).

Leaders of the Restoration had much to say about the clergy and laity, expressing much sympathy for the so-called lay member, while the clergy received many anathemas! When men began to break away from denominational concepts, it was natural that the exalted clergy should come under attack. One reason for Thomas Camp- bell’s disassociation from the Seceder Presbyterians was his suspicion of clerical monopoly. A perusal of all seven volumes of The Christian Baptist will reveal that Alexander Campbell had much to say on the subject. One writer said about The Christian Baptist: “It was small, as a hornet is small, and its sting was as keen. It attacked especially three characteristics of the existing church one of which was ‘The authority and status assumed by the clergy’” (from W.E. Garrison, An American Religious Movement: A Brief History of The Disciples of Christ).

In the third issue of Campbell’s paper, he began a series of articles on the clergy by saying, “No class or order of men that ever appeared on earth have obtained so much influence, or acquired so complete an ascendancy over the human mind, as the clergy” (The Christian Baptist, Vol. 1, No. 3). This domination of the laity, Campbell said, had been in existence for some 1500 years. Historians observe that Campbell seemed to relent somewhat after The Christian Baptist years. It seems that Campbell grew to appreciate the need for better educated and trained preachers; yet, his early opposition to clericalism left its mark. Although Campbell may have altered his thinking along these lines in later years, many learned to oppose the clergy as it then existed from his mighty pen.

We, too, must never cease to oppose this presumptuous curse in religion. The New Testament of Jesus Christ teaches that every member of the body is vitally important (1 Cor. 12). Every member of the human body is designed to work in harmony together, and the same thing is true of the spiritual body of Christ. Let us be one together, exalting none, save the Lord Jesus Christ.

Would you return a wallet filled with money? The folks at Readers Digest wanted to know the answer to this question in 1995, so they set up a test in American cities to see what Americans would do. The results appeared in the December 1995 issue of Readers Digest. They “lost” wallets all over America, each with a name, local address and phone number, family pictures — and $50 in cash. There were 120 of these wallets strewn all over the country, in three major suburban areas, three medium-sized towns, and three small towns. They were left in parking lots, shopping malls, restaurants, gas stations, office buildings, and on sidewalks. Then they stood back to see what would happen. To each person who returned the wallet they offered the $50 as a reward for their honesty.

The numbers which came out of this “test” are interesting, but at times very discouraging. In Seattle, for example, 9 out of 10 people returned the wallet with the money in it; in St. Louis and Boston 7 out of 10 returned it; but in Atlanta, Las Vegas, Dayton, Ohio, and Houston only half gave it back to its owner. In small towns the re- turn rate was consistently 80% (Meadville, PA; Concord, NH; and Cheyenne, WY).

Most of us would have predicted that, by and large, people today are dishonest and that most of the wallets would not have been returned. In reality this was not so. In fact, the bottom line is that of the 120 wallets that were lost, 80 were returned intact, an overall figure of 67 percent. Most people in America are honest! That is the good news.

There are many stories that are associated with this series of tests, but I found this one in particular to be interesting. In Seattle a little girl with a pink floral dress picked up a wallet off a bench at an amusement park. She ran to her father with it in her hand. Yong Cha saw a chance to teach his daughter a valuable lesson. He handed the wallet back to her and said, “You must take this to the police or someone who can help find the owner.” Little Mary, age nine, nodded gravely as she contemplated returning all that money, but dutifully took her dad’s hand as they searched for the park office. “Honesty is the most important thing a child can learn,” Cha later told the Readers Digest interviewer.

What this parent did in this particular case with his child was more important than all the lessons that could ever be taught her in school. These days, when government bureaucrats are talking about setting up classes in moral education (alongside their miserably failed “sex-education” classes), bemoaning the sad state of affairs in America’s schools and homes, this little story captures the heart of how morality in all its forms is taught to the next generation of Americans. It is taught by the parents. All the government money and all the platitudes from out of a book published by some collegiate genius from Harvard or Yale, cannot overcome a single case of dishonesty or immorality as it is seen by the child in the life of a parent. Such “lessons in real life” are the true teachers of morality and integrity.

I would venture that in most, if not all, those 40 instances where the wallet was not returned and the money pocketed, there are remembrances from long ago of how this grown- up’s parent did something that was dishonest and lacking in integrity before the eyes of that developing child. The parent, by example, taught the child to be dishonest. They may have thought those things were small and unimportant at the time, but they left a lasting impression. Now, do not misunderstand my remarks. I do not mean to suggest that these grown-ups are not responsible for their own dishonesty. At this point in time they are the only ones responsible for their actions. But we must take into consideration as we are raising our children that these lessons in life create impressions that last a lifetime and ultimately determine what sort of adults our children will someday be. They will be responsible for their own actions. But we must be very sure that we appreciate the importance of our present example in determining what direction they will choose when later they decide for themselves.

Let me cite one more example to illustrate this same point. At the sprawling Del Amo mall south of Los Angeles, the author records this incident: “Two boys in their early teens happened upon our wallet. One, in shorts and athletic shirt, gave a whoop as he pulled out the money. Talking excitedly, the two walked down the mall, eventually meeting a man who seemed to be the father of one of them. They showed him the wallet. All three left. We never got a call.” On that day this particular parent taught these two boys a lesson which will remain with them all of their lives. Sad to say, it was neither noble nor fine. Many parents, even some Christian parents, are doing the same thing before their children on a daily basis. Someday they will reap the bitter harvest of such behavior.

What kinds of life lessons are we teaching our children? Paul wrote, “Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men” (2 Cor. 8.21). Let us be certain that we also provide for honest things in the sight of our children!

A recent quote from an acquaintance of mine was, “When I read the Bible I just do not understand what is going on.” He went further by saying, “I have a hard time seeing how the Bible is relevant for my family and me in today’s society.” I believe it would be safe to say that this could be a major reason why many do not read and study (i.e., seek to learn) from it. How have these predominant attitudes come about? Please consider:

Society at large in America during the late 20th century has turned away from the standards found within the inspired pages of God’s Word. Those who publicly acknowledge living by Bible standards are disregarded as “right wing extremists” or “religious fundamentalists.”

Feminists decry the Bible as being written for men by men. Homosexuals and their supporters argue that God is pleased with their immoral behavior. Scientists and “experts” of the day endeavor to explain away miracles of the Bible. Denominational creeds and teachers instruct the masses that the Bible is not understandable. Even in churches of Christ we are witnessing a movement away from the importance of Bible authority and the acceptance of all sorts of creeds. Members of the Lord’s church were once known as “walking and talking Bibles.” Unfortunately this is no longer the case with many. The movement some congregations are facing only contributes to the religious confusion of the day instead of uniting people in the truth.

Despite all of these things, how important is Bible study to you? Certainly there are many trials and temptations that have a tendency to hinder us from study. However, these can be overcome if one wants to overcome bad enough (1 Cor. 10:13). Is being affluent in knowledge of the Scriptures toward the top of your priorities? As Christians we are expected by God to be knowledgeable in the Word of God. For example, Paul told the Ephesian brethren, “do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Eph. 5:17).  In 2 Timothy 2:15 Paul told Timothy to “be diligent (study, KJV) to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the truth.” We should strive just as much as the first century Christians did to find and know God’s will for mankind.

How Can One Understand the Context as He is Reading the Bible?

As mentioned earlier, a common problem of many is that they do not understand “what is going on” while reading Scripture. How may one deal with such a problem? Remember:

1. The Bible should not be read as a novel or a fictitious short story for mere entertainment. We live in a world that is entertainment driven. From 24 hour television, concerts, sports events, to “worship services” that are purely and only entertainment, Americans expect to be entertained in almost everything. The Bible is an instruction booklet on how to get our souls to heaven. It should be read and studied in a serious manner.

2. Study a few verses or a chapter at a time and take notes. One of the greatest aids in my personal study has been to study in “small chunks.” High school teachers and college professors recommend that this is the most profit- able way to study: be it for an accounting exam or part of God’s Word. Write down points you believe are relevant and other items of importance concerning the text. These could aid you in your study at a later time.

3. Don’t be overwhelmed by the size of the Bible. Some open the front cover — begin at Genesis — read a chapter or two — and rationalize, there’s too much here — I’ll never know it all. Bible study involves time and a stead- fast commitment. The more time that is invested the more knowledge will be gained. Bible study is a life-long process. Unlike secular courses of study, the study of God’s word is unending during this life.

4. Don’t be fooled by the popular thinking that to understand the Bible one has to go to “Bible school.” Many of our denominational friends believe and teach that creeds must be written to explain the Bible. Those who have at- tended years of schooling at a seminary (those who will be the “clergy”) then must explain it to the “laity.” This line of thinking is totally unknown in the Bible. The Bereans in Acts 17:11 had never been to a seminary. They were able to reach an understanding of Scripture. We read “they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.” Certainly we can see that they benefited from Bible study!

How is the Bible Relevant To Today’s World?

Christians have the responsibility to teach those around them of the relevance of God’s Word to people living in the late twentieth century. How can we fulfill this responsibility? Those around us need to understand:

1. The Bible contains information on how to be saved. What better argument for relevance than this? As long as mankind exists, there will be someone who will need to be saved. God’s plan of salvation is found only in the Bible! Jesus said, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws Him; and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.” Later, in John 8:32, Jesus said, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.” That truth is found in the Bible (John 17:17).

2. The Bible will help one become a better Christian. As stated earlier, the Bible is the set of instructions on get- ting one’s soul to heaven. Christians are to put away the things of the world and follow after the example of Christ. There is not a single page in the Bible that will not help one learn something to improve his life. Notice what Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

3. The Bible will help the Christian bring others to Christ. As one engages in study of Scripture an awareness of the danger of a soul becoming lost to the fires of hell becomes of tremendous importance. This consciousness should motivate the Bible student to tell others about the Way. This is an expected duty of all Christians. Notice Peter’s words in 1 Peter 3:15, “. . . sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.” Are you living up to this standard?

4. The Bible will help one become prepared to stand before God on judgment. “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this, the judgment” (Heb. 9:27). There will be a day of reckoning for mankind. All men will stand before God and give an account of their actions on earth (2 Cor. 5:9-10). If one applies the things studied in Scripture to his life he can be prepared for this great day. Titus 2:11-12 says, “The grace of God has appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age.” This is very relevant to today’s society and all future societies as well. Let us heed what we read!

The study of God’s word is of tremendous importance. It is a shame that those in the majority of the religious world (even some in the Lord’s church) fail to understand this. Don’t let Satan fool you by drawing you away from its contents. Make it your first priority to know more about the word of God!