Desensitized to the shame of nakedness
The Devil knows that if he can confuse our understanding on biblical principles
or redefine heresies then he can condition man over time to accept nakedness.
For example, the word nude was introduced to represent a state of expression.
However, by itself it was weak. Therefore, it was accompanied by the “place
specific” argument. The understanding was that an individual could express him
or her self in a nude orientation if situated at a location reserved for such
expressions.
Consider an art class. One day a young woman walks into an art class with a long
robe covering her entire body, and then she removes the robe, sits on a stool
and exposes her nakedness. The woman has nothing on. The first reaction from the
students is, “Wow, there is a naked woman sitting before us.” However, the
professor jumps in and silences the natural response of the students
towards nakedness by explaining that the woman is nude. The professor continues
by explaining that in the classroom, the woman is an object of art. Look beyond
the woman and behold an object of art. She is no different than a fruit, vase or
any other object that you have used your artistic eye and skill to reproduce on
paper. Friends this is pure madness. Knowing that such activity is carried out
in some art class, it is a mystery why the parents allow the school to implement
such practice and even allow their children to be subjected to such social
slackness.
This is one of the ways in which the devil desensitizes this nation to the shame
of nakedness. The mind is conditioned to view nakedness in any degree as
personal expression. Let us consider the beach. This is a location where the
place specific argument is widely accepted by many. However, based on the
standard of God listed above, beach attire is nakedness. And Leviticus 18
admonishes us not to look upon the nakedness of anyone apart from our spouse.
Beach and Water Parks
Romans 12:2 says, “And be not conformed to
this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may
prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” The sad
reality is that many who profess Christianity are conforming to the things of
this world. Consider these analogies.
1. A father came home from work and finds his 18-year-old daughter walking
around the house in her bra and panty in the presence of John the next-door
neighbor. Naturally, the father is fuming, he commands that his daughter gets
dressed and he tells John never to come over again when he is not there, if ever
again.
2. A young man is in the neighborhood of his friend, so he decides to pay his
friend a surprise visit. His friend’s wife walks out the bedroom in her bra
and panty not knowing that they had company. She screams and takes cover when
she realizes that they were not alone.
In the presence of only one, in the privacy of their own home, these individuals
felt the shame of nakedness and the innate reaction to take cover. However, the
devil whisper to those same individuals and convinces them that a bra and panty
is acceptable attire if worn at the right location. Therefore, many feel
perfectly fine exposing themselves to hundreds at the beach and water park.
Let us take a woman off the beach, in her two-piece (bra and panty) and place
her downtown in a business environment. She would probably get arrested for
indecent exposure. This world is so corrupted, in that, if I want to see my
friends wife or my young sister in a bra and panty (naked), or a one piece, all
I have to do is visit Wet N’ Wild, the beach or a pool party. Many women find
it very hard to wear a two-piece to the beach. But after the first and second
experience they create for themselves a new normality. A world where walking
around half naked on the beach is acceptable.
David, a man after God’s own heart, transgressed God’s law by viewing a
young woman in a state of nakedness (II Samuel 12:2). The powerful impact of
nakedness on man's carnal nature is so compelling, that wise men will take every
step to avoid such sights if at all possible. Prostitutes understands that
phenomena very well, thus explaining their method of advertisement.
Since body image is everything in this perverted world, tight form fitting
clothe was employed to accentuate their endowments and curves. Second, and
with greater intensity, is the tease factor that is created by half exposed
flesh that should be totally covered. Midnight Angels as they are
ironically called, are capitalizing on the carnality of man by wearing such
attire. The Bible in its completeness covers this subject in Proverbs
7:10 and it reads - "And, behold, there
met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtle of heart."
Disturbingly, this marketing method was adopted and embraced by almost the
entire female population. Some woman are selling sex by exposing their
body on a sophisticated level. Meaning, they might not carry the title
prostitute, but the end result is the same - seduction and intercourse.
Some of these women are lawyers, doctors, teachers, professors, bankers and so
on. In fact, many are professed Christians. Yes, Christians, young
and old, and even in the house of God they are wearing the attire of an harlot.
Have mercy!! Do you know dear reader that such apparels are outlawed in
the prisons. No mini's, form fitting, low cut or sleeveless blouses are
allowed when visiting inmates. However, in the house of God, any thing
seems to go. Friends, if it is not for sale, take the sign down.
It is plain that God wants most of our flesh covered. Leviticus abounds with
warnings against uncovering the "nakedness" of people (Lev. 18),
because this sign of intimacy was only for legitimate, lawful marriage partners.
It is no compliment to a person's spirituality that they wear revealing
fashions, go mixed swimming, or in other ways flaunt their nakedness. Modesty is
always in style (I Tim. 2:9). Conversely, formfitting dresses, gauchos and
pants, and various forms of nakedness as "swim suits," shorts, sun
suits, bare chests, slit skirts, mini skirts, unbuttoned shirts and blouses,
etc., send a message about wrong inner character. Why would anyone professing
Christ appear in a state of dress that Scripture associates with a fallen
nature, drunkenness, demon possession, debauchery, degradation, idolatry, loose
morals, being a prisoner, being carnal and shameful? For fallen man,
nakedness is a moral problem, and God provided coats of skin to cover his
nakedness.
Deception is progressive. Compromise and justification, where the word of
God is concerned, are like cancer. They grow and grow until they destroy
and pervert conscience, judgment and reasoning. As the malaria of sin sweeps
across this perverse nation, the place specific mentality eventually gave birth
to nude beaches. The plan of the devil is not to undress us at once, for we
would not let him. So he starts with splits in the skirt and dress, then
mini skirts were introduced, then sleeveless, then v-neck or low cut blouses,
shorts and “wear on the hip jeans.” Eventually, the devil, the fashion
designer of this world came out with an announcement on Deco Drive that
"skin is in" and “go as bare as you dare” fashions are the trend
for 2000. The devil is trying to strip us of every thread of dignity and most of
us have allowed him to do just that.
How do we regain our dignity and cover our nakedness?
Jesus is the answer friend. When we allow Him to live out His life within us we
will wear a coat and not an apron. We will not wear sleeveless. We will not wear
skirts and dresses that covers only the thigh, hanging a little way below the
knee, but one that covers the entire leg (loins to the ankle).