Naked
Naked - 2 Corinthians 3
“Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.” - Genesis 2:25 NIV
Shame is a powerful emotion and feeling. We read here in the Old Testament about Adam and Eve being naked and feeling no shame. The reality is, at this time before sin entered the world, they had no concept of being clothed, no real understanding or awareness of shame or other similar emotions and feelings.
Today, I am going to use 2 Corinthians chapter 3 to talk about a different take on being Naked. Not physically unclothed, but more the idea of being exposed, transparent, and not hiding behind whatever it is that humans hide behind. This was also a reality for Adam and Eve. Naked was not just unclothed; they had no sin, no junk or baggage, or issues they were trying to hide from. Can you imagine right now the amount of weight that would come off your shoulders if you could be naked and feel no shame? Paul addresses this in 2 Cor 3. Let us dive in.
Where does our worth come from? Paul hit this in the last chapter in v16,17, and he comes back around and hits it again. This angle Paul is driving home is around a letter of recommendation. This was fairly common practice in the time, and Paul didn’t have a letter and honestly didn’t need one. The Corinthians were making a deal of this, and Paul addresses it this way.
“Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but tablets of human hearts.” - 2 Corinthians 3:1-3 NIV
Paul makes a vital connection here. Before we get into that, do you see what Paul did? Paul uses the church and the people as the letter. What better proof of my ministry, and my efforts than you and how your lives have been transformed. This was not Paul's idea or actual words, and it was from Jesus.
“Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit, you will recognize them.” - Matthew 7:17-20 NIV
Your fruit tells the story! Soak that in. Look around, what fruit do you see, what fruit do you see on the others that you have poured into? Paul didn't need a letter, and he had evident fruit from the people he poured into.
Paul then took the time to connect himself and the Corinthians to the vine...and where the competence came from.
“Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” - 2 Corinthians 3:4-6 NIV
Our competence comes from God alone! Critical, but he doesn’t stop there.
Not of the letter, but the Spirit. What does that mean? The letter kills? I think we all know what the Spirit is, and understand it gives life, but what is the letter? Paul is referring to the law, the Old Testament law. He goes much deeper into this in a few verses, but Paul is saying the OT brings death, literally. That is what the OT does, and the law shows us we deserve death, simple as that. The letter, the LAW, kills - so stay away from legalism and move towards the freedom of the Spirit.
But what about being naked, the title of this writing and how it opened. Yeah, I am getting there. Before sin, Adam and Eve were naked in every way and had no shame. When sin entered, this changed.
“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.” - Genesis 3:9-10 NIV
In the OT, post sin, we see this as well. Here is the Moses reference:
“Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?” - 2 Corinthians 3:7-8 NIV
Did you catch that? “Transitory though it was.” Other translations say the glory was passing away. The brightness was already fading away. It didn’t last; the glory was temporary and faded away. This is it...this is what happens to all of us when we live this way, live by the law, and hold ourselves to a law standard and not grace standard, we walk around with a mask just like Moses did.
“We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away.” - 2 Corinthians 3:13 NIV
Moses knew his glory was fading. He was glowing and full of radiance, but it was fading, and he needed to hide behind a veil not to be exposed.
This is a horrible way to walk through life. To live behind a veil, a mask, whatever we put up and hide behind because we are full of shame. We all do it because we are humans. However, we must do our best to break these mindsets, to push beyond such a surface life and life full of shame because this is not God’s best, and not what God desires for our lives.
“But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” - 2 Corinthians 3:16-17 NIV
In Christ, the veil is taken away. We have freedom! Freedom to be naked and have no shame. Now, be careful about how literal you take that... let's keep it focused on another version of naked. But here is the deal; what you are struggling with is not unique to you. The weight you are carrying is a way Satan works - to make you think you are alone and for you to keep it in isolation and the dark. Bring it out, surround yourself with the right people, and let it come out! Drop the mask, lower the veil, and find freedom.
“We can all draw close to him with the veil removed from our faces. And with no veil we all become like mirrors who brightly reflect the glory of the Lord Jesus. We are being transfigured into his very image as we move from one brighter level of glory to another. And this glorious transfiguration comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” - 2 Corinthians 3:18 TPT
Draw close to Christ, and get real with what’s going on in your life. Get naked. When we do, we will be transformed and transfigured each and every day. We invite others into this process and open up. Stop with the surface crap in your group of friends, hiding behind the mask. Stop with the filtered and watered-down version of what’s going on in your life with your spouse or significant other. It’s time to get naked and see real transformation and discipleship happen.