Clothing the Naked
Is nakedness something to be ashamed of or proud of? What about the nakedness of our sins? In this abridged sermon Andy describes the ways truth can both lay bare and cover up sin. Anyone wishing to read the full length original can contact the author or New Church Perpsective. -Editor
When thou seest the naked, thou shalt cover him; and from thine own flesh, hide thyself not. Then shall thy light break forth like the morning, and thy health shall spring forth speedily." Isaiah 58:7-8
Throughout the Word, from Genesis through Revelation, we are taught that since the fall of man the nakedness of evil should be covered. When the man and his wife disobeyed the Lord and saw their nakedness they covered themselves with fig leaves, and then Jehovah gave them skins for clothing (Genesis 3). And in Revelation the Lord counseled the church of Laodecia to buy of Him white garments that they may be clothed, that the shame of their nakedness would not appear (Revelation 3:18). And later, in preparation for the battle of Armageddon, He says, "Blessed is he who is awake and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame."
Yet we also find many places in the Word where the nakedness of evil is uncovered, from the fall of man in Genesis, to the judgment on the harlot of Babylon in the book or Revelation. The lewd and perverse nature of evil must be known and acknowledged, so that we can shun and remove it from our lives and minds as far as possible.
Wondering about the inspiration for this article? Look up the New Church, which is based on the theological writings of Emanuel Swedenborg.