Naked Church

The church wears too much clothing...and the clothing it wears is all wrong.  In Genesis 2, as Israel makes sense of our creation, there is a peculiar often neglected detail.  When we were first created, we were naked.  Naked?  For some of us that can be pretty unnerving.  Wait...for all of us that's unnerving.  Naked?  What do you do with that?  What if I were to tell you that "naked" is a powerful metaphor and highly charged challenge to our propriety?  We don't talk in terms of nudity in the church, that's inappropriate.  Perhaps, our failure in fluency in speaking of the naked church is one of the reasons we remain locked behind our barriers and walls, isolated in our shame, layered in self-protection, unwilling and unable to let it all hang out. 

Right there...that's what is at stake!  The imagery of nakedness in Genesis 2 is a statement of vulnerability.  When we were created, we were created absolutely vulnerable to one another.  Nothing was in the way.  Vulnerability is a priority in relationships of intimacy, truth, and trust. 

Have you ever noticed what the first action we took was in Genesis 3 after we chose to have our own way?  You have to read it again.  Ok, spoiler alert - We run off and cover up.  We hide and put layers on ourselves.  We surrender our vulnerability, opting instead for protective layers that cover our shame and insecurity.  We put on clothes. 

We repeat that moment each and every day of our lives.  We layer up with clothing that is either too bulky or doesn't fit.  We cover up our pain and struggle, our fear and brokenness.  We shroud our shame and self-disgust.  We allow our emotional clothing to become barriers, keeping us isolated, alienated, and self-protected. 

What if I were to tell you that the church is the place where we undress?  It's the people among whom we take off the emotional, spiritual, and mental layers that keep us locked in relationally shallow lives.  It's within the church that it should be encouraged to let it all hang out, believing and trusting that intimacy, truth, and trust are the pathways to healing.  The church should be the kind of community where we look upon one another's vulnerability not as weakness or in judgment, but as freedom, in acceptance and with devotion. 

Now realize, naked church is risky.  Face it, we are used to being covered up.  There is always the chance that someone may wound us in our vulnerability.  However, to live by way of the cover-up forfeits the freedom of our created design.  Oh yeah, to live in a community of vulnerability, you might have to be the one with the courage to first undress when everyone else clings to their clothing. 

Note:  If you are going to wear clothing, make sure it is the right kind: Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³ Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴ And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.