Reading Reflection:

Girls Gone Wise, by Mary A. Kassian (Moody, 2010) Pre-Fall nakedness symbolized the purity and innocence of humans before God.  Post-Fall nakedness symbolizes the inability of humans to make themselves presentable before Him.  God did what Adam and Eve were unable to do.  He covered them and made them presentable.  He shed the blood of an animal—probably a lamb—and clothed them with its skin.  By means of a bloody sacrifice, He covered their sin and shame.  Do you see the symbolism here?  Do you feel the surge of hope?  God’s merciful solution to Adam and Eve’s sin and their inadequate attempt to cover shame, was to clothe them with something infinitely more adequate.  The skin of the sacrificed animal pointed to the time when God would sacrifice His Lamb—the Lord Jesus Christ—to atone for sin, alleviate shame, and clothe us in His righteousness (Gen. 3:21)… Clothing bears witness to the fact that we have lost the glory and beauty of our original sin-free selves.  It confesses that we need a covering—His covering—to atone for our sin and alleviate our shame.  It testifies to the fact that God solved the problem of shame permanently and decisively with the blood of His own Son.  It also directs our attention forward to the time when we will be “further clothed” with spotless, imperishable garments (2 Cor. 5:3 NKJV, Rev. 3:5). (99) I think it’s good that Kassian reminds us of the purpose of clothing.  Our goal is not to be naked and unashamed before the world.  Our clothing is a testimony of our own righteousness.  It points to our hope in being clothed in Christ before God.  Rev. 3:5 mentions how those who overcome will be clothed in white garments.  These garments, symbolizing a wedding (as the bride of Christ), should motivate us now to purity (1 John 3: 2-3).  We are clothed in and by Christ!  As our Groom is sanctifying us, we look forward to that day when our union is consummated.  His red blood makes our garments white.  When we think of His cost for our so-called wedding dress, we are motivated toward purity.