UNCOMMEN: Deeper & DarkerSample

Day 4: Your True Self

Genesis 3:7-21 & Isaiah 61:10

In the last verse of Genesis 2, we get a glimpse of the world as it would be like without sin: “And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.” They were fully exposed and fully loved.

This is paradise.

Contrast that with the inauguration of sin, which results in Adam and Eve feeling naked and afraid, scampering to find anything to cover themselves. Because of sin, we feel we can no longer be both known and loved.

So Adam and Eve look to fig leaves to cover their nakedness. Feeling they must decide between being known or loved, they opt to be accepted and cover their shame.

It’s common to do the same thing—we hold up something to show the world we are worthy of acceptance. Our fig leaves could be a goofy sense of humor, or it could be serious demeanor. Our fig leaves could really be anything that we think would garner the acceptance we crave.

Walt Muller says, “Social media is a fitting room to fabricate, curate, and promote an identity to be liked.”

If Paradise is to be fully known and fully loved, then it's possible for our fig leaves to bring all kind of acclaim, and still leave us feeling empty. Even if we can impress others, deep down we know we’re not worthy.

God knew our fig leaves would be insufficient, so he provides a better covering for us.

In the Garden, an animal dies so that Adam and Eve can have their guilt covered by animal skins. Today we stand exposed before God, but he accepts us because Jesus has cleansed us from our sin and clothed us in his perfect righteousness.

We don’t need to work to hold up boasts as fig leaves for the world to see. We can admit who we are and rest in the finished work of Jesus on our behalf. If we boast, let’s boast in Christ, our better fig leaf.

About the Author:

Brandon Fisher is a pastor at Keystone Church in Paradise, PA. After eight years in youth ministry, Brandon became Keystone’s Lead Pastor to oversee overall church vision, mission alignment, and staff/ministry leadership. Some of Brandon’s spiritual heroes and influences include John Piper, Tim Keller, John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, and C. S. Lewis.