Question:
When Adam and Eve became aware of good and evil, why did nakedness suddenly become a bad thing? If it was bad before they knew good and bad, why did God make them that way in the first place?
Answer:
Heb 4:13 says, “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.” I believe that the primary meaning is spiritual and then physical. We are naked in the eyes of the living God and are sins are ‘exposed’. We need a covering for sin, which God provides through Jesus Christ. This garment of salvation is mentioned in Isaiah 61:10. “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.” Without this garment of salvation we cannot enter heaven. See Matt 22:12-13 “And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Then we turn to the physical which is a result of the spiritual. I don’t think that being naked in the beginning was a problem or a sin. If it were, God would have provided clothing to Adam or gave him instructions in the beginning of Adam’s life. It would appear that the clothing became necessary after their transgression in the garden. Sin had now stepped in; lustful desires were NOW possible. Being unclothed would soon have caused lust patterns in the future generations. Think about this… children are born naked… they are not sinful because of that. It is the growing up years and in stature that will cause the lust patterns in others. That’s why we are told by God to wear modest apparel as seen in 1 Tim. 2:9, “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array.” Note that it isn’t the apparel, it’s the idea that provocative clothing will cause lust patterns to erupt in the mind, resulting in sin by others. Sin was NOW present and certain hindrances were to be placed on it. It is only reasonable.