Nudity Is The Point: Part 3 of 3

Spiritual nudity reflects a healthy relationship with God.

Spiritual nudity causes us to run towards God with all our junk.

Spiritual nudity causes us to run towards a Christ-following community so that we can verbally experience grace and truth through other people. This type of experience causes change and healing. Community is the pipeline of living water coming straight from God Himself. Exposing yourself and your junk in community is the physical manifestation of one’s inward relationship with God. Just as one person eats bread when they are hungry, so a person enters into community when they are hungry for God.

Sadly, most people never experience this type of healing and empowering community.

A teenage girl whose father left her when she was little will listen to the enemy’s lie that says if she would just date a punk who will give her acceptance through sex, then her void would be filled.

A successful businessman who feels like the next step up the corporate ladder will add value and respect to his life, listens to the enemy’s lie that says if he gets another promotion, then he will be valued more in society.

A Christian missionary who feels like his identity can be measured in how successful he is at ministry can buy into the lie that God will accept him more if he just works harder.

A college girl who spends all her time gossiping about celebrities or her friends buys into the lie that if she talks about the negatives, then it will make her feel better about herself or make her look better to others.

A fraternity guy who doesn’t want to show up to the spiritual group on campus for fear that his friends will make fun of him buys into the lie that his brothers’ acceptance of him will be more valuable and satisfying than God’s acceptance of him.

If I were to include you in the next example, what would I write?

What are you going after in the world today because you aren’t receiving it in community right now?

Out of pride are you pursuing success so that you can manipulate the system and make people say that they are proud of you? Or are you showing up in a community of people that say that they are proud of you simply because God is proud of you? Are you in a sexual relationship because it is easier to manipulate the system by making someone say they love you rather than showing up to a group of people who will tell you that you are loved because God is love? Are you giving into peer pressure, manipulating the system to make people accept you rather than entering into a community of people that will tell you that you are fully accepted even before you do anything good or bad?

When Adam and Eve ran from God and communion with Him, He pursued them… and he is pursuing you.

May you turn around and walk towards love and acceptance and value through the community of God's people close by. Are you ready to walk into the light? Are you ready for spiritual nudity?