Sewing Fig Leaves

1998

“And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.” (Gen. 3:7)


What is the greatest offence to the gospel of God’s grace in Jesus Christ? - Trying to fix sin by sewing fig leaves of self-righteousness. Every time we try to add to the finished work of Christ, we are choosing to “make ourselves aprons.” Every time we try to compensate for our sin with works of righteousness which WE do, we make the cross of Christ of none effect.

Adam and Eve, before sin, were both naked, and were not ashamed. (Gen. 2:25) They did not know that they were naked because their needs were entirely met within GOD’S PROVISION OF HIMSELF. They were completely exposed to and enclosed by His presence, resulting in absence of fear and consummate agape love. They bore the pure image of God within; communion was immediate abiding pleasure.

Only after they chose to sin did God’s holy presence leave them, resulting in fear, shame, and spiritual death. Their Covering was gone; their sin (nakedness) exposed. “I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.” (Gen. 3:10) This is what we are born into. We have believed the lie,“ye shall be as gods”, and now endeavor to cover the shame of our nakedness OURSELVES, before man and God, with outward conformity to man-made ideals. “There is none that seeketh after God.” (Rom. 3:11) Why? Because men are in hiding under fig leaves of self-righteousness. It is God who is seeking…“Where art thou?” He who searches the heart is calling forth His “purchased possession.”

God’s perfect law of righteousness finds us only to condemn us. It cannot save us; it was not meant to save us. It purposefully strips away all of our fig leaves, our self-made efforts, leaving us in our nakedness before a Holy God (filthy rags make no difference) only to reveal to us the glorious gospel of grace in Jesus Christ…

For there is another Garden wherein righteousness dwells. There is a NEW CREATION, created in Christ Jesus, “the last Adam”. (1 Cor. 15:45) God has RECREATED IN HIM a people, who are born “not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:13) IN HIM there is now no condemnation, for”the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” (Rom. 8:2) Another law reigns here, with another purpose: to continually impart life to those who abide IN HIM. Here there is no need for fig leaves of self-righteousness to cover our sin and shame. “For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God IN HIM.” (2 Cor. 5:21)
His righteousness is our covering!