Where Are You?

- A Thoughtful Reflection on the Genesis Narrative and The Gospel Genesis 3:11 is not referring to physical nakedness. Adam and Eve were physically naked before, but they had never seen it as an issue. In Genesis 3:11, the nakedness is actually referring to nakedness-without covering/without righteousness/without protection/without union. The reason Adam and Eve perceived nakedness was because their mind's were affected by sin (Genesis 3:7). From their act of sin Adam and Eve began to believe the lie that they were without protection/without righteousness/ without God's grace/ without God. However, the reality is that God never left them. In reality, sin had never literally separated them from God. The consequence of sin was that Adam and Eve perceived that God had forsaken them and left them to death. In reality, God's grace was still upon them. Grace did not begin after the fall. Intimacy had always existed in the Trinity (periochoresis). Grace is the expression and energy of this intimate love within the Trinity. Gods grace was evident since the beginning of creation. This is why God continues to show his grace, not begins, by clothing Adam and Eve with animal skin (Genesis 3:21). Gods grace was reminding them that their identity is in him and that it is his righteousness that covers; no amount of sewing or works can (Genesis 3:7). This is why throughout scripture the word covering is used to describe atonement/salvation (2 Chronicles 6:41, Psalm 32:1-2, Psalm 132:16, Isaiah 61:10). This act of grace in Genesis 3 was also a foreshadowing of Christ's righteousness covering humanity once and for all. As Adam's sin was passed down to all of humanity. Christ's faith is the righteousness that covers all of humanity once and for all (John 1:29, 3:16-17, Romans 3:21-31, Romans 5:12-21, Romans 13:14, 1 Corinthians 15:21, 2 Corinthians 5: 1418, Galatians 3:27, Ephesians 2:11, Colossians 1:19, 1 Timothy 2:3-7, Hebrews 2:9, 1 John 2:1-2, 1 John 4:14). Because of Christ, humanity is no longer bound to the lie that existed in the mind, "that we were separated from God". God is once again calling us out of the bushes and saying we do not need to hide in the nakedness (disunion) of our mind anymore (Genesis 3:8). God is saying, "Where are you-identity?" (Genesis 3:9), not because he could not find us, but to invite us to see that our identity was always with Christ (Ephesians 1:314, Colossians 1:15-17) and have been covered by the grace of God through the righteousness/faith of Christ (1 Corinthians 1:30-31, 2 Corinthians 5:16-21, Colossians 1:18-23). The gospel is the good news for all of creation! David Kim 4-24-12