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Thoughts of...Shameless
In the beginning God created man and woman, gave them dominion over the earth, blessed them, and told them to go forth and multiply (, ). In this pure state, Adam and Eve were naked and were not ashamed (). However, they disobeyed the one command God lovingly gave them, at which point their eyes were opened and they saw that they were naked. A beautiful gift from God to husband and wife was tarnished by sin. In their shame, Adam and Eve made coverings for themselves and hid from God (). Henceforth, the Scripture tells us that, apart from the private intimacy between husband and wife ordained by God, nakedness is shameful (e.g. , , E).
In the desperately wicked heart of a man (), the mere sight of the female form or the touch of female skin can enflame the lust of the flesh. When this burning is unrestrained and uncontrolled and he is given over to the lust of his flesh, a man is shameless. A woman is likewise shameless when she is given over to the lusts of her flesh or when she knowingly or carelessly appeals to a man’s lust.
In our society today, shamelessness rules. Nakedness is not just provocative, it is “in your face!” We live in a society totally pre-occupied with sex.
That which is in the heart of man is spoken by his tongue and is expressed by the works of his hands. The Media/Entertainment industry is the “show and tell” outlet of the heart of American society and the Fashion industry is its parade.
Consider first the shamelessness of the American media.
Network television, particularly during “prime time”, is blatantly shameless, both visually and via innuendo. The Fox Network is on the verge of premiering a new fall show called “Skin.” Quite popular with the viewing public () are the “reality” shows, such as The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, that broadcast multiples of one gender openly competing for a prize, one of the other gender. Sex is a primary strategy in those competitions. Less regulated than its network competitors, cable TV is even more shameless in its programming. In addition, specials like the Victoria’s Secret fashion shows (Am I missing something? Victoria does not have any secrets!) get huge ratings. Most disturbing, however, are the new line-up of children’s cartoons that are very sexually explicit. The days of innocence are long gone.
The other tentacles of the media/entertainment octopus are as equally shameless. Do I even need to mention the unending flow of filth streaming out of Hollywood? Not to be out-done by its “visual cousin”, the secular music industry pumps out lyrics and music videos that can only be described as indecent. The Advertising industry, which fills television air time, magazine print space, and billboards across the land with sales messages, aggressively and brazenly sells sex, regardless of the product being marketed. The print media, with magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Esquire, and Sports Illustrated (with its swimsuit issue) taking the forefront, papers the nation with shamelessness while the pornography industry pushes the envelope of shame to greater and greater depths. Shamelessness is obviously exploding on the Internet and in video/computer games. Lastly, professional sports teams all have their cheerleaders, but just exactly what kind of fervor is being inspired?
Now consider the shamelessness of the Fashion industry, particularly female fashion.
All the rage in female fashion seems to be less and less fabric! Shirts/blouses are shamelessly low at the bust line and shamelessly high at the midriff. Shorts are shamelessly low at the waist and hips and shamelessly high at the thigh. Jeans/slacks are also shamelessly low at the waist and hips. These shirts and shorts/jeans, worn in combination, reveal a lot of skin. Additionally, many female fashions are shamelessly tight all over, revealing the female form for all to see.
These fashions are seen when we drop off our daughter at the local high school; young girls dressed shamelessly and uncaring about the staring by the boys. These fashions are seen outside the Ahwatukee AMC 24 movie theatre, where hundreds of children gather to hang out on Friday and Saturday nights, dressed and behaving shamelessly. Shameless fashions are seen at every “fitness center.” They are seen in every shopping mall and in every restaurant/bar on any night of the week.
The pre-occupation with sex in this society is inescapable. And the pressure to conform to society, especially for our children, is intense. The Media is not the problem. Fashion is not the problem. The heart of man is the problem.
There is nothing new under the sun, however (). God’s chosen people, Israel, worshipped the false god of sex, too. Baal and Ashteroth worship practices were lewd and pornographic. Shameless.
Through the prophet Jeremiah, sent by God to speak very directly to a shameless nation (, , ), we hear timeless words speaking to us today. In spite of the repeated warnings from God to repent, Israel refused to be ashamed; they were ashamed of nothing (, ). Jeremiah told Israel they had a “whore’s forehead”, meaning they did not even blush about their shame. The “whore’s forehead” of Israel was a reflection of their dull and foolish hearts (, , ) that turned away from the Lord their God. The result of their hard hearted shamelessness was heartbreaking () – captivity and destruction (, , , ).
The shamelessness of our society is a reflection of our hard, dull, and foolish hearts that have also turned away from the Lord our God. What has happened to our nation?
We have embraced the lie of evolution, rejecting God and His work of Creation as the truth of our origins. Contrary to the theory of evolution, man is not a highly evolved animal, he is the fallen image of God. Animals are two-dimensional creatures, possessing a body and a soul (emotions). Man is a three-dimensional creature, with body, soul, and spirit. A man who has not confessed that Jesus Christ is Lord and called upon Him is a man with a dead spirit () and is no different than an animal in relentless pursuit of the lusts of the flesh. This nation, while the Church remained silent and ineffective because it had lost its salt, light, and testimony, has taught several generations that we are highly evolved animals. So how can we be surprised that men, women, girls, and boys dress and behave like total dogs? (By the way, have you ever seen a dog blush?)
God did not wink at Israel’s shamelessness, why would He wink at ours? A radical change is needed and it can only be accomplished one heart at a time. Change, like judgment () starts with me and you, the Church. Let’s ask ourselves some tough questions.
For my visual brothers in Christ:
What TV shows do I watch?
Have I watched the TV shows my children watch?
If I would not allow my children to watch a particular TV show, should I watch it?
What movies do I see?
What movies do I let my kids see?
If I would not take my children to a particular movie, should I take my wife or go with some buddies?
What magazines are lying around the house and are they shameless or unashamed?
What web sites do I visit when I am alone?
What web sites do my children visit?
Am I shameless or unashamed about that which I put in my mind and allow to be put in my children’s mind?
Am I shameless or unashamed when I look at woman who is not my wife?
Are the thoughts I dwell on shameless or unashamed?
For my sisters in Christ:
How much of my skin and my form am I sharing with men who are not my husband?
By the clothes I wear, what am I saying to every man who sees me? Is the visual message to those men shameless or unashamed?
How much of her skin and her form is my daughter sharing with the boys and men that see her?
What do my daughter’s clothes say about my daughter to every boy at school? Is the visual message to those boys shameless or unashamed?
Would I wear to church on Sunday morning the clothes I wear to go out on Saturday night? If not, why not?
For all that is shameless, we need:
1. God’s grace ()
2. God’s gift of repentance (, , , )
3. God’s holiness and righteousness (, )
4. God’s “flinty” perseverance in surrender ()
5. washing by The Word of God (, , )
6. to walk by faith, hearing and believing and obeying the Word of God (, , , , )
The clarion call of the Lord our God, Creator, Sustainer, Savior, Provider, Healer, and Redeemer is, “Be holy because I AM holy. Repent. Do not be shameless. Walk with Me unashamed.”
Pastor Doug
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