Nakedness As An Incident Of Persecution, Christian Suffering Or Everyday Life

By Ian B. Johnson

Persecution Or Christian Suffering?

Romans 8.35-37, KJV:

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.

1 Corinthians 4.9-12, KJV:

For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised. Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace; and labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it.

2 Corinthians 11.23-27, NIV:

Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.

While nakedness in these passages is presented as a consequence of persecution or poverty, not as a desirable thing, it is not reproved as a sin. These passages certainly do not support any inflexible "Christian" dress code.

Everyday Life — Jesus And His Disciples

John 13.3-5, 12, KJV:

Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, and laid aside His garments; and took a towel and girded Himself. After that He poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith He was girded.... So after He had washed their feet, and had taken His garments, and was set down again, He said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?

John 21.7, KJV:

Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.

Mark 14.51-52, KJV:

And there followed Him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him: and he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.

In none of these instances was anyone involved reproved for nakedness. It was simply an accepted fact of life under the existing circumstances.

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Copyright © 2000 By Ian B. Johnson Christian-oneness.org
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