Run

“And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed” (Gen. 2:25).

Of all the words.

The English language is rich.

But not ashamed. The author could have used a variety of words—they were naked and cared for, obedient, had power, beautiful, delighting in paradise. But it is not ashamed he chooses to call them.

But sin.

Hiding.

Shame.

They hid from God, from God himself.

Jesus, second Adam. True Adam.

No shame from sin.

Perfect open relationship with God. No hiding.

Culture tried to shame him—the shame of cross and rejection.
Religion tried to shame him—unclean, disciples not washing, eating with sinners.

“…Jesus, the founder and perfector of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame….” (Heb. 12:2).

He despised the shame. It slid right off, so covered by love of the Father.

He bore our shame in that he dealt with the root cause—sin. No longer separated from God. Clean in the Judge’s sight. Open relationship with him. No need to hide.

Really?

But….

But God is greater than our buts, excuses, feelings.

“And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming” (1 John 2:28).

In him, no shame.

We marvel at God’s words over Job:

“And the LORD said to satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” (Job 1:8).

Yet now the Lord says the same thing over us in Christ. Covered in his perfect work. We are holy even as we are being made holy (Heb. 10:14). God, outside of time, sees us as he will, having completed the good work begun in us (Phil. 1:6), renewed in the image of his dear Son (Col. 3:10), presented holy and blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy (great joy!) (Col. 1:22; Jude 1:24).

This seems pretentious. Presumptuous. But to boast in it, claim it, strive for it, celebrate it is to celebrate and glorify God. For Jesus’ blood speaks a better word. Jesus’ blood is cleansing. Sufficient. Praise him! Exalt him! He is sufficient! Allowing words of shame to creep in subtly undermines Jesus’ work in the past, the Spirit’s present work in us, and the Father’s calling and his own image he is renewing in us.

Yes, we are humble before him—but no shame.

To live in this truth. Hard.

But to live in this truth does not give excuse for sin (oh, I’m shame-free already! So it doesn’t matter). It does not give excuse for apathy (I’m shame free already, so I’m content). No, the more we realize this, the more it soaks in, the more shame and sin has to go, naturally. Darkness and light cannot occupy the same space. Where light is, darkness flees. The more we live in this truth the more we are free, free to just run in holiness because the sin and shame no longer hinders us (Heb. 12:3). Shame hinders; knowing we are shame-free in Christ allows us to pick ourselves up and run again when we do stumble, quicker to return to him, quicker to run. We see him more, his perfect work more, and thus we purify ourselves as he is pure because we celebrate the great love he has lavished on us (1 John 3:1-3).  Psalm 119:32 paints this picture:

I will run the way of Your Law, for You will give me a willing heart. (NLV)

I will pursue your commands, for you expand my understanding. (NLT)

I will run in the way of Your commandments, when You set my heart free. (MEV)

I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart! (ESV)

Our heart is free when we know in Christ’s perfect work we are shame free. Our heart is enlarged, our understanding is expanded to the greatness of the sufficiency, completeness, purity, oh-words-can’t-describe-it sacrifice of Christ.

Run!

God speaks the same words over us as he did over Job: 

“But as it is, they [patriarchs, cloud of witnesses, our faith-fathers-and-mothers] desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city” (Hebrews 11:16).

“For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified [us] all have one source. That is why he [Jesus] is not ashamed to call them brothers…” (Hebrews 2:11).

Jesus at the right hand of the Father, interceding for us. Can you hear him, "Look, Father! She is covered in my blood. She is renewed in my image. You love me; you are proud of me; you are proud of her! Look, she is beautiful as my bride, in my work, in my cleansing, in my purity." Perhaps Jesus turns to the angel Gabriel, "Look! Take special care of her. She is mine. I love her! I will boast about the beauty I have given her." God is not ashamed to be called your God. He has called you, claimed you. He might say to the angels, "Look, have you seen her? She is one who bears my Son's perfection, pure and blameless." 

Doesn't that inspire you to run in the confidence of Christ? No shame. So instead of hiding, we run to the one who is light. And as we run to him instead of hiding, we become more like him. Glorify God. Our great Jesus who is so completely perfect and sufficient. Run to him. No hiding. No shame. 

“For it stands in Scripture: ‘Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame’” (1 Peter 2:6).