Genesis 3:11 English Standard Version (ESV) He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?”

Up until the time that Adam disobeyed God they walked and talked together every morning. It did not bother God that Adam was naked. Nor was it a problem for Adam.

Once sin entered guilt creeped into every part of Adam’s being making him fearful of being exposed. In one literal sense sin told Adam he was naked. Shame left Adam feeling exposed. Adam only felt that shame because God said don’t.

Moses brought the Ten Commandments down from Mount Sinai. What did men do before these laws were given?

Numbers 15:39c English Standard Version (ESV) followafter your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined…

Here is a hint of life before the law. Another hint is found in Judges.

Judges 21:22a English Standard Version (ESV) And when their fathers or their brothers come to complain

People complained about how they were treated and disputes were settled in whatever manner seemed satisfying.

Raising children without setting boundaries begs for disputes to arise from complaints.

Sin hates boundaries and loves complaints. If we do not deal with sin, it will continue to eat away at the fabric of our souls. We will be left naked and afraid, just like Adam.

Do we believe that sin goes away just because we found Christ?

1 John 1:8 English Standard Version (ESV) If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Maturity does not remove us from sin but it does give us better tools to deal with sin.

Unlike Adam in Genesis 3 we have the indwelling Holy Spirit to warn us when sin is at the door.

1 Peter 3:21 English Standard Version (ESV) Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

I have been baptized twice. As a teen I had no idea what I was doing. As an adult I knew what it meant to me. Now so many years later I find this as an additional thought. It does no change my motives or understanding. It is an additional thought.

Sometimes when we discover a truth there is a tendency to replace what we knew with a new discovery. This is not correction. My thoughts as an adult going through baptism are still valid. This expands reasoning, not replacing it.

Since I did not receive my baptism as an appeal to God for a good conscience, does that mean God did not respond? Lack of understanding on my part does not hinder God from performing His gracious good acts.

I am not even shocked by this new thought. I have read it before and it did not have the same impact on me then as it does now. It is likely that God was doing something more needful for my spiritual growth back then. Now that I am more mature, there is nothing hindering me from this discovery.

This is not a super spiritual moment. Not everything is awe inspiring. It does remind me that I do not know everything and that there is more to be discovered in scripture, even if it isn’t life changing.

Putting frosting swirls on the top of a cake does not change the taste of the cake, it just makes it look pretty.

Maybe that is the point.