In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1). God then said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them (Genesis 1:26-27). When God completed the creation He "saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day" (Genesis 1:31).
Man alone is created in the image of God, but if this were not enough, He planted the delightful Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:8), but made special note of two trees: the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Genesis 2:17; 3:4; etc.). As you probably remember, Satan enticed Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit, she than gave it to her husband Adam, and he went along and ate (Genesis 3:6). After eating of the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, they suddenly realized they were NAKED (Genesis 3:7). What could possibly be evil or wrong about being naked? Could it possibly be that God's view of man's nakedness is different from ours today?
The next incident connected with nakedness is found in Genesis 9:21-27 and is connected with the Curse of Canaan. Ham, the father of Canaan, sees his father uncovered in his tent and informs his brothers, Shem and Japheth (verses 21-22). They take a garment, then back into where their father lies uncovered and cover him, "and they saw not their father's nakedness" (verse 23). As a consequence of their refusing to see their father's nakedness, they are blessed by Noah (verses 26-27). Although the prohibition against "uncovering nakedness" in Leviticus chapters 18 and 20 have reference to sexual activity, God required the priests to use a ramp rather than steps on the altar, "that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon" (Exodus 20:26).
The undermining of Christian modesty, based on the Bible, began with the nudist colony in which nakedness was the norm. It continues in the Avant-guard efforts of Hollywood and Television to destroy any semblance of modesty in our culture. Paul admonished, "that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety" (1 Timothy 2:9). Peter stated, concerning appearance, "let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves" (1 Peter 3:3-5).
In conclusion, part of knowing good from evil, is realizing nakedness is wrong and modesty is proper on the part of those that would be pleasing to God. As the Hebrew writer expressed, "it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27).
Dale I. Royal, Elk City, OK