It is God’s intention for human beings to live a life where there is no shame weighing us down. But shame permeates our society and life.

What does the feeling of shame typically do to you?
How would you define shame?

Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame. —Genesis 2:25 (NIV)

The first feeling mentioned in scripture is the feeling of “no shame.”

What does it mean to feel “no shame”?

Adam and Eve, in Genesis 2 are innocent and so they feel no shame… in fact, they aren’t even aware that they are naked. That realization doesn’t come until after they sin.

Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. —Genesis 3:7 (NIV)

What is going on in this verse?

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” 10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” 11 And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? —Genesis 3:8–11 (NIV)

What do you notice in these verses?

God knew they were experiencing shame because they had listened to a different voice than His. And once sin enters the picture, things change.

How do we try to hide our sin from God?

Check out God’s response to their shame.

The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. —Genesis 3:21 (NIV)

What is going on in this verse?… What are the implications?

They had to leave the Garden because of their sin… but God shows them grace by making the very first sacrifice recorded in the Bible. But this sacrifice sets the stage for a later sacrifice to cover all shame.

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. —Galatians 3:26–27 (NIV)

How does Christ cover our shame?