Comments on: The New Fig Leaf http://cravesomethingmore.org/2010/02/22/the-new-fig-leaf/ There's so much more to life and faith than this. And we know it. Mon, 21 Nov 2011 02:04:44 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Chris_Tomlinson http://cravesomethingmore.org/2010/02/22/the-new-fig-leaf/comment-page-1/#comment-880 Chris_Tomlinson Fri, 26 Feb 2010 18:08:46 +0000 http://cravesomethingmore.org/?p=1523#comment-880 Very well said. Both you and Aristarchus have articulated the gospel (and it's foreshadowing) quite well and tested out the limits of the analogy =). Perhaps this was an example of my getting a little too loose w/ words; thanks for highlighting, with clarity, the power of the gospel in the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice for us! Very well said. Both you and Aristarchus have articulated the gospel (and it's foreshadowing) quite well and tested out the limits of the analogy =). Perhaps this was an example of my getting a little too loose w/ words; thanks for highlighting, with clarity, the power of the gospel in the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice for us!

]]> By: Elizabeth Colclough http://cravesomethingmore.org/2010/02/22/the-new-fig-leaf/comment-page-1/#comment-879 Elizabeth Colclough Fri, 26 Feb 2010 04:53:13 +0000 http://cravesomethingmore.org/?p=1523#comment-879 Great article, Christ. Going back to the fig leaf discussion, if I may...I think it's important to note that the fig leaves were insufficient not because they didn't cover Adam and Eve completely (though that may be true), but because for their sins to truly be covered, it required blood--the death of an innocent. This immediately foreshadows the coming of Christ. God KILLED an innocent animal and literally covered their shame/guilt with its blood. Without the shedding of blood, there would be no forgiveness for sins. Adam and Eve made the same mistake every follower of every other religion of the world besides Christianity continues to make--Adam and Eve thought they could DO something to "fix" their problem, to make them right and acceptable to God. The covering up with fig leaves was nothing more than works, plain and simple. It shows us, right in the beginning of the Bible, that nothing we can ever do on our own will ever be sufficient to fix our sin problem. That's why Jesus had to die. That's why God sent His beloved Son. It was the only way. I agree, Aristarchus, Christ's blood is our ONLY sufficient covering. Thanks and praise to God for providing for us, for creating us and loving us even while knowing what it would cost Him. What a great love our Father has for us. Great article, Christ. Going back to the fig leaf discussion, if I may…I think it's important to note that the fig leaves were insufficient not because they didn't cover Adam and Eve completely (though that may be true), but because for their sins to truly be covered, it required blood–the death of an innocent. This immediately foreshadows the coming of Christ. God KILLED an innocent animal and literally covered their shame/guilt with its blood. Without the shedding of blood, there would be no forgiveness for sins. Adam and Eve made the same mistake every follower of every other religion of the world besides Christianity continues to make–Adam and Eve thought they could DO something to "fix" their problem, to make them right and acceptable to God. The covering up with fig leaves was nothing more than works, plain and simple. It shows us, right in the beginning of the Bible, that nothing we can ever do on our own will ever be sufficient to fix our sin problem. That's why Jesus had to die. That's why God sent His beloved Son. It was the only way. I agree, Aristarchus, Christ's blood is our ONLY sufficient covering. Thanks and praise to God for providing for us, for creating us and loving us even while knowing what it would cost Him. What a great love our Father has for us.

]]> By: Laura_Droege http://cravesomethingmore.org/2010/02/22/the-new-fig-leaf/comment-page-1/#comment-875 Laura_Droege Thu, 25 Feb 2010 21:43:50 +0000 http://cravesomethingmore.org/?p=1523#comment-875 Great thoughts, Chris. I couldn't help but wonder how our relationships with other people would change if we all turned to Jesus for our identity and our righteousness. If we stop hiding behind the Mr./Ms. Good Christian facade, then we would be open about our failures/weaknesses/need for Jesus, and that spirit of honesty would show the unchurched that Christians aren't all hypocrites. People are attracted to the genuine and truthful, particularly in this day and age of cyncism and false advertising, and might become attracted to Jesus because of our honesty about our need for him. My recent post <a href="http:\/\/lauradroege.wordpress.com\/2010\/02\/22\/book-review-beautiful-things-happen-when-a-woman-trusts-god-by-sheila-walsh\/" target="_blank">Book Review: Beautiful Things Happen When a Woman Trusts God, by Sheila Walsh</a> Great thoughts, Chris. I couldn't help but wonder how our relationships with other people would change if we all turned to Jesus for our identity and our righteousness. If we stop hiding behind the Mr./Ms. Good Christian facade, then we would be open about our failures/weaknesses/need for Jesus, and that spirit of honesty would show the unchurched that Christians aren't all hypocrites. People are attracted to the genuine and truthful, particularly in this day and age of cyncism and false advertising, and might become attracted to Jesus because of our honesty about our need for him.
My recent post Book Review: Beautiful Things Happen When a Woman Trusts God, by Sheila Walsh

]]> By: Chris_Tomlinson http://cravesomethingmore.org/2010/02/22/the-new-fig-leaf/comment-page-1/#comment-664 Chris_Tomlinson Tue, 23 Feb 2010 01:34:41 +0000 http://cravesomethingmore.org/?p=1523#comment-664 Ari, you're right. The analogy only holds for so long; Christ's covering is infinitely greater, and to call it a fig leaf, even the New Fig Leaf, doesn't quite capture it. But it was still an interesting title =) Interesting thoughts on the differences between Western and Eastern cultures in how they related to shame. Thanks for sharing. Ari, you're right. The analogy only holds for so long; Christ's covering is infinitely greater, and to call it a fig leaf, even the New Fig Leaf, doesn't quite capture it. But it was still an interesting title =)

Interesting thoughts on the differences between Western and Eastern cultures in how they related to shame. Thanks for sharing.

]]> By: Aristarchus http://cravesomethingmore.org/2010/02/22/the-new-fig-leaf/comment-page-1/#comment-663 Aristarchus Tue, 23 Feb 2010 01:26:51 +0000 http://cravesomethingmore.org/?p=1523#comment-663 I have heard that people in eastern cultures experience more shame than guilt and people in western cultures feel more guilt than shame. I can't remember where I heard that. Maybe Ravi Zach. It may be related to observers saying that westerners are more individualistic and easterners more community oriented. Because we are more individualistic we make more mistakes and are responsible to ourselves causing us to experience guilt while easterners fall short of their community's expectations causing them to experience shame. Now that I think about it, I believe this came up during a discussion of how the gospel connects to different believers around the world. Good thoughts here. One more thing - fig leaves don't cover. Just look at 'em. It's kinda silly to think they would. The fig covering failed so bad God killed an animal to clothe them. Later on it's Jesus' blood that clothes us. Maybe instead of the gospel being the new fig leaves (failed covering), it is what it is, and that is Christ's blood (sufficient covering). I have heard that people in eastern cultures experience more shame than guilt and people in western cultures feel more guilt than shame. I can't remember where I heard that. Maybe Ravi Zach. It may be related to observers saying that westerners are more individualistic and easterners more community oriented. Because we are more individualistic we make more mistakes and are responsible to ourselves causing us to experience guilt while easterners fall short of their community's expectations causing them to experience shame.
Now that I think about it, I believe this came up during a discussion of how the gospel connects to different believers around the world.
Good thoughts here. One more thing – fig leaves don't cover. Just look at 'em. It's kinda silly to think they would. The fig covering failed so bad God killed an animal to clothe them. Later on it's Jesus' blood that clothes us. Maybe instead of the gospel being the new fig leaves (failed covering), it is what it is, and that is Christ's blood (sufficient covering).

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