I Once Could See But Now I’m Blind

A guest post from Figleaf:

Almost everyone loves the old hymn – Amazing Grace.  The melody and words easily flow from the memory banks of our mind and out of our mouth with deep warm affection. “I once was lost, but now I’m found; was blind but now I see.”  We understand that verse to mean we were at one time spiritually blind to the truth of the gospel – blinded by the god of this age (2 Corinthians 4:4). But in the last couple of years I’ve discovered the reverse can also be true in a very positive way.  What I once could see – now I am blind to it!

Satan (the god of this age) and his demons are very adept at blinding humanity to spiritual truths.  But his first attack was not to blind, but to have eyes opened!  He even bragged to Eve how their opened eyes will make them like God (Genesis 3:4-7).  As usual he spoke in half truths – their eyes certainly were opened, but they were not anymore like God than he was.

Adam and Eve’s newly opened eyes revealed to them a new perception of body shame, fear, confusion, and disrupted relationship with each other and Father God.  I imagine how in horror they quickly wished they were blind to all of these things once again.  Perhaps they would have been better off putting the fig leaves over their eyes instead of their bodies!

And now Adam and Eve’s perceptions of this new reality have been successfully passed down to humanity for centuries and generations.  Much of this perception has been focused on one thing Satan hates the most – the naked human body as the image of God.  He has successfully influenced culture, society, and the church to reinforce this perception. On one hand he stirs up lust for the human body, and on the other hand he brings shame upon it.

Fortunately the darkness of blinded deception is occasionally pierced by the glorious light of truth.  For me, this glorious light of truth came packaged in the surprising wrapping of Christian Naturism.  All of the previously viewed books, videos, and blogs under the banner of Naturism have brought a light of truth that has been so bright it has blinded me to the lust and shame of my naked human body and the bodies of others around me.

Yes, I once could see and now I”m blind – and so thankful for what I no longer see when I look at a naked human body.  It’s kind of like being back in Eden.  With truth I’ve thrown the old serpent out of my garden, and now I enjoy my nudity without shame or lust – just as Father God intended.

Phil’s commentary: Thanks to Figleaf for this beautiful and insightful reflection. I’m so glad to resonate so strongly with your conclusions. I thought I would tack on this YouTube video that David Hatton was kind enough to send to me just today. I thought what Sister Wendy (the art nun) said so eloquently went well with Figleaf’s great word. She says at the end of this short video, “There’s nothing, nothing amiss in any part of the human body… There’s to me something far more salacious about these sort of snickers and criticisms than in just a Christian delight in God’s skill.”

24 thoughts on “I Once Could See But Now I’m Blind”

  1. Yerra
    Reply

    I like your statement, “On one hand he stirs up lust for the human body, and on the other hand he brings shame upon it.”…well said.

    I would put it this way…if one of the consequences of the fall of man into sin is shame about one’s own body, then one of the consequences of redemption must be to feel unashamed about one’s body… So nudity is one way of expressing that I am redeemed and not be overcome by lust nor shame!

    Liked by 3 people

  2. John Figleaf
    Reply

    Thanks for adding such a delightful video to this article. I’ve never heard of Sister Wendy before, but found that her pure innocence about the naked human body spoke volumes of revealed truth.

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  3. R. B. Mears
    Reply

    John Figleaf has written some great thoughts out for us. Satan hates any respectful display of the human body, while he celebrates any displays that denigrate or subjugate God’s greatest work. In truth I am “blinded” to the view that Satan introduced to Adam and Eve.
    Post Script: That video of Sister Wendy was an awesome addition to John’s thoughts.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Paul B
    Reply

    I was reading John 5 this morning. It has the story of the blind guy who Jesus heals by spitting in the dirt and making mud to put in his eyes. The religious leaders try to make him condemn Jesus, but his reply is always, I don’t know what you’re saying about him but I was blind but now I see. vs 35 – 41 describes his conversation with Jesus afterwards.

    Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.
    John 9:35‭-‬41 ESV
    https://bible.com/bible/59/jhn.9.35-41.ESV

    I thought it would add to this conversation.

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      • Phil O.

        True, however the principle does apply. Figleaf’s reversal here of wanting to be blind was just prose and thought-provoking. All good points!

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      • Paul B

        I love the posts here because they are thought provoking. As someone who is considering naturism as a follower of Christ, I’m finding in myself a tendency to want to justify what I’m thinking of doing. Then the risk is that if I embrace naturism, it’s not on the basis of faith. As far as my comments go, I sometimes put myself into the position of devil’s advocate. Us just agreeing because we agree isn’t going to help us know why we believe what we believe.

        Liked by 1 person

      • Paul B

        In Australia we had a vote, a number of years ago, as to whether to change the legal definition of marriage. I felt the question was wrong. It should have read, What is marriage? Answer that and what to do with the legal definition is obvious. For me, there’s a similar issue with Naturism. But the question is, what does it mean to be created in the Image of God? The answer to that is far reaching and way more complex than just ‘the man and woman were naked, but felt no shame.’

        There’s also the possibility that I’m trying to justify, not making the decision.

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      • Yerra

        I have been following chain of comments …
        First, someone said, when we are bent on doing what we want, we tend to move away from reason to rationalising. So I think caution and introspection is in place… why we want to do what we want to do.
        Second, Jesus words from John 5 have to do with the claim of the pharisees that they can see when they couldn’t… They were actually making a false claim.
        Third, about naturism or going nude as Sister Wendy said so eloquently, the context where you do it is important, especially as we still live in a fallen world with fallen people all around and who do not have the understanding … even those who claim to be redeemed are still on the process… hence her comment too about the man who was walking nude on the roadside… that she felt concern and compassion for him… I would think Apostle Paul’s words in Romans 13 and 14 are in place here…. he is writing about the freedom some displayed in the eating habits and concludes with “19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. 21 It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak. 22 Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves (Romans 14, ESV). And again in 1 Cor 10: 23 “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. 24 Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being.(ESV)

        Liked by 1 person

      • Yerra

        All I am saying is… depends on the reason – as to why, and the context – place and people, with whom you want to practise naturism… Every one doesnt have the same conviction as you or every one is not as strong in exercising faith and freedom as you… some might be offended or even horrified… As a Christian it will be gracious to take note of this….

        Liked by 1 person

      • Paul B

        Thank you Yerra. That makes sense. And I agree. Wherever the Bible speaks of nudity in a negative context it is always the context which makes it negative, not the nudity itself.

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  5. Gil Royal
    Reply

    Figleaf,
    I so appreciate this testimony, and how you have turned the words of this hymn. What a blessing it is when our renewed minds no longer see the naked body with lust! This is what AchingForEden is all about, and your message fits so well. Thank you Mr. Phil for posting it.

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  6. Gil Royal
    Reply

    PaulB,
    I appreciate the honesty of your comment:
    “As someone who is considering naturism as a follower of Christ, I’m finding in myself a tendency to want to justify what I’m thinking of doing. Then the risk is that if I embrace naturism, it’s not on the basis of faith.”
    I think this is part of the process all believers go through on their journey to naturism. Blessings!

    Liked by 1 person

      • Paul B

        I’ve noticed that the word translated “naked” in Genesis 3 is different from Genesis 1. Someone can correct me, but I believe the word used in Genesis 3 implies exposure. I think that was a big part of Adam and Eve wanting to hide their bodies.

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