Question
Gramps,
Can you explain Genesis 3:7 when the eyes of Adam and Eve were opened and “they knew that they were naked” (is naked different than nude? Were they really without clothing before the Fall?). And Mormon 9:5, where it says, “when ye shall be brought to see your nakedness before God.” I believe this has to do with garments of righteousness, or that it’s symbolic of covenants, or it’s about glory (and without glory one is “naked”), but would you please explain it better for me? Thank you!
Debbie
Answer
Debbie,
When we read the account of Adam and Eve in Genesis, one verse that can seem a little puzzling is Genesis 3:7. After Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, we are told, “the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.”
This naturally raises a couple of questions. Were Adam and Eve actually without clothing before the Fall? And if they were, why did their nakedness suddenly become such an important issue? There is also an interesting connection to Mormon 9:5, where Moroni speaks about being “brought to see your nakedness before God.” Is Moroni talking about physical nakedness, or is there a deeper spiritual meaning?
According to the scriptures, it does appear that Adam and Eve were physically unclothed before the Fall. Genesis 2:25 says, “And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.”
The Book of Moses gives the same description. Moses 3:25 says Adam and Eve “were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.” Then, after they partook of the fruit, Moses 4:13 says, “the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they had been naked.”
So it seems that their physical condition had not necessarily changed. What changed was their understanding of themselves and their relationship with God.
This is an important distinction. Being physically naked was apparently not sinful in itself. Before the Fall, Adam and Eve were naked, but they were not ashamed. After they transgressed God’s commandment, however, they suddenly became conscious of their nakedness. Genesis 3:7 says that they immediately made themselves coverings from fig leaves.
Then Adam told the Lord, “I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself” (Genesis 3:10).
Notice what happened. Adam became afraid and hid from God because he was naked. The issue was no longer simply that he was without clothing. His nakedness had become associated with guilt, shame, vulnerability, and being exposed before God. This is where the symbolism becomes particularly important.
Throughout scripture, clothing can be used as a symbol of righteousness, purity, and being spiritually prepared to stand in God’s presence. Nakedness can represent the opposite condition—being exposed in our sins and having nothing with which to cover ourselves.
The Church’s own scripture-study resources specifically connect nakedness with guilt, shame, and uncleanness.
That helps us understand why Adam and Eve first tried to make their own covering. Genesis 3:7 says that they “sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.” They recognized that something was wrong and immediately tried to cover themselves.
But their own covering wasn’t enough. Genesis 3:21 says that the Lord made “coats of skins, and clothed them.”
There is a beautiful gospel symbolism here. Adam and Eve attempted to cover themselves, but God provided the covering they actually needed. This can point us toward Jesus Christ and His Atonement. We can try to hide our sins, justify ourselves, or make ourselves spiritually acceptable, but ultimately it is Christ who provides the covering that makes us clean.
Sister J. Anette Dennis taught about this connection in the April 2024 General Conference. Referring to the coats of skins given to Adam and Eve, she explained:
“When Adam and Eve partook of the fruit and had to leave the Garden of Eden, they were given coats of skins as a covering for them.”
She connected this imagery to the Savior’s sacrifice and explained that the Atonement of Jesus Christ provides a spiritual covering for us.
This gives us an important connection to the idea of garments of righteousness. The physical temple garment should not simply be equated with the “robe of righteousness” mentioned in scripture, but there is definitely related symbolism. The Church teaches that the garment of the holy priesthood is a reminder of sacred covenants and our commitment to follow Jesus Christ.
The deeper symbolism points to Jesus Christ. The garment can remind a covenant-keeping member of Christ, His Atonement, and the covenants made with Him, but it is the Savior—not the clothing itself—who makes us spiritually clean.
Now we can come to Mormon 9:5, which is probably the most important part of the question. Moroni says:
“For behold, when ye shall be brought to see your nakedness before God, and also the glory of God, and the holiness of Jesus Christ, it will kindle a flame of unquenchable fire upon you.”
At first, someone might read that literally and wonder if Moroni is talking about appearing physically naked before God. However, the surrounding verses make it clear that he is talking about something much deeper. In verse 3, Moroni speaks about having “a consciousness of your guilt.” Verse 4 talks about our “filthiness” before God. Then verse 5 describes seeing our “nakedness” in contrast with “the glory of God” and “the holiness of Jesus Christ.”
And then comes the answer in verse 6:
“O then ye unbelieving, turn ye unto the Lord; cry mightily unto the Father in the name of Jesus, that perhaps ye may be found spotless, pure, fair, and white, having been cleansed by the blood of the Lamb.”
That makes the meaning much clearer. Moroni is describing what happens when we stand before God and see ourselves exactly as we really are. We can no longer hide our sins, weaknesses, or imperfections. We see our spiritual “nakedness” in contrast to God’s glory and Christ’s holiness.
The Book of Mormon gives us an even stronger connection in 2 Nephi 9:14. Jacob says:
“Wherefore, we shall have a perfect knowledge of all our guilt, and our uncleanness, and our nakedness; and the righteous shall have a perfect knowledge of their enjoyment, and their righteousness, being clothed with purity, yea, even with the robe of righteousness.”
That is a remarkable contrast. One person stands before God conscious of his or her guilt, uncleanness, and nakedness. Another is described as being clothed in purity and a “robe of righteousness.” This is why the idea of “garments of righteousness” is worth considering. Scripture repeatedly uses clothing as a symbol of what Christ does for us spiritually. Isaiah 61:10 says:
“He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness.”
The important point, however, is that we shouldn’t assume that the physical temple garment itself is literally the “robe of righteousness” described in these passages. The deeper symbolism points to Jesus Christ. The temple garment can remind a covenant-keeping member of Christ, His Atonement, and the covenants made with Him, but it is the Savior—not the clothing itself—who makes us spiritually clean.
Sister Dennis expressed this connection in her April 2024 General Conference message, explaining how the garment can remind us of the Savior and the blessings of His Atonement.
So what about the idea of glory? That is another important part of Mormon 9:5. Moroni doesn’t simply say that people will see their nakedness. He says they will see their nakedness and the glory of God and the holiness of Jesus Christ. That contrast is what makes the symbolism so powerful. God’s glory reveals things about ourselves that we might not fully see while living in mortality. We will have a perfect understanding of our spiritual condition.
This is similar to the imagery of light throughout scripture. When we are in darkness, imperfections and details can remain hidden. When we enter brilliant light, everything becomes visible. That is essentially what Moroni is describing. Standing before God means there is nowhere left to hide. Our “nakedness” represents the complete exposure of our spiritual condition.
And this is where the message becomes hopeful rather than frightening. The scriptures don’t teach us to spend our lives trying to hide from God. They teach us to turn toward Him.
Adam and Eve first tried to cover themselves with fig leaves, and then they hid from the Lord. But God provided a covering for them. In the gospel, that becomes a powerful symbol of Jesus Christ and His Atonement.
We cannot ultimately cover our own sins. Our own “fig leaves” are not enough. Christ is the one who provides the covering we need.
So, were Adam and Eve physically naked before the Fall? The scriptures strongly suggest that they were. Genesis and Moses both specifically say that they were naked and were not ashamed. The important change came after the Fall. Their nakedness became connected with guilt, shame, and their awareness of being exposed before God.
And when Mormon 9:5 talks about being “brought to see your nakedness before God,” it is best understood in that larger scriptural context. Moroni is not primarily warning about physical nudity. He is talking about being spiritually exposed before God—seeing our sins, weaknesses, guilt, and uncleanness with complete clarity.
The opposite condition is beautifully described in 2 Nephi 9:14. The righteous are “clothed with purity” and with “the robe of righteousness.” That gives Genesis 3 and Mormon 9 a remarkably consistent message: we cannot adequately cover ourselves, but through Jesus Christ, God provides the covering we need.
And perhaps that is one of the most beautiful symbols in the story of the Fall. Adam and Eve tried to cover themselves, but God provided a covering for them. In the same way, we come to Christ, repent, make and keep covenants, and rely upon His Atonement. He is the one who ultimately covers us with His righteousness.
In that sense, “nakedness” in Mormon 9:5 isn’t really about what we are wearing. It is about what happens when everything we have tried to hide is finally visible. And the answer to that reality isn’t to hide from God. It is to turn toward Jesus Christ, whose Atonement makes it possible for us to be “spotless, pure, fair, and white.”
The physical nakedness of Adam and Eve became a powerful scriptural symbol of spiritual nakedness. And the clothing God provided became a powerful symbol of the covering that ultimately comes through Jesus Christ.
Gramps
