The Alternative

Jonathan Evans: Don't think that you can walk around in God's kingdom looking any old kind of way. God is not going to let His people walk around in spiritual clothes that don't match the ambiance of the faith and the destiny that He has for you.

Guest (Male): Jonathan Evans says God wants you to reflect the destiny He's prepared for you. This is The Alternative with Dr. Tony Evans: author, speaker, founding pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, Texas and president of the Urban Alternative.

It's easy to dress for the crowd, but what does it mean to be dressed for God? Today, Pastor Jonathan Evans shows us that the first wardrobe change in scripture wasn't about fashion, it was about righteousness. Let's listen as he challenges us to consider whether we're covering ourselves with what's acceptable to culture or what's acceptable to the Lord.

Jonathan Evans: God cares about what you're wearing. He took the time to make garments for Adam and his wife. People don't realize that God is the consummate designer and stylist. He cares about your spiritual drip. Don't think that you can walk around in God's kingdom looking any old kind of way.

Evidently, God was saying, "No, we're going to have to make something that's suitable for where we're going." He made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and it helps me realize that there is a particular type of garment that God deems acceptable.

In Matthew 22, it proves this at the wedding feast in verses 11, 12, and 13 where they were invited to the wedding feast, but there was one in there that the king realized was improperly dressed for the occasion. When the king realized that this person came in improperly dressed for the occasion, it says that he kicked him out to the outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

So it tells me that God pays close attention to what you have on. Now, what's interesting here is He did not clothe Adam and Eve because they were naked. In verse 7, they had already put on fig leaves. That means He clothed them because what they were wearing in and of themselves was unacceptable to Him.

My wife years ago told me, "Get dressed, I'm taking you somewhere." I said, "Okay." So I just went into the closet and did what I do. I just put on some joggers, a t-shirt, some Air Force 1s, and a ball cap.

When I came out of the closet that day, she said, "Is that what you're wearing?" Now, all men know that wasn't a question. The Bible says live with your wife in understanding, and I understood how to read between all those lines.

In my man-brain, I was going to say, "This is what I have on. What kind of question is that? I'm wearing it, aren't I?" But I knew not to say that. I went to the men's conference and learned.

God is not going to let His people walk around in spiritual clothes that don't match the ambiance of the faith and the destiny that He has for you. Many of us are walking around in resentment instead of forgiveness. We're walking around in division instead of unity. We're walking around in selfishness and not selflessness. We're walking around in take and not give.

We're walking around in garments that totally compete with the salvation that we have received and the holy lifestyle we're supposed to be living. And He's saying, "Is that what you're wearing?"

Adam and Eve went ahead after they sinned and found fig leaves in the garden. When they sinned, they realized that they had lost their covering and they went in and of themselves to the closet of the culture to get dressed. They didn't go to the God they offended; they went to the environment they offended God in in order to cover themselves from the one they offended.

In other words, in the garden and in the church, we have learned how to cover up while still being improperly dressed for the kingdom. And they used fig leaves. The reason why they used fig leaves is because fig leaves are big, strong, and valuable.

Fig leaves are big, they have nice size, and they felt like this is something that can cover me. They have good size so you can imagine them stringing those together. But not only are they big, they're also valuable. They're still used in marketplaces today where they would wrap up your produce in a fig leaf, tie it up, and give it to you.

In certain marketplaces around the world, they still use fig leaves that way. They will wrap up your fruit or they'll wrap up your cheese or they'll wrap up whatever you buy in a fig leaf. Not only to wrap it up, but also the fig leaf will season your food by the time you get home.

So they have value in the marketplace. They figured, "Let me go to the culture because I'm a sinner now and let me find something I feel like is big enough for the cover-up. Let me find something that is strong enough for the cover-up, and let me find something that is valuable enough for the cover-up."

This is why we naturally run to the biggest and what we feel like is the strongest and most valuable stuff to make us look like something we're not. We're striving after the worldly success and the money and the followers and the fame and the designer stuff.

Nothing is wrong with it in and of itself, but what they wanted to do is use those things to try to portray and project a righteousness that they no longer had. So they're covering up and using those things to do so. I need you to understand: they went to sin's environment and thought that meant they met God's requirements.

Some of us would rather look Christian than be Christian. Just because you dress well does not mean you're well dressed. We have gotten so used to filters we think that it's the reality just because we can make other people believe it is.

It's the cover-up of the church where we look so good to one another, we still think we look good to God. God is looking at us, talking about, "Is that what you're wearing? You think that's what's going to work?" We've gotten so good at making ourselves up, we're messing ourselves up.

In the garden, they got dressed up because the devil said, "Hey, if you eat this, you're going to be like God." Now let me jump over here with a parenthetical statement real quick. I'll come back to the sermon in a second. The devil will try to get you to sin to go claim stuff you already have.

"When you eat this, you're going to be like God." Genesis 1:26 says, "Let us make man in our image according to our likeness." They were already like God. He did the same thing to Jesus. "Bow down and worship me," in Matthew 4, "and I will give you the kingdoms of this world." Jesus is like, "That's my whole inheritance. What are you talking about? I'm already the King. You're trying to make me sin to go get something I already have."

That's why the enemy will confuse you to look at another woman like you haven't got one at home, and vice-versa. Look at the ladies. I'm talking about you too. He has us running around trying to claim stuff that's already in our spiritual pocket.

He told that to Adam and Eve, and they decided to eat the fruit. What they realized is that they were actually much different from each other than they had previously known. So what they did was they hid what was private that they had shame about.

What they did was take the culture and take what they were ashamed about and make it private and cover it up so at least they would no longer see what they were ashamed about. What they were trying to do is avoid transactional human judgment. So now you won't judge me and I won't judge you because I was able to hide what's private in my life that I'm ashamed of.

The church has become a master at this: to take the culture and we're able to smile with the best of them. Meanwhile, some of the people that dress up the best have the dirtiest closets. We're so good at fooling other people because the goal for us has been to dress up to avoid human judgment.

But you're dressing up for the wrong judgment. So we have become professional hiders. That's why we're not getting healed. This doesn't mean that you're supposed to go about and tell everybody your business. Let me make that clear.

But there are some of us that don't tell anyone our business, meaning we avoid a biblical principle of accountability because we don't want to be accountable, we just want to avoid judgment. So we are professionals at looking good while being messed up.

Guest (Male): We'll have more on the importance of being real when we continue today's message in just a moment. First, though, we're in the middle of Pastor Jonathan Evans' compelling series called All Eyes on Jesus. Across these eight messages, Jonathan shows how keeping Christ at the center of our lives reshapes our identity, our decisions, and our daily walk.

When you understand who you are because of what Jesus has done, it changes how you show up in every area of life. That's why we're making the complete audio series available on CD, USB flash drive, or digital download as our thank-you gift when you support the Alternative ministry.

For a limited time, we'll also include Jonathan's book, Your Time is Now, which exposes the distractions that can keep us spiritually stalled and calls us to move forward with purpose. Together, these resources will help you live confidently in the identity Christ has secured for you. Get all the details at tonyevans.org or call our 24-hour resource request line at 1-800-800-3222. That's 1-800-800-3222 or online at tonyevans.org.

I'll have that information for you again after part two of today's message and this.

How would it feel to gain timeless truths of scripture through grounded conversation? The Unbound Podcast, hosted by Dr. Tony Evans, brings clarity to life's toughest questions.

Dr. Tony Evans: Can we just take a moment to talk about that wrong thinking related to suffering?

Guest (Male): Find light in your daily struggles with Dr. Evans and his guests. Listen to the Unbound Podcast with Tony Evans, available on all major podcast platforms. Right now, let's return to Pastor Jonathan Evans for more of today's lesson.

Jonathan Evans: This is a sermon on be real as a Christian. Many of us are dressing up for the wrong judgment, and time is running out. There is a judgment that's coming, and He's going to be looking at your outfit. He wants to know if you're properly dressed.

There is a covering, church, that exists in obedience, the protection of God. Adam and Eve experienced what it was to no longer be covered through the context of obedience. Before sin, they did not know what righteousness was. Their attempt was through the knowledge of their sin; now they knew what righteousness is.

Ducks desire water, and water exists. Man and woman desire food, and food exists. Men and women desire relationships, and relationships exist. A monkey desires a tree, and guess what? Trees exist. Humans desire righteousness and justice. That means it must exist, just not in this world. It's in the next one.

Until you get there, you are called to be the very desire you have from your homeland. You are not called to just live a cover-up. You are called to actually be covered up in the clothing that God has designed for you.

So what did God do when He saw Adam and Eve? Notice they were covered up and hiding from God. Genesis 3:8 says they heard the sound of the Lord walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees in the garden. So they were covered up for the world, which automatically means you're hiding from God.

God found them and He said, "Is that what you're wearing? That's not going to work." So what did He do? God made, which means tailored, garments of skins for Adam and his wife. Verse 20 says, "Now the man calls his wife's name Eve because she was the mother of all the living."

Wait a minute. Why does he have the hope enough? Because you know his job was to name things, and whatever he called them, that's what they were. Now he calls his wife, "I'm going to call you Eve." You know why? Because your name means to live.

Wait a minute, Adam, you're supposed to die. He said the day you eat from this—now what people do is they'll say he's talking about spiritual death, separation from God. No, we know that the wages of sin is death. That's physical too. You're supposed to die.

Adam said her name is now Eve. Let's track through the Bible, shall we? Abraham was walking his son Isaac up to sacrifice him. Isaac was supposed to die, but then there was a ram in the bush. The ram died; Isaac lived. In Exodus 12, you have the Israelites; they killed the lambs and they put the blood on the doorpost. Because the lamb died and the blood was on the doorpost, when the death angel came, it passed over them. So they didn't die; they lived.

Leviticus 1:3 says you have to get a male who is perfect from your livestock and you have to kill it in order to have a burnt offering, which is atonement so that the wrath of God will not be on the people. 2 Chronicles 29, King Hezekiah said we must kill the livestock in order to atone from sin so God's wrath will be off the people of Israel. That's just a few clues from the Old Testament.

In the New Testament, John 1:29, it says, "Behold the Lamb of God that comes to take away the sins of the world." 1 John 2:2 says Jesus Christ is the propitiation of our sins, satisfying the wrath of God so that we don't die, we live because He died for us. Ephesians 2:4 and 5 says we were dead in our transgressions and sins, but God made us alive with Him through Christ Jesus.

So maybe, based on the Bible as a whole and Jesus Christ as our sacrifice that atones for our sin—and the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through and in Christ Jesus—where do you think He got those skins from?

In the garden, between Genesis 3:1 and Genesis 3:21, was the first sacrifice. The Bible starts with perfection, sin, and atonement so Adam and Eve can live. God stripped the skins off the perfect lamb that was in the garden and made Adam and Eve walk in it to always remember that the only reason you live is because that lamb died.

This means that the Son is in the garden. And He said, "Now I want you to walk forevermore in the atoning work of the lamb on your behalf. Your life should be a visible representation of the salvation you received that has you living even though you are supposed to die."

That Lamb, Jesus Christ, is the propitiation of your sins that satisfied My requirement, Adam and Eve, so that you and your wife can go forward. Which is why Adam said, "Thank You, Lord. I'm going to call my wife 'to live' because a lamb has already died." I don't know if there's anybody in here who knows that on Friday, they put Him in the earth, but three days later, He rose from the grave with all power.

You mean to tell me He lived for me, He died for me, He rose for me, and I'm going to wear fig leaves? What does it look like for Adam and Eve to just stay in their fig leaves after they get to live because a lamb was slaughtered? "Nah, we're just going to stay culture."

You wonder why at the judgment He's not going to let you walk up there with anything? You don't think He loves His Son and is going to honor His Son? You're just going to walk up to the judgment seat of Christ wearing anything? Wearing any old kind of life?

What are the clothes? It tells you in scripture. Isaiah 61:10 says, "And He clothed us in garments of righteousness, in garments of salvation." Revelation 19:8 says, "And the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints." Your clothing is your life.

And so the Bible tells us over and over again. Romans 13:14 says, "Put on Christ." Galatians 3:27 says, "Clothe yourself in Christ." Ephesians 4:24 and Colossians 3:10 say, "Put on the new self." He's telling you you need to wear the garments of salvation.

Guest (Male): Pastor Jonathan Evans with a reminder that what we put on spiritually shapes how we live daily. And he'll return with a final word in just a moment. Don't go away.

This October, journey through Israel with Tony Evans.

Dr. Tony Evans: We're going to gather together with many of our friends to survey the sites of the Holy Land. We're going to go to the Jordan River, the Sea of Galilee, the Garden Tomb, the Garden of Gethsemane. We're going to open God's word together and watch its truth leap off of the pages of scripture as we walk where our Lord walked and see God give us new excitement about His greatness and about the truth of His word.

Guest (Male): It's an unforgettable experience that'll change the way you understand scripture. Space is limited, so visit tonyevans.org today to get all the details and register before it's too late. That's tonyevans.org.

Dr. Tony Evans: Ten wonderful days in the Holy Land. Looking forward to meeting you as we tour Israel together.

Guest (Male): The message we heard today is part of Pastor Jonathan Evans' powerful eight-lesson series, All Eyes on Jesus. If you'd like to revisit these truths or hear the full-length versions of the messages, we're making the entire collection available for you to own and listen to at any time.

As I mentioned earlier, when you make a donation to support the Alternative, we'll also send you Jonathan's powerful book, Your Time is Now, which encourages you to move beyond delay to embrace God's calling with confidence. Together, these resources will strengthen your faith and help you live with greater spiritual expectancy. Visit tonyevans.org to request your copy or call 1-800-800-3222 and speak with one of our helpful team members. That's 1-800-800-3222 or online at tonyevans.org.

We've all had moments when what we thought would be enough wasn't. Tomorrow, Pastor Jonathan Evans will revisit a well-known biblical story to uncover a truth that can reshape how we see our lack, our limits, and our need. Right now, though, he's back with these final words for today.

Jonathan Evans: How can we receive the grace of God with the lamb slaughtered and continue to walk around in the fig leaves of the culture? If we as Christians want to—strong statement, but kind of real—spit in the face of God, we'll accept salvation and not put on Christ. We kind of get one shot at this life. God has done the work. He has saved us. He has allowed His Son to be slaughtered. Certainly we can wear the right clothes: the life of righteousness that He has called us to.