HUMAN SKIN
Dr. Geoffrey Simmons practices medicine in
There are numerous ideas in Dr. Simmons' book I would like
to discuss with you, but I shall concentrate on what he has written about human
skin. Have you meditated on the marvels of human skin? The skin is the largest
organ in the human body. It weighs between six and ten pounds and covers an
area of about twenty-two square feet in the average adult. One excerpt from Dr.
Simmons' book will introduce today's topic: "Human Skin": "We
arrive dressed in a birthday suit far superior to anything one can buy off the
shelf. It is waterproof, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, elastic,
flexible, selfrepairing, toxin-resistant, insulating, self-cleaning,
supportive, sexual, sensual, washable, self-replenishing, capable of absorbing
some chemicals and rejecting others, porous, selflubricating, scented, capable
of making vitamins, sensitive to painful stimuli, and able to detect changes in
temperature, vibration, and pressure" (p. 155).
Dr. Paul Brand, the world's leading leprosy specialist, and
Philip Yancey, a professional writer, cooperated in writing the book, Fearfully
and Wonderfully Made: A Surgeon Looks at the Human & Spiritual
Body (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1980). These two
authors have a fascinating section on human skin. Brand and Yancey challenge
us: "Think of the stimuli your skin monitors each day: wind, particles,
parasites, changes in pressure, temperature, humidity, light, radiation. Skin
is tough enough to withstand the rigorous pounding of jogging on asphalt, yet
sensitive enough to have bare toes tickled by a light breeze" (p. 124).
Brand and Yancey mention Dr. Ashley Montagu's book, Touching. They
point out that Dr. Montagu "found close physical contact with a mother
animal to be essential to the normal development of young animals" (p.
136). When human babies are not touched, they die (p. 138).
There is much more about human skin that reveals design.
And as William Paley pointed out in the 1800s, where there is design, there has
to be designer. But the argument from design is not my major concern in this
lesson today. I am making a plea for television to show less skin on various
programs. Dr. Brand says the skin of a normal adult weighs "a mere nine
pounds" (p. 118). Nine pounds translate into 144 ounces. If the skin of
our bodies weighs approximately 144 ounces, am I exaggerating to insist that
some of our young women on television are exposing about 134 ounces of skin?
Some of the young women who play volleyball may be exposing as much as 140
ounces of skin. That leaves at least four ounces of skin that is not exposed.
I have several questions for you to consider. Do young
women like Paris Hilton, Madonna and similar actresses know what effect their
nakedness has on the young men and on some who are not so young who see them on
television and in the movies? Are the actresses trying to create lustful
thoughts in the hearts of the viewers? Or are they so naive they do not
understand what they are doing? It is my considered judgment they are not
naive. They know exactly what they are doing. They simply do not care about the
adverse influence they have on their viewers. If they can get rich by baring
their skin, what do they care about the boys and men who may be seriously
damaged?
Is it possible that some men will be so stimulated by the
exposure of feminine bodies that they might go out and rape some vulnerable
woman or girl? 0, I am aware that rape is not usually a sexual act. It is an
act of power and violence. But we would be foolish to think that what one sees
on the screen-either at home or in the theater-has no effect on the behavior of
men, especially on those men who are already troubled about sexual matters.
Thousands of our young men are confused about the relation of the sexes. If
they see almost naked women on television, might they be convinced that women
are just waiting for some man to demand sexual favors?
The apostle Paul warned the Corinthians about the
possibility of Satan's taking advantage of Christians: "We are not
ignorant of his devices" (2 Cor. 2:11). The same apostle commanded the
Ephesians: "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power
of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that we may be able to stand
against the wiles of the devil" (Eph. 6: 10-11). The Greek word translated
"wiles" (methodeias) means methods. Paul was informing
the Ephesians that they knew or should have known how the devil operates. So
how does he operate?
The apostle John lists three ways the devil leads men and
women astray. Please listen to these familiar verses. "Love not the world,
neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love
of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the
flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but
is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust thereof: but he who
does the will of God abides forever" (1 John 2: 15-17). I shall examine
only "the lust of the flesh." The expression means lust that is felt
by the flesh. For example, King David lusted in his flesh for Bathsheba, the
wife of Uriah the Hittite. His lust for her led to adultery and ultimately to
murder.
Do you remember what Flip Wilson loved to say: "The
devil made me do it?" Flip always got a laugh, but the gospel truth is:
The devil does not make anyone do anything. Again I ask: how does the devil
operate? James outlines the steps the devil uses to deceive and to lead astray.
"Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be
tempted with evil, neither does he tempt any man. But every man is tempted,
when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust has
conceived, it brings forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, brings forth
death" (Jas. 1: 1315). Let us review briefly the steps that lead to sin
and death.
As every perceptive human being knows, the sexual appetite
in men, especially in young men, is very powerful. I am in no way criticizing
the way God made us. Were it not for the strength of the sexual appetite, the
human race would surely come to a screeching halt. But good common sense
demands that we control all of our appetites and desires. That is the reason
the Bible constantly emphasizes self-control. We must not allow ourselves to be
placed in situations where the temptation to sin is overwhelming. Paul
commanded the Corinthians: "Flee fornication" (1 Cor. 6: 18). The
verb "flee" is in the active voice and in the imperative mood. Paul
commanded: “Keep on fleeing sexual immorality."
James encourages Christians not to blame God for the
temptations they face. God does not tempt us and no man can tempt God. Satan
places temptations before us to turn us away from God. We are tempted when we
are drawn away by our own lusts and enticed. When an almost unclothed woman
appears-either in person or on the screen-we cannot avoid seeing her. I heard
one preacher say: It is not the first look that is sinful, but the second. When
we dwell on that person and lust after her, then sin enters the picture. The
devil entices men by using immoral women to tempt them and using immoral men to
tempt women. The wise man Solomon provides insight into the way harlots or
prostitutes lead men to destruction. "For at the window of my house I
looked through my casement. And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among
the youths, a young man void of understanding, passing through the street near
her comer (that is, near the comer where the prostitute lived); and he went the
way to her house. In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:
and behold, there met him a woman with the attire of a harlot, and subtle of
heart. (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: now is she
without, now in the streets, and lies in wait at every comer.) So she caught him,
and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him, I have peace offerings
with me; this day have I paid my vows. Therefore came I forth to meet you,
diligently to seek your face, and I have found you. I have decked my bed with
coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of
Lest someone accuse me of blaming women and girls for the
proliferation of sexual immorality in our generation, I must say very plainly:
both men and women are responsible before God and before right-thinking people
for the ungodly sexual conduct that exists in
Am I saying that the young women who expose their bodies on
television, on the movie screens, on the beaches and elsewhere are prostitutes?
No, I am not saying that. Did you notice one of the observations in the reading
from Proverbs? The King James Version says the woman had "the attire of a
harlot." The English Standard Version says she was "dressed as a
prostitute." Do not the young women who expose most of their skin know
that godly people perceive them as being immoral? I seriously doubt that it
makes any difference to them, but that is a fact. They are pawns in the warfare
between Satan and God. Satan uses them to create lust in the hearts of men and
boys. To deny that fact is to be ignorant of the scriptures and of human
nature.
Satan places temptations before us. When we yield to those
temptations, "it brings forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, brings
forth death." Sin is very serious business. It may not seem that serious,
but God almighty takes it very seriously. Paul informed the Romans: "For
the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness" (Rom.
1: 18). The same apostle told the same church: "For the wages of sin is
death" (Rom. 6:23).
When we contribute to other people's sins, will God hold us
accountable? In other words, when we cause another to stumble, will God judge
us for such behavior? The New Testament uses the Greek verb skandalizo and
the noun scandalon. The words involve offending someone. The noun
means causing someone to stumble or providing an occasion to fall. If we offend
a believer, it would be better to have a millstone hung around our neck and be
drowned in the depth of the sea (Mt. 18:6). Paul pled with the Roman
Christians: "Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge
this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his
brother's way" (Rom. 14: 13). Dear friend, if you cause a brother or
sister to stumble, would that bother you? Does it matter to you how your
friends and neighbors think of your behavior?
Do you have any idea what the word "modesty"
means? The King James Version of the Bible uses the word "modest"
only one time. Paul encouraged his young friend Timothy to preach: "I will
therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands without wrath and
doubting. In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel,
with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or
costly array; but (which becomes women professing godliness) with good
works" (1 Tim. 2:8-10). What is the meaning of modesty?
Robert R. Taylor, Jr.'s booklet, Studies in First and
Second Timothy (
Paul makes it plain that women are not to dress in such a
way as to attract everyone's attention in the worship service. When a woman
wears enough jewelry to start a jewelry store, she will likely interfere with
others' devoting their attention to the worship of God almighty. When a woman
shows too much skin, it is not easy for men either young or old-to keep their
minds on worshipping God. It is embarrassing to see young women wear too little
clothing or too tight fitting clothing.
Like many of you in my audience, I grew up in a home where
neither girls nor guys were permitted to wear immodest clothing. My parents
would not allow my sisters to show too much skin-either at worship or at
school. My sweet Molly would not wear clothing that was suggestive. When she
bought new dresses or slacks, she always asked me if her clothes were too
suggestive. Molly always looked great. She never wore dresses or slacks that
were immodest. She also taught the young women in her Sunday school classes to
dress modestly. I believe all of those women would tell you today how Molly
influenced them to dress as Christians.
I must ask the fathers and mothers in my audience: Are you
concerned about the way your daughters and your sons dress? Tragically, some
fathers and mothers seem not to care about the way their children dress. Do
they not realize the thoughts that arise in the hearts of some people when they
witness too much skin? Is there a mother on earth who does not know what turns
men on sexually? Do they want their girls to dress in such a way as to create
lust in the hearts of men? Fathers must be concerned about the way their sons
and daughters dress when they go to school or to town and elsewhere. Could the
unconcern of fathers and mothers be responsible for the enormous increase in
out-of wed babies?
I am fully aware that many preachers-especially
conservative preachers-are sometimes accused of being anti-sex. That may be
true with some preachers. But no serious Bible student can deny the importance
of human sexuality. When I was teaching marriage and family classes at
But I also stressed what the Bible says about sexual
immorality. Paul told the Thessalonians: "For you know what commandments
we gave you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, even your
sanctification, that you should abstain from fornication" (1 Thess.2:2-3).
Incidentally, the word "fornication" means all kinds of sexual
immorality-not just premarital sex. It may not be easy in our culture for
Christians and for others to remain sexually pure, but it is a command of God.
Wearing the proper clothing is no guarantee that we shall refrain from sexual
promiscuity, but it is a step in the right direction.
I close with these admonitions: Please encourage your girls
and boys to dress in such a way as not
to cause another to lust. May God bless you in all your endeavors!
Winford Claiborne
The International Gospel Hour
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