Why does being spiritually naked before God mean we had no help in ourselves?
Spiritually naked means a person stands before God with nothing to cover or rescue himself, just as a naked person in trouble cannot go find clothes and can only hope for the best. The point is that we did nothing, so all help must come from God’s mercy, not self.
Les explains that he uses the phrase “stark naked” for shock: spiritually we had to stand before God stark naked, with no hope of getting help anywhere. A naked person caught in a predicament will not go out and look for a set of clothes; he can only hope for the best. That, Les says, is exactly where we were spiritually—naked before God. This fits the larger appeal to present our bodies a living sacrifice because, in light of everything God has done on our behalf, we did nothing. It is our duty, not a command, to respond to God’s mercies.