3 out of 4 stars
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WHO TOLD YOU THAT YOU ARE NAKED?
When I chose to review this book, I had brazed myself for a sermonized writing but was pleasantly surprised and glad about the fictionalized storytelling style adopted by the author. This makes the book more agreeable and readable by anyone who loves a good story and refreshing for those who are familiar with the actual biblical version.
There are three things that standout in the first chapter; the creation of man, the fellowship and the companionship. It is obvious that in God’s desire to create man in his image and likeness, there was an oversight in creating man without a mate unlike the animals. This, besides companionship, would aid them in procreation.
God had to address this deficit by performing the surgery on Adam to extract his rib, which He used in fashioning the woman. Whatever the anatomy of Adam was before this induced deep sleep and surgery, he had the intelligence to know that something, a rib was taken from his body when he had sufficiently regained consciousness.
I believe the fellowship was the first encounter Adam experienced when he became a living soul. He encountered God and as the book highlights, learned firsthand from his maker. And they were constantly learning. With intelligence comes curiosity and curiosity without self-restraint is a weakness. This I believe made Eve susceptible to the serpent’s deception. With disobedience, trust was broken and the fellowship was broken.
Death is rightly defined as threefold: Physical death, Relational death and Spiritual death. The first manifestation of death, which was not obvious to Adam and Eve, was the degeneration of the mind resulting in what is termed “the carnal mind.” It is the degeneration of the mind that causes this conflict between good and evil in the mind, with evil striving to master good.
It also caused them to place more emphasis on minimal differences than on the larger common similarities. And produced shame and fear upon self-consciousness. Before they ate the fruit nakedness was not an issue but after they ate the fruit it became overwhelming. They had become vulnerable and captive of the degenerate mind. And, this degenerate mind was transferred to all generations after them.
In chapter three, “Sin: Crouching at the door,” we see the contention in the mind between good and evil. The result of the degeneration of the mind is, evil having a much greater influence and pull than good over the will and so bending the will under its power. Jesus declares in Matthew 15:19, 20; “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man.”
Cain, in spite of the warning could not resist the influence and pull of evil and so murdered Abel his brother. And as for conjectures, what was there for Cain to lose in this contest of offerings except something to do with the statement made by God that the seed of the woman would bruise the head of the serpent. And, whose lineage between him and his brother would produce this seed.
The main thrust of this book is to rightly define and situate sin as, not just a list of wrongful deeds but a nature or character inherent in all men. Whose wellspring is the degenerate or carnal mind. The bible states in Isaiah 55: 7, “Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts:” This is important to dispel the notion by some that they are good, laying hold to vague credentials of morality. It is explicitly stated in Romans 3: 10, 23; “There is none righteous, no, not one: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
Though Jesus was born a son of Adam, he was also God incarnate. Therefore, though he inherited the nature of sin, he had power to master and subdue it. This meant he alone was able to fulfill the righteous requirements of the law and be the perfect propitiation for all men who receive him by faith. Therefore, Jesus Christ died to deliver all men from this nature of sin and liberate them from the carnal mind.
The introduction of faith as, trusting God concerning his commandments about the tree of good and evil in the garden which is His standard test cannot be more emphatically depicted. As rightly stated, Adam had to live by faith to please God just as all believers. Real faith recognizes God for who he is as well as to us and his ability. This relationship is anchored on the belief in God’s faithfulness. Through this, the Lord clothes all believers in his righteousness. Little faith is depicted as presumptive faith.
Believers break free from the law of sin and death by exercising faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They are transformed by the renewal of the mind as they are illuminated by the revelations of the Holy Spirit which dwells in them.
There is no ordinary Christian. Each has a unique role to play in the Kingdom of Heaven. God has a definite plan for each one which He communicates directly to him or her to be received by faith.
Overall, I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. This is because there was very few spelling and grammatical errors as it seem to have been professionally edited. Though a religious book, it was written in a way that makes it interesting and readable by anyone. It did not get a higher rating because I do not agree with the author’s seeming suggestion that there was something wrong with the knowledge of good and evil acquired by Adam and Eve. This was one of the major pillars of the book.
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Who Told You That You Were Naked?
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