Review by Lisyr -- Who Told You That You Were Naked?

[Lisyr]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Who Told You That You Were Naked?" by William Combs.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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The book Who Told You That You Were Naked is a non-fiction Christian genre written by William Combs. William Combs is a retired Presbyterian minister concerned about the serious state of the world and believes that Christians are salt and light to the world and must preserve their influence. Combs seeks to answer the question of why is the Gospel of Jesus Christ seen by so many as irrelevant today. He contends that the Gospel has not lost its influence but is still a viable option in stemming the tide of evil’s pervasiveness in the world. He re-examines the nature of sin and its influence in our lives through our knowledge of good and evil. Sin's personification as an enemy that crouches at the door is a realty leading to vulnerability, shame, and condemnation into relationships. Adam and Eve's declaration of their nakedness came before God's question, "Who told you were naked?" It was Adam and Eve's conscience that made them ashamed of their nakedness. Combs challenges the interpretation of the Genesis account of Adam and Eve’s act of disobedience as the origin of sin as it was only first mentioned in the account of Cain and Able. Although Adam and Eve both hid from God ashamed of their nakedness they also accepted God’s redemptive act of covering their shame and restoring relationship with himself and each other. This act of God demonstrated his plan of redemption for humanity from sin’s dominion.

In this book comprised of ten chapters, Combs re-examines humanity’s inheritance through Adam of the knowledge of good and evil and the dominion of sin. He discusses whether “good people” can still be "sinners” and why sin cannot be seen as just errant acts. Sin is a formidable enemy crouching at the door and Christians are encouraged to overcome sin’s influence in their own lives through abiding in God’s rest and walking in the way of faith in Jesus Christ. For in so doing we "do not have to drive out the darkness but only just turn on the light".

What was liked about this book, was how Combs skillfully integrated vivid, personal testimonials with descriptive narratives of the lives of the Genesis characters. Combs made the biblical character’s so come alive to the reader that they must have existed. Reference is also made to Comb’s opening chapter which introduces the reader to a childhood experience that so vividly paints a contrast between two light sources a small penlight and the Aurora Borealis showing how the source of illumination can influence our perception of things around us. What I disliked most was just the complexity of the book. However, Combs compensates for this with a series of structured study questions for discussion at the end of each chapter.

This book was well written and kept the reader engaged throughout, kudos to the editors. I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars for the author’s style of painting a picture of actual events to communicate a complex topic. The author also provided detailed endnotes to support his treatise. I have obtained a deeper understanding of sin, its origin and how it can be defeated. This book is a must-read for Christians, ideal for group study and those seeking to know more about sin and how they can overcome it even in today's world.

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Who Told You That You Were Naked?
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