Review by Wokeread -- Who Told You That You Were Naked?
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Wokeread
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Review by Wokeread -- Who Told You That You Were Naked?
[Following is a volunteer review of "Who Told You That You Were Naked?" by William Combs.]
4 out of 4 stars
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William E. Combs is a retired Presbyterian minister with a Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degree. He describes his book, Who Told You That You Were Naked, as a refreshing re-examination of the Garden of Eden. The book begins with Adam enjoying an idyllic life in the Garden. God graciously gave him extensive dominion over the earth and requested him to name all the animals. In addition, he gave him a beautiful garden for his sustenance. The only restriction was he could not eat fruit from the tree in the middle. Seeing that Adam was lonely and earnestly desired a companion, God provided him with one who was like him. Unfortunately, Adam and his companion, Eve, disobeyed God’s instructions.
The author re-examines the events that took place as a result of Adam's and Eve's contraventions. He describes how the two were afraid because they felt naked. This constitutes the primary basis of the book as the author explains what it denoted to be naked. He demonstrates how this one act of disobedience affected the couple's relationship with each other and their relationship with God. We are also shown how their act ultimately shaped the lives of their descendants.
Combs thoroughly analyses the key events in Genesis and some common commentaries on them and explains his interpretation and perspective. He explains that humans are separated from God by sin and are only able to regain the connection through faith in Jesus Christ. Subsequently, the discussion focuses on the fundamental teaching of Jesus by exploring real faith, which is the faith that can move mountains. He cites examples of people who demonstrated real faith in the Bible. He explains the importance of scripture, thanksgiving, and prayer and how these help one to attain peace and not be anxious or worried.
Combs uses relevant Bible verses to highlight his lessons and cross-references verses from different parts of the Bible. He equally uses personal testimony from his own life and experiences of others who are close to him to illustrate the relevance and practical application of his lessons. Each chapter ends with Study Questions, which also reference additional Bible verses.
This book is elegantly structured, and the arguments presented are clearly explained. I admired the way the author uses his own words and short vignettes to dramatize events in the Bible. This makes the book more interesting and presents us with a striking mental image. He equally depicts real-life experiences in a similar visual manner. I was able to picture the events even though the book did not have any pictorial illustrations. Additionally, I liked how he ended each chapter with Study Questions. The very insightful questions aid readers to reflect on the text and are a great prompt for further discussions.
The book is well-edited, and I rate it 4 out of 4. I recommend it to anybody who likes reading religious texts. I also recommend it to earnest Christians who would like to better understand how sin affects their relationship with God. Here they will learn how to attain 'spiritual discernment and be transformed by the renewal of their minds through the Holy Spirit'. There is nothing that I disliked about the book. I had to re-read a few of the sections to completely grasp their meaning. This was undoubtedly due to my level of understanding of the subject and not the author's writing. Because of this, I also recommend poring over the book as a group. This will aid in understanding and enable readers to make better use of the Study Questions.
******
Who Told You That You Were Naked?
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
4 out of 4 stars
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William E. Combs is a retired Presbyterian minister with a Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degree. He describes his book, Who Told You That You Were Naked, as a refreshing re-examination of the Garden of Eden. The book begins with Adam enjoying an idyllic life in the Garden. God graciously gave him extensive dominion over the earth and requested him to name all the animals. In addition, he gave him a beautiful garden for his sustenance. The only restriction was he could not eat fruit from the tree in the middle. Seeing that Adam was lonely and earnestly desired a companion, God provided him with one who was like him. Unfortunately, Adam and his companion, Eve, disobeyed God’s instructions.
The author re-examines the events that took place as a result of Adam's and Eve's contraventions. He describes how the two were afraid because they felt naked. This constitutes the primary basis of the book as the author explains what it denoted to be naked. He demonstrates how this one act of disobedience affected the couple's relationship with each other and their relationship with God. We are also shown how their act ultimately shaped the lives of their descendants.
Combs thoroughly analyses the key events in Genesis and some common commentaries on them and explains his interpretation and perspective. He explains that humans are separated from God by sin and are only able to regain the connection through faith in Jesus Christ. Subsequently, the discussion focuses on the fundamental teaching of Jesus by exploring real faith, which is the faith that can move mountains. He cites examples of people who demonstrated real faith in the Bible. He explains the importance of scripture, thanksgiving, and prayer and how these help one to attain peace and not be anxious or worried.
Combs uses relevant Bible verses to highlight his lessons and cross-references verses from different parts of the Bible. He equally uses personal testimony from his own life and experiences of others who are close to him to illustrate the relevance and practical application of his lessons. Each chapter ends with Study Questions, which also reference additional Bible verses.
This book is elegantly structured, and the arguments presented are clearly explained. I admired the way the author uses his own words and short vignettes to dramatize events in the Bible. This makes the book more interesting and presents us with a striking mental image. He equally depicts real-life experiences in a similar visual manner. I was able to picture the events even though the book did not have any pictorial illustrations. Additionally, I liked how he ended each chapter with Study Questions. The very insightful questions aid readers to reflect on the text and are a great prompt for further discussions.
The book is well-edited, and I rate it 4 out of 4. I recommend it to anybody who likes reading religious texts. I also recommend it to earnest Christians who would like to better understand how sin affects their relationship with God. Here they will learn how to attain 'spiritual discernment and be transformed by the renewal of their minds through the Holy Spirit'. There is nothing that I disliked about the book. I had to re-read a few of the sections to completely grasp their meaning. This was undoubtedly due to my level of understanding of the subject and not the author's writing. Because of this, I also recommend poring over the book as a group. This will aid in understanding and enable readers to make better use of the Study Questions.
******
Who Told You That You Were Naked?
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: We are Voulhire: The Fires of Virko by Matthew Tysz
