Review by Delightsome -- Who Told You That You Were Naked?
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Delightsome
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Review by Delightsome -- 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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“WHO TOLD YOU THAT YOU WERE NAKED?” by William E. Combs.
In chapter one titled, “Innocent in the Garden”. Adam lived an idyllic lifestyle, which God had programmed for him from the beginning. He enjoyed sweet fellowship with God. Eden was a special place of peace, prosperity, joy and hope. In page 7, the Lord warned Adam not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil for in the day he will eat it, he will surely die. In page 9, the Lord recognized from their discussions on the way to the garden that Adam was lonely and needed companionship. He made him (Adam) a woman. In page 11, God’s plan for them is to “be fruitful and multiply” and to “subdue the earth”. Adam and his wife pleased God.
In chapter two titled, “Naked in the Garden”. The crafty serpent beguiled Adam’s wife, reassuring her that she will not surely die but her eyes will open and she will become like God knowing good and evil. The fruit then seemed exceptionally attractive to her and certainly did not appear poisonous. For her, maybe Adam misunderstood the instructions. She convinced Adam also to eat the fruit. In the beginning of their relationship, Adam and His wife were both naked and were not ashamed of their nakedness but when their eyes where opened, their actions conveyed that they became aware of the merits of their individual differences, the most obvious characteristics that distinguished them as male and female. Now, when they heard the sound of the Lord walking toward them, instead of rushing out to meet Him, they were terrified and swiftly scurried to hide themselves from His presence. God made pronouncement to Adam, his wife and the serpent also. The pronouncement on Adam and his wife indicated “physical death” (takes place when our spirit separate from our body); “Relational death” (occurs when the insecurities and self-deprecation brought on by an inner sense of nakedness replaces trust, companionship, unconditional love, and acceptance with suspicion and a shattered self worth); “spiritual death” (occurs when we are separated from the Lord). When the serpent chose to reveal himself to Adam’s wife, he waited until she was alone and counted on her eagerness. The serpent took advantage of her relational sensibilities to trick her into eating the forbidden fruit. Adam lovingly called his wife “Eve” because she was the mother of all creation, the mother of all their descendants. God gave them (Adam and Eve) better garments to cover their nakedness and which also will be replaced in the future when God would cloth all believers in His righteousness through the ultimate sacrifice of His son. This chapter gives a better explanation of the title of the book, “Who Told You That You Were Naked?” by William E. Combs.
In chapter three and four titled, “Sin: Crouching at the Door” and “Why Reexamine Eden?” respectively. Adam and Eve begat Cain and Abel after their own kind (after their fallen nature). Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him out of jealousy. The wellspring of his attitude emanated from the knowledge of good and evil inherited from their father Adam. In page 49, Apostle Paul identified sin as an adversary. Paul calls his antagonist “his flesh-his fallen nature” forcing him to serve the law of sin. In page 61, “Why the Tree?” a question- if God did not want Adam to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and if eating it would result on such dire consequences, why did He plant it in the garden and next to the tree of life? The answer is that Adam had to live by faith to please the Lord, just like all believers (Heb 11:5,6). In addition, Adam made a decision based on the test of his faith. Our faith is always tested.
In chapter five titled, “The Relationship of Faith”. Jesus assured His disciples that if they had faith not bigger than a mustard seed, nothing shall be difficult for them, even successfully ordering a mountain to move. Anxiety, frustration and worry are signals that we are not able to cope with the circumstances we are facing. In Genesis, Abrams walk with God shows an elegant definition of the relationship of faith. Two examples of real faith were the Leper and the Centurion. Healing goes with faith.
In chapter six titled, “Free Indeed” revealed that Jesus took our place in judgment. Jesus died for all. Christ’s death became our death so that in Him we might also become the righteousness of God. Adam enslaved us to the law of sin and death, but by considering ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus, we move forward with our lives following Him through faith. The process of confessing and believing underscores the meaning of repentance; the person is thereby expressing a true change of heart.
In chapter seven titled, “Walking in the Way”. There are three avenues the Lord uses to assist us in our walk with Him. They include: the Bible, God’s voice, and His peace. The scriptures are foundational; without them, we would be building our relationship with the lord based on our understanding. The Bible illuminates our spiritual path, bolstering our relationship with God. The only criteria to hear God’s voice is that, we must be His sheep. Christ’s peace is like the referee in a team sport who blows his whistle only when a participant goes out of bound or executes a maneuver not allowed by the rules. The umpire is the guardian or protector of the game’s conduct.
In chapter eight titled, “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood” revealed that we should not try to drive darkness out but instead we should turn on the light. We should not focus on Satan resisting us instead we should focus on the Spirit at work in us that inspires us to have personal encounter with God.
In chapter nine titled, “Living in God’s Rest”. Faith is a requirement for entry. In addition, we who believed in the good news of the gospel enter that rest. Since acquiring His rest is achieved through our posture of faith and not as a privilege granted when we become Christians. The writer of the Hebrew challenges us to “strive to enter that rest”. We can enter God’s rest through faith knowing His completed work is both revealed to us and carried out in us by Jesus Christ.
In chapter ten titled, “Follow me”. All Christians are called to follow Christ and as members of His body, to function as light and salt to the world. Jesus identified three things a person must do to follow Him (Matthew 16:24-26), deny yourself, take up His cross and follow Him. Christ’s relationship with His Father is a model for our relationship with Him. He said that He could do nothing on His own accord, but only what He saw His Father doing (John 5:19).
SUMMARY OF THE BOOK
The book “Who Told You That You Were Naked?” by William E. Combs, reexamined how sin came into the world through Adam and revealed that Adam made his decision based on the test of his faith. It explained how God redeemed us by sending His son Jesus Christ to die for all, so that in Him we might also become the righteousness of God through faith. It further examined the need to turn on the light against the adversary; to make Jesus our model; and to acquire God’s rest, through our posture of faith on the finished work in us by Jesus Christ.
ELEMENTS I LIKED MOST ABOUT THE BOOK AND WHY
The book expatiated on the role of Jesus Christ in our lives; His finished work on the cross for us all; the need to be born again; making Jesus our model; and Faith as an essential attribute and requirement for all these.
ELEMENTS I LIKED LEAST ABOUT THE BOOK
The book was exceptionally flawless.
RATING THE BOOK
I rate this book “4 out of 4 stars”. This is because it is worth it. It is very good and inspiring. The book was professionally edited. Kudos to the author.
MY RECOMMENDATION
I recommend this book for everyone, because Jesus died for all and wants us all to enter into His glorious rest.
******
Who Told You That You Were Naked?
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like Delightsome's review? Post a comment saying so!
4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
“WHO TOLD YOU THAT YOU WERE NAKED?” by William E. Combs.
In chapter one titled, “Innocent in the Garden”. Adam lived an idyllic lifestyle, which God had programmed for him from the beginning. He enjoyed sweet fellowship with God. Eden was a special place of peace, prosperity, joy and hope. In page 7, the Lord warned Adam not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil for in the day he will eat it, he will surely die. In page 9, the Lord recognized from their discussions on the way to the garden that Adam was lonely and needed companionship. He made him (Adam) a woman. In page 11, God’s plan for them is to “be fruitful and multiply” and to “subdue the earth”. Adam and his wife pleased God.
In chapter two titled, “Naked in the Garden”. The crafty serpent beguiled Adam’s wife, reassuring her that she will not surely die but her eyes will open and she will become like God knowing good and evil. The fruit then seemed exceptionally attractive to her and certainly did not appear poisonous. For her, maybe Adam misunderstood the instructions. She convinced Adam also to eat the fruit. In the beginning of their relationship, Adam and His wife were both naked and were not ashamed of their nakedness but when their eyes where opened, their actions conveyed that they became aware of the merits of their individual differences, the most obvious characteristics that distinguished them as male and female. Now, when they heard the sound of the Lord walking toward them, instead of rushing out to meet Him, they were terrified and swiftly scurried to hide themselves from His presence. God made pronouncement to Adam, his wife and the serpent also. The pronouncement on Adam and his wife indicated “physical death” (takes place when our spirit separate from our body); “Relational death” (occurs when the insecurities and self-deprecation brought on by an inner sense of nakedness replaces trust, companionship, unconditional love, and acceptance with suspicion and a shattered self worth); “spiritual death” (occurs when we are separated from the Lord). When the serpent chose to reveal himself to Adam’s wife, he waited until she was alone and counted on her eagerness. The serpent took advantage of her relational sensibilities to trick her into eating the forbidden fruit. Adam lovingly called his wife “Eve” because she was the mother of all creation, the mother of all their descendants. God gave them (Adam and Eve) better garments to cover their nakedness and which also will be replaced in the future when God would cloth all believers in His righteousness through the ultimate sacrifice of His son. This chapter gives a better explanation of the title of the book, “Who Told You That You Were Naked?” by William E. Combs.
In chapter three and four titled, “Sin: Crouching at the Door” and “Why Reexamine Eden?” respectively. Adam and Eve begat Cain and Abel after their own kind (after their fallen nature). Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him out of jealousy. The wellspring of his attitude emanated from the knowledge of good and evil inherited from their father Adam. In page 49, Apostle Paul identified sin as an adversary. Paul calls his antagonist “his flesh-his fallen nature” forcing him to serve the law of sin. In page 61, “Why the Tree?” a question- if God did not want Adam to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and if eating it would result on such dire consequences, why did He plant it in the garden and next to the tree of life? The answer is that Adam had to live by faith to please the Lord, just like all believers (Heb 11:5,6). In addition, Adam made a decision based on the test of his faith. Our faith is always tested.
In chapter five titled, “The Relationship of Faith”. Jesus assured His disciples that if they had faith not bigger than a mustard seed, nothing shall be difficult for them, even successfully ordering a mountain to move. Anxiety, frustration and worry are signals that we are not able to cope with the circumstances we are facing. In Genesis, Abrams walk with God shows an elegant definition of the relationship of faith. Two examples of real faith were the Leper and the Centurion. Healing goes with faith.
In chapter six titled, “Free Indeed” revealed that Jesus took our place in judgment. Jesus died for all. Christ’s death became our death so that in Him we might also become the righteousness of God. Adam enslaved us to the law of sin and death, but by considering ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus, we move forward with our lives following Him through faith. The process of confessing and believing underscores the meaning of repentance; the person is thereby expressing a true change of heart.
In chapter seven titled, “Walking in the Way”. There are three avenues the Lord uses to assist us in our walk with Him. They include: the Bible, God’s voice, and His peace. The scriptures are foundational; without them, we would be building our relationship with the lord based on our understanding. The Bible illuminates our spiritual path, bolstering our relationship with God. The only criteria to hear God’s voice is that, we must be His sheep. Christ’s peace is like the referee in a team sport who blows his whistle only when a participant goes out of bound or executes a maneuver not allowed by the rules. The umpire is the guardian or protector of the game’s conduct.
In chapter eight titled, “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood” revealed that we should not try to drive darkness out but instead we should turn on the light. We should not focus on Satan resisting us instead we should focus on the Spirit at work in us that inspires us to have personal encounter with God.
In chapter nine titled, “Living in God’s Rest”. Faith is a requirement for entry. In addition, we who believed in the good news of the gospel enter that rest. Since acquiring His rest is achieved through our posture of faith and not as a privilege granted when we become Christians. The writer of the Hebrew challenges us to “strive to enter that rest”. We can enter God’s rest through faith knowing His completed work is both revealed to us and carried out in us by Jesus Christ.
In chapter ten titled, “Follow me”. All Christians are called to follow Christ and as members of His body, to function as light and salt to the world. Jesus identified three things a person must do to follow Him (Matthew 16:24-26), deny yourself, take up His cross and follow Him. Christ’s relationship with His Father is a model for our relationship with Him. He said that He could do nothing on His own accord, but only what He saw His Father doing (John 5:19).
SUMMARY OF THE BOOK
The book “Who Told You That You Were Naked?” by William E. Combs, reexamined how sin came into the world through Adam and revealed that Adam made his decision based on the test of his faith. It explained how God redeemed us by sending His son Jesus Christ to die for all, so that in Him we might also become the righteousness of God through faith. It further examined the need to turn on the light against the adversary; to make Jesus our model; and to acquire God’s rest, through our posture of faith on the finished work in us by Jesus Christ.
ELEMENTS I LIKED MOST ABOUT THE BOOK AND WHY
The book expatiated on the role of Jesus Christ in our lives; His finished work on the cross for us all; the need to be born again; making Jesus our model; and Faith as an essential attribute and requirement for all these.
ELEMENTS I LIKED LEAST ABOUT THE BOOK
The book was exceptionally flawless.
RATING THE BOOK
I rate this book “4 out of 4 stars”. This is because it is worth it. It is very good and inspiring. The book was professionally edited. Kudos to the author.
MY RECOMMENDATION
I recommend this book for everyone, because Jesus died for all and wants us all to enter into His glorious rest.
******
Who Told You That You Were Naked?
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like Delightsome's review? Post a comment saying so!
Latest Review: Health Tips, Myths, and Tricks by Morton E Tavel, MD
