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

[Littlecandle]

[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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Written by a retired Presbyterian pastor, Who Told You That You Were Naked? is rather more like an extended Sunday sermon than a typical novel. Although, this time, the pastor does not speak only to his own congregation. Instead, he addresses his talk to a wider audience and individual readers.

In this book, William E. Combs brings his readers back to the beginning of humanity, specifically in the Garden of Eden. He points to the nakedness of Adam and Eve and how it plays a role in mankind’s life journey on earth in relation to one’s Creator. The nakedness that Combs stresses is not literally centered on the unclothed person. Rather, he emphasizes the vulnerability of man when it comes to choosing between good and evil. The author explains that when God Himself asked Adam “Who told you that you were naked?” the Creator did not necessarily judge His creation.

Combs reiterates that it’s the temptation and disobedience of the first couple that hamstrung mankind’s relationship with God. Being naked is to be stripped off of purity of thoughts and actions. The first couple’s realization that they were naked signals the relational separation between God and mankind, which leads to the latter’s spiritual death. But, despite this severance, Combs declares that God, in His unfathomable mercy, offers redemption. He succinctly describes how this redemption can happen in this statement:

“The rebirth of our spirit is the entry into an ongoing relationship with the Lord through faith in Jesus Christ”.

Combs supports his arguments with several passages from both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. And, this is what I like the most in his work because the reader is given the opportunity to look back to the references he provides. The guide questions also allow the reader to contemplate his own spiritual journey in relation to the nakedness presented by the author.

If the reader religiously considers and reflects on the guide questions, he should spend more time on this book. And, this can be a bit time-consuming for a reader. Personally, this is something that I like the least in this book considering the time-frame I allocated reading it. But given ample reflection time on the guide questions, the reader would gain a spiritually-enriching lesson from Who Told You That You Were Naked? Overall, Combs' work is a timeless “food for the soul”. I haven’t found any part of this book that I dislike.

Having said this, I give Who Told You That You Were Naked? a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. And I highly recommend it to readers 13 years old and above. I would also like to recommend this book to non-Christians, who may be searching for enlightenment or for further meaning why Adam and Eve had to hide when they realized they were naked.

Who Told You That You Were Naked? is indeed a spiritually-enriching book, giving the reader a better perspective of Creation. It can even be used as a guide in one’s own spiritual journey. William E. Combs is an authority on the topic. He is well-versed, able to expound each Bible passage well.

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Who Told You That You Were Naked?
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