Book Review: The Last Enemy by Mike Wittmer

In recent weeks, I've shared a couple quotes from Mike Wittmer's The Last Enemy: Preparing to Win the Fight of Your Life. Mike is a friend of mine and he had the publisher send the book to me for free, so perhaps I am a little biased. Even if I were not though, I would enthusiastically recommend this book.

Mike begins this look at his subject matter communicating what we all know to be true, but would rather ignore: "YOU ARE GOING TO DIE. Take a moment to let that sink in. You are going to die." He continues to speak quite candidly throughout the book about this much neglected topic.

The first three chapters are written to a general audience. After all, we all die, right? The remainder of the book though is directed specifically toward Christians in helping them to understand what exactly is an appropriate attitude to have toward death, and what we can expect after it. Death is indeed evil, Mike points out, and the last enemy. As such it is understandable why one should fear it. But as Mike puts it, "fear is no match for faith," as the one on whom we really is stronger than even death.

Each of the book's 23 chapters is short (approximately five pages) and followed by four "Questions for Reflection." This structure makes the book not only suitable for individual reading, but ideal for group study. I recommend it for anyone who wants to be prepared for what they inevitably will face.

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom...Mike Wittmer on Idols

"Two facts are always true about idols. First, idols serve their makers, so it is we who pray and put our hope in them who actually play the role of god. We are in charge, and they exist to meet our needs. Second, idols wear us out. As the Philistines rose each morning to dust off and prop up their fallen god Dagon (1 Samuel 5:1-5), so we discover that idols demand our constant care and protection."

Mike Wittmer
The Last Enemy: Preparing to Win the Fight of Your Life

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom...Mike Wittmer and a Christian Response to Death

"(At Lazarus's tomb), Jesus wept. He did not use the concept of Romans 8:28 as a club, telling Mary and Martha, 'All things work together for good so you should really look for the silver lining here. It's actually a good thing your brother is dead.' He didn't treat their loss as anything other than what it was -- a loss that triggered the tears of God.

"But Jesus did not weep as those who have no hope. He told Martha, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?' (John 11:25-26)...

"You may shiver as you walk through the shadows of death, but the shadow itself is cast by the bright light of the resurrection. 'Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning' (Psalm 30:5). One morning you will rise, and every tear will be wiped away from your eyes (Revelation 21:4). So go ahead and weep, but only as one who knows how your story ends. It doesn't."

Mike Wittmer
The Last Enemy: Preparing to Win the Fight of Your Life

Preaching in Prison

Mike Wittmer recently had the opportunity to preach at a prison in Muskegon, Michigan.  When he blogged about it, he noted how the prisoners worshiping there longed to hear truths that came straight from Scripture as opposed to creatively crafted messages that emanated in the imaginations of men.  Oh that this would be true of us all!  Mike went on to state,

Bottom line:  it’s wonderful to worship with a redeemed group of 75 prisoners, singing “I will rise when He calls my name, no more sorrow, no more pain,” because they sing like they mean it, as if they desperately need it to be true. God is working in our prisons, and if you ever get the chance to preach there, or even to worship there, take it. There’s nothing else quite like it.

Click here to read Mike's whole post.

Wednsday's Words of Wisdom...Mike Wittmer on Hoping vs. Wishing

"Our hopes are only as strong as the reasons we have for holding them. Some hopes are nothing more than a wish -- I hope that it doesn't rain tomorrow or that my team will win the game. But Christian hope, the kind that makes the top cut with faith and love (1 Cor. 13:13), is grounded in the promises of God. Such hope is 'an anchor for the soul, firm and secure' (Heb. 6:19), because it rests in what 'God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time' (Titus1:2)."

Mike Wittmer

Some Final Thoughts on Harold Camping

Yesterday I was invited to be a guest on the local radio program Off the KUF with Tom Sumner. It was a fun experience for me to return to my roots in the radio studio as we discussed Harold Camping, faux raptures and what the Bible really says about the end of the world. I want to point out a couple of good things to come out of this whole experience that I mentioned on the radio program. After this, we'll leave Harold Camping alone...at least until October, which is when he says the world will actually come to an end.

I am thankful first of all that, because of this whole episode, there was a great deal of talk (and hopefully at least a little bit of thought) about spiritual matters. News outlets around the country discussed the idea of the rapture. As I drove home on Friday afternoon, it even dominated the discussion on sports radio. And hey, I got the opportunity to talk about the gospel on the radio yesterday.

Secondly, we were reminded of a reality that is especially important in our day. Harold Camping believed quite passionately in what he proclaimed. But no matter the fervency with which he believed these ideas, that did not make them true. It is not our faith that is ultimately most important, but rather the Object of our faith.  And truth is not dependent upon what we believe; it is what it is. We can't all be equally right. Even in this age of relativism, there are those whose beliefs are wrong.

If you'd like to think further about issues of the Lord's return, others deal with it far better than I have. Click here to listen to Allistair Begg's sermon, or click here to read a short devotional message from Mike Wittmer. And while we should certainly refrain from date/time predictions, may those of us who are Christians long for Christ's return. For when he returns, we will experience the greatest good: We will be with Him.

Friday Fun...Seminary Student Bloopers

As the semester comes to a close at institutions of higher learning, many professors are are in the midst of semester end grading.  As hard as final exams and term papers are for students, I imagine the task of grading them all is just as onerous for professors.

It probably helps if you bring a sense of humor to the task, which is exactly how seminary professor Mike Wittmer approaches it.  He has compiled a list of some of the more humorous "student bloopers" that he has seen including the following (with his commentary in parentheses):

“The power of Christ could not be overcome by Satin’s power of death.” (That 800 thread count is a killer)

“In Arminius’ view, the correct order of the gospel is that God gave His Sin, to whom we respond by repentance and faith.” (This seems to be a stretch, even for Arminians)

Click here to see the whole list.

Young & Reformed Conference

At Calvary Presbyterian Church in Flint, Michigan, we're looking forward to Seventh Annual Mid-Michigan Conference on Reformed Theology which we will be holding Saturday, October 30.

I just found out about another conference on the west side of the state the prior weekend that also looks to be fantastic.  Corinth Reformed Church in Byron Center (near Grand Rapids) will be hosting the Young & Reformed Conference with featured speakers Kevin DeYoung, Mike Wittmer and David Murray (who also will be at our conference the following week).   All three are are among my personal favorites, not only great speakers, but also great guys.

Of course we'd love to have you attend our conference.  But if October 30 doesn't work for you, or if you're on the west side of the state and can't make it over to Flint, I highly recommend that you check out this conference.  It is very reasonably priced at $10 ($5 for students) and should be a great time of teaching and fellowship.

WORLDVIEW CONFERENCE

OCTOBER 22-23, 2010

CORINTH REFORMED CHURCH

Prayer and Practical Atheism

Mike Wittmer posts a devotional today on the topic of prayer.  In it he makes reference to the fact that renowned atheist Christopher Hitchens is dying of cancer.  Hitchens reportedly has said that if others so desired, they could offer up their prayers for him, but that as long as he "remained in his right mind," he would "not be taking part in that."

The point of the devotional is that Hitchens has hit on something profound here: prayer (either its presence or absence) is the proof of faith (or the lack thereof).  This has much to do with the fact that prayer is, by definition, an act of humility and trust: admitting that I can not accomplish what I need accomplished, and believing that God can.

Mike concludes,

We may say that we believe in God, but if we can make it through our day without prayer then we are pretty much like Hitchens.  Let’s repent of our practical atheism and carve out time to talk with God.  Ask him for whatever you need, and when you receive it, give him thanks.

You can read the whole post here.

Not Emergent Either

I attended a conference yesterday in Grand Rapids at West Cannon Baptist Church. It was entitled “Don’t Stop Loving the Church” and featured some great speakers: Mike Wittmer is one of of my favorite seminary professor/authors, Kevin DeYoung is one of my favorite pastor/authors, and Ted Kluck is without doubt my favorite former professional indoor football league player/author! (Kurt Warner hasn't written a book yet, has he?)

You may recognize DeYoung and Kluck from their book Why We’re Not Emergent (By Two Guys Who Should Be). I was blessed with the opportunity to speak with the two of them at length and really enjoyed getting to know them a little. They both strike me as godly, humble, intelligent men who love the Lord and His bride, the church.

As I made the grand drive between Grand Rapids and Grand Blanc, I considered some of the reasons I am not emergent either. The list I came up with is not really why I’m not emergent, so much as how you can tell that I’m not emergent. So here it is, in Lettermanesque 10 to 1 fashion:

10. I wear slacks to the office every day.

9. When I go to the office, it’s usually at the church, not at a coffee shop.

8. When I do go to a coffee shop, I drink black coffee, not a pumpkin spice latte, a frappuchino, or some other (ridiculously overpriced) concoction.

7. I wear shoes and socks when I preach.

6. In fact, I don’t even own a pair of Tevas/Birkenstocks/sandals.

5. I have neither a goatee, nor a pair of designer glasses.

4. Though I do enjoy most of U2’s music, Bono is not even on my list of favorite theologians.

3. I don’t think that we should have to try to be "authentic."

2. I think that the Word of God is far more “relevent” than any movie clip I could show.

1. I actually believe something, and think you should believe it too.