Facing the Last Enemy

Guy Prentiss Waters

Reviewed by: John Fikkert

Facing the Last Enemy: Death and the Christian, by Guy Prentiss Waters. Ligonier, 2023. Hardcover, 157 pages, $18.00. Reviewed by OP minister John Fikkert.

Why do Christians think so little about death, including their own? In his newest book, Guy Waters posits that, too often, Christians allow themselves to be distracted with lesser things and follow the world’s proclivity to avoid reflecting on death at all costs. Waters also contends that within today’s church, a consumer mindset can lead some churches to focus on themes that are positive and uplifting, leaving the more sober themes of death and eternity to be treated “sparingly and gingerly.”

Imagine being approached by someone dying of cancer in your congregation, and they ask, “How do I prepare to die?” Waters’s effort to answer that question prompted him initially to prepare a Sunday school series on the topic and eventually to write this book.

The book begins with a section that defines death from a biblical and theological perspective and then delves into personal questions such as: How do I face the death of others? How do I help the dying and grieving? and How do I prepare for my own death? The book concludes with three chapters on the resurrection, final judgment, and heaven and hell.

The strength of the book is its Christ-centeredness; in each chapter Waters leads the reader from the fear-inducing realities of death and dying to clear applications of the power and comfort of Christ’s victory over death. The reader gains not only in biblical knowledge but also in love for a Savior who has the only satisfying answer to death and now holds the keys of Death and Hades.

This book is best suited for those already familiar with Reformed theology and the Westminster Standards. Terms like “imputed” and “propitiatory” are described but not defined for beginners. In some chapters, a quotation from the Confession or Catechisms is cited and then explained. As a result, it would fit well in various Orthodox Presbyterian contexts, including a Sunday school class or small group discussion. Conversely, a limitation of the book is that it is not as accessible for family and friends who are not Reformed but would have benefited from reading more about death and Christ’s complete defeat of it.

Though the book’s shorter length promotes clarity and readability, adding a few more paragraphs on practical topics would enhance the book, especially on those that require wisdom: cremation versus burial, funerals as compared to memorial services, and when to consider legal and medical power of attorney. On the other hand, the book has excellent advice on how to minister to those who are grieving or dying, how to think biblically about the subject of suicide, and how to prepare spiritually for one’s own death.

I recommend this book to Reformed Christians. Even for those who might hesitate to approach the sober topic of death, their hearts will be strengthened by reading a sharp and faithful exposition of Christ’s conquest of our last enemy.