A Look at a Book
BOOK REVIEW:
A Lawyer Tells It Like It Is by Tom Prewitt
When I was asked to write a book review for The Intercessor, I hesitated at first. At the time, I was in the middle of reading a book for a later review, and I did not want to stop mid-stream. But then, as I was looking over the list of books eligible for review, one title jumped out at me, and I knew God was leading me not only to read it but also to review it.
That book, which is actually a booklet (only twenty small pages), is entitled A Lawyer Tells It Like It Is, and was written by Tom Prewitt. I knew in my heart that if this booklet was to ever be reviewed then I was the one to do it. I knew this for two reasons–first, I am a lawyer, but more importantly, the author is my father. It is because of him that I ever had an interest in law. At this time in my life, my father and I are separated by his sin. In spite of the fact that he is a born-again Christian, four years ago he left my mother, divorced her with no biblical grounds, and married a woman who worked for him and with whom he had a sexual affair for seven years. ("Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her."-Mark 10:11)
My dad and I do not fellowship together nor do we communicate with one another. As you can imagine, this is extremely tragic and heartbreaking to me. But in a weird sort of way, rereading my dad’s booklet brought me a strange sort of relief. It is reassuring to know that in his heart he knows the real spirit truth so well that he was once able to write it down and teach it.
By reading this booklet, I was once again reminded how someone who knows the truth can choose not to live from it, thereby allowing Satan to operate him from the outside. At this point, the deeds of that person are actually being done by Satan. This may sound hopeless, but to me it is a real comfort because I know as easily as a person can choose sin-Satan, they can also choose righteousness-God.
I know I have jumped ahead, so maybe I should go back and show how my dad sets up the foundation for my conclusion. This booklet serves as a summary for what we call Total Truth. It begins by explaining what happens to a person when they are horn again. It goes on to explain that as born again Christians we are actually vessels containing the spirit of Jesus Christ. My dad lists several biblical references which are straight forward on this point. I find it very helpful to have these scriptures listed out in one place so clearly.
From this, Dad answers the next obvious question: if we are containers of Jesus Christ, how can we sin? This question has caused me much confusion at different times since my dad left. I find it very fitting that he himself answered this for me before he left by writing this booklet. He explains that Satan tempts us to believe that we are not containers of Christ (that we are independent selves) and when we choose to believe this lie, Satan is then able to operate us from the outside. It is Satan doing our sinful deeds. The solution: just as we choose to believe the lie of Satan, we can choose to believe that we are containers of Christ and it is He who lives through us. Then we can, in the words of my dad, "know what it means to `be ye therefore perfect’ (Matt. 5:48)." It is just that simple! What good news for my dad, my family and me.
More Articles from The Intercessor, Vol 13 No 4
- What is this Human Self of Ours?
- Editor’s Note
- Moments with Meryl
- A Look at a Book
- Body, Soul & Spirit
- 1997 Irish Conference Report
- Zerubbabel Focus: Living Links
- Excerpt from Who Am I?
- Summer Camp: Moving Forward
- Z-Youth at Camp
- From Fear to Feedom
- Questions & Answers
- Tape Talk
- Area Fellowship News: Wisconsin Fellowship
- Excerpt from Who Am I?
- The Mailbox
- To Think About…
- To Think About…
- Words to Live By…