Let Go and Let God? A Survey and Analysis of Keswick Theology

by Andrew David Naselli, Thomas R. Schreiner (Foreword)

Keswick theology—one of the most significant strands of second-blessing theology—assumes that Christians experience two “blessings.” The first is getting “saved,” and the second is getting serious. The change is dramatic: from a defeated life to a victorious life, from a lower life to a higher life, from a shallow life to a deeper life, from a fruitless life to a more abundant life, from being “carnal” to being “spiritual,” from merely having Jesus as your Savior to making Jesus your Master. So how do people experience this second blessing? Through surrender and faith: “Let go and let God.”

Second-blessing theology is pervasive because countless people have propagated it in so many ways, especially in sermons and devotional writings. It is appealing because Christians struggle with sin and want to be victorious in that struggle—now. Second-blessing theology offers a quick fix to this struggle, and its shortcut to instant victory appeals to genuine longings for holiness.

This book’s thesis is simple: Keswick theology is not biblically sound. This book tells the story of where Keswick theology comes from, explains what exactly it is, and then refutes it while building a case for a biblical alternative. No other book surveys the history and theology of second-blessing theology like this and then analyzes it from a soteriologically Reformed perspective.

Genres: Theology, Church History

ebook

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Andrew David Naselli (PhD, Bob Jones University; PhD, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) is associate professor of New Testament and theology at Bethlehem College & Seminary in Minneapolis, Minnesota and an elder of Bethlehem Baptist Church.

Reviews

[Mark Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vintage Andy. Straightforward, rigorous, logic not maybe on fire but fueled by it at some deeper level. Exhaustive footnotes. Multiple helpful and clear charts. I think he did an admirable job of staying "objective" with regard to a topic he clearly cares deeply about; his autobiographical preface explains that Keswick theology was harmful for him personally in much the same way it was for J.I. Packer before him. But Andy's praises for Keswick's practitioners doesn't feel half-hearted and obligatory; he knows there was true good in their desire for holiness.

I wouldn't have tossed around the word "Pelagian" the way Andy did, even though he was critiquing Keswick theology not for the full-on heretical form of Pelagianism but for a soft- or semi-Pelagianism. Warfield did it before him, however, so perhaps I'm the one who's wrong.

Andy doesn't profess for this work to be a full exposition of a Reformed view of sanctification, only a critique of Keswick using that standard. To get the full benefit of this dissertation you'll need to read some of the books he recommends in Appendix E. He got me particularly interested in reading Warfield's Perfectionism.

This study has contemporary relevance to my very own Facebook feed, and I encourage everyone who can to read it. Didn't take long. As Andy quoted Warfield, I think, as saying, errors like Keswick hang on in the atmosphere, and I was surprised to see the that some of the things one of my Facebook friends are saying come straight out of this 19th century movement. This book will help me help these friends, and it will help me pursue holiness, too—and for both these things I'm grateful.

[Elizabeth Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Naselli offers an in-depth but concise analysis of Keswick theology, a survey of its influence over the past 100 years, and a biblically sound evaluation of its theology. Great for satisfying curiosity and whetting the appetite for more study on the topic of sanctification. Highly recommended to any student of sanctification, especially to those interested in prominent Protestant views of sanctification.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent study of the history and theology of the Keswick movement. Errant Keswick theology is pervasive throughout Christendom. You encounter it in songs, books and articles, sermons, small group discussions, testimonies, social media memes and posts, and even in the prayers of dear old brother means-well when he offers a dismissal prayer or asks a blessing on food. Because much of it sounds good, people embrace it and repeat it with little thought about where it comes from.

Keswick theology has given us the errors of varying degrees of perfectionism, second blessing, two kinds of Christians, higher/deeper/victorious life, sham holiness through misguided piety, and more. Some errors may seem well intended and harmless but some lead to dangerous heresy. Every Christian should read this book, though they won’t. Every preacher must read this book.

[James Tetley · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent analysis of the Keswick movement written from a Reformed perspective. Taking a strong viewpoint for progressive sanctification. Having come into a more recent understanding of our definite sanctification it was fascinating to consider the different models of sanctification. Many of the Keswick men were my heroes but also a high experiential view of sanctification can lead to.disappointmemt as living in victory is not always possible with the flesh!! But an excellent review of Keswick it's influence and it's dangers.

[W. Austin · Rating 1 out of 5]

boring but some good information. just wanted to prove calvinism

[Shaun Marksbury · Rating 5 out of 5]

After coming to Christ, people still struggle with sin. The struggle sometimes turns to whether they have yielded enough or sought the Holy Spirit enough. This happens in church settings that teach them to seek a secondary encounter with God, a get-real moment with Him, where a special baptism or a renewed filling of the Holy Spirit causes individuals to graduate to a new level of life and ministry. The theory goes that Christians floundering in sin need to seek Jesus in a fresh way to get the grace necessary to obtain the victorious or higher life; they need to let go and let God.

Churches that teach such doctrine are not enemies of the cross or necessarily antinomian, but they are nonetheless in error. Naselli's book serves as an eminent history and explanation of how this error deviates from Scripture and creates unique problems in the Christian life. Originally a doctrinal thesis on Keswick Theology, this book has a clear and methodical layout. It not only includes helpful charts, it boasts an impressive list of recommended texts to help the reader in further study.

Highly recommended.