Victory in Christ

by Charles Gallaudet Trumbull

“To me, to live is Christ.”

—Philippians 1:21

Can Christians ever “win” if the Christian life is a drudgery of ups and downs? Where only some days we conquer our sinful desires, and only sometimes we succeed at loving unconditionally? No. That’s counterfeit success, if any is found in such a life at all, says Charles Trumbull in Victory in Christ . “If you have to work for your victory, it is not the real thing,” he says. The true essence of living a full Christian life means we quit trying. Instead, we let Jesus Christ live His life through ours. This book reveals the tremendous freedom that is for every believer who truly releases control, and learns to rely 100 percent on the Lord.

“Let Go and Let God.”

—coined by Charles Trumbull

Is your spiritual walk a drudgery of ups and downs? Some days you conquer your sinful desires, but most days you fail? Does your pursuit of righteous living seem a hopeless cycle of defeat?

Then you know counterfeit victory. And now it’s time to exchange it for the real thing. A modern rendition of a Christian classic, Victory in Christ is a story of hope, a pointed and proven guide to breaking spiritual bondage and taking hold of the life of freedom God has for you.

Grasp the meaning of grace.

Accept the joy of submission.

And discover the secret of victorious living in Christ!

Story Behind the Book

A few executives at Multnomah used this book for a home study group. Its effect was so profound that it was agreed we should publish it under a new series mark, Lifechange Classics , part of the BIG CHANGE brand. Victory in Christ is the first Lifechange Edition in this new series.

Genres: Christian Living, Christian, Nonfiction

96 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1959

Reviews

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very wise and encouraging book with an underlying bad theology.

This book was given to me by Jim Wilson, and it just goes to show that really amazing and astonishing things happen to people, even if their theology wasn't really quite right. Just to give background for this, Jim Wilson came from a time when Christians often believed in two natures--one sinful and one Christian. This meant that Christians often felt resigned to the fact of their sinfulness, instead of simply confessing them and finding joy in the Lord.

This book, by Charles Trumbull, gets that central point: you do not ask Christ to be sufficient for you: He is sufficient for you. This book is full of some simple Christian wisdom and perhaps the central wisdom is that Christ has won the victory for you, and your job is mainly to trust in Him. This is really good and it makes you want to fight sin more, because we are reminded on every page that Christ has won.

My big complaint is that the book would take issue with that last sentence I just wrote. This book is inspired by Keswick theology (pronounced like Kessick), also known as the Holiness Movement. Keswick theology is an error that is very intelligible. It's the reason Jim Wilson says you shouldn't try to resist sin: just resist sin. It's a kind of justification by faith as applied to sanctification. Because Christ has won the victory for us, all we need to do is trust in God and we will experience His presence in us and we will have instant victory over sin. This victory is achieved by a second blessing, in which we not only believe in Christ, but make a complete surrender to him. There is a lot of truth here, and the reason this book (and theology) has touched so many lives seems to me to come from a few different places.

First, there is a tradition of worm theology, where the Christian life is, as Lewis said, constantly keeping your nose above the cess-pool of your own sin. Not only does it rob us of joy, but it makes God out to be the accuser, constantly calling us to strict obedience and always condemning us when we fail. This is not Puritan theology (Richard Sibbes in particular is especially comforting), but it is out there. Second, Christians excuse sin. You see this with the brokenness theology that has infected Evangelicalism. Woe is me: I can never get better, but God will always be my emotional Teddy Bear! It's very sad and I've definitely fallen prey to this in the past. As my Mom put it once, Christians and Churches can go "limping on" for a long time without knowing the peace of a clean conscience. Third, there is a truth that our victory in Christ is not won by our own strength. God told Paul, "My strength is sufficient for me, because my strength is made perfect in weakness." Sanctification is not about fighting God on our own strength: the Holy Spirit is within us and so sanctification really is all by grace. Finally, Keswick theology rightly knows that some Christians are clinging to things and that they need to surrender them. You wouldn't think that we would act that way, but humans are stubborn creatures.

Now, to critique Keswick theology, I would make two points. First, it's basically Yoda theology. "Do or do not, there is no try," and that's just not Biblical. It is striking how in the first few pages when describing a second blessing that follows not just believing in Christ, but surrendering to him. that there is a scarcity of Scripture (pp. 11-19). He finally quotes Romans where it says we are not under the law but under grace and Christ's grace being suffiicient for us. Later he points out that sin will not reign over us, again citing Romans. This is all good and would be sufficient to refute two-nature theology, but it doesn't prove second blessings, the need for surrender, or the idea that "mere trying" is unbiblical.

This brings me to my second point: the Keswick theology relies on emphasizing certain aspects of Scripture by ignoring others. For this critique, I am not going to write in my own words, since Keswick has been ably critiqued by none other than J.C. Ryle. His words on this topic are so good that they will take up a lot of this review (I have only selected the Ryle quotes that apply to Trumbull in this book):

"(1) I ask, in the first place, whether it is wise to speak of faith as the one thing needful, and the only thing required, as many seem to do now-a-days in handling the doctrine of sanctification?—Is it wise to proclaim in so bald, naked, and unqualified a way as many do, that the holiness of converted people is by faith only, and not at all by personal exertion? Is it according to the proportion of God’s Word? I doubt it.

"That faith in Christ is the root of all holiness—that the first step towards a holy life is to believe on Christ—that until we believe we have not a jot of holiness—that union with Christ by faith is the secret of both beginning to be holy and continuing holy—that the life that we live in the flesh we must live by the faith of the Son of God—that faith purifies the heart—that faith is the victory which overcomes the world—that by faith the elders obtained a good report—all these are truths which no well-instructed Christian will ever think of denying. But surely the Scriptures teach us that in following holiness the true Christian needs personal exertion and work as well as faith. The very same Apostle who says in one place, “The life that I live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God,” says in another place, “I fight—I run—I keep under my body;” and in other places, “Let us cleanse ourselves—let us labour, let us lay aside every weight.” (Gal. ii. 20; 1 Cor. ix. 26; 2 Cor. vii. 1; Heb. iv. 11; xii. 1 .) Moreover, the Scriptures nowhere teach us that faith sanctifies us in the same sense, and in the same manner, that faith justifies us! Justifying faith is a grace that “worketh not,” but simply trusts, rests, and leans on Christ. (Rom. iv. 5.) Sanctifying faith is a grace of which the very life is action: it “worketh by love,” and, like a main-spring, moves the whole inward man. (Gal. v. 6.) After all, the precise phrase “sanctified by faith” is only found once in the New Testament. The Lord Jesus said to Saul, “I send thee, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Me.” Yet even there I agree with Alford, that “by faith” belongs to the whole sentence, and must not be tied to the word “sanctified.” The true sense is, “that by faith in Me they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them that are sanctified.” (Compare Acts xxvi. 18 with Acts xx. 32.)

"As to the phrase “holiness by faith,” I find it nowhere in the New Testament. Without controversy, in the matter of our justification before God, faith in Christ is the one thing needful. All that simply believe are justified. Righteousness is imputed “to him that worketh not but believeth.” (Rom. iv. 5.) It is thoroughly Scriptural and right to say “faith alone justifies.” But it is not equally Scriptural and right so say “faith alone sanctifies.” The saying requires very large qualification. Let one fact suffice. We are frequently told that a man is “justified by faith without the deeds of the law,” by St. Paul. But not once are we told that we are “sanctified by faith without the deeds of the law.” On the contrary, we are expressly told by St. James that the faith whereby we are visibly and demonstratively justified before man, is a faith which “if it hath not works is dead, being alone.”1 (James ii. 17.) I may be told, in reply, that no one of course means to disparage “works” as an essential part of a holy life. It would be well, however, to make this more plain than many seem to make it in these days.

"(5) In the fifth place, is it wise to use the language which is often used in the present day about the doctrine of “Christ in us”? I doubt it. Is not this doctrine often exalted to a position which it does not occupy in Scripture? I am afraid that it is.

"That the true believer is one with Christ and Christ in him, no careful reader of the New Testament will think of denying for a moment. There is, no doubt, a mystical union between Christ and the believer. With Him we died, with Him we were buried, with Him we rose again, with Him we sit in heavenly places. We have five plain texts where we are distinctly taught that Christ is “in us.” (Rom. viii. 10; Gal. ii. 20; iv. 19; Eph. iii. 17; Col. iii. 11.) But we must be careful that we understand what we mean by the expression. That “Christ dwells in our hearts by faith,” and carries on His inward work by His Spirit, is clear and plain. But if we mean to say that beside, and over, and above this there is some mysterious indwelling of Christ in a believer, we must be careful what we are about. Unless we take care, we shall find ourselves ignoring the work of the Holy Ghost. We shall be forgetting that in the Divine economy of man’s salvation election is the special work of God the Father—atonement, mediation, and intercession, the special work of God the Son—and sanctification, the special work of God the Holy Ghost. We shall be forgetting that our Lord said, when He went away, that He would send us another Comforter, who should “abide with us” for ever, and, as it were, take His place. (John xiv. 16.) In short, under the idea that we are honouring Christ, we shall find that we are dishonouring His special and peculiar gift—the Holy Ghost. Christ, no doubt, as God, is everywhere—in our hearts, in heaven, in the place where two or three are met together in His name. But we really must remember that Christ, as our risen Head and High Priest, is specially at God’s right hand interceding for us until He comes the second time; and that Christ carries on His work in the hearts of His people by the special work of His Spirit, whom He promised to send when He left the world. (John xv. 26.) A comparison of the ninth and tenth verses of the eighth chapter of Romans seems to me to show this plainly. It convinces me that “Christ in us” means Christ in us “by His Spirit.” Above all, the words of St. John are most distinct and express: “Hereby we know that He abideth in us by the Spirit which He hath given us.” (1 John iii. 24.)

"In saying all this, I hope no one will misunderstand me. I do not say that the expression. “Christ in us” is unscriptural. But I do say that I see great danger of giving an extravagant and unscriptural importance to the idea contained in the expression; and I do fear that many use it now-a-days without exactly knowing what they mean, and unwittingly, perhaps, dishonour the mighty work of the Holy Ghost. If any readers think that I am needlessly scrupulous about the point, I recommend to their notice a curious book by Samuel Rutherford (author of the well-known letters), called “The Spiritual Antichrist.” They will there see that two centuries ago the wildest heresies arose out of an extravagant teaching of this very doctrine of the “indwelling of Christ” in believers. They will find that Saltmarsh, and Dell, and Towne, and other false teachers, against whom good Samuel Rutherford contended, began with strange notions of “Christ in us,” and then proceeded to build on the doctrine antinomianism, and fanaticism of the worst description and vilest tendency. They maintained that the separate, personal life of the believer was so completely gone, that it was Christ living in him who repented, and believed, and acted! The root of this huge error was a forced and unscriptural interpretation of such texts as “I live: yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.” (Gal. ii. 20.) And the natural result of it was that many of the unhappy followers of this school came to the comfortable conclusion that believers were not responsible, whatever they might do! Believers, forsooth, were dead and buried; and only Christ lived in them, and undertook everything for them! The ultimate consequence was, that some thought they might sit still in a carnal security, their personal accountableness being entirely gone, and might commit any kind of sin without fear! Let us never forget that truth, distorted and exaggerated, can become the mother of the most dangerous heresies. When we speak of “Christ being in us,” let us take care to explain what we mean. I fear some neglect this in the present day.

"(7) In the seventh and last place, is it wise to teach believers that they ought not to think so much of fighting and struggling against sin, but ought rather to “yield themselves to God” and be passive in the hands of Christ? Is this according to the proportion of God’s Word? I doubt it.

"It is a simple fact that the expression “yield yourselves” is only to be found in one place in the New Testament, as a duty urged upon believers. That place is in the sixth chapter of Romans, and there within six verses the expression occurs five times. (See Rom. vi. 13-19.) But even there the word will not bear the sense of “placing ourselves passively in the hands of another.” Any Greek student can tell us that the sense is rather that of actively “presenting” ourselves for use, employment, and service. (See Rom. xii. 1.) The expression therefore stands alone. But, on the other hand, it would not be difficult to point out at least twenty-five or thirty distinct passages in the Epistles where believers are plainly taught to use active personal exertion, and are addressed as responsible for doing energetically what Christ would have them do, and are not told to “yield themselves” up as passive agents and sit still, but to arise and work. A holy violence, a conflict, a warfare, a fight, a soldier’s life, a wrestling, are spoken of as characteristic of the true Christian. The account of “the armour of God” in the sixth chapter of Ephesians, one might think, settles the question.3—Again, it would be easy to show that the doctrine of sanctification without personal exertion, by simply “yielding ourselves to God,” is precisely the doctrine of the antinomian fanatics in the seventeenth century (to whom I have referred already, described in Rutherford’s Spiritual Antichrist), and that the tendency of it is evil in the extreme.—Again, it would be easy to xviishow that the doctrine is utterly subversive of the whole teaching of such tried and approved books as Pilgrim’s Progress, and that if we receive it we cannot do better than put Bunyan’s old book in the fire! If Christian in Pilgrim’s Progress simply yielded himself to God, and never fought, or struggled, or wrestled, I have read the famous allegory in vain. But the plain truth is, that men will persist in confounding two things that differ—that is, justification and sanctification. In justification the word to be addressed to man is believe—only believe; in sanctification the word must be “watch, pray, and fight.” What God has divided let us not mingle and confuse....

"Finally, I must deprecate, and I do it in love, the use of uncouth and new-fangled terms and phrases in teaching sanctification. I plead that a movement in favour of holiness cannot be advanced by new-coined phraseology, or by disproportioned and one-sided statements—or by overstraining and isolating particular texts—or by exalting one truth at the expense of another—or by allegorizing and accommodating texts, and squeezing out of them meanings which the Holy Ghost never put in them—or by speaking contemptuously and bitterly of those who do not entirely see things with our eyes, and do not work exactly in our ways. These things do not make for peace: they rather repel many and keep them at a distance. The cause of true sanctification is not helped, but hindered, by such weapons as these. A movement in aid of holiness which produces strife and dispute among God’s children is somewhat suspicious. For Christ’s sake, and in the name of truth and charity, let us endeavour to follow after peace as well as holiness. “What God has joined together let not man put asunder.”"

I agree with Trumbull a lot in spirit, but let Ryle do your theology. True, I want to read Trumbull more than I want to re-read Ryle's Holiness, because the former is a bit more peppy, but there's so much more meat in Ryle. Trumbull is kind of what you get when you get charismatics focused on a personal relationship with Jesus and on fighting sin, in the best possible way.

That said, when I first read this book it seemed so confident in its claims that I immediately skipped to the last chapter and was bowled over. The seventh chapter on the perils of the Victorious Life was insanely good and wise and I wish I could give every charismatic or pietistic person this book. These are the basic points he makes:
1. Do not look at your success or your failure to see how you are doing. If you are overconfident you may fall into sin, and if you sin you will falsely despair.
2. Don't lean too hard on "impulses." They may or may not be from the Holy Spirit, and if they fail you will be tempted to doubt God.
3. Don't be too ascetic: pleasures are good things, not a sin.
4. Don't expect continued supernatural miracles or experiences.
5. Don't be proud, especially around other believers who do not have victory over sin. Take criticism here.
6. Keep reading your Bible. It's a get-to, not a got-to.
7. Pay attention to the people around you. Victory is not an excuse for slackness.
8. Confess your sins all the time.
9. Be sexually pure: do not use the victorious life as an excuse to cross lines with the other sex because of shared experiences.
10. Don't be over-spiritual and look down on other people for their innocent "worldly" enjoyments. Instead, try to take up hobbies.

Isn't that great? So, for all my reservations, this book has good stuff to offer. In short, if you think this is your one-stop, then go read some Puritans, but if you're discouraged, read this and remember what Christ has done for you.

[Luke J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the ideas raised and points made are vital in living (and enjoying) the Christian life. I enjoyed this book and it is a quick read - though there are some pages worth pondering over for a long time.

[Barry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an updated, condensed edition of a spiritual classic. The core of Trumbull's book is that the essentials for the victorious Christian life is fully surrendering to Christ and trusting him to enable your personal victory over sin. Trumbull focuses on Paul’s affirmation of the Lord’s promise that “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Cor. 12:9), encouraging believers to realize God’s victory over sin by constantly pointing to the present tense of Christ's promise to live his life in the life of every believer who fully trusts God’s Word.

[Jeff Noble · Rating 2 out of 5]

The points about how not to become pie-in-the-sky, head-in-the-clouds overly “spiritual” at the end of the book are better than the rest of the book.

[Jim Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will help to open your understanding to the teaching of the New Testament on what is available to you in Christ now. Statements like, “You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt. 5:48 rsv) and, “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do” (1 Pet. 1:15) are to be taken seriously. They are not impossible ideals, because God provides us the grace. His standards of holiness are not inconsistent with His provision for holiness. This is a wonderful book, and I have been recommending it for many years.

[Jerry Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful

I love this book. The author creates a great desire to live a victorious life. Also, he gives hope that Christians can have the victory. The last chapter on the perils of the victorious life is very important. I have read several books about union with Christ, and I can't recall any others that discuss the perils.

[Shane Rice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book. It must be read to the end, because the last chapter creates a balance that could be grossly misconstrued by reading only half of the book. That being said, it is a great book to read.

[Heath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read! Great advice

This book teaches us about the great victory we have in Christ not the discouraging and broken life we can be prone to love. Even as a Christian. Gods salvation leads us to eternal life but also victory in this life.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Pearls of Wisdom and Instruction

This book is a veritable powerhouse for living victoriously in the Lord Jesus Christ. It bears additional readings. I found it to be truly amazing in its simplicity.

[Lisa Morrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great little book! Highly recommend!

[Dan Mingo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short book, took about an hour to read. Excellent in showing you that your victory comes in an through Christ. So much meat in these quick 90 pages!

[Heather Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

My all-time favorite book after the Bible. Every Christian needs to read this. It will change your LIFE!!! 🙌🙌😭😭

[Jeffrey S. Harley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read!

Trumbull's writing is a must read. If you are a believer and you are in bind age to habitual sin and setbacks, then this book is a must read!

[♥Gracie♥ BookLover & JesusFreak · Rating 4 out of 5]

You will need a highlighter with this book. Though it's a quick read, you need to read it slow! Its's really encouraging!

[Whitney Frasier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tiny but mighty! This book is less than 100 pages and had some really amazing points!

[Adam Collier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very encouraging

[David Wiedman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great short read all about the Victory we already have IN CHRIST…

[Crystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

The last chapter was my favorite.

[Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are main themes in this book that I disagree with, but even with that, I pulled out so much good! There are very impactful truths in this little book.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great, short read. I think Pastor Gus made us read a chapter a day continuously for a month. Definitely a book that helped me quit feeling sorry for myself and focus more on Christ. Can add obscure questions to your walk. Definitely not light reading.

[JSL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good practical book on the Christian life. According to opening pages, author is related to Elisabeth Elliot. Good, encouraging.

[Tamara]

The only book I read again and again.

[Josh Dyck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life changing read. Grace is something God does, and our faith is the action that receives all that God gives and promises us in Christ. All we have to do is say thank you!