As far as I am aware this ‘book’ is only available by an online download from Logos Bible Software (August 2011). It is a detailed analysis and critique of the holiness “deeper-life” teaching that emerged from 1875 through 1920 and was popularized by the hugely influential conference held each year at Keswick in the Lake District of England. Naselli agrees that from 1920 onwards, and mainly due to the influence of Graham Scroggie, there was a shift away from the higher life, two stage Christian teaching formulated and promoted by Keswick speakers. His analysis shows that the emphasis on a second experience by which sanctification is obtained was modified towards a more Reformed position which links justification and sanctification together and teaches that holiness in the believer is a process in which God works and the believers works with Him in what He is working. It is the contention of Andrew Naselli that early Keswick teaching continues to have an impact today and that overall this impact is more detrimental than helpful to the development of holy living. Systematically the reader is taken through an examination of the historical antecedents of the Keswick view of holiness, these include the Wesleyan doctrine and the Oberlin teachings of Charles Finney and Asa Mahan. The influence of Boardman, Hannah Whittall Smith and others such as the famous book with the title “The Christian Secret of a Happy Life” is clearly to be seen as men like the godly Handley Moule initiated this conference specifically for the promotion of the doctrine of holiness. After looking at the historical roots there is a chapter that details the actual doctrine promoted with its five components, each taking one day. Day one focused on sin, day two gave teaching on God’s provision for victorious Christian living; day three emphasized complete consecration involving surrender and faith. Day four focused on Spirit filling and the last day was given over to the subject of Christian service. As some of us may know this teaching effectively says that there are two types of Christians, fleshly and spiritual. Naselli argues that this encourages a spiritual elitism in those who have apparently obtained the blessing and in his estimate, when things break down results in unreality. Is this a scriptural view? As this book progresses this question along with others are considered in a detailed theological critique. There is plenty of food for thought here and I would commend an open hearted reading of what he has to say. Obviously this author has himself been affected and perhaps offended by the ineffectiveness of the ‘letting go and letting God’ idea of a second blessing. He has attempted to obey these doctrines and found them wanting, however, he does not write with an axe to grind, he lets his particular understanding of scripture do the talking. We may not agree with all this findings but this book opens up the whole subject in a very helpful way and these things need to be considered by every pastor and leader. In the past men like J.I. Packer and Martyn Lloyd Jones have commented negatively on the effects of this teaching but I am not sure that they used such a doctrinal examination. After a short synopsis of what this author has said and argued in the previous chapters this book winds up with several detailed appendices on certain Greek words such as ‘flesh’ (sarx) and ‘abide’ (meno) and the book concludes with a list of books that present the Reformed view of sanctification. An immense Bibliography completes this book that is itself a great boon to those seeking clarification on the vital matter of sanctification.
