Higher Christian Life

Some books are transformational. They spark change that affects generations. When first published in 1858, this book sparked a revival in England, and was a foundation for the birth of the Keswick movement. When brought across the ocean, it sparked a revival in North America as well.

Every Christian struggles with sin and wants to be victorious in the fight. There is no quick fix. Every Christian struggles with sin and wants to be victorious in the fight. Higher life theology -- also known as Keswick theology -- offers a quick fix for this struggle. It teaches that there are two categories of Christians: those who are merely saved and those who have really surrendered to Christ -- or those who have Jesus as their Savior alone and those who have him as their Master as well. If Christians can simply "let go and let God" they can be free of struggling with sin and brought to that higher level of spiritual life. What could be wrong with that? A lot, it turns out. In No Quick Fix, a shorter and more accessible version of his book Let Go and Let God?, Andy Naselli critiques higher life theology from a biblical perspective. He shows that it leads not to freedom, but to frustration, because it promises something it has no power to deliver. Along the way, he tells the story of where higher life theology came from, describes its characteristics, and compares it to what the Bible really says about how we overcome sin and become more like Christ. - Publisher.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1876.

William E. Boardman's famous and inspirational book has for generations helped Christians lead better and purer lives steeped in trust of God. Structured as a practical guidebook, we are taken through a step-by-step process of attaining the higher plane. Early in the book, Boardman expresses his dislike for the term 'faith', which he believes has become overused in many different spiritual contexts. Instead, he prefers the term 'trust' as a simpler, clearer way of illustrating a believer's devotional strength and closeness to God. For Boardman, one must persist in a belief and adherence to God for a long time in order to culminate this trust. The initial conversion is but the first step in a longer journey: the practice of the good Christian and avoidance of sin is necessary for an extended time, whereby the believer may undergo a 'Second Conversion' which heightens their experience of the Lord Jesus Christ. The author spent much of his life as a Presbyterian minister, working in both the USA and England. The publication of this book, which met with great approval from believers far and wide, ignited the Higher Life movement. This encouraged Christians to seek a second encounter with the Lord following their initial conversion to Christianity, and in this differed from the more traditional teaching of Christian perfection.