37
understands "the root cause of subnormal Christian experience" to be unbelief,
69
and thus the
necessary cure is to be experienced "not by long prayers and laborious effort but by a deliberate
and decisive act of faith."
70
McQuilkin understands biblical faith to be two-sided "including
the more passive aspect of reliance and trust and the more active aspect of obedience."
71
Now it
is clear that for McQuilkin and other Keswick advocates the passive role predominates. "For
Christians who are experiencing a subnormal life, reentry into normal, supernatural Christian
living is through the gate of surrender."
72
While there is much activity encouraged and expected
from victorious Christians in the Keswick model (especially in the area of missions and
evangelism), it is designed to be a consequence of the decisive experience of surrender to Christ
in a faith that is passive first and foremost. There is much biblical richness in the Keswick
emphasis on the need for surrender and upon faith as passive reliance on God and his grace, a
th is union; (b) we accept the fact that in Christ sin no longer has mastery over us (Rom 6:6, 14);
(c) we grasp and appropriate the power of the Holy Spirit, which enables us to overcome sin and
live for God (Rom 8:13; Gal 5:16, 22-23; Eph 6:16); and (d) we live out the spiritual fruit of love
(Gal 5:6; 1 Tim 1:5) and fruitful good works (1 Thess 1:3; James 2:26), for faith is inherently "an
operative power." (Ibid.)
69
McQuilkin, "The Keswick Perspective," in Five Views on Sanctification, 160.
70
Ibid., 154.
71
Ibid., 163.
72
Ibid., 171.