Fundamental Truths of Salvation

By Edward Dennett

Chapter 1

SOUL - ANXIETY.¹

We desire in these pages to meet the need of those who have been awakened out of the torpor of spiritual death, and whose chief concern is to know how to obtain peace with God. Their state may be best described as one of soul-anxiety. There are always numbers in this condition, and especially now, when the gospel of the grace of God is so widely preached on every hand. It is not only those who are so wrought upon as to be compelled to cry, “ What must we do to be saved?” but there are many others also who, under an outwardly calm and placid demeanour, hide severe distress of soul. The depth and intensity of feeling will vary in different people and under different circumstances. With some it will be anxiety, and nothing more; with others there will be a real distress of mind and heart; while in other cases there will be positive anguish of soul. But whatever the depth of the feeling - be it more or less—if there be any conviction of alienation from or guilt before God; if there be any sorrow for sin, together with even but the faintest desire for pardon and reconciliation with God; if, in other words, there be any bowing before God in the place of self - judgment, there is that real spiritual anxiety of which we speak; for such a state of mind can only be produced by the Spirit of God.

The instrumentality employed to bring about this state of soul is, in one form or another, the word of God. This may not be always apparent; for sometimes a hymn, sometimes a simple question from another, sometimes the recollection of a prayer, sometimes the appeal of a preacher of the gospel, may be used as the arrow of conviction; but in all these cases it is really the word of God, embodied in these several forms, which the Holy Spirit wields to awaken the careless soul. His own word is, as far as we know, the only weapon which God uses for this end; for He is pleased “ by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe ” (1 Cor. i. 21); and hence the apostle says, “We preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. ” (1 Cor. i. 23, 24.)

Several illustrations of this may be collected from the Acts of the Apostles. On the day of Pentecost we find Peter presenting, in preaching, Christ crucified, risen, and exalted, and charging his hearers with the sin of rejecting and crucifying Him whom God had raised from the dead. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men [and] brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts ii. 36, 37.) The apostle Paul was humbled at the feet of the Saviour in a special and extraordinary way; but it was also by the presentation of Christ, though in revelation, and not in the preaching of the word. Take the case also of Felix. We are told that when the apostle reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled; and though the effect in this instance seems to have been but transient, it yet shows us the power of the word of God over the soul. The Philippian jailer might seem at first sight to be an exception to the rule; but there can be little doubt that the super natural occurrences of that eventful night, when Paul and Silas were in his charge and custody, were but the occasion of his soul- distress, the means of fastening upon his heart and conscience the gospel message which he must have previously heard. It is often so now. Sudden sickness or danger, bringing an immediate prospect of death, will frequently give effect, under the power of the Spirit, to the previously unheeded and neglected messages and warnings of the gospel; and, filling the souls of men with guilty fears, with apprehensions of God's wrath against them, will constrain them to cry aloud for mercy.

Wherever therefore we see soul-anxiety — that soul - anxiety of which we have spoken - we may be sure that it has been wrought by the Holy Spirit through the word of God. And it is to those that are the subjects of this anxiety that we desire to speak. Beloved reader, are you in this condition of concern for salvation? Have you been convicted of sin, and is it the desire of your soul to know the way of peace with God? If such is your state, beware of turning a deaf ear to the voice of the Spirit of God, of trifling with, or seeking to hush or to drown the convictions which He has wrought. Beware also, we entreat you, of delay. God is striving in grace with you. For you, therefore, it is especially true, that " now is the accepted time, and now is the day of salvation.” (2 Cor. vi. 2.) Beware, too, of healing the wounds of your soul with other remedies than those of the gospel, lest you be led to cry “ Peace ” when there is no peace. Your case is full of hope. For He who has awakened your desires after salvation sends this message to you, “ Be ye reconciled to God ” (2 Cor. v. 20); and His own word says, that “ God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoso ever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ” (John iii. 16.) Let me then beseech you, as before God, to read, both carefully and prayerfully, the ensuing pages, that you may learn the way of salvation as revealed in the Scriptures. And may God Himself teach you, and guide you into peace, through believing in Christ!

          “Rest, weary soul!
The penalty is borne, the ransom paid;
For all thy sins full satisfaction made.
Strive not thyself to do what Christ has done;
Claim the free gift, and make the joy thine own;
No more by pangs of guilt and fear distrest,
          Rest, sweetly rest!"

Jesus, we rest in Thee,
     In Thee ourselves we hide;
Laden with guilt and misery,
      Where could we rest beside?
'Tis on Thy meek and lowly breast
Our weary souls alone can rest.”

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1) The substance of this chapter has appeared elsewhere.