John, the saddler, was known in his village as a trustworthy workman. He took honest pride in doing his work well. But John was in trouble about his soul; he was not satisfied with himself! He feared death, and, being unsaved, that awful "after death." He well knew that "it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." Heb. 9:2727And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27). Yet John was a religious man who, judging by outward things, stood better than many of his neighbors.
One Saturday evening a friend of the saddler, who knew his anxiety of soul, called upon him. The week's work was just over. The last stroke had been given to the piece in hand and John was putting down his tools. "That job's done," he exclaimed, as he set the harness upon the table. He eyed it with the satisfaction of one whose hard week's labor has ended.
Looking at the work and then at the workman, his friend remarked, "Why, John, how is this? Can you fold your hands and sit down? Do you mean to call this harness finished?”
"Sir," cried the saddler, with some little indignation, "when I say a job is done, it is done. It means DONE, well done.”
"How so, John? You call it finished, do you?”
"To be sure I do! I am not one of the skimping sort. That is finished," John warmly replied, viewing his work with even greater satisfaction.
"Then I am to believe you, am I?”
John had never allowed anyone to question his word, for he was trustworthy as well as a good workman. He was not at all pleased at the insinuations cast upon himself and his work. He considered his word true and honest; and his work, was it not the very best?
"Ah, John," continued his friend, "so I am to believe you, am I? and yet you won't believe the Lord Jesus.”
Now John was perplexed and was ready to say he did believe.
"Believe Him," added his friend, "and yet doubt His work? No, that will not do. He said upon the cross, 'It is finished'; and I believe what Jesus said. He came from heaven to finish the work His Father gave Him to do. He came to work our salvation; neither did He rest till all was done.
"By faith I now see Jesus seated upon the right hand of God's throne on high in token that all is done. The Scriptures tell us, 'When He had by Himself purged our sins, He sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.'
"I did not really doubt you when you said your work was done. Your folded hands proved to me at once that your week's labor was over. And a pleasant thing it is on a Saturday night to sit down and say, 'It is all done; tomorrow I can rest.' But strange it is that you who say so confidently that your work is done, cannot trust the Son of God.”
John would not consent that he did not trust the Lord; however, his friend added, "If you really do trust Him, how is it that you have not peace with God? Rom. 5:11Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (Romans 5:1) says, 'Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
"By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once." Heb. 10:1010By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:10). Jesus, after He had accomplished God's will, "after He had offered one sacrifice for sins, forever sat down on the right hand of God." He had finished all, and now there is PEACE for all who believe.
The simple illustration was used of God to John's deliverance of soul.
Reader, how is it with you? Are you toiling, striving, laboring day by day as you near the end of life, and are you unsaved, yet without peace? Whatever the works are which you hope may save you, oh, put them all aside. Work no longer for your salvation.