May 31

The surety of a better testament.—Heb. vii.

A SURETY is one who obligates himself to see certain engagements fulfilled, and who is personally accountable for their fulfilment. Jesus became a surety between God and man. He engaged to discharge all the obligations to which man was liable,—he engaged to see all the claims of God amply met and ratified,—he became responsible for all that man owed, for the full and entire settlement of the vast amount. This involved perfect obedience to the Divine law, which he magnified and made gloriously honourable. This involved bearing the curse of the law, what he did by becoming a curse for us. (Galatians 3:13.) As such he took the place of the transgressors, was bruised for our iniquities, endured the infliction of Divine wrath in his own sacred person, the chastisement of our peace being laid upon him, that by his stripes we might be healed. Thus, he bore our sins in his own body on the tree. But this only includes his engagements on our behalf with God. As surety he became pledged on the part of the Deity to bestow upon all believers the benefits of salvation. "Thus God exalted him as a prince and a saviour to give repentance unto Israel and remission of sins." Thus too before he suffered, he offered up that sublime intercessory prayer to his Father, that his people might be sanctified and preserved from the evils of the world, and finally participate with himself in the glory which he had with the Father before the world was. Hence as the surety on the part of God to man, he has engaged to give unto his sheep eternal glory, that where he is, there they shall be also. As our surety, he is possessed of infinite ability to execute all his engagements, and his mind is one, and changeth not, the same yesterday, to day, and for ever. If Christ be such a surety, then let the penitent sinner commit all his concerns into his hands. Christ is able and willing to save unto the uttermost all who come unto God by him. Let the believer implicitly trust him in weakness, in temptations, in trials, in afflictions, and in death itself, seeing that he ever liveth to keep and strengthen his people here, and has promised after death, glory, immortality, and eternal life. The impenitent sinner who rejecteth this surety, must stand without advocate before the inexorable throne, and bear the doom his iniquity has justly demerited.