Christ our Surety by W. S. P.

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 13, 1859

Christ our Surety.

By W. S. P.

Of all Christ's titles none suggests more weighty or welcome truth than that of SURETY. This is expressly given him in Heb. vii. 22. "Jesus was made a surety of a better testament," or covenant.

A surety is one who answers for another, who takes the place of another in any matter of responsibility, who undertakes any service for another. Thus Paul was surety to Philemon for Onesimus. Thus Judah was surety to his father for the safe return of Benjamin. More commonly suretyships relate to the payment of debts, or the fulfilling of covenants.

There is no question of the validity of Christ's suretyship for us, if, first, he acts voluntarily; if, second, the guaranty given is ample; and if, third, God freely accepts and fully approves of this arrangement. On all these points the Scripture is full and clear. Christ was not forced into this undertaking: "I delight to do thy will, O my God; I lay down my life, no man taketh it from me," must settle the first point. Isaiah liii, and many other scriptures, must settle the second. "A body hast thou prepared me—This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased," must settle the third.

Our guilt would always bring us before God loaded with chains; our depravity would ever cover us with shame; our ignorance would render us liable to the most fatal mistakes; our misery would always present us in his sight as wretched objects; while our helplessness would show us all to be dead men. So that our need of a surety was beyond a question, and the love that gave us a surety beyond a parallel.

As our surety, Christ was made a curse for us; he bore our sins in his own body on the tree; he was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him, and thus he became the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth; having suffered for us until himself, by the eternal Spirit, said, "It is finished."

This is the great work of our Surety, that without which all else could do us no good. Sin was the only barrier to man's salvation. Christ hath borne our sins in his own person for us; blessed be his holy name. He answers the demands of the law.

He also secures our acceptance of the grace offered in the gospel, and our steadfastness in the ways of God. He heals our blindness, he cures our love of sin, in his strength our weakness vanishes away. This is all done efficiently by his Spirit, whom he sends to lead us in the ways of righteousness.

Let every child of Adam who hears this glorious message say, "Thou blessed Saviour, I take thee to be my surety. Unless thou pay my debts, they will remain ever unpaid. I accept thee in all thy offices of Prophet, Priest, and King. I trust thy grace. I have no confidence but in thee. My tears cannot wash away my sins. Even my blood could make no atonement, for it is the blood of a sinner. Christ is my all, and in all. O that my faith in him for wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption may never, never falter. He is my Lamb, who taketh away my sins, my Ark of safety, my Rock of defense, my All. O that I loved him more. O that I may see his face, and be forever like him, and with him."

W. S. P.—[Am. Mes.]