Ordered in all things and sure; and that is all our salvation. Now, if it was ordered in all things, it most certainly includes in its nature and constitution, the non-imputation of sin to the elect, the full imputation of it to Christ, and the transference of ALL LIABILITY to suffer for it from them to HIM. And these things all being immanent acts of the Divine Will, they must have been as complete at the instant they passed the eternal mind as ever they were or could be afterward, the natural consequence thus being—sin was never imputed to God’s people, but was always imputed to Christ, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Therefore, as per the elect, He was the only person liable to suffer for it. Since in all things the Covenant of Grace/Love was ordered and thus made sure, then the elect having eternal proprietary interest, are eternally secure from all liability to wrath, when it was ratified by the joint oath of the Holy Trinity before time, as much so, as they were when Christ, in pursuance of His federal engagement, SUFFERED FOR THEM IN THE FULLNESS OF TIME.

WE READ IN DIVINE RECORD:

1. “God was in Christ reconciling the world (elect world) unto himself, NOT imputing their trespasses unto them.” (2nd Corinthians 5:19)

2. “That Jesus WAS made THE surety of a better testament.” (Hebrews 7:22)

3. “That God HATH NOT beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel.” (Numbers 23:21)

4. “ALL ISRAEL SHALL BE SAVED”. (Romans 11:26)

BLESSED SURETY RECONCILING!

The tenses of Numbers 23:21 are noteworthy (as we believe in verbal, plenary inspiration), as shall not behold is not the same as “hath not beheld” and “neither hath he seen” is not the same as shall not see.

God’s past tenses swallow all “contingencies” giving no allowance for future changes.

How can it be, “not imputing THEIR trespasses unto THEM”—REAL sin with real possessive pronouns, “their/them”—how can this be?

In a word substitute, in a word SURETY.

By Bill Bryant