"If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account; I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides."
 

This morning, I have been made to think of the subject of "surety" from some preaching this weekend. This subject is one that if understood properly will remove the Arminian mindset that plagues us so easily. Surety is different from security in the following way. If someone has been given security, the person that gave them the security agrees to do something in contract if the party cannot do it for themselves. Surety differs in that the contractual agreement is promised to be fulfilled for the party REGARDLESS! There is no promise act if the party cannot. The promise is that the surety holder WILL act. Certainly, this subject points to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (Hebrews 7:22)

Notice how Paul is addressing Philemon. He is beseeching Philemon to receive back his servant and brother Onesimus. Onesimus has fled from his master, and he has been in fellowship with the Apostle Paul in his travels and sorrows. Paul is doing the rightful thing in sending him back to Philemon, but also addressing Onesimus's manner of behaviour and walk to his master. He tells Philemon that Onesimus is dear to him, and his instruction to Philemon is to receive him as a brother that is profitable to him. As the letter closes, Paul declares that he WILL pay whatever Onesimus owes on his account. He does not make a condition to pay if Onesimus cannot. He declares that he will pay whatever is lawfully required. Let us shift our eyes momentarily to Calvary. Christ has no sin, nor will He ever have any sin of His own. He is said to be holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners. However, He took upon Himself the great weight and penalty of sinners to bear their burden in His own body upon the tree of the cross to bring peace with God to His people. He did not tell His brethren, "All of you keep the law, and I will pay what you do not pay."

Rather, He paid our penalty and wrote it with His own hand. Contractually, He agreed before time to ransom His possession unto Himself, and when He trod the long journey of shame to redemption, He paid the debt that He was surety for. Notice that Paul uses his own name as promise and collateral for the surety to his brother Onesimus. Jesus Christ used His name (that is above every name) to keep in covenant the possession until the appointed time to fulfill the contract. This is how saints that died in olden times were redeemed. They had Christ's blood applied to them (as we do today), and the fulfillment on Calvary reached back through the chronology of time to touch them as well. He also paid the price down to the last farthing for every one. There is not something left to be done to fulfill the contract of redemption, for we have all been set free from the monster to die no more or be separated from our God. Thanks be unto Him for this unspeakable gift, and may we pattern our lives as Paul encouraged Philemon to do. When our brethren wrong us and afterwards show repentance unto edification, should we not then receive them back? Christ received us unto Himself, and when He purposed to be our surety, we were in no wise worthy. Therefore, let us press forward in seeking to serve the Surety of all God's redeemed children.