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{Proof That the Heavenly Trade is the Best Trade
The Heavenly Trade Is the Most Profitable Trade
The Heavenly Trade Brings Sure Returns
The Blood of Christ Assures the Returns}
When the ventures of the saints are according to the will of God, the blood of Christ is also engaged for safe returns from their ventures. Their Christian labors are part of the anguish of His soul, which He must see secured, and they are the will of the Lord, which must prosper in His hand (Isaiah 53:10–11).240 He has become a surety for believers to God and a surety for the Father to believers. “So much the more also Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant” (Hebrews 7:22 NASB). The covenant is here called a testament241 as it relates to the saints’ privileges and portion; it is by this covenant that these become due to them. These will surely be made good to them because Christ is surety for them. He is the surety of this testament, or covenant, and of every promise of it. One of these promises is that what the saints sow to the Spirit, they will reap in glory and their labor will not be in vain. Christ will make all the promises good, both the conditions242 and the blessing, to the saints in the new covenant. For this reason, the Lord Jesus has laid down His precious blood, which cannot be lost (Hebrews 9:15).243 But it would be thrown away if somehow believers’ Christian duties be in vain.
240“Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities” (Isaiah 53:10–11 ESV). On the Cross, Christ procured not only justification from sin, but sanctification and preordained good works. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10 ESV).
241The Greek διαθηκη [dee-ath-ay´-kay] has, in its most general sense, the meaning of a binding legal instrument. Depending on the context, contract, covenant, and testament may all be valid translations. Ashwood’s use of testament is from the KJV. But most modern translations render διαθηκη as covenant in Hebrews 7:22 since that fits the context. By contrast, in Hebrews 9:16, the context demands that διαθηκη be rendered testament or will, as in the famous phrase last will and testament.
242The editor is unsure of Ashwood’s exact intent here. However, it seems that he refers to the conditions that are attached to most of God’s promises. For example, none of those who refuse to believe in Christ will have eternal life, but God’s elect will be given grace to meet the conditions.
243“For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance” (Hebrews 9:15 NASB).
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