[Dec. 11th, 1853.]
There are two great kingdoms in the world; that of God and that of Satan, of truth and of error, of light and of darkness, of holiness and of sin. All men are the subjects of the one or the other. There can be no neutrality. Not to submit to the one, is submission to the other. The exhortation of the Apostle is to submit to God and to resist the devil.
I. The nature of this submission.
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In general, submission is the practical recognition of the rightful authority of God over us as our sovereign. Subjects are required to submit to magistrates, wives to their husbands, children to their parents, servants to their masters. In every case the nature of the submission is determined by the nature of the relation. Our relation to God requires that our submission to him should be absolute, without reserve, without hesitation, and without limitation.
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This includes submission of the understanding to the truth of God. It may be assumed as certain that no revelation of God in his word can contradict the revelation which he has made of himself in our nature. Obedience to the laws of belief implanted in our nature, is only one form of submission to God, and therefore forms no limitation of the submission of our understandings to his truth. The intuitive principles of the mind are very few and limited, and therefore give us only a small amount of truth. God’s word is the great store-house of truth. To that and to all it contains we are to submit. It contains nothing inconsistent with the laws of our nature, or it would not be his word, and therefore to everything it contains we are to submit our understanding. This is the obedience of faith, a difficult duty, yet not to be evaded. It is the only security, the only ground of peace and assurance.
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It includes, specially, submission to the plan of salvation. The Jews would not submit themselves unto the righteousness of God, Rom. 10:3. This is the specific thing required to be done in order to salvation. This, however, is very different from that doctrine of submission which requires only submission to the sovereignty of God. Such submission can only hang together with a perverted theory of religion.
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It includes submission to the will of God, however manifested, as to our duty, where we shall go, what we shall do, and what we shall be, submission to our trials and afflictions. This is often the severest test of our subjection to God.
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Submission includes becoming his subjects, so that God not only rules over us, but in us; so that all the powers of our mind, all the resources of our nature, all the members of our bodies, all our acquisitions and possessions should be given up to him and to the protection of his kingdom and glory.
II. Reasons or grounds for submission.
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For general submission. a. God’s right as our Creator; b. as our preserver; c. and his infinite superiority.
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For submission of the understanding. a. Our own feebleness of intellect. b. God’s infinite wisdom. c. The certainty of error in refusing to submit to God’s teaching.
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Submission to the plan of salvation. a. We have no righteousness of our own. b. That of Christ alone is all-sufficient, c. Our salvation depends on it. d. Perfect peace is the fruit of this form of submission.
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Submission to the providence of God is founded, a. On faith that he does thus govern the world. b. On faith in his love. c. Faith in his wisdom. d. Willingness that he should do what seems to him to be good.
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Subjection and devotion to his service rest, a. On his right to us. b. On our obligation to him. c. In this way only can we attain the end of our being.
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