Unsubdued by Sel.

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · Jan 28, 1886

Unsubdued.

By Sel.

It is written that the carnal mind is not sub-ject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be. It is a palpable fact that many persons, some of whom have named the name of Christ, have never been brought into real subjection to the law of God. They have yielded a formal or feigned obedience, but in reality they are their own masters. They say, "Lord, Lord," but they do not the things which the Lord commands. They have openly confessed him to be their Master; but they have done it with so many provisos and mental reservations that in truth they have never been ruled by the law and mind of Christ.

Our Redeemer is exalted to the right hand of God, to be "a Prince" as well as "a Saviour," and the apostle says: "Let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ." Acts 2:36. He is thus not only the Christ, the anointed Saviour, but he is the Lord, the Ruler who claims the right to rule and control the thoughts, and words, and acts of the sons of men. And there is no real sub-jection to him until this fact be appreciated and acted upon; and then, having taken Christ's yoke upon us and learned of him, we find rest to our souls, because his yoke is easy, and his burden is light. But so long as there is insub-ordination, so long as the subjection is a matter of form, so long as persons only yield feigned obedience and practically refuse to acknowledge him as their Lord and Master, and the Ruler of all their lives, so long they are unsubdued, and hence the struggle and conflict must go on. When persons are ready to take him, not only as their Saviour, but as their Master, and are as willing to receive his commands as they are to accept his promises and his blessings, then it will be well with them. But to this day there are multitudes who acknowledge Christ as Ruler, and still obey men rather than God, and their inquiry is not, "What will please the Lord?" but, "What is in accordance with the usages, customs, methods, and manners of the people?"

There are some who openly acknowledge Christ as a leader, but who still are led by men, and often in ways which conscience does not approve, and which the command of Christ forbids.

There are some who acknowledge Christ as Teacher, but who still receive for doctrines commandments of men, and take heed to what human leaders have prescribed, rather than to what God has ordained and appointed.

The Lord desires the unity of his people, but men labor to separate and disunite them. The Lord desires his children to be separated from the world; but in many instances those who have named his name still mingle in all the pleasures, follies, vanities, fashions, and enjoy-ments which the world affords. Christ calls up-on his people to deny themselves, and take up their cross, and follow him. But many do not deny themselves, they do not take up the cross, they do not follow Christ; and still they call themselves by his name while following the devices of their own hearts.

The great difficulty with such persons is, they are not in subjection to the will and the word of the living God. They are unsubdued, uncon-quered. They have never fully settled it that Christ is their Master. They are willing that he should save them, but they are not willing that he should rule them. But if he is our Saviour, he must be our Ruler. If we desire his rest, we must take his yoke. If we are to partake of the blessing of his great salvation, we are to be conquered by him, so subdued that our whole lives shall be brought into subjection to his will; so that not only our acts, but also our thoughts shall be under his supreme con-trol, brought into captivity to Christ, and held in sweet subjection to him.—Sel.