The Oberlin Evangelist

January 6, 1841

Lecture XXV.

SUBMISSION TO GOD--1

By The Rev. CHARLES G. FINNEY

Modernized by Cliff Collins

“Therefore submit to God.” (James 4:7)

In discussing this subject, I will answer the following questions:

I. What constitutes submission to God?

II. What are some things that submission implies?

III. What are some different delusions that people practice, concerning submission?

IV. Is salvation, without true submission, naturally possible?

V. If we truly submit, will salvation naturally follow?

I. What constitutes submission to God?

1. Submission belongs to our will; and true submission consists in our will being completely subdued and under the control of God’s will. This is the attitude our will, or the voluntary state of our will that God requires.

2. Submission to God includes joyfully accepting all of God providence. There is, perhaps, no one, no matter how wicked, and, perhaps, no devil in hell that is not pleased with some of God’s providences, because some of God’s providences may favor their ambitious and selfish schemes. The murderer, who prowls at midnight to plunge a dagger into his neighbor’s heart, might be very happy that God’s providence should favor him with a dark and stormy night, when few people would be close enough to detect his bloody deed. The pirate might rejoice in a fair wind, or in any other providence that might favor his diabolical plans. Satan himself might rejoice at some providential dispensation that may give him the opportunity of advancing his rebellious operations against God. A wicked farmer may rejoice in weather that increases his crop yield. Thus the worst, as well as the best people on earth, may be quite pleased with the providence of God, as long as that providence favors their selfish goals. However, there is no piety in this.

One element of true submission is joyfully accepting all of God’s providence. A truly submissive soul can’t know what an adverse providence is; because a submissive person has no will of his own, he only knows that the will of God will be done. As a result, no matter what the weather is, no matter what providential events surround him, these occurrences reveal to him what is in God’s will, and he is pleased with them no matter what they may be. Even if the providence of God interferes with what the submissive person intends to do, he is just as pleased as if the providence was different; for the intention to do a certain thing, to go to a certain place, or to attempt anything whatever, is based on the belief that such is the will of God. But if he finds that God’s providence interferes with him carrying out his plans, he sees it as a revelation from God, that his plans were not according to God’s will. In this situation, he is perfectly content to give up his plans, and pursue any course that currently seems to be according to the will of God. Because he has no other intention than to do the whole will of God, he is perfectly and supremely satisfied with whatever the providence of God may be. He has no interests of his own to promote; no selfish goals to accomplish. Every way, scheme, or wish he has, he believes is according to the will of God. Therefore, he waits, in an attitude as yielding as air, to be led in a state of supreme sweetness and complacency, in any direction in which the will of God leads him, as revealed in His providence, by His Spirit, and through His word. Whether he is sick or healthy, rich or poor, enjoying his friends or apart from them, no matter how or where or when he is employed, he is happy as long as the providence of God leads him.

3. Another element of true submission is a cordial, joyful, and real obedience to all the known will of God. There is, perhaps, no man and no devil so wicked or in such circumstances that they can’t find it in their interest to do many things that God requires. And, although they don’t obey God’s will when they do these things, they still give themselves credit for good behavior, as if they really did. In fact, they are very happy that God requires certain things, because it so happens that the letter of these requirements is very agreeable to them, and it agrees with their own selfish interests, under the circumstances that God places them in. Well, it is obvious that there is no virtue in what they do. We know this from the fact that they do these things, not because God requires them, but because, under the circumstances, this course of conduct agrees with the selfish goals they have in view. However, never forget that true submission consists in a spirit of universal obedience to the whole will of God, simply because it is His will. True submission considers the will of God as supremely good in everything. God’s will is just as good on one subject as it is on another. Everything is under the control of the will of God. The submitted person wants God to direct everything by His will. Nothing is so dear and nothing is so desirable, than to have the whole will of God done on earth as it is done in heaven. As a result, a submissive soul does not pick and choose among God’s commandments, liking some commands more than others, and preferring to obey one command rather than another. To a submissive soul, the revealed will of God, no matter how God reveals His will, whether it is by His word, by His providence, or by His Spirit, is the supreme and universal law, to which the submitted person totally and joyfully yields in obedience.

4. True submission includes joyfully and practically placing all our possessions and interests, as well as our selves, at the disposal of God’s will. I say joyfully placing our possessions and our selves at His disposal, as opposed to yielding reluctantly to His will in order to comply with the stern demands of our conscience without really taking any pleasure in what we do. When I said, joyfully and practically placing our possessions and us at God’s disposal, I was not talking about those people who claim they are willing to do anything, when they really won’t do anything. Such people claim that they place themselves and all they possess at God’s disposal; but, in reality, they never allow Him to dispose of them or their possessions, until God finally disposes them by sending them to hell, and disposes of their possessions by putting their possessions into the hands of those that will use them for His glory.

What does joyfully and practically placing our possessions and us at His disposal mean? It means that our whole body, soul, and spirit, time, talents, property, and all things we have control over, are yielded up to advance Christ’s kingdom in this world. Our yielding comes from a ready, willing, and joyful mind; not grudgingly, or by constraint. We find our supreme joy in the path we choose, and, in fact, we discover by experience, that “it is more blessed to give than to receive”. (Acts 20:35)

5. True submission includes unconditionally agreeing to be used up, body and soul, both in time and in eternity, to promote the best interests of the universe and the glory of God. God undoubtedly wants us to make the most of our influence, to promote His glory and the interests of His kingdom. Nothing is submission, short of being completely willing to be used to promote those vast interests that God’s heart is set on.

6. Submission includes joyfully wanting to have justice take its course with us, if the interests of the universe should demand it. Every sinner in the universe deserves to be in hell; and since it is a fact that sin exists, it is indispensable that there should be a hell, that the justice of God should be vindicated in sending those who sin to hell. And certainly, it is the duty of all who are in hell to be completely reconciled to their condition.

By this, I don’t mean that they must be reconciled to live in sin; for they are able to repent, and are required to repent, and to love God with all their heart, and with all their soul. But, since the interests of the universe demand that God sends them to hell and it is the duty of God to send them to hell; they are required to thank God they are there. In other words, they must be willing, and happy that God has dealt with them in the best possible way, to promote the interests of the kingdom of God. And since, under the circumstances of their case, the best thing that can be done with them is to put them in hell, they are required to accept it.

The same is true with every sinner on earth. God deserves to place them in hell. Under the circumstances that sinners are in, this is the best disposition that can be made of them for the glory of God and the advancement of His kingdom. God can support His moral government better by punishing them than by forgiving them. Therefore, they must not only allow God to punish them, but they must be happy to let justice take its course.

Now, I am not saying that we should choose the suffering of hell for its own sake; or that we should choose any suffering whatever for its own sake. This is contrary to the very nature of moral beings. It is also as contrary to God’s nature, as it is to the moral constitution of the human race, that we should choose any degree of suffering for its own sake, either in this world or in any other world. However, the infliction of suffering on God’s part is indispensable to vindicate His character and support His authority. Whenever God’s goal demands that we endure pain, whether in this or in any other world, true submission consists in choosing and joyfully accepting that pain, not for its own sake, but for the sake of the goal that God will accomplish by it. A person is required to be willing to endure the pains of hell, to vindicate God’s moral government, should the interests of the universe demand it. He is also required to be willing to endure the pains of bodily disease when he has violated physical laws, and the vindication of God’s ways demand that he should suffer physical pain.

A person must also be willing to suffer the pains of hell, to support God’s moral government, just as much as he must endure the pain of a burn, in vindication of the physical government of God, when he has thrust his hand in a fire.

Please don’t misunderstand me. I am not saying that a man should be willing to remain in eternal rebellion against God. I am not saying that God is as pleased with the damnation of sinners as He would be with their salvation. I am not saying that God’s glory demands that any penitent sinner should be damned. That is not consistent with the glory of God. I am not saying that God desires the damnation of any soul, for its own sake. Nor am I saying that the interests of the universe can be best promoted by the damnation of anyone who can be persuaded to repent and accept salvation.

Nevertheless, I am saying, and I want to say, that based on the supposition that if anyone ends up in a situation where it becomes necessary for God to inflict the pains of hell on him, it is his duty to accept it. Suppose that a person commits the unpardonable sin, or a sin of such a nature that it can’t consistently be forgiven, can it be right for that sinner to be unwilling to allow justice take its course in this situation? Can it be right for him to make himself miserable, because the supreme good of the universe demands his damnation? He can complain about his own folly. He can and should repent of his sin, and be totally ashamed; but with being thus disposed of to promote the highest interests of God’s kingdom, he should be supremely pleased. Why? Because, he was made to glorify God. It was always his duty, to desire, above all things, that God might be glorified and the universe benefited. It was always his duty to consecrate his whole being to promote this goal. God always required him to find his supreme happiness in this. And now, because of his own voluntary wickedness, he has placed himself in such a situation, that the glory of God and the best interests of His kingdom demand, that he should be put in hell, rather than in heaven. Does he have any right to object to this? Does he have any right to refuse to be used for the glory of God? Does he have any right to refuse to consecrate his whole being to that which will promote this infinitely desirable end in the best possible way? I say again, and insist, that in such circumstances he is solemnly required to consecrate his whole being to the glory of God, and to support God’s government, by willingly lying down on the bed of eternal death, and giving up his whole being to suffering the penalty of the law of God.

7. True submission includes a deep and constant longing deep within our soul to see God’s will accomplished on earth as it is accomplished in heaven. God requires this state of mind, and Christ directed us to exercise and express this state of mind when we pray to God. This is to be the daily constant language of our souls, “Lord, Your will be done on earth as it is done in heaven”.

II. What are some things that submission implies?

I. Submission implies that we actually forsake all known sin. It is absurd to say that an individual has any degree of true submission to God, and still indulges in committing known sins. To suppose that true submission is consistent with any degree of known sin, is to overlook the very nature of submission. Submission belongs to our will, and consists in the supreme devotion of our heart to the whole known will of God. Now, it is obviously absurd to say that a man can be supremely devoted, or submissive to God’s will, and still indulge in some things, or even in one thing that is inconsistent with His will. Therefore, whoever among you is indulging in any known sin of heart or life, you don’t have one particle of true religion. This is not a rhetorical flourish. This is not a random, haphazard assertion. It is the unalterable truth of God. I am not saying that if a man is sometimes overcome by temptation, and falls into sin occasionally, that this demonstrates that he is an unrepentant sinner. But, I mean that if you habitually indulge in any form or degree of sin, if you wink at sin, allow it, and practice it in your mind, you don’t have one trace of true religion.

2. True submission implies recognizing the universality of God’s providence. God is actually, or permissively, directly or indirectly involved in all events; and many people fail to see their opposition to God because they overlook the fact that God is involved in the providence that upsets them. They attribute many things to Satan, and to wicked people. They feel like they have a right to be angry, and very rebellious, in view of many things that occur, because they believe God is not actively involved in their lives. Now, a submissive spirit views God as so concerned with everything, that they remain calm, undisturbed, and joyful, in the midst of all those occurrences that keep the ungodly in a state of constant agitation.

3. True submission implies an honest, earnest, and diligent seeking after the will of God. Many claim to hold themselves and all their possessions at the disposal of God’s will. Many claim that they are willing to do, be, or say anything that God requires of them. But listen! You will find it impossible to convince them that anything inconsistent with their selfish plans is the will of God. They say that they place all their property at the disposal of God; but the agents of benevolent institutions may labor with them for months, without being able to convince them, that it is the will of God, that they should part with any of their possessions to promote these objects. Their attitude is such, that they are unwilling to know what is the will of God concerning the disposal of their possessions. To satisfy their minds they demand evidence that they can’t have, should not expect, and wouldn’t demand if they weren’t totally selfish. Therefore, even though they claim they place themselves and all they possess at God’s disposal, they always manage to quiet their consciences, and rest in their selfishness, by shutting out the light, and refusing to be satisfied as to what really is the will of God.

I knew a man who claimed he was converted, and was willing to give all his property to God. At one time, he was just about to give it to one benevolent cause, and at another time, to another cause; and so, his excited hopes and expectations sometimes went in one direction and sometimes it went in another direction. It seemed like he was willing to give up his extra possessions to promote the great benevolent cause of the day. But alas! He seemed like he could never find any object to devote his property, because he never felt it was God’s will for him to do so. No amount of evidence would satisfy him. It seems as if nothing would convince him, short of an audible voice from God, thundering from the clouds, saying, “Frank, this is God speaking. Do you know that mission organization that your church sponsors. Well, it is My supreme will and pleasure, that you go down, visit the pastor of that church, and hand him a check for a thousand dollars to advance the interests of My Kingdom here on earth.” Perhaps, God should accompany this command with a direct miracle, in order to provide the required evidence.

I know others, who, while they tell everyone that they place themselves and all their possessions at God’s disposal, they can always find some excuse for doing little or nothing to promote any benevolent cause. Is God building a church? They can avoid giving anything by imposing some condition why the congregation can’t and shouldn’t consent. Are they paying a minister? They can always find some excuse for not believing that it is God’s will that they should do anything to support him. Is anything being given to foreign missions? They can always find some fault with the proceedings of the Board, as a reason for not believing that it is their duty to give. Are members asking donations to support the holy cause of the abolition of slavery? They don't like the proceedings of the abolition societies. They doubt, whether they distribute the funds properly, or, perhaps, there is some imprudence in their measures, which means they can’t give. Do volunteers need help feeding the poor? They always have some evasive measure to propose, some other and better way to supply the poor, than the one proposed. Do those pushing for moral reform need help? They have some objection to the course pursued by its advocates and friends. In short, whatever needs to be done that calls them to deny self, or to give their possessions up to promote God’s glory, they always have an objection to what is done, or some proposal to do something else, which, if not complied with, gives them a sufficient reason for giving nothing and doing nothing for that cause.

Now, never forget that true submission implies an earnest desire to really know what the will of God is. Submission implies diligently and honestly seeking after God’s will. It implies being perfectly ready to make a decision and act on any reasonable amount of evidence, and to follow the slightest influence of evidence, to whatever self-sacrifice or self-denial it may lead.

4. True submission implies being thankful for all the past and present providential dealings of God with us. True submission especially implies having a thankful spirit for those providences that have touched or afflicted us the most. “God does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.” (Lam 3:3) In all the afflictions of His children, the tender heart of God is afflicted. Many people think that they should be thankful to God for those providential dealings that seem, at the time, matters of great joy to them; while they think that they don’t have to be thankful for dispensations that greatly afflict them. In fact, all they have to do is not rebel at such providences and they think that they are very virtuous.

Let’s take a closer look at this. Mother; are you a Christian? Yes? Let’s say that God has given you a beautiful little baby girl. She smiles as you hold her in your arms. You touch her little cheek and chirp like you are chirping to a little bird; and she looks up and smiles with such a look of love that it seduces your heart into an attitude of idolatrous attachment. You hang over her when she wakes and when she sleeps. It is in your thoughts at the earliest dawn, at midday, and at evening. All your motherly instincts are awake in your soul. In addition, as her little sprouting powers develop themselves, day after day, your attachment grows stronger and stronger, until she is the object of your thoughts by day and your dreams by night. You cannot pray, without the image of your infant before you. You can’t leave your infant to go to church, without having your warmest affections clustering around your little nursling at home. In the solemn worship of the house of God, your thoughts are on your little idol, and you are weary with the length of the service, because it separates you from your little charmer.

Now listen; you believe that you are very thankful that God has given you this little treasure. God loves the little one. He loves you. But Oh! He sees that this precious gift is destroying your piety. He loves to see you pleased and happy with her. But He cannot consent to see your infant ruin you. Nor can He willingly see you ruin your baby because of your idolatrous attachment. He puts forth His hand and plucks her from your arms. You open your eyes, and she is gone! And Oh! It is as if God turns His face away when He strikes the blow. He feels the pain, as if He had touched the apple of His eye. It has cost Him much.

Viewed by itself, it grieves His heart to afflict you this way. It has cost Him more self-denial than all the sweet and pleasant things He ever bestowed on you. He would rather have borne the pain Himself, than inflicted it on you, if it could have solved the problem. He already demonstrated this love for you, when He died for you rather than inflict death on you. Oh! You have grieved His parental heart, by forcing Him to smite you! Don’t you feel grieved, when you must chastise your children? And when you feel that you must use the rod, deprive them of their food, or take some prompt measures to subdue their wayward tempers; doesn’t it grieve you? Are you not more tried and afflicted by it than by all your other efforts to do them good? Wouldn’t you rather take the punishment yourself, if it would serve the same purpose? Indeed, don’t you consider it the very climax of parental kindness, self-denial, and love; to face up to the thorough infliction of chastisement when the good of those you love so well requires it at your hand?

Now what would you say about a child who, when he becomes an adult, looks back on his life and says, “I feel grateful to my mother for watching over me when I was a helpless infant. I thank my father for the trouble and expense of my education, and for giving me a farm, and for all the good things he provided. But, ah! There are many dark spots in the history of my father’s dealings with me. Things, I find difficult to reconcile with. Things I am not thankful for. I remember when he disciplined me for rebellion. I didn’t like that. I remember that he did it with tears. I remember how he trembled when he took the belt. I remember how he lifted up his streaming eyes to heaven. I remember well, that when he belted my bottom several times, he turned away and wept. I saw and knew that it cost him a lot. His heart was bleeding at every pore because he would rather receive the blows himself than inflict them on me.”

Now, let me ask you, what part of parental kindness are children under the greatest obligation to be thankful? Isn’t it for that needed discipline, which so deeply wrung the parent’s heart? Oh, you will say, of all the trials that I have ever had with my children; of all that I have ever done for them; and of all their obligations to me; I feel that my greatest trials are those which compelled me to the self-denial of inflicting wounds on them.

Now let me ask you, Christian, do you think that you do well, to barely restrain yourself from downright murmuring and rebellion, when your heavenly Father chastises you? Oh, do you ever think about how much more deeply you have afflicted Him than He has wounded you? Do you realize how much it costs Him to smite you? What! Can He who loves you so much that He gave His life for you, rebuke and distress you, without affliction? Of all the things He as ever done for you, you should be the most grateful for His stripes. For when He has been obliged to smite, He has been obliged to touch the apple of His own eye, and reach the deep fountains of compassion in His own heart. Oh, how His heart has pitied you, when He has lifted up the rod. Oh, how His heart ached over you, when His rod fell on you; and when you wept, how deeply did He sympathize with your grief. And, as soon as you relented, how quickly He would smile and wipe away your tears. Oh! How quickly He forgave you! And, like father of the prodigal son, as soon as “He saw you a great way off, He ran, and fell on your neck, and wept, and kissed you”. (See Like 15:20) He provided your rags of shame and guilt. He clothed you in the robes of gladness, and by His love, He chased away all your grief. Now, can a spirit of true submission imply anything less than a deep gratitude to God for all His providential dealings, and most important of all, for those in which He so deeply wounded Himself in wounding you? And, of what do you have an infinite obligation to repent, if it isn’t for those idolatries and sins that forced Him to chastise you?

5. True submission to God implies the absence of all worry or anxiety concerning His future dealings with you. If a person is perfectly willing to allow God to deal with him in the future according to God’s own will; and at the same time he is worried about, anxious over and afraid of God’s future dealings, he certainly can’t be reconciled to God. True submission leaves all such questions entirely in the hands of God, without distress, distrust, anxiety, or fear.

Furthermore, true submission rejoices in the fact that the wisdom and goodness of God will take care of all his changes for him, in a way that best promotes God’s own glory and the highest good of the universe.

6. True submission also implies, that you have no will of your own except that “the will of God be done on earth as it is done in heaven”. The constant language and breathing of a submissive soul is, “Lord, Your will be done”. And whenever, in any way, God’s will is known, the submissive soul not only consents that it should be so, but rejoices in having it so; and the submissive soul would prefer, that this should take place, to any other possible course of events, because it considers God’s will is supremely wise and good.

7. It implies that you are equally well pleased with whatever God does. The submissive soul does not make a virtue of need. The submissive soul does not simply agree with what God does because it is useless to resist. Submission is not the mere absence of murmuring and complaining at the providence of God; but submission is the most joyful and hearty agreement and delight in what He does; not merely in those dispensations of providence that are usually considered merciful and joyous, but also in those that are usually regarded most afflictive and severe.

8. Submission implies subjugating all our appetites and passions to His will and glory. God requires, that “whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, we do all to the glory of God”. (1 Cor 10:31) True submission implies that we must obey this command.

9. True submission implies implicit confidence in God. It is certainly impossible that there should be true submission, when there is not true, real, heart-felt, and practical confidence in God. To submit, and rejoice in whatever He does, certainly implies the most implicit confidence that what He does is right and best. Therefore, true submission always implies implicit faith. This faith must respect the goodness and power of God; that He is wise, good, and powerful enough to do what is best.

10. It implies true repentance for sin. Repentance is that change of mind that takes God’s side against all sin. Repentance condemns all sin under every form and in every degree. It fully and heartily justifies God and His government. Repentance is not simply an intellectual change of views, but a change of heart, a thorough radical change in the controlling disposition or affection of our soul, concerning sin and the government of God. Therefore, true submission always implies and includes true repentance in a sinner, and a thorough reformation of heart and life.

11. Submission implies a cordial acceptance of gospel salvation. And here, when I speak of gospel salvation, I mean, not just accepting a pardon because of the Atonement of Christ; but also accepting Christ as a risen, reigning Savior from sin; not merely an outward, but an inward Savior as a glorious deliverer from all iniquity. The gospel offers this; and nothing is true submission short of a cordial and practical obedience to and acceptance of the gospel of the blessed God.

12. It implies actual holiness of heart and life.

13. Submission implies a deep abhorrence of sin and sinners. The psalmist said, “Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies.” This hatred is a hatred that comes from unselfish love. It is a hatred mingled with compassion. Nevertheless, it is a real and deep abhorrence of those who rise up against God