Subjecting

Sometimes there are certain keywords connecting passages and adding meaning. I think the word, "subject" in Abinadi's sermon is one example. I posted about the Son subjecting to the Father or the flesh subjecting to the spirit, that Abinadi is talking about in the beginning of Chapter 15. In the same sermon, in the beginning of Chapter 16, he says

2 And then shall the wicked be cast out, and they shall have cause to howl, and weep, and wail, and gnash their teeth; and this because they would not hearken unto the voice of the Lord; therefore the Lord redeemeth them not.

3 For they are carnal and devilish, and the devil has power over them; yea, even that old serpent that did beguile our first parents, which was the cause of their fall; which was the cause of all mankind becoming carnal, sensual, devilish, knowing evil from good, subjecting themselves to the devil.

Remember what he said in Chapter 15

I would that ye should understand that God himself shall come down among the children of men, and shall redeem his people…And thus the flesh becoming subject to the Spirit, or the Son to the Father (verse 1, 5)

Seeing this in context, Abinadi lays out "The Two Ways". Subjecting the flesh to the spirit, or to the Father, is the way to unity and redemption, as Abinadi explains in chapter 15. In that chapter, the word, "redeem" is repeated 11 times. In the verse quoted from chapter 16, he explains that subjecting to the devil is the way to howling and weeping and not being redeemed.

I did a search on "subject" in the Book of Mormon to explore this subject (pun intended) further. Here is an interesting one

For behold, if ye have procrastinated the day of your repentance even until death, behold, ye have become subjected to the spirit of the devil, and he doth seal you his; therefore, the Spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you, and hath no place in you, and the devil hath all power over you; and this is the final state of the wicked. (Alma 34:35)

This is the same contrast that Abinadi uses in Mosiah 15-16: Either subjecting to the spirit of the Lord or the spirit of the Devil. In this life we have a choice. But Amulek describes a time when it is too late, because you have kept procrastinating subjecting to the Spirit. The final state of the wicked is not having this choice anymore, the Spirit of the Lord has withdrawn from them.

Jacob uses this contrast too in his sermon in 2 Nephi 9.

5 Yea, I know that ye know that in the body he shall show himself unto those at Jerusalem, from whence we came; for it is expedient that it should be among them; for it behooveth the great Creator that he suffereth himself to become subject unto man in the flesh, and die for all men, that all men might become subject unto him.

...

8 O the wisdom of God, his mercy and grace! For behold, if the flesh should rise no more our spirits must become subject to that angel who fell from before the presence of the Eternal God, and became the devil, to rise no more. 

Another interesting point in Jacob's use of the word, "subject" is what he says in verse 5, that Christ first became "subject unto man in the flesh" so "that all men might become subject unto him". How can Christ both "subject unto man" and subject unto the spirit/Father as Abinadi states in Mosiah 15? Actually, Abinadi also states this in Mosiah 15:7

Yea, even so he shall be led, crucified, and slain, the flesh becoming subject even unto death, the will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father.

Being subject unto man means coming to this earth being born of a mortal mother and experiencing death. It probably also means not resisting or showing his power when he is "crucified and slain". All this was also subjecting to the will of the Father so there is no contradiction. Ultimately, this is done that we may "become subject unto him".

Combined, these passages teach the difference between becoming subject unto Christ and unto the Devil. Becoming subject unto Christ ultimately leads to our redemption, as Mosiah 15 states. Becoming subject unto the Devil leads to him having all power over us, as Alma 34:35 states.