Jesus Christ is Submissive

When I was teaching the laurels today we talked about how Jesus became our Savior, reading in Abraham 3 and Moses 4.

We read in Abraham 4:24 "And there was one like unto God..." then it goes on to talk about how Jesus created the Earth. 

So I asked them "Did Jesus have a resurrected body when he created the Earth?" 

A couple called out 'yes,' the majority of them furrowed confused brows. I heard one hesitant 'no?'

The answer of course is no, how could he be born and obtain a body if he already had one? Jesus was a spirit like us before he was born to Mary. 

So new question, "In what way was Jesus like unto God?" 

The girls went back around to the same thing we always talk about whenever Trinity/polytheism v. monotheism comes us. Jesus Christ is like unto God because they are one in purpose. The Savior always, always, submits his will to the Father. 

So we turned to Moses 4:1-4, but not before we noted in Abraham that the creation and the plan were already underway when Satan presents his plan. It also mentions in this portion of Moses that Jesus was chosen from the beginning, implying before this event.

Satan is smooth. He doesn't mention anything about taking away agency. All he says is that he will redeem all mankind that no one should be lost and that he would like the honor and glory, please and thank you.  Later on it mentions the part about taking away agency, but you get the impression that it wasn't something that Satan was broadcasting to everyone.

We contrast that with what Jesus says: Thy will be done and the glory be Thine forever. 

Submission. It is the hallmark of the Savior's character.

Elder Christofferson said, "Remember that Jesus' power came through His single-minded devotion to the will of the father." 

His power.

Fast forward to the end of His life, in Gethsemane. In Mark 14:34 He says "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful unto death." In Luke 22:43 we read that an angel came to strengthen Him. In Matthew 26:39 He prays to God saying "O my Father, if is be possible, let this cup pass from me nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt.."  He continues his prayer in Matthew 26:42 "O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done." 

I love this from Elder Maxwell: "The wondrous and glorious atonement was the central act in all of human history. It was the hinge on which all else that finally matters turned. But it turned upon Jesus' spiritual submissiveness."

We owe everything to the Savior's devotion to the will of Heavenly Father. 

Now, think about that in this scripture's context. Abraham 3:25 "And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all the things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them." 

Jesus is truly our perfect example again. Just as the fate of all of us hinged on the Savior's submissiveness, so does the fate of each of us hinge on our own submissiveness.