A Holy Commandment (3)

"O ye who believe! Come, all of you, into submission (unto Him); and follow not the footsteps of the devil. Lo! he is an open enemy for you." Quraan 2:208

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ ادْخُلُواْ فِي السِّلْمِ كَافَّةً وَلاَ تَتَّبِعُواْ خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ
البقرة : ٢٠٨

That English translation was from Pickthal, the equivalent phrase of "all of you" in the Arabic/original verse actually means "all of it", what does the "it" refer to? Could either refer to "You - the believers" or "The submission", in each case it's correct but I believe the latter makes more sense and that's will be explained underneath. In other words, the verse could be rephrased as the following:
"O ye who believe! Come into all of submission (unto Him); and follow not the footsteps of the devil. Lo! he is an open enemy for you."

To understand the verse properly, we need to review it in context:

" O ye who believe! Come, all of you, into submission (unto Him); and follow not the footsteps of the devil. Lo! he is an open enemyfor you.

And if ye slide back after the clear proofs have come unto you, then know that Allah is Mighty, Wise.

Wait they for naught else than that Allah should come unto them in the shadows of the clouds with the angels? Then the case would bealready judged. All cases go back to Allah (for judgment).

Ask of the Children of Israel how many a clear revelation We gave them! He who altereth the grace of Allah after it hath come unto him(for him), lo! Allah is severe in punishment." Quraan 2:208-211

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ ادْخُلُواْ فِي السِّلْمِ كَافَّةً وَلاَ تَتَّبِعُواْ خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ

فَإِن زَلَلْتُمْ مِّن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَتْكُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ فَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ

هَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلاَّ أَن يَأْتِيَهُمُ اللَّهُ فِي ظُلَلٍ مِّنَ الْغَمَامِ وَالْمَلائِكَةُ وَقُضِيَ الأَمْرُ وَإِلَى اللَّهِ تُرْجَعُ الأُمُورُ

سَلْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ كَمْ آتَيْنَاهُم مِّنْ آيَةٍ بَيِّنَةٍ وَمَن يُبَدِّلْ نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَتْهُ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ

البقرة : ٢٠٨-٢١١

It's very obvious from the context that the verse is talking about the believers who are still skeptic about the validity and credibility of Islam! The verses are also reminding those skeptic believers of what the Jewish did with their prophets so we don't fall in the same mistake by being cynics and captious towards our Prophet.

"Or would ye question your messenger as Moses was questioned aforetime? He who chooseth disbelief instead of faith, verily he hath gone astray from a plain road." Quraan 2:108

أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ أَن تَسْأَلُواْ رَسُولَكُمْ كَمَا سُئِلَ مُوسَى مِن قَبْلُ وَمَن يَتَبَدَّلِ الْكُفْرَ بِالإِيمَانِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ سَوَاء السَّبِيلِ
البقرة : ١٠٨

Apparently, the verse was asking the believers to truly submit in "all submission" if they truely believe that Mohammad is a Messenger of the Creator. If you are a true Muslim who declared Al-Shahadah "I bear witness that there is no deity (none truely to be worshipped) but, Allah, and I bear witness that Mohammad is the messenger of Allah" after a true conviction, then you are truly convinced and know that Mohammad is a Messenger of the Creator, thus we have to follow him in everything he asked us to do! whether we like it or dislike, logical or illogical ...
For example, I can't be selective and say that the five prayers make sense to me so I'll perform them but pilgrimage/Hajj rituals are nonsense so I won't do it! If you know that Mohammad was a true Messenger of God and he asked you to do both of them but you still don't follow his instructions because it doesn't make sense to you or it conflicts with your culture or whatever reason .... Then that's not a real submission! You probably need to review your Shahadah!

The verse then is warning us of following the footsteps of the devil/Satan, the verse didn't say "don't follow the devil" because as believers surely we don't follow the devil but it is warning us that we may follow his footsteps unconsciously and end up following the devil himself! Watch out!