Try as I might, I've been having a hard time wrapping my head around the concepts of justice and mercy and God's infinite love and the importance of keeping the commandments. It seems that there are too many absolutes, too many unstoppable forces and immovable objects, and I have no idea how they all interact.
If justice was the only force involved, then we would all be in big trouble, because none of us could qualify for heaven by merit alone. We might as well not even try to be righteous, because we would always fail, and even one failing could damn you for eternity. However, if mercy was the only force, we still wouldn't need to try to be righteous, because it wouldn't matter whether we were righteous or not. If mercy completely overpowered justice in every situation, then no amount of sin could keep us from being forgiven. Yet, God's love is somehow reflected in both His justice and His mercy, and because both of those forces are in effect, it becomes imperative to strive to keep the commandments.
Actually, I think that part is starting to make sense to me. You see, if justice was the only force, our good behavior wouldn't matter because we'd be damned anyway, and if mercy was all that mattered, then our bad behavior wouldn't matter because we'd be forgiven anyway. But since the laws of justice are immutable, but can be satisfied by mercy on conditions of repentance, it becomes vital to repent and to keep the commandments because the fates of our souls depend on it. At the end of our final judgement, either justice or mercy will have the final say in how the rest of our lives will go, and our behavior now will determine which force has a greater effect on us then.
There's still a lot I don't understand about justice, mercy, love, and keeping the commandments. Thankfully, I don't need to work it all out. For now, I just need to keep the commandments and trust that it all will work out somehow. God knows how all these forces work, both individually and with each other. I just need to trust God and act according to the light and knowledge that I have. I don't need to figure out the laws of justice and mercy. I just need to be righteous and let God take care of the rest. When the time is right, He'll mete out justice and mercy as needed and deserved. To deserve as much mercy as possible, and need as little as possible, we don't really need to know anything about justice or mercy; we just need to strive for righteousness and trust in God's love. I can't work out the forces of the universe, but I think I can do that.
2 comments:
You said, “At the end of our final judgement, either justice or mercy will have the final say in how the rest of our lives will go, and our behavior now will determine which force has a greater effect on us then.”
I don’t think justice or mercy has a greater or lesser effect. Both are in force at the same time. It’s also important to remember that “mercy cannot rob justice” * Justice is fully met and paid for by the suffering of our Savior. He mercifully paid our debts for us, because he loves us. We must accept his sacrifice by being worthy and receiving ordinances.
Although it may not seem like it at first, even justice is merciful. The scriptures say that those who haven’t repented would rather have the rocks fall on them and cover them up, rather than be in the presence of God in their unclean state.** They will have to face Him for the judgement, but afterward they will go to a place where they are comfortable.
You said, “I just need to be righteous and let God take care of the rest.” No matter what questions or problems and challenges we have, this is the right answer! We just need to trust in God, and he will always help us.
* Boyd K. Packer
text: https://www.lds.org/youth/article/the-mediator-jesus-christ?lang=eng
video: http://broadcast.lds.org/video/BookOfMormon_Presentations/BM_GospelDoctrine_Video_05_Lesson30_Mediator_04396_eng_1M.mp4
(I love this one!)
** Alma 12:14 https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/alma/12.14?lang=eng#13
& Revelation 6:16 https://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/rev/6.16?lang=eng#15
In a small way, we can think about how we feel and react to other people who have wronged us in some way. If they are sorry and try to do better, we usually are willing to happily forgive and probably forget, and our relationship improves. If they are not, we are commanded to forgive, so we give up on bad feelings, resentment, or revenge, but we don't necessarily have good feelings toward them or want to be with them. . It's not really close to the whole Justice and Mercy thing, and the Atonement plan, but it gives me a faint glimmer.
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