I have been pondering a question. Why do we need justice and mercy together? What do these two opposites do to balance each other out?
We are all in this fallen state. Because of Adam and Eve, the law of justice had to be followed through or "God would cease to be God" (Alma 42:22) The law that was given for the choice of eating of the forbidden fruit was that "thou shalt surely die" (Moses 3:15). Eve was tempted and partook of the fruit after which Adam did also. Partaking of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, their eyes were now opened and they had to be cast out of God's presence and enter into the fallen state, or our earth-life. Because of this fallen state, we now needed a time to repent because if Adam had partaken of the tree of life, he would have lived forever in this sin. In Alma 42: 6-7 it describes this fallen state that has fallen upon the children of God.
"But behold, it was appointed unto man to die-therefore, as they were cut off from the tree of life they should be cut off from the face of the earth-and man became lost forever, yea, they became fallen man. And now, ye see by this that our first parents were cut off both temporally and spiritually from the presence of the Lord; and thus we see they became subject to follow after their own will."
Well this doesn't sound very comforting. But, nonetheless, the Lord wanted to reclaim us from this fallen state, or spiritual death. But, God could not allow Adam and Eve to partake of the tree of Life because they would have lived forever in their sin and in 1 Nephi 10:21 it states:
"...no unclean thing can dwell with God..."
How could God allow us back into his presence and be clean enough to enter? Because we will be judged according to the things we do in this life and none of us are perfect. God allowed a probationary state for us to prepare to meet God.
Alma 42:4 "And thus we see, that there was a time granted unto man to repent, yea, a probationary time, a time to repent and serve God."
God created the plan of redemption. Without this plan, we would not have had a chance to return to our Father in Heaven. For Without Christ, "as soon as they were dead their souls were miserable, being cut off from the presence of the Lord" (Alma 42:11). With this state of probation, this allowed God to apply mercy. For those of us that choose to except Jesus Christ's atonement, we are excepting God's mercy. This life on earth is given to us by mercy. This is a time that we can prepare to meet God. We have the chance to follow God's commandments and have our agency to except or reject the Savior. I know that accepting the Atonement and allowing the power of the Atonement to be entered into our lives will give us that lasting peace and comfort we all long for.
But because Heavenly Father allowed us to experience this life, the resurrection is another form of mercy to us because we now have the chance to return to our Father in Heaven and not have death be the end. Once we are resurrected we are going to be judged. But what are we judged on? Commandments!
God's commandments are a form of mercy as well as a knowledge of the things that He desires for us to live by in this life. We would not be allowed to learn anything if we did not have set standards, the commandments, to live by. Through the commandments, Heavenly Father is placing us accountable for the things we choose to do with our agency. In Alma, he describes why God gives commandments.
Alma 42:16-21 "Now, repentance could not come unto men except there were a punishment...Now, how could a man repent except he should sin? How could he sin if there was no law save there was a punishment? Now, there was a punishment affixed, and a just law given, which brought remorse of conscience unto man. Now, if there was no law given-if a man murdered he should die-would he be afraid he would die if he should murder? And also, if there was no law given against sin men would not be afraid to sin. And if there was no law given, if men sinned what could justice do, or mercy either, for they would have no claim upon the creature?"
Because God is God, he is obedient to all laws. Mercy leads us to the Atonement and that Great Sacrifice. Christ dying and raising from the dead gives each of us a chance to be resurrected. Being resurrected gives us the chance to return to the presence of God. To return to the presence of God gives us the need for the Atonement. The Atonement allows us eternal happiness through repenting and becoming clean again to be in the presence of God.
God is our loving Heavenly Father. He wants the best for us. He cheers us on. He wants us to obey so that we can return to live with him. Jesus Christ made it possible for you and I to be cleansed through the Atonement and return and live with our Father in Heaven.
Mosiah 2:41
"And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it."
"Have we thought about the tremendous spiritual deterioration that results from not keeping the Sabbath day holy? This commandment involves much more than just resting from our labors. Keeping the Sabbath day holy inherently builds spiritual character and prepares us for what is to come. By observing this commandment, we will have power over evil; we will be more capable of keeping the commandments of the Lord and maintaining ourselves unspotted from the sins of the world. (See D&C 59:9.)
