Mercy Overpowereth Justice

We often hear in my house words filled with great indignation that something was not fair. One sibling got a treat that they didn’t. One child went to a fun place that they didn’t get to go to. Someone got paid a lot of money for something and they didn’t. They insist that they want things to be fair. Of course, the cry of the circumstance not being fair always comes from the one who did not receive the particular advantage. When the situation between two siblings is later reversed, the one calling for fairness switches accordingly (and the other becomes suddenly uninterested in things being fair). I thought of this as I read Alma’s words to Corianton about mercy and justice, and in that context we certainly should not desire that things be fair and just! Ultimately we get to choose between these two things, justice and mercy, as Alms described here: “But there is a law given, and a punishment affixed, and a repentance granted; which repentance, mercy claimeth; otherwise, justice claimeth the creature and executeth the law, and the law inflicteth the punishment; if not so, the works of justice would be destroyed, and God would cease to be God.” Justice, as Alma was discussing it, means that we receive the full consequences of our sins—in other words, we are duly punished for our bad choices. That is fair. But Jesus provided a way to receive mercy through our repentance. Alma continued, “But God ceaseth not to be God, and mercy claimeth the penitent, and mercy cometh because of the atonement; and the atonement bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead; and the resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of God; and thus they are restored into his presence, to be judged according to their works, according to the law and justice. For behold, justice exerciseth all his demands, and also mercy claimeth all which is her own; and thus, none but the truly penitent are saved” (Alma 42:22-24). When it comes to our spiritual state, our cry and desire should be for mercy, not justice! Certainly it was not fair that Christ had to suffer the effect of our sins, and we are filled with gratitude that He provides us an opportunity to repent and claim His mercy.     

               In some of these words of Alma to his son Corianton I think we can replace the word mercy with Christ. We would read it this way: “And if there was no law given, if men sinned what could justice do, or Christ either, for they would have no claim upon the creature? But there is a law given, and a punishment affixed, and a repentance granted; which repentance, Christ claimeth; otherwise, justice claimeth the creature and executeth the law, and the law inflicteth the punishment; if not so, the works of justice would be destroyed, and God would cease to be God. But God ceaseth not to be God, and Christ claimeth the penitent…. For behold, justice exerciseth all his demands, and also Christ claimeth all which is [his] own; and thus, none but the truly penitent are saved. What, do ye suppose that Christ can rob justice? I say unto you, Nay; not one whit. If so, God would cease to be God.” Christ is the embodiment of mercy, for it is only through Him that mercy became a reality for us. Amulek also taught about mercy and justice to the Zoramites, and I think we can similarly substitute Christ for mercy in his teachings: “And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall believe on his name; this being the intent of this last sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of Christ, which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance. And thus Christ can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircles them in the arms of safety” (Alma 34:15-16). I love the image of Christ overpowering justice, and to me that was exactly done in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross as the Savior provided justice with her demands for all our sins. He had to wrestle justice to keep it from us and offer us mercy. And how grateful we should be that He offers us mercy in exchange for our repentance so that what would be fair—justice—is kept far from us.