A Perfect, Just God

In general conference a couple of years ago, Elder Ahmad S. Corbitt described an experience explaining the basics of the gospel of Jesus Christ to a woman on a bus who was unfamiliar with Christianity. He said, “This was the first time I would explain the ‘why’ of Christianity to someone very unfamiliar with it and highly intelligent. I couldn’t simply say, ‘I follow Jesus Christ because He willingly suffered and died for my sins.’ She might wonder, ‘Did Jesus have to die? Couldn’t God simply forgive and cleanse us of our sins if we asked Him to?’” Why He couldn’t do so is no easy question for us to answer, but the Book of Mormon in particular affirms that Jesus had to die in order to satisfy the eternal law of justice and provide us mercy at the same time. Alma taught this in detail to his son Corianton, emphasizing that if we ignored justice—in other words, if we let sin be simply forgiven without any price paid for it—then God would cease to be God. He explained, “Therefore, according to justice, the plan of redemption could not be brought about, only on conditions of repentance of men in this probationary state, yea, this preparatory state; for except it were for these conditions, mercy could not take effect except it should destroy the work of justice. Now the work of justice could not be destroyed; if so, God would cease to be God.” Most of us inherently believe in justice here in mortality for ourselves, especially when we have been wronged and we seek restitution for what has been unlawfully taken from us. Alma taught that ultimately justice must be served for God to be who He is—He cannot deny justice. He continued, “And thus we see that all mankind were fallen, and they were in the grasp of justice; yea, the justice of God, which consigned them forever to be cut off from his presence. And now, the plan of mercy could not be brought about except an atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also” (Alma 42:13-15). The atonement of Christ enables God to be both just and merciful, just in that the price of our sins is paid by the Savior and merciful in that we can be forgiven for those sins without suffering the full price for them.  

            Alma further described to Corianton how the God can be both just and merciful through the atonement of Jesus Christ. He said, “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. 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.” If there was no justice for the laws we break, God could not exist. And for there to be justice, the full price of our sins must be paid. The atonement of Jesus Christ is the means by which they are paid but not by us if we accept His mercy. Alma continued, “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. What, do ye suppose that mercy can rob justice? I say unto you, Nay; not one whit. If so, God would cease to be God” (Alma 42:22-25). God cannot provide mercy to us, He cannot forgive our sins, without the price of justice being paid. That seems to be a fundamental law of the universe itself. But mercy is granted through the infinite sacrifice of the Son of God—if we repent, the price is paid by Him. He described this very simply to Martin Harris: “For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I” (Doctrine and Covenants 19:16-17). Justice requires that our sins must be suffered for, and we can choose whether the Savior pays that price or if we will do so ourselves.

            Amulek spoke about justice, mercy, and the atonement of Christ when he taught the Zoramites. He declared, “This is the whole meaning of the law, every whit pointing to that great and last sacrifice; and that great and last sacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal. 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 mercy, which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance. And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircles them in the arms of safety, while he that exercises no faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands of justice; therefore only unto him that has faith unto repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of redemption” (Alma 34:14-16). Mercy can overpower justice in the sense that we receive mercy when we should get justice, but the demands of justice are still satisfied because of “that great and last sacrifice” of the Son of God. Elder Corbitt summarized his message with this testimony, “That evening in New Jersey, sharing why we need Jesus Christ and His doctrine gave me a new sister and her a new brother. We felt the peaceful, confirming witness of the Holy Ghost…. ‘Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth,’ the Book of Mormon declares—to love, share, and invite as we gather Israel in all our communities and families—'that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace [and doctrine] of the Holy Messiah.’”