Justice v. Mercy

A while ago I posted about the importance of showing mercy unto others. I felt that it was important to do this in order to receive mercy from others and from the Lord. However, in recent conversations the question arose about mercy's relation to justice, and which was more important to understand. When I posted several weeks ago, I definitely leaned toward the indipensibility of mercy, but now have decided to consider the other side.

Justice is Primordial

We see evidence of justice at the dawn of man, when Adam and Eve were given commandment in the Garden of Eden to not eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. They were given the ultimatum that if they so did, they would "surely die." (Moses 3:17) This was the punishment affixed to disobedience, and as we all know, Adam and Eve did disobey, bringing forth necessary imperfection to the whole human race.

Wherefore, he has given a law; and where there is no law given thee is no punishment;and where there is no punishment there is no condemnation; and where there is no condemnation the mercies of the Holy One of Israel have claim upon them, because of the Atonement; for they are delivered by the power of him.

--2 Nephi 9:25

Laws are demanding. They are cut-and-dry. Furthermore, with the collective and individual imperfection that we present with, there is no way we can meet the demands of those laws. Alone we would be inevitably overwhelmed. Luckily the Atonement exists to help us through mortality, which time is an essential passkey to our eternal reward. Luckily our days were "prolonged" (2 Nephi 2:21) that we may ultimately put ourselves on Christ's side, and with Him satisfy those demands.

The painting above by Jonathan Linton shows another aspect of the justice-mercy relationship: penitence. Only through sincere and humble repentance may we be able to take hold of the light that comes through forgiveness and mercy. Then and only then will we truly abide the law that has been given us, and be able to stand blameless at the last day. It is my prayer that we might be able to understand the truem meaning of the laws that we agree to abide, and realize that it is only through the Atoenment that we may be able to ever fully abide by them.

Have a Great Week!!