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The following comes from Mormon Channel’s “Now You Know” series, which explains Gospel concepts in simple terms. The videos in this series are perfect to share with friends who are curious about what we, as members of the Church, believe.
Is God a God of justice or a God of mercy? Is it possible for Him to be both? Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes referred to as Mormons, believe God is both perfectly just and perfectly merciful.
God’s laws, or commandments, function like the laws of our societies and communities. Laws maintain order and prevent chaos. They involve choices and inevitable outcomes for those choices. Breaking societal laws brings consequences such as fines or jail time. Following or violating God’s laws also brings consequences: either blessings or punishments. This is justice.
God is holy, pure, and perfect. Disobeying God’s commandments makes us unworthy to live with Him again after this life. Since no one is perfect, all people would then be banned from His presence. That is where mercy—made possible by the Atonement of Jesus Christ—comes in. By sacrificing Himself for us, Christ met the demands of God’s law of justice. If we accept Christ’s Atonement, choose to have faith in Him, and repent when we make mistakes, we receive His mercy.
God’s perfect love for all His children allows for both justice and mercy. We are subject to the consequences of our actions but have also been given a Savior who promises to take away our sins if we will follow Him.
Michael HogganFebruary 17, 2019
I view mercy and justice as synergistic. You can't have one without the other. I will cite two hypothetical examples to illustrate my point. First, let's say you catch your teenage daughter drinking alcohol. She promises it was her first time and that it won't happen again. You decide to go easy on her with a very light punishment and you quickly forget the whole thing. It turns out it wasn't her first time. Several months later, she's responsible for a DUI car accident in which someone is seriously injured. Now she is in very big trouble. Was your early lenience really all that merciful? Second hypothetical example: Jean Val Jean from Les Miserables. He stole some bread. Now, stealing from stores is a serious issue, but it isn't the worst possible thing. Furthermore, he did genuinely change his life around. It simply wasn't in the interest of society to keep hunting him.
RandyFebruary 14, 2019
The Lord is both. He has taught us that Mercy can not rob Justice, but Mercy can temper Justice.