There is a quote from Joseph Smith, the founding prophet of the Mormon Church, which both excites and puzzles me:

“Our Heavenly Father is more liberal in His views, and boundless in His mercies and blessings, than we are ready to believe or receive; and, at the same time, is more terrible to the workers of iniquity, more awful in the executions of His punishments, and more ready to detect every false way, than we are apt to suppose Him to be.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 257.)

That quote is a bit enigmatic. We like the part about mercy. But we are terrified with the part about justice. And when all is said and done, it seems like Joseph Smith really did not say anything, since both ideas seem to cancel each other out.

So what is justice? It is “the unchanging law that brings consequences for actions.” (True to the Faith, [2004], 91–92.)

In the Doctrine and Covenants (a collection of revelations given to Joseph Smith), we read:

“And again, verily I say unto you, that which is governed by law is also preserved by law and perfected and sanctified by the same.” (D&C 88:34)

Justice is an immutable law because God Himself is immutable. Justice is one of His attributes:

“Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.” (Psalms 89:14)

Yet oftentimes we see justice as a negative. If you have read some of the early Puritan “Hellfire and Damnation” sermons, or if someone has tried to pull a guilt trip on you using God as the wedge, you know how bad justice can sometimes appear. We come away with this feeling that God is a type of medieval whip-cracker just waiting for one false move so He can toss us down to the Fiery Furnace.

This part of Jonathan Edwards’ aptly-titled sermon may sound familiar:

“Your wickedness makes you as it were heavy as lead, and to tend downwards with great weight and pressure towards hell; and if God should let you go, you would immediately sink and swiftly descend and plunge into the bottomless gulf, and your healthy constitution, and your own care and prudence, and best contrivance, and all your righteousness, would have no more influence to uphold you and keep you out of hell, than a spider’s web would have to stop a falling rock.” (“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God“)

We have all heard similar statements, and sometimes as we read the scriptures, it does actually sound like this type of thing will happen.

I think that is why Joseph Smith coupled his statement on justice with a statement on mercy:

“Our heavenly Father is more liberal in His views, and boundless in His mercies and blessings, than we are ready to believe or receive.”

You do not get this type of theology when you read those old Puritan sermons. And that is part of the reason why God called Joseph Smith to be a prophet in out day. We need to get both sides of the issue, and to hear the whole story.

What balances justice and mercy is Christ’s Atonement. Jesus was just, in that He complied with God’s unchanging law. He was also sinless. And He also obtained mercy for us by His sacrifice. The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ teaches:

“And [Christ] shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.”

“And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.” (Alma 7:11-12, emphasis added.)

We now have the whole story about justice and about mercy. We need both. Fortunately, in Christ we can have both:

“Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him;”
“that glory may dwell in our land.”

“Mercy and truth are met together;”

“Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.”

“Truth shall spring out of the earth;”

“And righteousness shall look down from heaven.”

“Yea, the LORD shall give that which is good;

“And our land shall yield her increase.”

“Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.” (Psalms 85:9-13)