Alma's Teachings on Mercy and Justice

Justice or Mercy

Why We Are To Say Nothing But Repentance Unto This Generation

Book of Mormon prophet-writers often exclaim of the greatness and of the goodness of God!  In the scriptures this praise of God is almost exclusively associated with God's plan of redemption, with such words as "the great plan of mercy" or "the wisdom of God, his mercy and grace!" Jacob exclaims: "O how great the goodness of our God, who prepareth a way for our escape from the grasp of this awful monster" (2 Nephi 9:10). He also says: "O how great is the plan of our God!" and "O the greatness and the justice of our God!" and "O the greatness of the mercy of our God, the Holy One of Israel!"  While I had read these exclamations, they did not give rise in me to the same praise and joy. At least not until I personally experienced His justice, His mercy and His goodness through His plan of redemption.

By searching out His plan in the Book of Mormon, His words made me aware of His justice in my own life, and I was afraid to stand before Him and be judged of all my works, regardless of whether they had been good or bad. As I searched through 2 Nephi 2, 9 & 31; Mosiah 2-4; Alma 5, 7, 12 & 42; Helaman 7 & 12; and 3 Nephi 27, among others, I was awakened to a sense of my own guilt, and my sins began to trouble me, no, more like horrified me! The more I read of my reality, I realized that there were so many sins that I could not number them, I realized that my words would condemn me, my works would condemn me, and even my thoughts would condemn me. From James I learned that even one sin, no matter how small, would subject me to the Justice of God (James 2:10). I realized that the fiery darts were my own sins, and that in order to avoid them I must look to Christ and live! 

There is no question in my mind but that His words purposefully drive us away from His Justice (His Anger, His Wrath) and into the arms of His Mercy. At least that is how it worked for me. For others perhaps just His invitation may be enough, but I don't think so because even an invitation is associated with a revelation as to our condition on this earth, i.e. lost, fallen, carnal, sensual, devilish and shut out from the presence of God. Because of His justice, there was no other outcome for Adam and Eve, or for us, if we do not take advantage of His mercy which was introduced as a result of His atonement, and as a result of our condition--of which we are constantly reminded by our loving Father.

Alma's explanation to His son Corianton in Alma 42 is one of the clearest teachings of the Plan of Redemption, the Justice of God, the Mercy of God and how we avoid the former by taking advantage of the latter through repentance.

Alma perceived that his son thought that it was unjust that a sinner should be consigned to a state of misery. Perhaps he thought, as many of us do, that a loving Father would maybe beat us with a few stripes, but in the end would commute our punishment. Alma knew that Corianton did not understand the justice of God so he explained it to him by recounting the story of Adam and Eve having been sent from the garden of Eden, and having become like God, knowing good and evil. They were prohibited from partaking of the fruit of the tree of life at that time. Alma explains that this became a "time granted unto man to repent, yea a probationary time,..." He further explains that it was "appointed unto man to die...and...man became lost forever,..."

By this Adam and Eve were cut off both temporally and spiritually from the presence of God and they could follow their own will. He explained that all would die, but that it was "expedient that mankind should be reclaimed from spiritual death." Mankind therefore had become carnal, sensual, and devilish by nature, and if they remained in this state their souls would be miserable forever, being cut off from the presence of the Lord.

Alma then tells Corianton that there was no means to reclaim men from this fallen state, which man had brought upon himself because of his own disobedience, and that they were in the "grasp of justice, yea the justice of God" and there was no way that the work of justice could be destroyed or God would cease to be God. In other words, God told Adam and Eve what would happen, and being God, he could not go back on his word. He could not commute the punishment. Justice must be paid because He said it must! (Note how Alma uses the word 'man' to describe not only Adam and Eve, but all mankind, even us.)

Now Alma introduces the subject of God's mercy. He told Corianton "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." He could not commute the punishment, but he could send His son to take upon Himself the punishment.

Alma then lays the groundwork necessary for there to be an opportunity to repent. He explains that there must be a law and a punishment for breaking the law, and that the breaking of the law would be sin, and without sin men could not repent. And, therefore, like Adam and Eve, if we sinned, we would be punished because of the justice of God. It is interesting to note that the law is the means by which sin is measured because without law, if men sinned neither justice or mercy could do anything.  Because no one can live the law, the law becomes a schoolmaster that brings us to Christ. He knew that we would sin, all of us, as sinning was part of the plan!

"But there was 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."  Read this paragraph again and then again.

Note the formulas, and since all of us sin, one or the other applies to each of us: 

Break the law (sin) w/o repentance = justice

        or 

Break the law (sin) with repentance = mercy

Mercy claims the penitent and mercy comes because of the atonement. The atonement also brings to pass the resurrection of the dead; and the resurrection brings men back into the presence of God to be judged according to their works, according to the law and justice (cf. 3 Nephi 27:13-21).

Alma then, in order to make sure Corianton understands, emphasizes that "Justice exerciseth his demands, and also mercy claimeth all which is her own; and thus, none but the truly penitent are saved." If Corianton was thinking that it was an injustice to punish the sinner, he could not think that any longer. He now knew (as we must come to know) that to punish the unrepentant sinner is just.

Alma continues by reminding Corianton that there are only two ways, and from one way comes about the salvation and redemption of men, and from the other their destruction and misery.

Then, as all the Book of Mormon prophet-writers do, Alma reiterates that 'whosoever will come may come and partake of the waters of life freely; and whosoever will not come the same is not compelled to come; but in the last day it shall be restored unto him (those who do not partake of the waters of life freely) according to his deeds--justice!

Of course Alma's discourse was not meant for Corianton only, but for all of us who have the law given, transgress it, and choose (and it is a choice) either mercy or justice. To paraphrase, if we have desired to do evil, and have not repented in our lifetime, evil shall be done unto us, according to the restoration of God. So let our sins trouble us with a trouble that will bring us down unto repentance.  Do not desire God's justice, even if He is fair with you. Do not endeavor to excuse yourselves in the least point because of your sins, by denying the justice of God. Perhaps this is what Corianton was doing, and what we do, to excuse our sins. Instead let the justice of God, and his mercy, and his long-suffering have full sway in your heart!

And finally Alma reminds Corianton that he (Corianton) has been called of God to preach these same words unto the people. 

"And now my son, go thy way, 

declare this word with truth 

and soberness, 

(why?) 

that thou mayest bring souls unto repentance, 

(why?) 

that the great plan of mercy may have claim upon them."

"O how great is the plan of our God!" 

"O the greatness and the justice of our God!" 

"O the greatness of the mercy of our God, the Holy One of Israel!"

Since repentance is the key, we must come to know what the Lord has revealed concerning repentance--what repentance is and what repentance is not, and why we have been commanded to teach our children to understand the doctrine of repentance. Something we cannot do if we do not understand it ourselves. See series on Repentance.