About 73 B.C., in the Americas, a father sought to explain the concept of justice to his worried son:
AND now, my son, I perceive there is somewhat more which doth worry your mind, which ye cannot understand—which is concerning the justice of God in the punishment of the sinner; for ye do try to suppose that it is injustice that the sinner should be consigned to a state of misery. (Book of Mormon | Alma 42:1)
• God is a full-meal-deal?Can we not fathom that Love and Justice/Judgment co-exist? that they do not compete? that God loves us no matter what we choose? BUT that Love will not and cannot override Justice for those who reject the Way, the Truth, and the Light?2
• He comes with ALL his attributes intact?
• He wheels the meal cart and, despite unconditional love, will serve up at our judgment what we dished out to Him and others during our mortal probation?
And now behold, is the meaning of the word restoration to take a thing of a natural state and place it in an unnatural state, or to place it in a state opposite to its nature? O, my son, this is not the case; but the meaning of the word restoration is to bring back again evil for evil, or carnal for carnal, or devilish for devilish—good for that which is good; righteous for that which is righteous; just for that which is just; merciful for that which is merciful. Therefore, my son, see that you are merciful unto your brethren; deal justly, judge righteously, and do good continually; and if ye do all these things then shall ye receive your reward; yea, ye shall have mercy restored unto you again; ye shall have justice restored unto you again; ye shall have a righteous judgment restored unto you again; and ye shall have good rewarded unto you again. For that which ye do send out shall return unto you again, and be restored; therefore, the word restoration more fully condemneth the sinner, and justifieth him not at all. (Book of Mormon | Alma 41:12-15; bold emphasis added; see also below, footnote1)
There is a lot we do not understand about God’s ways; even what He means by the word misery,3 but He seems to have a lot to say about Justice and Judgment.4
So, when we confront Justice, Judgment, and Mercy at the pleading bar of God, whose love, do we imagine, is going to be on trial?5
In the meantime, His love continues to pursue us as He tries, with all His might—within the parameters of our agency—to persuade us to accept His gifts and promises. Then, as Alma says:
... and thus they stand or fall; for behold, they are their own judges, whether to do good or do evil. (Book of Mormon | Alma 41:7)And as Jacob says:
Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves—to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life. (Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 10:23)----------------/
1. Doctrine and Covenants | Section 1:10 ~ … the Lord shall come to recompense unto every man according to his work, and measure to every man according to the measure which he has measured to his fellow man.
Book of Mormon | Alma 41:3-7 ~ … it is requisite with the justice of God that men should be judged according to their works; and if their works were good in this life, and the desires of their hearts were good, that they should also, at the last day, be restored unto that which is good. And if their works are evil they shall be restored unto them for evil. Therefore, all things shall be restored to their proper order, every thing to its natural frame—mortality raised to immortality, corruption to incorruption—raised to endless happiness to inherit the kingdom of God, or to endless misery to inherit the kingdom of the devil, the one on one hand, the other on the other— The one raised to happiness according to his desires of happiness, or good according to his desires of good; and the other to evil according to his desires of evil; for as he has desired to do evil all the day long even so shall he have his reward of evil when the night cometh. And so it is on the other hand. If he hath repented of his sins, and desired righteousness until the end of his days, even so he shall be rewarded unto righteousness. These are they that are redeemed of the Lord; yea, these are they that are taken out, that are delivered from that endless night of darkness; and thus they stand or fall; for behold, they are their own judges, whether to do good or do evil.
Book of Mormon | Alma 42:22-26 ~ But 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. 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. And thus God bringeth about his great and eternal purposes, which were prepared from the foundation of the world. And thus cometh about the salvation and the redemption of men, and also their destruction and misery.
Book of Mormon | Alma 42:27 ~ Therefore, O my son, 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 according to his deeds.
Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 10:20-21 ~ Therefore remember, O man, for all thy doings thou shalt be brought into judgment. Wherefore, if ye have sought to do wickedly in the days of your probation, then ye are found unclean before the judgment–seat of God; and no unclean thing can dwell with God; wherefore, ye must be cast off forever.
New Testament | Galatians 6:7-8 ~ Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
2. New Testament | Matthew 7:13-14 ~ Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 33:9 ~ I also have charity for the Gentiles. But behold, for none of these can I hope except they shall be reconciled unto Christ, and enter into the narrow gate, and walk in the strait path which leads to life, and continue in the path until the end of the day of probation.
Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 2:7 ~ Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.
Doctrine and Covenants | Section 1:31-33 ~ For I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance; Nevertheless, he that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven; And he that repents not, from him shall be taken even the light which he has received; for my Spirit shall not always strive with man, saith the Lord of Hosts.
Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 2:21 ~ And the days of the children of men were prolonged, according to the will of God, that they might repent while in the flesh; wherefore, their state became a state of probation, and their time was lengthened, according to the commandments which the Lord God gave unto the children of men. For he gave commandment that all men must repent; for he showed unto all men that they were lost, because of the transgression of their parents.
Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 9:27 ~ But wo unto him that has the law given, yea, that has all the commandments of God, like unto us, and that transgresseth them, and that wasteth the days of his probation, for awful is his state!
Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 33:9 ~ I also have charity for the Gentiles. But behold, for none of these can I hope except they shall be reconciled unto Christ, and enter into the narrow gate, and walk in the strait path which leads to life, and continue in the path until the end of the day of probation.
Book of Mormon | Mormon 9:28 ~ Be wise in the days of your probation; strip yourselves of all uncleanness; ask not, that ye may consume it on your lusts, but ask with a firmness unshaken, that ye will yield to no temptation, but that ye will serve the true and living God.
Doctrine and Covenants | Section 29:43-45 ~ And thus did I, the Lord God, appoint unto man the days of his probation—that by his natural death he might be raised in immortality unto eternal life, even as many as would believe; And they that believe not unto eternal damnation; for they cannot be redeemed from their spiritual fall, because they repent not; For they love darkness rather than light, and their deeds are evil, and they receive their wages of whom they list to obey.
Book of Mormon | Mormon 7:3 ~ Know ye that ye must come unto repentance, or ye cannot be saved.
3. Doctrine and Covenants | Section 19:6-12 ~ Nevertheless, it is not written that there shall be no end to this torment, but it is written endless torment. Again, it is written eternal damnation; wherefore it is more express than other scriptures, that it might work upon the hearts of the children of men, altogether for my name's glory. Wherefore, I will explain unto you this mystery, for it is meet unto you to know even as mine apostles. I speak unto you that are chosen in this thing, even as one, that you may enter into my rest. For, behold, the mystery of godliness, how great is it! For, behold, I am endless, and the punishment which is given from my hand is endless punishment, for Endless is my name. Wherefore— Eternal punishment is God's punishment. Endless punishment is God's punishment.
Doctrine and Covenants | Section 76:38-40 ~ Yea, verily, the only ones who shall not be redeemed in the due time of the Lord, after the sufferings of his wrath. For all the rest shall be brought forth by the resurrection of the dead, through the triumph and the glory of the Lamb, who was slain, who was in the bosom of the Father before the worlds were made. And this is the gospel, the glad tidings, which the voice out of the heavens bore record unto us—
4. Number of Scripture References for Justice, Just, Judgment, & Judgments
| Old Testament | New Testament | BoM, D&C, PGP | Totals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justice |
28
|
0*
|
85
| 113 |
| Just |
59
|
35
|
92
| 186 |
| Judgment |
218
|
76
|
165
| 459 |
| Judgments |
122
|
5
|
61
| 188 |
* The word justice may not appear in the New Testament, but when one analyses the parables and other words of Jesus, there is clearly a theme of justice, as in “The Unjust Steward,” “The Unjust Judge,” “The Unmerciful Servant,” “Lazarus and the Rich Man”, etc. It might be an enlightening exercise to read the Four Gospels looking for the theme of Justice in the words and actions of Jesus..
5. New Testament | John 14:15 ~ If ye love me, keep my commandments.
New Testament | John 3:16 ~ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. [In short: God’s immeasurable love was proven long ago at Gethsemane and Golgotha. He satisfied Justice in every circumstance. He paid the price for every offense. His work to meet the demands of justice was finished. (New Testament | John 19:30 ~ When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.) And now, we are in the midst of our work.
