Justice and Mercy

Justice and mercy are religious principles. In trying to understand justice and mercy more, I propose this little scenario which is mostly based off of Alma 42. Justice and Mercy are constantly playing a balancing act with each other. When we are born into this world we are guiltless and not accountable for our actions. Once we pass the age of accountability and commit a sin, we are immediately within the grasp of justice and we are subject to spiritual death. Our perfect spirits have been dirtied and “no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of God.” (Alma 40:26) Unless repentance is made and we are provided a savior, we are lost to Heavenly Father. The price of the sin must be paid to satisfy justice and bring the scale back into balance. However, mercy cannot rob justice. (Alma 42:25)


This scenario might help to explain further. If an intruder comes, uninvited, into my house and threatens to hurt or kill my wife or children and I defend them by slaying the intruder, I believe I am justified and without guilt or blame. The intruder was punished for his actions by losing his life, which is fair and just. (D&C 98:31) I stand balanced on the scales of the Lord. I would still be permitted to enter the Kingdom since I have met the "minimum" requirement and have not tipped the scale in the negative.

Would the intruder also be justified and qualified for Heaven, since I meted out his punishment? No. His physical punishment might have been received at my hands, but he still has to repent and take the atoning offer from the Savior to make spiritual payment by obedience to the commandments. Mercy has no claim on the unrepentant. (Alma 42; Mosiah 2:38-39)

If the same intruder comes into my home and poses a threat to ME ONLY (my wife and children are out of the picture), I believe I would still be justified in defending myself. My salvation would be "balanced" still. I receive no reward in Heaven, but I am still not “in the negative” with the Lord.

However, if I were to turn the other cheek and NOT take any action against the intruder, two things occur:

1. My reward in Heaven is greater for having shown mercy to the intruder, even if it means giving up my life. I will not have simply qualified for Heaven and kept the justice/mercy scale evenly balanced, but would receive a greater reward for bringing no harm to him. I have returned mercy for evil and the mercy scale tips in my favor. (Romans 12:17-21; Matthew 5:7) “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.”

2. The punishment of the intruder (by the Lord) is equal to the reward which I am promised. The amount of joy I receive after this life from my decision will equal the amount of punishment the intruder will receive as well. Otherwise, mercy would rob justice.

How much greater would my mansion be if I were to extend mercy all my days to my fellow men by "turning the other cheek" and forgiving them 70 times 7? The reward in heaven would be immense, to be sure. An hundredfold or more, is what the scriptures say I will receive if I bear it patiently. (D&C 98:25-26) If I turned the other cheek in relation to my wife or children, and let others bring harm to them, the reward can be great as well, but I am also commanded to protect my family. (Alma 43:47; 48:23-25, D&C 134:11, The Family: A Proclamation to the World – paragraph 7; D&C 98:23-48)

For those in the "we must ALWAYS be merciful” crowd, they might cite the story of the Anti-Nephi-Lehies and even use the Savior himself as an example of ALWAYS turning the other cheek. The Anti-Nephi-Lehies were a vile people: A people who delighted in the shedding of blood. They had committed numerous murders before being converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Once they were converted, they felt that if they were to raise their swords against another, even in defense of themselves or their families, that they would lose their salvation and be eternally damned. They apparently felt that the sins/murders they had committed in their lives were as much as any person could commit. (Alma 24:10-13) Perhaps they felt that the atonement "barely" covered their former sins? In this case, they had already tipped the "justice" scale so far into the negative, that their conversion and repentance and faithful obedience to the commandments for the duration of their lives was barely enough to tip the mercy side of the scale back to an "even" place. They spoke as if one more sin would send them to eternal misery. Thus, they buried their swords and even forfeited their lives to the Lamanites and refused to defend themselves. I am sure they experienced, as Alma the Younger had, that feeling of complete and utter joy in their conversion. The thought of killing a Lamanite while he was in his sinful state and sending his soul to hell was something they could not bear.

And what of the example of the Savior himself? He was spat upon, abused, and ultimately killed. He never once defended himself against abuse. He always turned the other cheek. (1 Peter 2:23) Did Christ ever defend another’s safety physically? Yes. Peter drew his sword and smote off the ear of the man who was going to lay hands upon Jesus. (Matthew 26:51) The Savior rebuked Peter and told him to put away his sword. He even went so far as to heal the wounded servant. (Luke 22:51) He saved a woman from being stoned. (John 8:1-11)

The scriptures contain stories where killing is justified and even commanded of the Lord. (1 Ne. 4:10, 1 Samuel 15) Prophets that obey are not only justified, but blessed for having obeyed these commandments.

Needless to say, it behooves us to judge correctly in times like this. Does carrying a gun around all the time to defend myself and my family mean that I am relying on the arm of the flesh? (2 Ne. 4:34; 28:31) No. I believe that scripture reference is in relation to where we gain knowledge. That we gain truth and wisdom from the Spirit of God and not from mankind and putting trust in the Lord and His will, not our own. I refuse to walk around defenseless in this world. I do not want to see my family suffer more than is necessary for their Salvation. If I have to shoot a baddie or two to keep my family on earth with me a little longer, then so be it. I do not fear man. I also do not fear that I will be judged in the wrong for taking a man’s life in self defense. Killing is always a last resort – like war. I seek not to destroy anyone. I renounce war and proclaim peace. (D&C 98:16)

Therefore, If you, like me, choose to live your life meting out justice to bad guys instead of turning the other cheek, you’d better make damned sure you have a heavenly bank account chalk-full of good works to make up for it in the end.