Stephen E. Robinson wrote:
. . . .Yet some people are so addicted to the law of justice that they have difficulty accommodating the law of mercy or grace. They chafe at certain aspects of the gospel and of mercy that seem to them unfair (in other words, merciful rather than just). For example, it really isn’t fair that one person should suffer for the sins of others. It isn’t fair that some people can commit horrible crimes and then be completely forgiven and cleansed without having to suffer for them. It isn’t fair that those who labor for only an hour will get the same reward as those who labor all day. (See Matthew 20:1-16). No, the gospel sometimes isn’t fair, it’s merciful, and thank God it is so, for no human being can stand acquitted before the demands of absolute justice. From the perspective of fallen, imperfect mortals like ourselves, being judged by justice alone is our worst nightmare.
Nevertheless, some of us can’t turn loose of the law of justice. I have had many people say to me, “Well, what you say about mercy and grace would be wonderful, if it were true, but it doesn’t feel right to me. It’s too easy—it doesn’t seem fair.” In other words, “I can’t accept mercy because it doesn’t feel like justice. What do the scriptures say? “O the greatness of the mercy of our God, the Holy One of Israel! For he delivereth the saints from that awful monster the devil, and death, and hell, and that lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment.” (2 Nephi 9:19; italics added.)
Now it is not an unfair or unjust fate that the Saints are to be delivered from. There is nothing wrong with people going to hell—they deserve it. After they incurred an honest debt of sin, and paying it is only right: “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!” (2 Nephi 9:27.) In the situation described in these two scriptures, the devil, death, and hell receive power over individuals only to the extent and duration that are warranted for the payment of individual debts. Hell is not a satanic invention—it is part of God’s plan, and it is perfectly just and fair. It is true that Satan rules there, but only at the sufferance of God. The threat of hell is the threat of getting justice, of getting what we deserve and of paying what we owe without any interference from mercy.
On the other hand the atonement of Christ offers a way to receive mercy instead of justice and to avoid a just punishment in hell. Nevertheless, if we reject the mercy offered by Christ, then suffering for our sins is right and just and fair. Justice could never intervene to save us from a just punishment—only mercy can do that. “While his arm of mercy is extended towards you in the light of day, harden not your hearts. . . .[Otherwise,] according to the power of justice, for justice cannot be denied, ye must go away into that lake of fire and brimstone, whose flames are unquenchable , and whose smoke ascendeth up forever and ever, which lake of fire and brimstone is endless torment.” (Jacob 6:5,10) ~Stephen E. Robinson, Believing Christ (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1992). 104-107 (pocket book edition)
continued. . . .
