The Glory of the World
In Sacrament meeting, the speaker commented on how curious it is that Satan tempted Jesus by offering the Creator a portion of His creation (my words, not his):
Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
Matthew 4:8–9
And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
We have probably all wondered at the gall. Never before did it make sense that these were things that the God of this world could in fact offer, because they were in fact his. Might it be that the glory of God has no part in the glory of the world, and God could therefore make no similar offer? It is quite the juxtaposition to this glory to imagine the glory of God as seen in Jesus conquering spiritual and physical death.
Is it possible that we don’t want this to be the case because the glory of the world comprises the very things for which we so diligently strive?
The Law of Mercy
We find in the Book of Mormon the phrase “the plan of mercy.” But, if we are to believe Alma’s words, then this is a law:
But God did call on men, in the name of his Son, (this being the plan of redemption which was laid) saying: If ye will repent, and harden not your hearts, then will I have mercy upon you, through mine Only Begotten Son; Therefore, whosoever repenteth, and hardeneth not his heart, he shall have claim on mercy through mine Only Begotten Son, unto a remission of his sins; and these shall enter into my rest.
Alma 12:33–35
And whosoever will harden his heart and will do iniquity, behold, I swear in my wrath that he shall not enter into my rest.
REPENTANCE and not HARDEN HEART –> MERCY –> REMISSION –> REST OF THE LORD
HARDEN HEART –> NO REST
and recursively using contrapositive along with Demorgan’s Law:
NO REST -> NO REMISSION -> NO MERCY -> NO REPENTANCE and/or HARDENED HEART
In slightly different words, does this say: if you repent, you will be blessed, else you will be cursed (i.e., “not enter into my rest” = punishment)?
Wherefore, he has given a law; and where there is no law given there is no punishment….
2 Nephi 9:25
NO LAW -> NO PUNISHMENT
Again using the contrapositive:
PUNISHMENT -> LAW
Law of Mercy. Q.E.D.
Now, if there is a Law of Mercy, and God does not lie, then might we conclude that if someone met all the conditions of repentance, and mercy was not extended, that this would be unjust?
If so, did we just agree that the Law of Mercy (at least in part) must fulfill the Law of Justice?
There is much more to say here that is rather mind-warping, but you may first need to get your own mind wrapped around this. The implications are amazing.