“The Covenants of the Lord”

George Reynolds, Janne M. Sjodahl

See notes 2 Ne. 10:17.

In his Grace, Justice, Power, and Mercy, in the plan of deliverance from death. Grace means the love of God, which is the source of all the benefits we receive from him. But it means also, in a secondary sense, the benefits themselves which we receive, among all of which the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the greatest. When John, in his Gospel, says: "The Law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:21.)

Mercy. Justice does not exclude mercy. Sometimes what we call "justice" may be rank injustice, because we do never know for certain what mitigating circumsances, due to heredity or environment, are responsible in a case of transgression. Sometimes mercy is justice. In the Old dispensation the tables of law were covered by the "Mercy Seat," a most wonderful type of the government of God, who has said: "I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men." (D. and C. 64:10.)

Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 1

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