Mercy's Claim

Although we sin because of influences that reside in our subconscious minds, we are still responsible to make things right. We are agents to ourselves, (see Moses 6:56), which is somewhat of an odd phrase. An agent is someone who represents someone else and acts on their behalf. To be an agent to yourself, or to act on behalf of yourself, seems to be a strange idea, unless you consider the part of you that is the agent to be your conscious self and that your conscious self acts as an agent on behalf of your entire being, conscious (which is 5% of you) and subconscious (which is 95% of you). The conscious part of us is responsible for what happens in the subconscious. When subconscious forces push us to sin or to do evil, the conscious part of us may make efforts to repair the evil that has been done. This process is called repentance and first requires faith in Christ, because it is a joint effort between us and Christ to heal and repair the sin that we commit. The great prophet-teacher Amulek explained how this works:

14) And behold, this is the whole meaning of the law, every whit pointing to that great and last sacrifice; and that great and last sacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal.

15) And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall believe on his name; this being the intent of this last sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance.

16) And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircles them in the arms of safety, while he that exercises no faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands of justice; therefore only unto him that has faith unto repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of redemption. (Alma 34:14-16)

Again, this drama of evil desires, justice, remorse of conscience, faith, repentance, mercy, and peace of conscience is all internal. The forces of justice and mercy already exist within us because the Spirit “is given to abide in you … and hath all power according to wisdom, mercy, truth, justice, and judgment” (Moses 6:61). The Nephites who listened to and responded to King Benjamin’s sermon give us a good example of this drama playing out:

1) And now, it came to pass that when king Benjamin had made an end of speaking the words which had been delivered unto him by the angel of the Lord, that he cast his eyes round about on the multitude, and behold they had fallen to the earth, for the fear of the Lord had come upon them.

2) And they had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less than the dust of the earth. And they all cried aloud with one voice, saying: O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be purified; for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created heaven and earth, and all things; who shall come down among the children of men. 

[The justice of God had caused them to feel some sort of remorse of conscience, which they described as “the fear of the Lord” and also viewing “themselves in their own carnal state”; they didn’t want to feel that way, so they took action so that Christ could help make them feel good again] 

3) And it came to pass that after they had spoken these words the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ who should come, according to the words which king Benjamin had spoken unto them. 

[Note that they asked for the atoning blood of Christ to be applied to them and then it was applied by means of the Spirit of the Lord]

The scriptures hint at reciprocity of action between the penitent soul and mercy. On one hand, “mercy claimeth the penitent, and mercy cometh because of the atonement” (Alma 42:23), as if mercy actively reaches out to claim the penitent. On the other hand “whosoever repenteth, and hardeneth not his heart, he shall have claim on mercy through mine Only Begotten Son, unto a remission of his sins” (Alma 12:34), as if the penitent must actively reach out to claim mercy. In a revelation to Joseph Smith, the Lord talked about himself as “Jesus Christ, your Redeemer, the Great I Am, whose arm of mercy hath atoned for your sins” (D&C 29:1). Because the Lord identified mercy with his arm, this imagery of the Lord reaching out to us with his arm of mercy and us reaching out to grab hold and claim that mercy is apt. This reciprocity of action where the Lord offers a gift and we actively receive it is explained in this verse from the Doctrine and Covenants – “For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift? Behold, he rejoices not in that which is given unto him, neither rejoices in him who is the giver of the gift.” (D&C 88:33). Moroni explained it this way – “And again I would exhort you that ye would come unto Christ, and lay hold upon every good gift” (Moroni 10:30). The symbolism of this reciprocity of action is captured when we take the sacrament. The Deacon extends his arm holding the tray of bread or water as if he was Christ extending his arm of mercy and then we reach out with our own hand to lay hold on the gift offered.