Some people have a hard time reconciling that Jehovah of the Old Testament is Jesus of the New Testament. Perhaps that is because they see Jehovah exclusively as a God of Justice and Jesus exclusively as a God of Mercy. Let's talk about that.
There are divine absolutes: laws irrevocably decreed in heaven. (D&C 130: 20) One of those is that no unclean thing can dwell in the presence of God. (1 Nephi 10: 21; Alma 40: 26) Period. Sin makes us unclean. So the law of justice says that if we sin, we cannot dwell in the presence of God. In this common rendering of Justice, she is blind with a sword in her hand. You do this: you get that; period. Don't tell me your problems. You did it; you get it.
But our Heavenly Father wants us back. He recognizes the absoluteness of the law of justice. Therefore, He provided a Savior for us - the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. This is Jehovah, the firstborn in the spirit Son of God, and the pre-mortal Jesus. As Jehovah, He created the universe and all that is in it. He communed with Adam, Enoch, Noah, and Moses. He gave Israel the Law as a school master to prepare them for His incarnation in the flesh. Then, when the time was right, He was born of a mortal mother and was named, by the command of the angel, Jesus - Jeshua which means in Hebrew God Saves. His name was His mission. He was the promised Mesheach [Messiah] in Hebrew; Christ in Greek.
Here then is our salvation. Mercy cannot rob justice; the debt must be paid. We cannot pay the debt, worlds without end, but Jesus Christ can and He did. Through His incarnation, atonement, death, and resurrection, we have the opportunity to temper justice with mercy; to come unto Christ and be saved. "And no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end." (3 Nephi 27: 19)
How do we "wash our garments?" First, we must have faith in Jesus Christ that He can and will atone for our sins. Second, we must repent of our sins and come unto Him with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Third, we must be baptized and washed clean of our sins. Fourth, we must receive the Holy Ghost. Finally, we must be faithful to Him going forward from this moment. We will still sin, as that is the human condition, but as we become more sensitive to our Savior's example, we become aware of our sins more quickly and we repent of them as we acknowledge them before Him and forsake them. We must come daily to the throne of grace if we are to walk with Him as His disciple. (Hebrews 4: 16, KJV)
However, having said this, we must always stay cognizant of the fact that Jesus Christ saves us from our sins. He does not save us in our sins. Too many people today think that all they have to do is proclaim a belief in Jesus Christ and they will be saved no matter what they choose to do. They go blithely forward following their own carnal will rather than seeking God's will in their lives, all the while expecting to be saved. God will not be mocked. Jesus said it Himself: "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 7:21)
Jesus forgave the adulteress, but told her to go and sin no more. I love the way Professor Cecelia M. Peek said it, speaking of the absolute presence of Jehovah/Jesus Christ: "Right now, in this moment, all moments are present. I am the totally present and totally current God. Your past and your future can all be decided in this moment of belief. Your past can be forgiven. Your future can be assured if you will believe now." [1] Once you believe, what will you choose to do? Right now? In this moment?
[1] Messiah: Behold the Lamb of God. www.BYUTV.org
Text copyright Gebara Education March 2013
Picture of Christ on the throne from www.sodahead.com
Picture of Justice from multiple sources on the web
Picture of Christ's mercy from multiple sources on the web
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