The Justice of Injustice
By Larry
Doyle Crenshaw
MeditationsInLight.Blogspot.com
The paradox is posed:
Can justice in injustice be found?
The proposition
strains credulity and our sense of fairness
The premise tends to
confuse, complicate and confound
As this mortal
probation limits our celestial awareness
Since the beginning of time, we have struggled with the
theological dilemma of evil in the world.
This week’s meditation explores a piece – a small part of the question, “Can
justice be found in injustice?” For the
sincere and Godly believer and the equally sincere non-believer the question
often begins, “How could God let such-and-such happen?” The reader can fill in the blank with any
number of terrible, painful, unfair, and even evil situations. These may include the untimely death of a
loved one, the ravages of war, terrorism, or the devastation of disease, or terrible
destruction of storms and severe natural events. In addition to these outward occurring
situations, there are equally painful inward experiences within the mind and
heart and soul. Spiritual, emotional, and mental sufferings exact their own agonizing
tolls.
In such moments we are tempted to cry out, “Why, God?” “Why
this?” “Why now?” “Aren’t you supposed to be a kind, all-knowing,
all-powerful and loving and Heavenly Father?”
There was once one who asked a similar question as He cried out, “My
God, my God, why has Thou forsaken me?” (Matthew
27:46). In these raw, painful, and
tender moments there are answers; but some are hard to hear, hard to see, and
hard to feel.
Even the theological argument
of “God’s Sovereignty” may leave little comfort. Meaning that God is omnipotent, omnipresent,
and omniscient, and can
therefore do anything He wants and for His own purposes – for our own good - purposes
that we may never understand. However, it
is our nature to want to know, to understand the whys and wherefores, and the
purposes and reasons for things – especially things that cause us pain and
suffering. While we accept God’s sovereignty as a theological principle, we
believe that there is more to the argument.
Hence, we offer the
“Agency” argument - meaning that we are here on Earth to learn Godly attributes
and traits through making right agentive choices. Learning correct principles,
then making wise choices is the divinely sanctioned method to become more like
our heavenly parents. Accordingly, there are four necessary and
essential conditions for agentive choice during our experience here on Earth. Bruce
R. McConkie explained that first, laws must exist which can be obeyed or
disobeyed. Second, opposites must exist – good and evil, right and wrong.
Third, we must have the opportunity to learn and know good from evil. And lastly, we must have an unfettered power
of choice. All four of these conditions are necessary (Mormon Doctrine, p. 26). But in addition, there must be a way to
counter the effects of devastatingly bad choices and to overcome or remediate
the damage done by ill health – be it physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual. Fortunately, Christ’s Atonement provides the
opportunity to make corrective changes, allow “miracles” to happen, receive
healing, or remove the damning effects of bad choices through repentance. In these circumstances the forces of God’s
Sovereignty and Agency will be at work.
If we believe that
God, even though absolutely sovereign, operates within and promotes the law of
agency, we can begin to see some semblance of reason and purpose to what
happens here on this Earth which operates by earthly natural law. The Earth is a “fallen Earth” and it follows
the natural law to which this Earth is subject, producing beautiful sunrises
and sunsets, while also producing destructive storms, floods, and earthquakes
that destroy and kill. Likewise, we are
“fallen man” – our natures, even our bodies are of the earth and subject to its
laws, including generation after generation of genetic transmission, including
predispositions to certain diseases and health-related conditions. Also, we are
able to learn both good and evil from our life circumstances and we make
choices which can produce Mother Teresas, but also Adolph Hitlers, and every
type of person in between.
This is not an
exhaustive thesis on the subject justice and injustice - but a brief meditational
prelude to the verses of this week’s writing regarding “The Justice of
Injustice.” When we combine the
Sovereignty of God argument with the Agency argument, we find, at least in some
cases, that God usually allows the work of agency to go unfettered without His
exceptional divine and sovereign intervention so that the laws of justice may
be met – not always on our timeline, but on His. If He fails to intervene on
key occasions, it may well be that He is allowing eternal principles of agency
and justice to be applied - principles not always visible or discernible.
On other occasions He
may intervene and apply the law of mercy based on His sovereignty and other
goals that He desires to achieve.
Through it all we begin to understand that in God’s eyes pain and death can
be two means to a more glorious end. It is hard for us mortals to understand
pain as an instrument of refining and death as a portal of transition. The learning and refining process is always
subject to divine mathematics wherein the equation of justice and mercy is
always in balance.
God said through
Isaiah, “Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee
in the furnace of affliction.” Isaiah
48:10 Later, the Apostle Paul said, “Beloved, think
it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some
strange thing happened unto you: 13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers
of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad
also with exceeding joy.” 1
Peter 4:12-13 To
accept such doctrines requires that we climb upward to a more Godly perspective
and begin to see things in less mortally confined ways. However, when we are
able to do so, we begin to find purpose and meaning in what might otherwise be
viewed as an arbitrary, capricious, and uncaring Deity. Through all our pain and suffering we may rely
on God’s promise, “For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass
the immortality and eternal life of man.” Moses 1:39
Meanwhile:
This blood of the innocents
shall stand witness at last
And cry mightily
against the vile and murderous crowd
As the Great Judge
metes justice, and judgment is passed
Wicked tongues will
confess and every knee shall be bowed
Today the wicked
rejoice in avarice, evil, and malice
Until judgment day,
fair recompense will not be found
Faith and forbearance
must await the day of full justice
Then those abused will
wear a royal robe and a victor's crown
The Justice
of Injustice
And it
came to pass that they took Alma and Amulek, and carried them forth to the
place of martyrdom, that they might witness the destruction of those who were
consumed by fire.
And when Amulek saw the pains of the women and children who were consuming in the fire, he also was pained; and he said unto Alma: How can we witness this awful scene? Therefore let us stretch forth our hands, and exercise the power of God which is in us, and save them from the flames. But Alma said unto him: The Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth them up unto himself, in glory; and he doth suffer that they may do this thing, or that the people may do this thing unto them, according to the hardness of their hearts, that the judgments which he shall exercise upon them in his wrath may be just; and the blood of the innocent shall stand as a witness against them, yea, and cry mightily against them at the last day.
And when Amulek saw the pains of the women and children who were consuming in the fire, he also was pained; and he said unto Alma: How can we witness this awful scene? Therefore let us stretch forth our hands, and exercise the power of God which is in us, and save them from the flames. But Alma said unto him: The Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth them up unto himself, in glory; and he doth suffer that they may do this thing, or that the people may do this thing unto them, according to the hardness of their hearts, that the judgments which he shall exercise upon them in his wrath may be just; and the blood of the innocent shall stand as a witness against them, yea, and cry mightily against them at the last day.
Book of
Mormon Alma 14:9-11
Captive
innocents are consumed by fire and die
Captive observers
cry out at the awful aggression
“Can we not
stretch forth our hands and cry
Unto the Lord
for redress and intercession?”
“No, for the Spirit constraineth our hand
For the Lord
receiveth them unto His glory
He suffereth
that they die according to plan
That
injustice be not the end of the story”
The paradox is
posed: Can justice in injustice be found?
The
proposition strains credulity and our sense of fairness
The premise
tends to confuse, complicate and confound
As this
mortal probation limits our celestial awareness
For the blood
of the innocents shall stand witness at last
And cry
mightily against the vile and murderous crowd
As the Great
Judge metes justice and judgment is passed
Wicked
tongues will confess and every knee shall be bowed
Today the
wicked rejoice in avarice, evil, and malice
Until
judgment day, fair recompense will not be found
Faith and forbearance
must await the day of full justice
Then those
abused will wear a royal robe and the victor's crown
Larry Doyle Crenshaw
