In the divine government, justice and mercy are not opposing forces but are indissolubly joined as the very foundation of God's law (DD 4.3). While Satan has attempted to portray God’s righteousness as an enemy to peace by divorcing mercy from justice, the life and sacrifice of Christ demonstrate that these two attributes are inseparable (DA 762.3). God’s love is expressed through His justice just as much as through His mercy, and the stability of His throne rests upon this perfect union (DA 762.3).
The plan of redemption reveals that mercy does not set aside the claims of the law, nor does it lower the divine standard to accommodate human failure (DA 762.1). Because the law is a transcript of God’s character, it could not be changed; instead, God sacrificed Himself in Christ to meet the demands of justice while extending mercy to the repentant sinner (DA 762.1). Through faith, the sinner is not only forgiven but is enabled to render the obedience that the law justly claims (LP 242.2).
God’s glory is revealed in His retributive justice just as clearly as it is in His forbearance and kindness (LDE 240). Even when the divine government must employ power to put down rebellion, these manifestations of justice remain perfectly consistent with God’s character as a merciful and benevolent being (4SP 361.4). However, when individuals lose sight of this balance and attempt to force the wills of others through human rules, they override the compassion and sympathy that should characterize God's representatives (PH146 38.4).
On a practical level, every human act that reflects this divine harmony—every deed of justice, mercy, and benevolence—is recognized by the heavenly courts (ChS 100.6). Such actions are described as making music in heaven, and those who perform them are numbered among God’s most precious jewels (ChS 268.1). By sympathizing with the afflicted and showing mercy to the needy, the believer enters into a closer relationship with Jesus, reflecting the same attributes that define the Father’s throne (ChS 268.1).
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Verified Source Texts
“nothing less than this plan of atonement could have sufficed to do—that justice and mercy are the foundation of the law and government of God. DD 4.3”
“God's love has been expressed in His justice no less than in His mercy. Justice is the foundation of His throne, and the fruit of His love. It had been Satan's purpose to divorce mercy from truth and justice. He sought to prove that the righteousness of God's law is an enemy to peace. But Christ shows that in God's plan they are indissolubly joined together; the one cannot exist without the other. “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” Psalm 85:10 . DA 762.3”
“Through Jesus, God's mercy was manifested to men; but mercy does not set aside justice. The law reveals the attributes of God's character, and not a jot or tittle of it could be changed to meet man in his fallen condition. God did not change His law, but He sacrificed Himself, in Christ, for man's redemption. “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself.” 2 Corinthians 5:19 . DA 762.1”
“God justly claimed the love and obedience of all his creatures. He had given them in his law a perfect standard of right. But they forgot their Maker, and chose to follow their own way in opposition to his will. They had returned enmity for a love that was as high as Heaven and as broad as the universe. God could not bring down his law to meet the standard of wicked men, neither could man, fallen by sin, meet the demands of the law by a blameless character and life. But by faith in Christ the sinner could be cleansed from his guilt, and he enabled to render obedience to the law of his Maker. God did not bestow his grace to lessen the binding claims of the law, but to establish it. “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” LP 242.2”
“God Is Just, as Well as Merciful It is the glory of God to be merciful, full of forbearance, kindness, goodness, and truth. But the justice shown in punishing the sinner is as verily the glory of the Lord as is the manifestation of His mercy.— The Review and Herald, March 10, 1904 . LDE 240”
“God has given to men a declaration of his character: “The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty.” [ Exodus 34:6, 7 .] The power and authority of the divine government will be employed to put down rebellion; yet all the manifestations of retributive justice will be perfectly consistent with the character of God as a merciful, long-suffering, benevolent being. 4SP 361.4”
““The goodness, mercy, and love of God was proclaimed by Christ to Moses. This was God's character. When men who profess to serve God ignore his paternal character, and depart from honor and righteousness in dealing with their fellow men, Satan exults; for he has inspired them with his attributes. They are following in the tract of Romanism. Those who are enjoined to represent the attributes of the Lord's character, step from the Bible platform, and in their own human judgment devise rules and resolutions to force the will of others. But when men are forced to follow the prescriptions of other men, an order of things is instituted that overrides sympathy and tender compassion, blinding the eyes of men to mercy, justice, and the love of God. Moral influence and personal responsibility are trodden underfoot.” PH146 38.4”
“Every act, every deed of justice and mercy and benevolence, makes music in heaven. The Father from His throne beholds and numbers the performer of them with His most precious treasures. “And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, when I make up My jewels.” Every merciful act to the needy or the suffering is as though done to Jesus. Whoever succors the poor, or sympathizes with the afflicted and oppressed, and befriends the orphan, brings himself into a more close relationship to Jesus.— The Review and Herald, August 16, 1881 . ChS 268.1”
Ellen Chat